Top 11 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500

If you buy intelligently, the cheapest option doesn’t have to be the worst one.

At this price range, Donner offers some incredible value to beginners with their DAG-1C, a budget focused entry that doesn’t compromise on its performance.

Its bright, clear tone will ensure that any flaws in your playing are yours alone and not the fault of the guitar, which is crucial to players trying to improve their skills (and ears) by taking lessons either online or in person.

Out of the box, its action and intonation are quite good which means it’s vibrant, loud, and easy to play without taking some extra steps to set it up.

That’s a good thing because, with the high-quality strings that are included, your hands will want to be making their way around the fretboard for hours as soon as you open the box it comes in.

Check out the Donner DAG-1C on Amazon

Epiphone has made their reputation by offering incredible price-to-performance ratios.

That prowess is on display right here with a high-quality product that provides tone and resonance that will blow your expectations out the water, even if you’re used to higher end models. 

While it uses high-quality materials in the construction of the body and the neck, they are rather thin. It won’t break and it shouldn’t be a deal breaker, but you should know that your sustain and tone won’t be quite as powerful if you plan on lugging the DR-100 on stage with you.

That being said, some aftermarket strings do go a decent way into rectifying some of these issues by offering brighter, crisper notes.

That does tack on a few extra dollars to your purchase, but since you’ll want to be switching your strings out sooner rather than later, it’s probably best to just get it out of the way early.

Do note though that this Epiphone has a slightly longer scale length of 25.5, which makes it somewhat larger than standard acoustic sizes.

While this is better than going too small on your first purchase, it can still throw you off if you were expecting something a bit smaller, so buyer beware!

Check out the Epiphone DR-100 on Amazon

Fender may not be the powerhouse in the acoustic world that they are in the electric one, but with good entry level models like this, that should change soon.

It will probably need to be set-up out of the box, but once that’s out of the way you have a light, powerful instrument that will accurately reflect your playing while staying in tune through hours of heavy picking.

The notes that it plays tend to be on the higher side which is great for strumming along to happy songs, but you can always balance it out with some aftermarket strings later down the line to tack on some added bass.

Ultimately, this is a great beginner’s guitar since it’s affordable, easy to fret, and features an adjustable truss rod for some quick at-home maintenance.

While the body is made of pure laminate wood, it’s quite sturdy and will survive getting knocked around, which means you can expect some good longevity from your purchase.

Check out the Fender FA-100 Dreadnought on Amazon

They don’t have the name recognition among casual guitar fans, but Yamaha produces some extraordinary models at all price ranges that I strongly encourage you to check out.

Their FG800 is a light and balanced guitar which goes a long way to ensuring comfort if you tend to play standing up. It's a design that prioritizes playability.

Its matte finish on the rosewood neck helps resist sweaty hands, and the guitar itself has absolutely wonderful acoustics.

Not only does it get quite punchy and loud, but its true to life and carries a great tone. This acoustic won’t give you any string or fret buzz, provided you stretch the strings out beforehand.

That’s a recurring problem on this model, but is quickly solved if you know what you’re doing and is generally a good sign that the strings are new and just haven’t had the chance to settle.

This means your strings will last longer and give you hours of play-time before needing to buy a second set.

Check out the Yamaha FG800 on Amazon

Our first acoustic/electric hybrid on this list comes from Ibanez, who crafted a model that’s worthy of inclusion thanks to its remarkable projection both plugged and unplugged that truly gives you the best of both worlds. 

The electronics are high quality and result in great clean sounds coming out of the amplifier, and even if you’re using it unplugged, the sound hole is no slouch either. 

The notes and chords it produces are rich and detailed, and will serve you well whether you’re practicing or performing live.

If you do opt for this model though, I highly recommend you look at two things: the intonation, and the action.

Both are easy to inspect, but it’s not uncommon for mass-produced guitars to require a quick set-up before revealing their true potential.

It’s not mandatory, but if the action is high it can make playing it harder than it should be, which you shouldn’t have to deal with considering just playing the instrument properly is frustrating enough sometimes.

Check out the Ibanez AW54CEOPN on Amazon

Looks are subjective, but the Fender CD-60SCE is arguably one of the most beautiful guitars on this list thanks to its use of nicely grained mahogany wood.

These same production standards for their materials apply to the rest of the body and neck which results in a durable guitar that has some nice heft in the hands and feels great to play.

Its wide fretboard is nicely filed making it easier on the hands of more novice players, and while it might take some getting used to, it makes picking much more forgiving and easier since the strings are further apart, making it a great guitar to learn on and practice with.

That doesn’t mean it’s bad for more experienced players though.

Compared to some low-end cheaper models, this Fender provides a fantastic, full tone across all six strings.

Chords ring out beautifully both plugged and unplugged, which makes it extremely versatile for intermediate players looking to take a step up from their beginner rig.

Check out the Fender CD-60SCE on Amazon

Offering something a little different for those that are convinced they need something smaller, the ¾ scale length Baby Taylor is a good option for women or younger players with smaller hands who need some help getting used to moving around the board.

I mentioned early that it’s preferable to stick to full-sized models, but the reason this Taylor bucks that trend on this list is because the rest of the package is so high quality that upgrading won’t necessarily be essential later down the line.

It sounds as rich as a full-sized acoustic, and provides a great sound out of the box thanks to some good action and a great set of included strings.

Just note that when it comes time to change them, smaller guitars require larger gauges to get the same sound as on their full-sized cousins. Aside from being harder on the fingers at first, there’s nothing to be worried about.

Just make sure you don't forget about the string gauge difference in this smaller scale length guitar - if you happen to forget, the strings won’t give you the clarity and volume you’re looking for when you strum a few notes and you'll notice.

Ultimately, this Taylor won’t be for everyone, but does a great job filling the role of a full-sized Dreadnought, as well as that of a travel guitar with very few compromises made on performance, so it should feature quite highly on your own personal list if it meets your criteria.

Check out the Baby Taylor BT1 on Amazon

Sitting at the top of this intermediate price range, the Seagull S6 is a top of the line Made in America guitar that looks to give you the value of a $1000-dollar axe at a fraction of the price.

Unfortunately, that also means it has some nifty little features that are less likely to be appreciated by beginners.

For example, it’s larger nut width spaces the strings and fretboard out further apart, making it great for players with large hands that are comfortable stretching.

​Its double action truss rod does a great job at relieving bowing pressure on the neck from the strings over years of use.

They’re fantastic added value to those looking for it, but might not make it your first choice for a beginner guitar unless you really want to spring for something nice.

If you go this route though, you’ll be very pleased with the sound provided that you’re not looking for something too punchy.

The actual notes this guitar produces are rather soft, making it ideal for players who are itching to jam out to some ballads, rather than some classic rock.

It can still be used for all songs, but might not give you the exact tone you’re looking for if playing to a crowd.

Check out the Seagull S6 on Amazon

Martin makes some absolutely incredible instruments played by professional musicians around the world like Ed Sheeran, so you know that by ponying up the added dollars that you’re getting a guitar that punches far above its small size and weight class.

The electronics built into the body are perfectly serviceable for plugging into an amplifier if that’s what you want, but this guitar really shines with some thicker gauge strings played acoustically.

The bass response is stellar without compromising on the treble which gives it a balanced tone that really resonates when you start to strum with some added force.

While the tone itself is great, its ¾ scale length means it can’t get quite as loud as a full Dreadnought.

Still, the sound clarity is just as good, and this one has the added benefit of being more travel friendly.

​If you find yourself on the plane a lot, then give this Martin a shot. You won’t be disappointed.

Check out the Martin LX1E on Amazon

I’ll cut right to the chase on this model and say that if you’re an experienced player looking to upgrade your gig bag with a new guitar, then this Ibanez is what you want.

Not only does it sound as good as a guitar three of four times the price, but the crisp clean sounds resonate even as you begin to play louder and louder, which is a great thing since this Ibanez has a bigger voice than anything else on this list.

Strum with some real authority and you and your audience will be greeted with punchy, rich tones that fill even a large sized room with a well-rounded, balanced sound.

Its 1-¾ inch nut makes it great for bigger hands or fatter fingers, and gives the guitar some incredible sustain that makes it ideal for blues or rock music.

Ibanez modeled this guitar after older orchestral models, and they did a bang-up job because this model belongs in your hands playing to hundreds of people in a live venue. 

Check out the Ibanez AC240OPN on Amazon

It’s the most expensive guitar on this price range for a reason, since the FSX830C is the most complete package available for purchase at this price.

Right out of the box, it has a good action, clear intonation, and bass-heavy, warm tones, but can be pushed even further if you want to take your sound to an even higher level.

While the build quality is great, some smaller parts like the saddle and nut are cheap, plastic variants (after all, they had to cut corners somewhere!), but thankfully these are easy to replace, either by taking it to a shop or learning how to do it yourself.

If you kit it out with higher quality components for just a few extra dollars, you’ll easily take this Yamaha from a $500-dollar guitar to a $1000-dollar guitar.

It’s balanced, can be played by all hand sizes, and sounds great in both small and large rooms thanks to its powerful projection, which all come together to give you a versatile instrument that will be by your side for decades.

Check out the Yamaha FSX830C on Amazon