Best Acoustic Guitar Under 1500 | High End Picks

1) Seagull 046386 S6 - BEST 6 STRING ACOUSTIC GUITAR UNDER 1500

Design & Feature

The Seagull 046386 S6 has a solid construction with a simple look that makes it durable and easy to play. The thick neck portion and small-headed design let you tune the guitar quickly; also, you don’t need to wrap your hand around the guitar neck.

The perfect length and width of the guitar neck enable you to move comfortably from low to high notes. Furthermore, it puts the tuners in a line that improves the tuning stability and stays tuned for long.

The compensated Graph Tech TUSQ and saddles make it unique from others; and improve the tone and playability. The wooded nuts position the strings in different heights, whereas the saddles hold the guitar strings below the soundhole like a high-end guitar.

So, you don’t need to worry about the string’s thickness and actions. The Seagull S6 sounds and acts similar to a high-end guitar that is maybe twice its price. The beginners will learn the ropes easily and adapt its shape quickly.

Many professionals prefer Rosewood material for its natural feel; also, it produces an overall more balanced tone than other wooded construction. The hydrostatic-tested material construction generates a warm and smooth tone during strumming or finger-picking.

Performance

From this acoustic guitar, you will get bright and vibrant tonal quality with excellent comfort and full-bodied resonance. Sometimes, you may feel the tone is too bright due to the open-cords as it sounds a little bit loud. But, thick sounds are also there to beautifully tone the root note.

The cedar top responds very well to any Arpeggio scale or finger-picking patterns. Plus, the cedar top produces different tonal quality that opens up the guitar tone with age.

So, undoubtedly I will suggest the cedar top guitar to those persons who strum the guitar or play it in fingerstyle. Beginner to professional guitarists, everyone will fall in love with its’ unique construction, easy playability, and sound.

2) Yamaha A-Series A3R

DESIGN & FEATURE

The Dreadnought cutaway body with a slim-taper profiled mahogany neck design provides an enjoyable playing experience. The ebony fretboard feels slicker and smooth to touch and offers excellent responsiveness. Furthermore, the rounded edges of the fingerboard add extra comfort while you play.

The solid spruce top incorporates Yamaha especial Acoustic Resonance Enhancement (ARE) technology to provide more vintage warmth. The wooded scalloped bracing makes the guitar louder, richer with bass and acoustic sound than the guitars without scalloping.

Like other Phaser effect guitars, it also has dark resonance decay in the upper mids and trebles. You can create amazing tunes while playing an open-string chord on this guitar.

The string arrangements let you strum between upper range to low-end notes easily. You will get the best chord work experience during hard strumming.

PERFORMANCE

Yamaha has launched the A-series guitars, including the A3R model, as a desirable solution for stage use. This series comes intending to provide a natural amplified tone. Moreover, it incorporates the best pickup system with this electric guitar.

The Studio Response Technology (SRT2) lets you blend the piezo pickup and microphones to determine the perfect tone.

But, the plugged-in experience of this guitar attracts the spotlight from other top features. The onboard electronics like overtones, projection, Auto Feedback Reduction system are the primary selling points of this guitar.

The feedback reduction system detects and reduces some low-end feedback when it is in the plugged-in phase. Besides that, it also activates a 12dB notch filter to reduce the feedback issues immediately.

On the other hand, the projection system lets your fellow band members follow your tune and play accordingly for stunning music production. It also measures how well your guitar is forwarding its sound to the microphone or audience. 

3) Fender CD-60SCE - BEST 12 STRING ACOUSTIC GUITAR UNDER 1500

DESIGN & FEATURE

If you want the highest-end and most comfortable acoustic guitar for road use, look no further than Fender CD-60SCE. Most of the time, we overlook the material of the fingerboard. But, experienced players demand they can hear the difference of every material that their guitars have used.

Similarly, you can listen and feel the same with the high-quality Mahogany wooden construction of this guitar. The solid wooden construction makes it premium in quality but light in weight.

Moreover, we know that the Mahogany-built electric guitars are great for mid-range tones. The lightweight wooden construction guitar produces powerful sound with excellent clarity.

The dense wood adds thickness to the tonal quality and emphasizes treble and bass scale. The spruce top generates better resonance than usual; whereas, the scalloped ‘X’ bracing improves the resonance.

The Venetian cutaway design gives you easy access to the upper–end of the fingerboard. The slim-profile guitar neck with the rounded edge of the fretboard makes it easy and comfortable to play for long.

The guitar incorporates 20 vintage-size frets that mean you will feel much more comfortable during playing cords. The guitar comes with a reliable Fishman low-profile preamp that has volume and scale control features.

The preamp offers clear and powerful sound when you plug this guitar into it during a stage performance or practice. The built-in tuner of this acoustic-electric guitar never lets you be out of tune.

PERFORMANCE

When someone listens to its’ extraordinary sound, they won’t believe that they will get this guitar in this affordable price range. Buying a Fender CD-60SCE guitar is a good investment for every guitarist; be it novices or professional players; all would love it.

Beginners would love to learn guitar with it, and the experienced players would like its range of tones and louder sound. You will never get disappointed with the material and build quality that Fender offers. 

4) CORDOBA C9 CD/MH - BEST NYLON STRING ACOUSTIC GUITAR UNDER 1500

The Cordoba guitars are an excellent example for nylon string guitars' evolution. It has blended with the traditional craftsmanship of early master luthiers with a modern touch. You will find that every Cordoba is lightweight and responsive that has a direct descendant of the Spanish tradition.

The heel construction is attached to the top of the guitar and its neck. So that the resonance and vibration produced by the guitar are unified here. i.e., a single piece.

This Cordoba model, part of the original Luthier series, has been built in the same way, so you get the idea of the sound it produces. The highly responsive soundboard and the nylon string tension also helps the tonal tenacity.

On the hardware front, it has a flat ebony fingerboard and a truss rod that is built into the neck. It has a rosewood bridge, Savarez Cristal Corum strings, a solid spruce top, and rosewood back built into an impressive classical body. And can be carried conveniently in the polyfoam case it comes with.

The aesthetics front has a hand veneered mother of pearl rosette that resembles the early vintage Domingo guitar. The C9 is a solid guitar in the Iberia series that produces a sweet and warm tone. It looks pretty and has a vintage design. If you are looking for the best guitar (acoustic type) within the price range of 1500$, I recommend this one.

5) SEAGULL BURST QII - BEST ACOUSTIC GUITAR AROUND 1500

If you are looking for the best acoustic guitars under 1500 with lightweight model, then you can opt for Seagull artist mosaic acoustic guitar. Seagull is comparatively new player in the guitar industry but I must say that it is a tough competitor in this price range. It is a branch of Godin guitar company, where the brand is known for its high quality, easy handling guitar that are available at an affordable price than its competitors. 

As the name of this model suggests, it is for the artist in you that wants a guitar, which not only checks all the boxes but one which will make you proud to play and own.

This artist series has a good reputation in the market and the newly launched addition has many additional features to keep you busy. One of the highlights of this model is its durability with special shock absorbers that are used in cars to save your head.

It also comes with a thermally controlled guitar case that keeps your acoustic safe from weather conditions that may affect the tone. Coming to its hardware, it has a hard dreadnought mahogany body with the top made of solid spruce, LR bags anthem system and Seagull artist inlays.

A lot of details have been carefully and discreetly placed to work towards the perfect sound, tone projection, and vibrancy you need all packed in a feather light piece that you can easily carry anywhere.

This Seagull Artist studio burst QII is a 6-string guitar that is more appealing in terms of aesthetic value and price which you must not miss if you are looking for an affordable option with zero compromises on the quality. With respect to the above listed features, this solid mahogany guitar rightly finds a place in this list.

6) FENDER PARAMOUNT PM-2 ACOUSTIC GUITAR - BEST ACOUSTIC ELECTRIC GUITAR UNDER 1500

There is no doubt about the fact that you will never go wrong with an Ibanez. This beautiful Euphoria 5 model is by looks alone, an extremely well-constructed guitar. This sleek model is not just at the top for its looks but for the performance also. It has a brightly crisp sound and has good feedback resistance.

Its thin body is constructed to be accessible for everyone and is comfortable enough to play even for beginners. On the hardware front of things, it has a solid hollow body, a sturdy spruce top, full body binding, solid mahogany back material, Ebony fretboard and the Piezo pickup provides clear, clean sound when playing through an amp.

On the sound front of things, it has rich heavy sustain that is tailor made for acoustic and ethereal tones that are full-bodied and loud.

The lightweight model also comes with an EQ with tonal and volume controls so you can shape your sound easily. You will not regret buying this acoustic electric guitar as it has fantastic features and with no doubt one of the best acoustic electric guitar under 1500.

This guitar has the capability to produce rich sound without the need of external amplification or effects and is loaded with simple controls so you can adjust the controls easily. A big thumbs up for this product!

7) MARTIN SC-13E - BEST NATURAL SOUND ACOUSTIC GUITAR

C.F Martin & company, mostly known as Martin, is an American guitar manufacturer company established in 1833. This brand is leading in manufacturing flat-top guitars and so get ready to put your hands on one of the oldest and world-class guitars.

Here considering the budget, you can never go wrong with Martin.  The classic martin visual appeal gets its head turns. But this iconic brand is more than just its looks, It gives a great sound and with the cult features all wrapped up in a dreadnought body.

This is the best guitars under 1500 with a model named SC-13E that looks so perfectly retro where it belongs to 40’s albums or history textbooks. With its solid mahogany body, this guitar gives you an excellent dense hard to beat tone that holds its definition and its crisp subtleties.

It also features superior wood binding with a mortise and hardwood neck joint often used for ships, a Koa Fine Veneer headstock and headplate.  The ebony bridge present here gives you a kind of sound projection and you will never miss a note and every strum can be heard with clarity and precision.

The SC-13E is a full-featured wooden guitar; hence it requires a gig bag to avoid unwanted damages. But you need not worry about it as this guitar comes with one which is quite impressive.

This is an electric acoustic guitar that comes with a cutaway design. Usually, cutaway designs are mostly used in electro-acoustic guitars and has some limitations, but this one is unique.

This guitar removes the limitations of the cutaway acoustic design and provides you the comfort while playing it. So you can play longer and louder hassle-free. What are you waiting for? Go ahead and be a part of Martin’s 175-year-old legacy.

8) TAYLOR 214CE PLUS GRAND - BEST ACOUSTIC GUITAR FOR LIVE PERFORMANCE

If you have a budget over 1000$, then you should considered investing in a Taylor, This brand has been consistently manufacturing good build quality guitars since 1974, which gives out a very bright tone.

Now, talking about the 214CE, this is a winner among all the great auditorium guitars in the market; you will not find anything better.

Let me talk about the first impressions; It has a glossy tobacco sunburst finish body made of layered rosewood, solid spruce top, small diamond fret inlay, and white binding.

There is a common misconception that grand auditorium style is difficult to play, but this guitar body is  combined with the Venetian cutaway body which makes it simpler for you to access.

On the sound front, this model is perfect for finger stylists, which has a balanced sound throughout the tonal spectrum with clear and defined notes. You can expect high clarity sounds from this instrument, making it supreme for guitarists from all genres and styles.

As you see, there is a reason why the grand auditorium is one of the best selling shapes of Taylor. It is extremely versatile for all styles and has the sound to prove its worth. So I would definitely claim this to be one of the best acoustic guitar in this budget. You will not find such a wonderful product for this price range so get one soon.

9) BLUERIDGE SITKA BR-163CE - BEST ACOUSTIC GUITAR FOR FINGERSTYLE 

Do you miss the 30’s? My list has got you covered with this historic series from Blueridge. Blueridge guitars are best known for the price at which they are offered. These guitars made in China and it stands up for the quality. You get an amazing build, clear cut finish, perfect sound and even it has an amazing look that can easily compete with many acoustic guitar.

Their high-quality vintage series are the best fingerstyle guitars in the market that is completely value for the price. Without having any favorites, this is easily one of the best acoustic guitar under 1500 in my list.

Let me dive deep into what makes it the best.

Speaking about the Guitar's build: The build part's design, construction, finish and even the electro system of this BR163CE is same as the previous model 143CE.

It has a retro dreadnought body made of the best tone woods you can find. A Sitka spruce top for strength and resonance adds more value to the guitar. Also the smooth Mahogany construction is implemented in the back and sides of guitar.

You can feel and see the quality for the price you pay. Moving on to its sound, this Blueridge model reflects its retro aesthetic even to the sound that is mellow, steady and has the same warmth you get from vintage models that your parents owned.

Although the sound is very synonymous, it still has the boom, holds its intonation for a long time and has enough volume to compete easily with the rest on this list. 

When compared to the previous model 143CE, this one has some impressive features. Its acoustic muscle and dynamics along with Fishman does a laudable job. This is one such guitar that has continued to receive much praise since many years. So what are you waiting for, make your purchase soon.

10) TAKAMINE EF341SC - BEST FINGERSTYLE ACOUSTIC ELECTRIC GUITAR

Did you know that Bruce Springsteen uses this guitar? Need I say more? This beautiful acoustic electric instrument is definitely a cult classic of the Legacy series. Value for the price? Check. Sound quality check. Solid hardware? Check. This is another best pick in the list. Let us have a deeper look into what makes it so popular.

This glossy black acoustic electric guitar has a Maple body with a solid cedar top, mahogany neck and a smooth rosewood fingerboard. It comes equipped with CT48 electronics and can play a range of mellow tones to power chords easily. This model is considered as best stage guitar and has an external reflective body to prove it.

It also features Takamine’s pickup configuration which is said to be the industry’s most accurate and organic acoustic electric guitar. 

You will find that the guitar market is flooded with numerous acoustics options, but the Takamine stands out with its elegant look and the comfort which it gives you while playing.

This plug-and-play feature is straightforward, so you can just plug in the guitar and can get a rich, clear and resonant acoustic sound without the need for extra accessories. Overall, you can never go wrong with this piece that has managed to stay at the top for 50 years.

11) YAMAHA L-SERIES TRANS-ACOUSTIC GUITAR WITH HARD GIG BAG

Have you ever played the guitar that you never want to put down? You just want to keep playing because the sound is hard to beat? The Viper Dave is one of those that is hard to put down. With a nato solid mahogany body and Sitka spruce soundboard, it has an unmatched reverberation and response.

On the playability front, it has a comfortable thin single-cutaway body that makes chord transitions simpler especially to the higher frets and it easily fits the contours of your body irrespective of your size. 

It is the popular Ovation pickup and preamp system that gives it the classic tonal resonance of an acoustic model. And the black glossy finish with ABS white binding and Dave Amato signature inlay that has been built for the stage and has enough attitude for your performances. This acoustic guitar with preamp system is something which you will not regret after buying.

The trans-acoustic technology used in this guitar allows the guitar player to add reverb and chorus to the unaltered tone of the instrument. This means you need not add any external effects or amplification to the guitar. So you need not add any extra effects to the natural sound of the guitar. This gives you a different feel which is why it is recommended.

12) MARTIN GUITAR 000-15M - BEST CLASSICAL GUITAR UNDER $1500

When I first looked at Martin Guitar 000-15M, it is really seemed to be attractive and classy. You don’t have to be a great musician to express its beauty. I consider it as the elegance of the design.

It really works great with different picking styles. It comes with an additional pickguard, which makes your music job too easy. Its vintage looks make the vintage lover crazier. It is one of the best 6 string guitars, which is priced below 1500$. Sounds good, right? It produces a mellow and warm tone.

Do you know what? Many of them will be looking for high-end guitars because they will think high-end guitars make a good sound. You are wrong, guys. Martin 000-15M performs better than those guitars. It produces crystal clear sounds and warm basses.

I highly recommend this big guy for you. Because Martin 000-15M is well-balanced for its affordability and build quality. Do not delay. Buy this best acoustic guitar under 1500 now and feel the vintage feel.

FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE PURCHASING THE BEST ACOUSTIC GUITAR UNDER 1500 DOLLARS

Budget

This is a crucial factor to consider if you are a beginner. These are high-end guitars, so consider this as a one-time investment if you are a professional guitarist. Also, since the maximum budget is 1500, if you are a beginner, you need to some spend to learn about all guitar types and models. You can opt for a more budget-friendly model that comes with a durable design.

TYPE OF WOOD

Solid acoustic guitars sound better than laminated acoustic guitars. Acoustic guitars that come with a solid top with laminated back and sides are much cheaper than solid wood guitars. But the advantage of using this type is they give out better sound and volume than the laminated version. It is vital that the expensive acoustic guitars come in the solid body material, whereas the cheap ones have a laminated version.

The different types of acoustic guitar body material.

• Spruce
  
  Most of the acoustic guitars are made of spruce body material as they are lightweight but are strong. Also, the flat frequency response of the spruce wood greatly helps in balancing the backwoods that defines the sound.
  
  
• Maple
  
  This wood is mostly found in large-sized guitars that are made to produce high sound. That being said, this wood itself is known for the bright sound it tends to produce when used. Also, maple wood gives a great look thus, improvising the aesthetic value of the product.
  
  
• Rosewood
  
  I hope you are aware that rosewood is the most expensive wood, and if it is used in the guitar, then it is obvious that the price of the acoustic guitar is high. This type of wood promises a mid-range sound that handles the lows and highs well.
  
  
• Mahogany
  
  Mahogany is mostly preferred to be used as a back wood as well as a top wood. This wood produces a warm sound that handles the bright-sounding top and also has the capability to make a small guitar sound heavy.

So these are the different body materials which are used in acoustic guitars. The body material type increases the value of the guitar and it also comes for a long life.

Body type/ shape

• Dreadnought
  
  This design looks bulky. Martin Guitar company developed this acoustic guitar shape in the 1920s, where it looks a bit square in shape without any curves like other guitar body types.
  
  
• Grand concert
  
  The guitars, which are smaller in size, tend to have a grand concert design. Though they lack physical depth, they are loud enough.
  
  
• Jumbo
  
  As the name suggests, the guitar which has a jumbo body type will be large in size. When compared to the other body types, this one produces deep and rich sound. It might be hard to hold if you are small in size.
  
  
• Grand auditorium
  
  The guitars with this body shape come with a large body that enhances the depth of tone, and it has a narrow waist that facilitates a more comfortable holding position.

There is also another body type named cut-away body, which is mostly used in electro-acoustic guitars. This body type is not used in acoustic guitars as they tend to compromise on the sound quality.

So now that you are aware of the different body types, you can choose your acoustic guitar in accordance to your preference. 

AESTHETIC VALUE & QUALITY

If you perform on stages, then the look of the guitar is an important factor to consider. Apart from looking for sound quality, style, wood pattern, construction, you must include the design in your search. But at the end of the day, the design is not the only thing you need. Your guitar must meet all your expectations also.

CONCLUSION

If you have gone through the best acoustic guitar under 1500 dollars list, then you know that if you have a fair amount in your budget, you can get a lot for the price. Some of the best acoustic guitars mentioned are seriously used by many famous musicians worldwide and you can rest assured that if you invest in one of the models above, you will have it for a lifetime.

Purchasing a guitar under the price range of 1500$ is a serious investment so focus on something that is not only comfortable for you to jam with, but also great for performing on stage and maybe carry around during your travels to make others jealous.

A lot of research will give you a little insight into the market and the price changes will keep you fluctuating. So I hope that my list of best acoustic guitar under 1500 will help you out in choosing the best one for you and it gives unique playing style. Also if you like a model, you can wait it out, have patience and snap it up on a bargain.

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FAQ

1. What is an excellent acoustic guitar for beginners?

Based on our research, FENDER CD-60SCE is the best for beginners and experienced guitarists. Fender CD-60SCE is a great acoustic guitar with 12 strings that has a mahogany back and walnut fretboard. Just try it.

2. Is a more expensive guitar more comfortable to play?

No, not. It doesn't mean expensive high guitars only offer a more comfortable and sound. Even low-priced guitars have excellent features which provide amazing sound quality.

3. What are the best 5 acoustic guitar brands?

• Martin
• Seagull
• Fender
• Taylor
• Yamaha