The acoustic-electric guitar is one of the most popular string instruments anyone can buy. Unlike the typical acoustic guitar, it contains a high-quality pickup and preamp. The purpose of the preamp and pickup is to make the music you are playing louder for everyone to hear. Whether you are playing in a small setting or on top of the stage, the acoustic-electric guitar is hard to ignore. The best part is that even if you are on a budget, you can still get the best acoustic-electric guitar under $500.
However, the number of guitars available in the market can be mind-boggling. To find gems in a sea of possibilities, you have to be mindful of certain features. The quality of an acoustic-electric guitar can be determined by the type of material used on the neck and body. You can also look at the number of strings available to determine the smoothness of the sound. Features such as hand orientation, intonation, and overall finish will factor in the selection.
In your musical journey, you need not fret nor sweat. We have consulted with the experts to find the best the market has to offer. Below stands a comparison table of products you will find in this review. The detailed reviews indicate what the acoustic-electric guitars offer while the buying guide is there to offer more detailed information. Once you finish reading this guide, settling for a best acoustic-electric guitar will seem like child’s play.
More features: bronze strings with improved corrosion resistance
The Yamaha FG800 is a six-stringed, right-handed acoustic-electric guitar. It comes with a solid top made of Sitka spruce to produce a good tone and provide durability. The naturally colored acoustic-electric guitar can be purchased in a dreadnought or a concert size. The concert size is smaller compared to the larger dreadnought size. Which one to choose depends on your overall size and comfort level.
The back and the sides are comprised of Nato. Nato also popularly known as eastern mahogany is durable and provides a warm resonance. The fingerboard and bridge are constructed from rosewood which is known for its rich overtones and adequate sound projection. The new scalloped bracing implemented provides support and gives the natural sound a great platform to be heard.
As for the strings mounted on this model, they are made of bronze. The bronze has undergone treatments to facilitate corrosion resistance. With corrosion resistance, you can be sure that the tone will remain bright and not fade out quickly.
This acoustic-electric guitar weighs 7.05 pounds. It features 20 frets and comes with an adjustable truss rod. It also has a cutaway so that you may be able to reach the frets with ease. The acoustic-electric guitar features an additional piezo pickup accompanied by a three-band equalizer, a precision chromatic tuner and adjustable midrange frequency control. All these are to facilitate the transition to a smooth sound.
More features: high-gloss dark blueburst finish, soft gig bag included
The Jameson Guitars Full Size Thinline Acoustic-Electric Guitar presents to you a high gloss blue-colored blueburst finish. It looks pleasant to the eye and it just so happens to be comfortable to play. The body comprises of a Nato body with a spruce top. Nato makes a good supplement for normal mahogany. It is strong enough to withstand constant use. The neck is made of maple which is equally as strong.
As for the length of the acoustic-electric guitar, we are looking at 41 inches. The acoustic guitar features three-inch body thickness and a cutaway for your comfort. This strong construct will see to it that the guitar lasts many years. The 6 string right-handed acoustic guitar is simple but worth it. You can be assured that the steel strings won’t snap mid-note.
It comes fitted with die-cast tuners and a quality built-in equalizer. The acoustic guitar possesses a built-in pickup that makes connecting to an amp a fairly easy process. To make matters better, the acoustic guitar also features an amp cable, ¼-inch jack, and volume/tone controls. Rocking out with the band does not seem like a bad idea. Once you are done, put the guitar back into the gig bag and call it a day. Don’t forget to store the guitar picks well, they came free after all.
More features: passive piezo pickup with volume control
The Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Player Package is great for the stage or just playing at home. This model is created from laminated wood with a mahogany neck. The fretboard gives a platform to move between the frets with ease. The fretboard material in play is rosewood. They say that acoustic-electric guitars do not sound as good but this model begs to differ. The neck is not too wide, and the frets are set near each other. For people with short hands, this model would provide a strain-free experience.
Right-handed and weighing 28 pounds, this is not a small instrument. It bears D’Addario steel strings that can produce good sound. The strings provided a range in thickness including 12, 16, 25, 34, 41, and 53 ratings. The acoustic-electric guitar features chrome hardware and a reliable piezo pickup to control various aspects of your sound.
To complete the experience, the manufacturer provided accessories to use. First, there is the 10W solid-state amplifier which is very neat when you need to connect a few inputs. This amp gives you control over treble, bass, gain and boost switch among others. Then there are the other accessories such as an instructional DVD, guitar picks, strings, a strap, some cord, a tuner and a gig bag for transportation.
More features: active onboard preamp
The Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar comes with handy accessories to use with your acoustic-electric guitar. But first, let us look at what features are present in this model. The body of the instrument is comprised of mahogany. Mahogany is known to provide emphasis on high-end tones and it provides durability.
This is a right-handed six-string guitar. The strings used are made of steel, and thus you are assured of their strength. The solid spruce soundboard is fitted with an x-brace. The scalloped brace provides adequate support while playing.
For people who have small hands, fear not. This acoustic-electric guitar features an accessible neck that possesses fingerboard edges. This makes reaching the frets a simple process. The cutaway also makes easy access possible.
The guitar as promised comes with various accessories. These accessories include an instructional DVD, guitar strings, picks, string winders, a strap, digital clip-on tuner, and a polishing cloth. You can maintain your instrument with no looming expenses. It even comes with its carry case which is convenient. The Fishman Isys III System electronics will not disappoint you; the sound quality is something to look forward to.
More features: built-in preamp, 3 band EQ, many accessories included
The Donner DAG-1E Electric Acoustic Guitar Package is another six-stringed instrument on offer. The body is made of laminate wood with a spruce top while the neck is comprised of African mahogany. The neck shape and dots inlay only serve to increase the quality of sound produced. The acoustic guitar produces a clear vibrant sound and is strong as well.
This 41-inch dreadnought model can adapt to various musical genres. With the built-in preamp, magnifying your sound will be easy. Together with that are a three-band equalizer and a die-cast tuner. These features are important when tweaking your acoustic-electric guitar to find the right sound. The equalizer needs one 9V lithium-ion battery to operate optimally.
The strings featured here are bronze. These are known to produce a bright, almost quirky sound. There are 20 frets available in this model.
Accessories are the cherry on top. This model is delivered together with guitar strings, capos, a polishing cloth, a gig bag, a strap and some picks for use. You also get a 30-day unconditional money back guarantee. If the product does not suit your needs, customer care will handle your issue.
More features: adjustable truss rod, 4-band equalizer, built-in volume control
The Best Choice Products Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar looks sleek and is quite merciful on your pocket. The right-handed acoustic guitar will make beautiful music regardless of its size. If you are left-handed, you are in luck. You can get a left-handed version. It only weighs 6.06 pounds which is light enough to dance around with. From beginners to seasoned players, this lightweight marvel makes good company.
Save time and concentrate your energy on producing good music. This acoustic-electric guitar needs no assembly. You need to tweak it to your liking. The black mahogany body looks good as you move like a master through the 22 fret rosewood fingerboard. The cutaway is present to offer some assistance as you move across the fretboard. Considering that it is a short scale bass, the bass emanating from it is quite the kick.
The acoustic-electric guitar comes with a few other surprises. It features inbuilt volume control and a 4-band equalizer. Using these features together with the die-cast chrome tuners will assist you to find your unique sound. It also comes with an adjustable truss rod to keep the tension of the strings perfect.
We don’t always get what we want. Sometimes you need to sacrifice one thing for the other. Unfortunately, this model does not come with any accessories. You will have to be industrious and source for alternative accessories.
More features: soft gig bag included, FSC Certified Richlite Fingerboard
The Martin LX1E Acoustic Guitar is quite an impressive instrument. The six-string instrument is right-handed. If you are left-handed, then you need to find innovative ways to play the instrument. Methods such as reversing the strings are popular.
Speaking of this specific model, the construction materials are of good quality. The solid top body is fashioned of a Sitka spruce top with mahogany sides and back. The neck material is also made of mahogany. Both spruce and mahogany have durable characteristics and enhance a certain range of notes. As for the fingerboard, we are looking at a RichLite fingerboard escorted by an FSC certification.
Being an acoustic-electric model, it requires electronics. This model boasts of Fishman Sonitone Electronics. It features chrome tuners and an effective pickup. Things such as the pre-amp, volume and tone control are already present. This unit is delivered with a soft gig bag for mobility and storage. You can carry it to a campsite or travel with it for music on the move. It is not a large acoustic-electric guitar so it shouldn’t be hard to carry.
More features: amp in the box
The Glen Burton GA204BCO-BK is an 18.45-pound acoustic-electric guitar. It has six steel strings for you to strum. The strings are durable; therefore, they will not snap easily even when added tension is applied.
This model comes with a top and neck made from maple. The solid top acoustic guitar also features basswood sides and back. The fingerboard has a rosewood finish to provide smooth sailing even with sweaty fingers. If you look closer, you will notice a cutaway. The cutaway intends to provide easy access to the frets.
An amplifier has been provided with this model. It will have to be tweaked to get the desired effect. An equalizer and preamp are also included. The four-band equalizer will tune your music to the desired effect. Being that this is an acoustic-electric guitar, it needs batteries to operate. This one needs 9V batteries to perform optimally.
When you purchase this right-handed acoustic-electric guitar, you get a number of accessories to utilize. These accessories include a gig bag for portability, strings, digital clip-on tuner, 10W amplifier, picks, truss rod and a strap. Take advantage of the accessories and take your musical experience to a whole new level.
A bit of knowledge goes a long way in making things seem straightforward. As a lover of music understanding your instrument will play a big part in how you treat it. We all know the silent rule about touching other people’s guitars without permission. There are other things that you can get familiar with, such as:
To be honest, the major differences are simple. The normal acoustic guitar is not as loud as the acoustic-electric. The acoustic-electric guitar is a normal acoustic guitar fitted with functional electronics. These electronics (preamp and input) allow you to plug into an amplifier to make the sound louder. They also allow you to add some effects depending on the kind of music you are playing.
Features such as volume control and equalizers are never far behind. They are there to tune the music you are playing. You can record your music seeing to that the music sounds good even when amplified.
The other difference is present in the physical appearance. Many acoustic-electric guitars have cutaways. These cutaways are present to facilitate easier access to the upper frets of the guitar. They also affect the resonance and volume the guitar produces when played. You can still consider playing an electric guitar, but be ready to pay extra for a good-sounding instrument, as well as accessories. Even though some of the amplifiers can be found for under 200 and 300 dollars, as well as find the electric guitar under $1000.
You might be curious as to which features in an acoustic-electric guitar enable the best sound. Each feature in the instrument has a specific function to carry out. The quality of these features is also as important in ensuring you get the best out of the instrument. Let us look at the different features.
What is a string instrument without the strings? Absolutely nothing. The number and quality of strings are vital to the quality of sound produced. Poorly made strings will produce low-quality sound and affect playability.
When it comes to strings, you have two options. nylon or steel. Nylon strings are preferred for classical and flamenco styles. These strings produce a mellow tone that is distinct to the ear.
Steel strings are the standard nowadays in making acoustic-electric guitars. Depending on the composition, these steel strings produce a louder, brighter tone to the notes in play. Whether you want to play rock or dive into pop music, the secret is in the strings.
Steel strings are comprised of a core and outer section. The inner steel core is wound in different materials that produce different sound effects. The outer material may be any of these materials below:
One also needs to be on the lookout for string gauges/thickness. String gauges present a wide range of light to heavy measurement wise. These gauges are measured in thousands of an inch. Lighter strings may start at .010 as the heavier strings can go up to .059. How light or thick the string is will affect the sound produced and playability.
Lighter springs are easier to play but tend to break more easily. Heavier strings need more finger pressure to strum but they produce a higher volume and sustain. Depending on the style of music you play, you can select light, medium or heavy strings.
Traditionally most acoustic-electric guitars have six strings. However, it is possible to get models with twelve, seven or four strings. Depending on your level of skill the choices are unlimited.
The body of an acoustic-electric guitar can be created out of a wide range of materials. Some materials will produce a better tone than others while some are more durable than others. You can select whether to have a solid or laminate body/soundboard. Laminate tops that consist of several layers of wood stuck together do not produce musical notes that are as loud or rich as compared to the solid soundboards. They are however cheaper and make a great choice for beginners.
In some cases, you find that different woods have been used for different parts. This affects the overall tonal quality. The body of the guitar is crucial to the quality of sound produced. Here are some of the popular materials used:
The neck is supposed to be strong. The material used should be able to support the guitar strings and the fretboard. In many cases, the neck is constructed with hard and dense woods. The harder the wood, the fewer vibrations are driven to the soundboard. Mahogany, maple and khaya are considered the best for the neck regions.
Let us not forget the fretboard. The material that creates the fretboard needs to be durable and facilitate easy playability. This is enabled by selecting a smooth material with adequate density. The denser the material, the lesser damage it will incur during various music sessions. Also, the denser the material, the fewer tones are absorbed into the soundboard. In many cases, the material used for fretboards is rosewood or ebony. Synthetic materials are also used see to it that the quality is not compromised.
Choice is the spice of life. Not all of us are right-handed and therefore there is a need to make products for the left-handed people. In this case, you need to understand how to tell a right-handed from a left-handed acoustic-electric guitar.
You need to look at the thickness of the strings. Stand the guitar against the wall with the strings facing you. If the thicker/bass strings of the guitar are on your left and the treble/thinner strings on your right, then that is a right-handed guitar. If the bass/thicker strings are on your right and the treble/thinner strings are on the left, then that is a left-handed acoustic-electric guitar.
The size and body type of your acoustic-electric guitar matters. It affects how comfortably you can play the instrument and the kind of sound produced. When you look at the guitar, it is clear to see how big the top/soundboard is. Naturally, the bigger the top/soundboard, the deeper and louder the notes become. Here are some common body shapes with their corresponding dimensions.
Concert acoustic guitars have been around for some centuries. They usually measure around 13-1/2 inches and are thought to offer the perfect balance. Volume, comfort, shape, and size come together to offer the player a strainless experience. When using these concert acoustic guitars expect to hear a bright sound and experience a midrange with a bit of a kick.
Grand concert style acoustic guitars are a bit louder and bigger than the concert-style acoustic guitars. Size wise they measure around 14 to 14.25 inches and are good at emphasizing the mid-range notes.
It is all in the name. Jumbo acoustic guitars are big. Like the general rule indicates the wider the soundboard, the deeper the sound. This loud instrument is hard to miss with the deep base seeping everywhere.
The dreadnought is the versatile one of the group. It blends in well in different music genres. Named after an English warship, the guitar features rounded shoulders. The body is designed to bond with the neck around the 14th fret. It makes a comfortable one to play and the volume is adequate for clear audibility. One such example is the Donner DAG-1E Electric Acoustic Guitar or the Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar.
These are the tiny acoustic guitars you see your favorite indie or folk artists use. These smaller sized acoustic guitars are comfortable to play and portable. You will notice that in most parlour guitars the neck joins the body around the 12th fret.
If the parlour and the dreadnought had a baby, it would probably be the auditorium acoustic guitar. Sometimes referred to as an “orchestra” body, it provides a perfect balance of comfort and balance. The wider bottom and tiny waist make it a sweetheart when strumming for some folk music.
A distinct hourglass silhouette characterises grand auditorium. They are thought to offer the perfect balance between shape, size, body and volume.
Smaller guitars are bound to weigh less than larger acoustic guitars. Finding the right guitar size for your body size is crucial for comfort. Ensure that the width of the neck corresponds well with the width of your hand. Struggling to get to the frets is rather frustrating.
Acoustic-electric guitars have preamps and equalizers installed to enable you to tweak your sound. Some models come with pre-set effects to emulate legendary songs. These amps can be installed inside the instrument itself while others are mounted in the sound hole. It is possible to get models that have tuners, equalizers, microphone, piezo pickups and the preamp included. The quality of electronics affects how long they last so be careful. Cheap, in the end, becomes expensive.
The acoustic-electric guitars need accessories. There are accessories intended for maintenance and others for regular use. In your case, you are likely to find, a gig bag, guitar strings, capos, guitar picks, polishing cloths, guitar straps, stand, and tuners among many more. Read the product description of the model you want to buy. This is to see if you will get all the accessories you need before purchasing. The Martin LX1E Acoustic Guitar provides a gig bag for you to carry your acoustic-electric guitar around.
Taking care of your guitar should be part of your routine. Look at the few pointers provided to make sure that your acoustic-electric guitar stays in tip-top shape.
Once in a while, you can take a dust blower to remove pent-up dust on the inside.
The marketplace is there to cater to everyone’s needs. It is possible to get the exact features you need in an acoustic-electric guitar. Out of the 8 products, our opinion is that the Yamaha FG800 is the best all around. This lightweight dreadnought model is made of nice materials, and the sound can morph into any genre you like. It is also not that costly.
For budget considerations, the Jameson Guitars Full Size Thinline Acoustic-Electric Guitar is not a bad choice. It produces quality notes while maintaining a good structure. It is equipped with accessories for use do there is no excuse as to why this comfortable instrument is cast aside.
The Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic/Electric Guitar Player Package gets a mention for various reasons. It provides good value for money, and it can blend into different musical genres. The amp provided and quality accessories make the instrument even more endearing. The strings provided are dependable, and if they wear out, replacements are near.
Well, that is it for now. We hope we have helped with your mission to enjoy musical bliss. Catch you next time!
