Are you planning on switching from an acoustic guitar to an acoustic electric one? Or, are you simply spellbound by the electric-acoustic sound and want to dive right into learning the instrument?
Either way, this guide for the 10 best electric guitars is going to be super handy for you. We’ve got the information for all types of acoustic electric guitars and the different price ranges as well.
We’ll highlight the ten best acoustic electric guitars 2019 for you and also answer all the questions you may have about them.
Let’s get started.
10 Best Acoustic Electric Guitars Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-03-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
How to Choose the Perfect Guitar for You?
There are some general questions you’ll need to ask yourself before deciding on what type of guitar to buy. Here are a few factors to consider:
Budget
We’ve divided this list into separate budgets because we know how important it is. The good thing is that there are guitars for all budgets, including some very cheap options under $500.
To help you pick the right one, we have covered all types of guitars.
Use
Now, you need to settle whether you and your guitar want a crowd of just a few people or an entire stadium. Whatever your dreams and aspirations are, you need to be well equipped! Decide what your main use of the guitar is going to be.
Are you going to travel around with it? Then you might need one that’s light and easy to carry. You’ll need a case with it, too. Do you want to use it for concerts, or do you plan to keep it unplugged for the most part? If you’re going to be using the amp system frequently, you’ll need a good one.
Body Style
This is a very important feature because it influences your playing and your ability to easily carry the guitar around with you. There are some major types of bodies including dreadnought, parlour, jumbo, and auditorium.
Wood Type
There are three main types of wood:
There are also some other wood types such as Koa, mahogany, and ebony.
Koa gives district tones in the mid-range, while mahogany is a dense wood that gives wonderful high notes with a powerful sound.
Ebony, on the other hand, gives great clarity to the tones and creates a well-balanced sound.
String Type
If you haven’t already, you’ll most likely come across the steel vs. nylon debate. Steel strings are more popular because they generate clear, loud sound. Steel strings are used mostly by rock, country, metal, or pop musicians.
On the other hand, nylon strings create a soft and toned-down sound that has kind of a mellow vibe to it. These types of strings are good for Latin or classical music styles. All in all, it depends entirely on your preference and what type of music you’re into playing.
Now, let’s get into this list of the 10 best acoustic-electric guitars of the year.
Best Electric Acoustic Guitars Under $1,000
Here are three of our top picks for the best electric acoustic guitars you can find under $1,000.
Martin Road Series DRS1
Main Features
The Brand
Martin has been putting forward first-class, premium quality guitars since as long as we can remember. The company is known for catering to the masses.
The Guitar
Martin Road Series DRS1 is one stunning piece with completely original body colors that cross between a deep, rich red and chocolate brown. The guitar gives off a very warm and inviting vibe and you’ll instantly know it’s one of a kind
This acoustic-electric was essentially made in 2001 but has been recently reintroduced. It’s a fine, durable guitar that doesn’t compromise on looks or sound. The neck is made from multi-laminate strata bond which means it’s extremely rigid and strong. You won’t ever get that wobbly or fragile feeling from the neck while playing.
The Martin Road Series DRS1 guitar comes with a hard-shell travel case. This means it’s great for those who travel a lot or are always on tour. Even if you’re not on the move, a hard-shell case is useful for saving space.
While playing this acoustic-electric you’ll notice its original, unique sound. The tones are bold and rich. If you’re looking for a premium guitar that sounds amazing and gives your playing a unique touch, this is the one for you.
Overall, the Martin Road Series DRS1 is the perfect combination of a great build and wonderful sound quality. Its warm colors create an inviting feel and durable neck design makes playing a breeze.
The guitar is one of the best for touring and traveling and you won’t have to worry about wear and tear. No matter where you take it, the Martin Road Series DRS1 will be by your side in optimum condition.
Warranty Details
Comes with a 2-year warranty. However, online registration is required for the warranty to be valid.
PROS
CONS
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
Main Features
The Brand
Taylor has been dedicated to crafting some of the world’s best acoustic electric guitar. This company is great at giving customers the best value and service.
Taylor is serious about providing high-quality guitars and their brand is known for caring for their customers. You’ll get a cutting-edge product for a great price, and you get to register your guitar in the system, too.
The Guitar
Now let’s get to the real stuff! The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa is a one of a kind acoustic-electric guitar that packs a whole lot for its size. It is an attractive looking guitar made from an extremely smooth, polished wood.
The GS Mini-e Koa is based on Hawaiian culture so if you’re looking for a tropical feel in an acoustic-electric, this one’s perfect for you. The appealing exterior along with a sturdy and compact design makes it perfect for traveling.
The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa doesn’t only look professional, it sounds amazing, too. You can expect to hear rich tones with a crisp and clear sound. With this acoustic electric, you won’t have to worry about wear and tear.
The high-quality Koa exterior will stay put for years to come. Even if you’re used to hitting and bumping your instrument everywhere, you don’t have to worry. The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa is built to endure.
This acoustic electric guitar is definitely worth the cost. With its unique and sturdy design, fantastic finish, and rich sound, it is sure to be the perfect new guitar for any professional.
Warranty Details
2-year warranty from Taylor.
PROS
CONS
Breedlove SOLO Concert
Main Features
The Brand
Breedlove is known for its high-quality custom-made instruments. The company caters to each guitarist’s special requirement and crafts up guitars that’ll be your companion for a long time.
The brand knows and understands the needs of guitarists which is why they provide wonderful extras, such as a deluxe gig bag, with the product.
The Guitar
The SOLO Concert electric acoustic is no exception from Breedlove’s line of state-of-the-art products. This acoustic electric guitar is one of the best guitars for travelers. How? For starters, Breedlove has built this product to endure just about anything.
It is a heavy-duty guitar with a solid, sturdy body.
The guitar comes with an onboard tuner. This is one of the handiest features to have when you’re on the go. The tuner turns green once the string is in tune. You won’t have to worry about the hassle of carrying and managing an extra tuning device.
This guitar also amplifies easily, and both plugged and unplugged versions have great quality sound. You’ll hear warm and sweet tones that don’t create a very bright and cheery sound but are more towards a full sound.
Overall, we’d say this Breedlove model is one of the most sturdy and reliable guitars for travel. It’ll keep its original warm and full sound, it has a simple and beautiful design, and it includes some neat add-ons.
Warranty Details
2-year warranty from Breedlove covering tuning machines and electronics.
PROS
CONS
Although these guitars are extremely high-quality and professional, they might not suit your budget. Don’t fret, there’s a lot more on the list.
Next up are our top four picks for acoustic electrics under $500.
Best Electric Acoustic Guitars Under $500
Yamaha, Epiphone, and Dean all have something great in store for you. Let’s check out the next three acoustic-electrics on our list.
Epiphone HUMMINGBIRD PRO Solid Top
Main Features
The Brand
Epiphone is known for putting extra care and attention into creating their instruments. Each one of their guitars fulfills our expectations and there are some special models, like this one.
The Guitar
It’s quite unbelievable that this acoustic electric is less than $500. The Epiphone HUMMINGBIRD PRO Solid Top is an entry-level version of the famous Hummingbird used by legend Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. It’s a stunning piece with a gorgeous spruce top in a violin-burst design.
The guitar features a beautiful, intricately crafted hummingbird design on the pickguard and a SlimTaper D neck. However, the Epiphone HUMMINGBIRD PRO Solid Top offers so much more than what meets the eye.
This acoustic-electric has been made to be long-lasting with great sound quality. Of course, the sound quality doesn’t exactly match that of the actual Gibson Hummingbird, but for the staggering price, it definitely impresses.
The guitar also has a great Shadow Performer preamp and Shadow NanoFlex pickup system. It’s a suitable guitar for professionals and advanced players.
With its gorgeous design and detailing, the Epiphone HUMMINGBIRD PRO has been turning heads. Its high-quality hardware, wonderful ergonomics, and great bright tones really enhance the guitarist’s experience.
The Shadow pickup is one of its distinct features that really highlight those nice, clear, and bright tones. Overall, this Epiphone model has it all under $500.
Warranty Details
Limited lifetime warranty but you must register the guitar.
PROS
CONS
Dean EX RES Exhibition with Aphex
Main Features
The Brand
Dean is famous for crafting metal-oriented guitars, but they’ve also come up with a fair selection of acoustic electrics.
The Guitar
The Dean EX RES Exhibition with Aphex is a bold and unique 12-string acoustic-electric. It has graphics that’ll instantly catch your eye, with a rock-and-roll vibe, a skull on the 12th, and attractive, slim design. The body has a nice white finish including the headstock.
This acoustic electric has v-shaped inlays and a slim D-shaped neck. The slim neck allows you to easily and quickly play your music. The mahogany wood creates really nice tones and EQ adjustments for the pre-amp make this one of the best acoustic-electric experiences.
Rest assured that you’ll be getting amazing sound quality. The tones and sounds are definitely up to the mark.
It’s definitely one of the coolest acoustic electric guitar you’ll find on the market. With amazing sound quality, funky graphics, wonderful construction, the Dean EX RES Exhibition is worth every penny.
Warranty Details
Limited lifetime warranty.
PROS
CONS
Yamaha FSX830C Small Body Solid Top
Main Features
The Brand
It’s well known that Yamaha is one of the best instrument designers. Whether it’s a top-end product or one designed for a low budget, you’ll be sure to get premium quality when you choose this brand.
The Guitar
This is a wonderful entry-level guitar that you can get for under $500. The Yamaha FSX830C Small Body Solid Top has a 25-inch scale, small-body cutaway, and a shallow oval neck. It’s basically an updated version of the guitar before it, the 700 series.
The shallow neck is slightly flat which makes this acoustic-electric a great choice for players with smaller hands. Don’t be fooled, however, because this guitar is also good for those wanting a full-sized acoustic-electric.
It has exclusive scalloped bracing on the interior and a solid spruce top with a rosewood body and a very nice finish. It’s also very easy to play and offers excellent sound quality. The piezo saddle pickup and System 66 preamp with three EQ adjustments give the Yamaha FSX830C a boost of bass and mids for premium tones.
Some would say this Yamaha acoustic-electric sounds quite like a dreadnought when plugged in. Either way, it packs a whole lot of quality for its amazing price.
We’d say this Yamaha is surely an impressive one with its excellent hardware, easy to play neck, and great detailing and finish. It can be a good pick if you have small hands and you feel most guitars are built too big.
Warranty Details
Limited lifetime warranty available from Yamaha.
PROS
CONS
Have a slightly lower budget? Keep reading to find out for guitars under $300.
Best Electric Acoustic Guitars Under $300
Fender CD-60CE
Main Features
The Brand
Fender has been producing high-quality, dependable products for a while now, so of course, it had to be on our list.
Fender stands out because of its huge variety of guitars for every type of player. Their products make sure musicians feel comfortable and confident while playing.
The Guitar
The Fender CD-60CE comes in three very attractive colors including sandy, mahogany, and black. The sandy unit is simple and clean while the mahogany unit consists of a combination of wood patterns. The black variation has a clean and neat finish.
This acoustic electric also comes in four different body types. There’s dreadnought, dreadnought cutaway, folk, and folk cutaway. You get to choose whatever design you feel most comfortable with.
This Fender model doesn’t only offer a nice selection of guitar styles, it has great tones with a bright and deep sound. The guitar also comes with a tuner which lets you quickly get the strings in tune through the amp.
The CD-60CE packs a bunch of extra features such as a compensated bridge design and a brand new and improved pickguard design. The product also comes with a hard-shell case for easy travel.
All in all, the Fender CD-60CE is a great product for its price range. There are a different color and design choices and the guitar comes with some neat bonuses such as a unique pickguard design, built-in tuner, and a hard-shell case.
PROS
CONS
Yamaha FX325A
Main Features
The Brand
Yamaha is no doubt one of the most popular and respected brands today. They’ve come up with some of the best, most solid and high-quality instruments we’ve seen.
What we really love about this brand is that they understand the needs of players to a great extent. Plus, their customer service is also great.
The Guitar
The Yamaha FX325A comes in two different designs, one is the natural and simple looking classic design while the other is a bold tobacco sunburst design. Looks-wise, this acoustic-electric is quite appealing with its dreadnought body style, spruce top, and high-quality metal strings.
This Yamaha is an excellent product that is great for beginners because of the extra features it offers. For example, you can choose between two bundles when you purchase the guitar. One bundle is simply a guitar with no accessories. The other bundle is a gig-maker package that includes plectrums, a strap, learning CD’s, a soft case, and a guitar tuner.
What’s so special about the gig-maker package is that it includes almost everything a new player would need. You’ll get all the important accessories and won’t have to go through the hassle of finding the right products to go along with your amazing new instrument.
This can be especially helpful when you have no idea what accessories to choose from. The product also comes with an extra set of strings because Yamaha knows it’s completely natural for learners to have accidents.
Yamaha FX325A is a quality product that doesn’t exhibit any buzzing or rattling sounds from the body.
This acoustic-electric is awesome for beginners because of its extra features. It has a solid, dreadnaught design with some very rich and clear tones. The well-organized set of accessories are sure to get you on the right track to being a great guitarist.
Warranty Details
Limited lifetime warranty available from Yamaha.
PROS
CONS
Ibanez PF Series PF15ECE
Main Features
The Brand
Ibanez is not a very popular brand but it’s fast catching up due to its amazing range of products. This Japanese brand mainly targets beginners and is known to produce durable units
The Guitar
The Ibanez PF Series PF15ECE acoustic electric is one of the best buys you’ll find in the guitar world. This Ibanez model is perfect for beginners, but advanced players can get a lot out of it, too.
This acoustic electric exhibits some stunning craftsmanship with a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, solid fretboard, and neck with the perfect thickness. You can opt for this cool guitar in a gloss black, natural, or blue sunburst color.
The Ibanez PF15ECE doesn’t only look impressive, it sounds amazing, too. This acoustic electric has great tone variety and its sturdy material and elaborate design enhance the sound even more. This acoustic electric’s Sonicore pickup system boosts the distinct and warm sounds.
Moreover, this Ibanez features an onboard tuner which can be a lifesaver if you’re someone who’s always on the go. In fact, the guitar is essentially one of the best for being on the road.
With this acoustic electric, players tend to feel comfortable and confident with their music. You’re able to quickly recognize the frets on the neck which leads to quick, effortless playing. The sturdy feel of the guitar from its high-quality wood also gives players confidence in holding the guitar.
So, overall, this acoustic-electric is great for beginners, professionals, and especially those who are always on the road. It has a very solid and sturdy build, various color choices, wonderful craftsmanship, and a distinct and warm sound with an onboard tuner. For this price range, that’s pretty impressive!
Warranty Details
1-year limited warranty.
PROS
CONS
Jameson Blue Thinline
Main Features
The Brand
Jameson isn’t as well-known as the big shots, however, once you get to use any of their products, you’ll know that the brand is dedicated to creating high-quality yet budget-friendly guitars.
The Guitar
The Jameson Blue Thinline acoustic-electric comes in a nice blue finish that fades to black near the edges. It has white binding which gives a stylish touch to the entire guitar. We wouldn’t say the wood quality is as excellent as the other competitors in the list, however, for the price it’s perfect.
This Jameson guitar is quite smart looking with a slim body that sits very nicely under the arm. Because of its slender design, the guitar is easy to play which makes it the best choice for beginners. The preamp and pickup also work nicely and the tones are clear and rich.
The Jameson Blue Thinline comes for an outstanding price compared to the features it has. It has eye-catching paintwork and a compact, easy to play design. This acoustic-electric is definitely one of the best options for beginners, especially kids, starting to learn the wonderful instrument.
Warranty Details
One year warranty.
PROS
CONS
Wrap Up
If you’re searching for the perfect beginner guitar, then get your hands on the Yamaha FX325A. The brand is reliable and the price is highly appealing. With the Yamaha FX325A, you get nearly everything you’d need for a beginner guitar along with an accessory bundle that’ll make the learning process so much easier.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for an all-out professional instrument, we would definitely recommend the Breedlove SOLO Concert guitar. It’s a little expensive but worth the price.
For a mid-range unit try Epiphone HUMMINGBIRD PRO Solid Top. This lightweight guitar is perfect for all kinds of players.
