15 Feb 7 Best Acoustic Guitars under £1000
Bag yourself a quality acoustic for under £1000
You can pick up a decent acoustic guitar for £200-£300 – check out Tanglewood, Epiphone, Sigma, Fender and Alvarez to name a few – but for £700 to £1000 you can get a really decent acoustic guitar that should have all solid tonewoods and a good pickup system thrown in. You can even get a bit of US mojo from Gibson, Martin and Taylor at this price.
Our Choice
1. Martin Road Series
2. Gibson G-45
3. Taylor GS Mini
4. Faith PJE Legacy
5. Yamaha L Series
6. Eastman AC Series
7. Sheeran by Lowden
More than with electric guitars it is important to actually play an acoustic before you buy to make sure you like the sound as you can’t do much to change it if you don’t!
Body size/shape, neck size and general playability all come into as well and don’t forget the pickup system if you are going to play live. Most important of all will be the combination of woods for the top, back and sides.
Whilst the choice in acoustic guitars is not as comprehensive as with electric guitars, there is still a great number of makers out there who will have something for you across one of their ‘series’ – encompassing different shapes, colours, tonewoods and electros.
These are our choices, in no particular order:
Martin Road Series
If you are looking for that iconic Martin tone and playability on a budget then their Road Series could be for you. Full sized, all solid wood and made by Martin. Comes complete with a premium-grade soft shell case. Price range: £899-£999
Model shown is the Martin D10E Electro Acoustic with Fishman MXT Pickup. A solid wood dreadnought with Sitka spruce top and sapele back and sides. Yours for £899
More info: Martin Guitars
Gibson G-45
A recent addition to their acoustic line-up and set to take the market by storm! A US made Gibson acoustic for £869 (Studio) or £999 (Standard) – where do you sign!
Here is what Gibson says:
The G-45 Studio is designed to provide the perfect mix of tone, performance, and traditional Gibson style for all players and every stage. It is hand-built in our Bozeman, Montana factory using time-tested Gibson build techniques like hide-glued dovetail neck joints and domed top braces along with modern features like slimmer body depths and Advanced Response neck profiles. A solid Sitka spruce top and solid walnut back and sides deliver crisp sounds with plenty of wonderful overtones while a Fishman Sonitone pickup captures every nuance for easy plug-and-play at home, in the studio or on stage. It represents a new point of entry into Gibson acoustics and a new precedent for sound and quality.
The G-45 Standard has a few more cosmetic upgrades so take your pick.
More info: Gibson Guitars
Taylor GS Mini series
The GS Mini has been around for a few years now and is one of their best sellers. The range is large and prices are from £529 for a standard model up to £799 for the e-Mini Koa model shown.
The GS mini has a full and rich voice for such a small acoustic, being comfortable to play and portable! All models have solid tops, the Taylor patented neck and the e-Mini sports their ES-Go pickup. This Koa model has a solid Koa top and layered Koa back and sides, has their ES-B electronics on board and looks fantastic.
More info: Taylor Guitars
Faith PJE Legacy Series
The series focuses on Patrick James Eggle’s historic acoustic body shapes and comprises three models – the Mars drop-shoulder dreadnought (PJE Kanuga); the Neptune baby-jumbo (PJE Saluda); and the Earth orchestra-model (PJE Linville). Solid wood tops are fine, Canadian Sitka Spruce or African Khaya Mahogany, which have been kiln-aged through a process of torrefaction or torrefication to give a mature sound straight out of the box. Prices: £929 – £999.
The model shown is the FG1RE – PJE Legacy Mars Electro with torrefied Sitka Spruce Top, African Mahogany Back and Sides, Includes Hardshell Case. 6 string dreadnought with 45mm nut width, ebony fingerboard
More info: Faith Guitars
Yamaha L Series
Yamaha have been making great acoustics for over fifty years and their L Series reflects their expertise and history. You can have a full-sized LL original jumbo, small-sized LS body, or medium jumbo-sized LJ all with a perfect combination of traditional and modern, including Yamaha’s new Zero Impact pickup system. Prices £550 – £850.
The LL16 ARE jumbo shown features all-solid Rosewood/Mahogany back and sides with hand-selected premium Engelmann Spruce top with a newly designed bracing pattern and A.R.E. wood treatment.
More info: Yamaha Guitars
Eastman AC Series
The AC Series complements their Traditional range but takes a more modern design and build approach. With a cutaway body, great tonewoods and option of an LR Baggs Element or Fishman pickup, these are craftsman built guitars and belie their price – £599 – £899.
More info: Eastman Guitars
Sheeran by Lowden
This recently launched guitar brand was born out of a friendship between Ed Sheeran and George Lowden and has made an instant impact in the market. A UK designed and built guitar for £599 – £899 is a bargain, offering great playability and tone using materials with high sustainability credentials.
The range features eight individual models across two small body sizes familiar from the Lowden range, the ‘S’ and ‘the Wee.’ Ed Sheeran plays both player friendly sizes which are ready and responsive at home, on stage, and on the road.
S Series
Based on the successful Lowden S (small) body, The Sheeran by Lowden S models deliver a surprisingly deep voice despite their size. Beyond a choice of solid wood tops, the S series features a selection of woods, a cutaway, and soundbox bevel.
W Series
Based on the Lowden WL (Wee Lowden) body size as originally designed for Ed Sheeran, the W Series models offer a compact feel without compromising in tone over larger guitars.
More info: Sheeran Guitars
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