Best Affordable Acoustic Guitars (Under $200)

1. Best Affordable Acoustic Guitars (Under $200)

2. Introduction Whether you’re a beginner looking for your first acoustic guitar or you’re just looking for an inexpensive guitar, the best affordable acoustic guitars will give you excellent sound quality with easy playability, all at an affordable price. While acoustic guitars can run from $50 up to many thousands of dollars, finding a quality instrument under $200 isn’t difficult. It just takes a little knowledge of what to look for, which you’re going to learn here.

3. It’s very easy to find online guitar parts if you needed to upgrade one or two things, not the whole guitar. First off, instruments under $100 are usually not worth the money. It’s difficult for a manufacturer to make a quality guitar under $100 without using inferior woods and less than ideal construction materials. You can find quite a few nice-sounding guitars in the $100 to $200 price range with quality wood, parts, materials, and construction, and a finish that won’t wear unevenly over time. NOTE: If you’re new to buying acoustic guitars, please first check out the How To Choose An Acoustic Guitar section after the reviews. Let’s move on to the reviews of the best affordable acoustic guitars under $200!

4. Best Affordable Acoustic Guitars (Under $200) Reviews

5. Fender FA-100 Acoustic Guitar The first guitar on the list is the FenderFA-100. While Fender is most widely known as the manufacturer of the famous Stratocaster and Telecaster electric guitars, it’s also a leading maker of acoustic guitars. The FA-100 is a full-sized dreadnought acoustic guitar that’s a top pick for those looking for a great beginner instrument.

6. The Fender FA-100 is an excellent guitar for anyone just beginning to play or looking for a perfect “beater” guitar. Many users find that it’s one of their favorite instruments, even if they own other more expensive guitars. It’s set up well right out of the box and is easy to play. While its tone and sound won’t win any awards, it’s a solid choice for beginners. PROS • Good sounding entry-level Fender product • Excellent value Acoustic Pack available with gig bag, strings, clip-on tuner, strap, picks and instructional DVD available CONS • Some users found issues with defective bridge saddles, but this has not been a widespread complaint

7. Fender FA-115 Acoustic Guitar The Fender FA-115 is an upgrade from the FA-100. The main difference is that the FA-115 has a solid spruce top, while the FA-100 has a laminate top. Solid wood tops provide better sound quality as well as better structural integrity than laminate tops. In the following video, you can hear the FA-115 has a crisper brighter tone.

8. Fender CD-60S Acoustic Guitar The Fender CD-60S is another entry-level guitar that’s geared towards beginning guitarists. It’s a very affordable dreadnought acoustic that’s become very popular due to its deep rich tone and excellent playability right from the box. The CD-60S is an upgrade from the highly regarded CD-60 that has thousands of happy users worldwide.

9. Yamaha FG800 Acoustic Guitar/ Yamaha FS800 Acoustic Guitar This review is going to focus on the very affordable FG800 and FS800 models which were introduced in 2016. They are the successors to the FG-700S. The two models are virtually identical except that the FS800 is a smaller concert size version of the larger dreadnaught FG800. I review the FG800, but the same info applies to the FS800.

10. The new FG800 and FS800 models live up to their heritage with solid construction and expressive tone for a very low price. Plus, the FG800 is available in 11 different colors and wood choices that include flamed maple, nato, mahogany, and rosewood. PROS • Solid wood top • Unique Yamaha-developed bracing for natural sound • Different colors and woods are available CONS • Case sold separately

11. Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Guitar The DR-100 is Epiphone’s best-selling acoustic guitar. It’s a full-size dreadnought acoustic that has found a home with beginners and professional players alike. Over the years it has become a go-to guitar for rock, folk, bluegrass and other styles.

12. Epiphone’s DR-100 dreadnought is a great entry-level guitar that has received many 5-star reviews for its sound and playability. This guitar is hard to beat if you are looking for a guitar that retails around $125! PROS • Solid wood spruce top • The tone is well-balanced and projects nicely with good volume CONS • Case sold separately

13. Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar Jasmine is a lesser-known guitar maker, but they produce quality instruments that have found homes with both amateur and professional musicians alike. The S35 has a laminate spruce top supported by Jasmine’s trademark Advanced X-bracing. Jasmine claims their bracing technique not only strengthens the guitar’s construction but markedly improves its sound quality.

14. The S35 makes a great entry-level instrument or an “around the house” guitar that delivers much more value than the $100 price tag. Highly recommended at under $100, or around $175-$200 with the setup, new saddle, and new strings. PROS • Nice tone and quality for the price • Potential to be an excellent guitar with a little work CONS • Factory setup may be less than ideal so adjustments may be necessary • Included strings are not the best quality and should be replaced

15. Conclusion All the guitars I’ve reviewed are perfect for beginners and are an excellent value for the money. The guitars all have nice tone and are easy to play. Quality guitars like these top picks will encourage your efforts to practice and learn the instrument. I highly recommend getting the best guitar you can within your budget, even if you have to stretch it to the top of your range. It’s worth it!