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What’s the Best Acoustic Guitar for Me?

What’s the Best Acoustic Guitar for Me?

At Bax Music, we have a massive range of acoustic guitars. Whether you’re taking your first step into the world of music, or you’re looking for an exclusive, high-grade model, you’ll be able to find it here. With this guide, we’ll help you navigate what’s out there so you can make the right choice. If you don’t see your question below, feel free to contact us!

1. What is an Acoustic Guitar?

The acoustic guitar is also known as a steel-string acoustic simply because it is strung with steel strings. In comparison with the electric guitar, the acoustic guitar has a thicker, hollow body, with a hole in the front panel. This is called the sound hole as it’s what allows the acoustic guitar to produce enough volume without the need for an amplifier. It’s a good idea to start out with a standard 6-string acoustic guitar before considering something like a 12-string guitar. If you think you’ll want to play a lot of solos, then a cutaway in the body will be handy since it makes reaching the highest notes much easier, but if you think you’ll prefer to play chords and rhythm parts, then you probably won’t actually need a cutaway. The advantage of no cutaway is that the foundation sound is often a little more full.

Tip: If you want to get on the stage, then an electro-acoustic guitar is probably the best choice for you. We have an entire section dedicated to electro-acoustic guitars.

All Acoustic Guitars
6-String Acoustic Guitars
12-String Acoustic Guitars
Acoustic Guitars with No Cutaway
Acoustic Guitars with Cutaway
Electro-Acoustic Guitars
Complete Acoustic Guitar Packs

2. What’s Better? A Steel-String Acoustic Guitar or a Nylon String Classical Guitar?

When people talk about an acoustic guitar, it can sometimes be unclear what they’re talking about. However, in the UK, acoustic guitar almost always refers to a steel string model.

The acoustic or steel-string guitar is very simply an acoustic guitar with steel strings and is the kind of acoustic guitar that we are describing in this guide. The sound that steel strings produce is very bright and sparkling. This kind of guitar is used a lot in pop and rock.

When compared to the acoustic guitar, classical/Spanish guitars have a much warmer sound. This has a lot to do with their nylon strings. As the name suggests, this kind of guitar is used a lot in classical and Spanish music but also sounds just as good when playing more laid back pop.

The most important question to ask is: which of these guitars do you think sounds most beautiful? The answer to this question will immediately tell you which guitar to start playing with, since it’s the guitar that’s most likely to inspire you.

Please note: While the strings are an important difference between these two guitars, it’s not the only difference. Steel strings cannot be put on a classical guitar, and the same is true the other way around. Using the wrong strings will cause damage. Also see Question 5

Acoustic Guitars
Classical Guitars

3. Electro-Acoustic or Acoustic Guitar: Which One Do I Need?

The foundation of an acoustic and electro-acoustic guitar is essentially the same, since you can also play an electro-acoustic guitar as if it was a normal acoustic. The difference: an electro-acoustic guitar has a built-in pickup and an output for a jack lead. This means that electro-acoustic guitars can be easily amplified on stage, or can be plugged into a mixer, acoustic amplifier, or audio interface, and they almost always come with an integrated preamp with volume, bass, and treble controls and maybe a tuner. Disadvantages: Electro-acoustic guitars are more expensive than standard acoustic guitars. Also, so that the electronics can be built in, a hole has often been cut into the side of the body which can compromise on acoustic resonance and sound quality. The same applies to a ‘cutaway’, where part of the body has literally been cut away at the shoulder for full fretboard access, which is often a feature of electro-acoustic models (see Question 1). But if you’re a beginner, it’s unlikely that you’ll notice the difference.

If you want to amplify a normal acoustic guitar, then you can install a pickup or use an external pickup. You could also use a microphone, but when performing on stage, this can increase the chance of feedback.

Also see our Electro-Acoustic Guitar Buyer’s Guide.

Electro-Acoustic Guitars
Acoustic Guitars
All Acoustic Guitars
Electro-Acoustic Guitar Buyer’s Guide
External & Installation Pickups for Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic Guitar Amplifiers

4. What’s the Difference Between a Dreadnought, Slope-Shoulder, and a Jumbo Acoustic Guitar?

The difference here is the shape of the resonance chamber, which is the body or ‘sound-box’ of the guitar. This shape has a noticeable effect on the sound. The most familiar and most used shape in the dreadnought, which is known for its rich, loud sound and clear bass. For beginners, this is a perfect starting point. If you find the shoulders (the slopes of the body either side of the neck) a little too square, then maybe you’d prefer the lesser known slope-shoulder. And, if you’re looking for something with a much more full and big sound than a dreadnought, then a jumbo will probably give you exactly what you’re looking for.

Dreadnought Acoustic Guitars
Slope-Shoulder Acoustic Guitars
Jumbo Acoustic Guitars

5. I Want Something with a Smaller Body. What Should I Get?

If a dreadnought is simply too physically large for you, then it’s understandable to opt for an acoustic guitar with a smaller body. This can be a good choice for smaller adults as well as for children. The sound of smaller models is much tighter and brighter, with less bass. Rounder and more slim feeling guitars include the 000 (auditorium) or OM (orchestra) models. The first of these two is called a ‘triple O’ when said out loud and also has a slightly shorter neck, which can be much more manageable when you have smaller hands. The grand concert, or 00 is even more manageable. And, if you want to try the most compact acoustic guitar going for adults, then maybe look at a 0, or parlor. Going even smaller than this leads you to a travel guitar or children’s guitar. A so-called 3/4-sized guitar, for example, is a much smaller acoustic guitar that’s made specifically for children up to around 12 years old.

000 / OM Acoustic Guitars
00 / Grand Concert Acoustic Guitars
0 / Parlor Acoustic Guitars
Travel and Children’s Acoustic Guitars

6. What Strings Should I Use On an Acoustic Guitar?

The core of acoustic guitar strings is always made of steel, while the material wound around the steel core can be different. Most guitarists use steel strings with a bronze or phosphor bronze winding. Bronze shapes a clearer sound, while phosphor bronze produces a slightly more rich, and warm sound. If you want to experiment with the sound some time in the future, then you could try strings with a nickel, silver, or even gold plated winding.

Whenever you buy a new guitar, it will come with strings installed but it’s often a good idea to change them as soon as possible since fresh strings sound brighter, feel more smooth and are better at holding tune. Changing the strings is something you can easily learn to do yourself and can go a little quicker using something like a video tutorial.

Bronze Wound Acoustic Guitar Strings
Phophor Bronze Wound Wound Acoustic Guitar Strings

7. What Else Do I Need?

Before you even start playing, it’s important to tune up your guitar. A tuner is therefore essential! To help learn to do this quickly and easily, you could always use a video tutorial or instruction book.
Chords are often played using a plectrum (or ‘pick’). This makes strumming easier and produces a clearer sound. A multi-pack of plectrums is a good idea, since these little slips of plastic are easy to lose.
So you can put your acoustic guitar somewhere safe when you’re not playing it, a stand or wall-hook is also pretty useful.
To protect your guitar from the wind and rain when you’re on your way to lessons, a guitar bag is definitely no luxury.
If you want to play standing up, then you’ll need a guitar strap. Most guitars will come fitted with ‘strap buttons’ (not to be confused with strap locks) that can be used to secure a strap. If your guitar doesn’t have strap buttons, these can be bought separately and installed.
Once you can play a little, it’s not just fun, but actually useful to be able to play open chords in a higher, different key using a capo. If you’re playing a lot of chord progressions found in soung books, then you might need one of these every now and then.
You can also get hold a complete pack, with or without a guitar. This gives you all of the essential accessories in one practical pack. Alternatively, on almost every guitar product page on our site, you can find a number of nice bundle deals further down the page.

Tuners
Blog: How To Tune Your Guitar or Bass
Plectrums
Guitar Stands
Acoustic Guitar Bags
Guitar Straps
Guitar Wall-Hooks
Strap Buttons
Capos
Complete Acoustic Guitar Packs

8. What Wood Should the Sound Board (Top) Be Made of?

With cheaper guitars, this is not really important, but it’s worth knowing that most acoustic guitars will have the bright, rich sound provided by a spruce sound board (also know as a ‘top’). If you want something a little more balanced in terms of volume, then a ceder top will offer this, while the foundation sound of mahogany packs a bit more warmth than spruce.

For adventurous guitarists, there are also tropical species of woods used, including sapele and ovangkol.

If a particular guitar has not been finished with a coloured varnish (‘natural’), then you can very clearly see the colour and grain of the wood used for the sound board. If the look of the wood is important to you, then the type of wood used will play an important roll in the decision making process.

Acoustic Guitars with a Spruce Top
Acoustic Guitars with a Ceder Top
Acoustic Guitars with a Mahogany Top

9. What Kind of Effect does the Wood Used for the Back and Sides Have on an Acoustic Guitar?

The back and sides of an acoustic guitar don’t have quite as much of an impact on the overall sound as that of the sound board (see Quesion 7). But the more critical guitarist will notice the slight tonal differences between different woods. Mahogany is often used to create a more sultry sound, while a tonal-accent with more definition is offered by maple. If you’re seeking something sweeter, then a rosewood back and sides is well-known for this. Unfortunately, since rosewood is now a protected species, manufacturers have started using alternatives that share the same tonal qualities and this will usually be explained in the product description of a specific model.

Acoustic Guitars with a Mohagany Back & Sides
Acoustic Guitars with a Maple Back & Sides
Acoustic Guitars with a Rosewood Back & Sides

10. How Important is the Wood Used for the Fretboard?

Most guitarists will say that there’s little to no difference between the sound of a guitar with a rosewood fretboard and a guitar with an ebony fretboard. But, for a select group, the wood used to make the fretboard is an essential feature. The fretboard is a slim piece of wood that’s securely glued to the front of the neck and lies underneath the strings. It’s called a fretboard because‘frets’ (thin metal strips) are hammered into the wood at intervals to delineate the notes that can be played on a guitar. Most acoustic guitars have fretboards made from rosewood, but more and more models are mounted with fretboards made of other woods or stable combinations of wood and resin.

Tip: When browsing through the acoustic guitars on our site, you can use the list of filters on the left to view guitars with a fretboard made out of specific wood.

Acoustic Guitars

11. What is the Difference Between ‘Laminated’, ‘Solid-Top’, and ‘All-Solid’?

While laminated wood results in a stronger piece of wood, the sound of solid wood is noticeably louder and more full. Even if you only have a little experience playing or listening, you’ll imediately be able to hear the difference. Lower priced acoustic guitars are usually built entirely using laminated wood. Mid-range models will usually be finished with a solid-top (so a sound board made of solid wood), while the back and sides have been made using laminated wood. Among the higher priced guitars, you’ll find all-solid guitars, where every part has been made using solid wood.

Laminated Acoustic Guitars
Solid-Top Acoustic Guitars
All-Solid Acoustic Guitars

Links & More Information

Blogs

Acoustic or Electric Guitar: Where’s the Best Place to Start?
How to tune your guitar or bass