If your on the hunt for a guitar under $200 this list will give you 7 of the best on the market!
If your looking for your first guitar, a parent looking for the best guitar for your son/ daughter, or a more advanced guitarist looking for a budget guitar to add to your collection; This list will give 7 of the best acoustic guitars for under $200.
With prices ranging from $70 to $200, I have tried to provide something for everybody, no matter your budget or personal taste.
I have tried to leave some of the guitar jargon out of this review and use Lehman terms to inform beginners or non musical people.
*Note* links in this review are affiliate links to amazon, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase any guitars in this list. (you can read my Disclosure Policy regarding Amazon affiliate links).
If you decide you want to purchase any of the items listed, most (if not all) of these items should be Amazon Prime eligible which means you could get the item sent to you with free 1-day delivery. Amazon offers a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial if you want to try it out. You can cancel at any time!
So without further a do, lets get into it!
1. Yamaha FD01S Solid Top Acoustic Guitar – $150
The first guitar on this list is the Yamaha FD01S.
Yamaha make some fantastic budget acoustic guitars and this is one of their best.
The top is made from good solid spruce which is rare for this type of guitar, with most budget guitars having laminated tops which are generally cheaper to manufacture.
The solid spruce top gives this guitar a sound which is far above its price range.
The back and sides are made from Nato which is a form of Mahogany along with a Mahogany neck, balancing well with the solid spruce top.
The build quality of this guitar is fantastic for the price and will last you for years to come.
Overall, the Yamaha FD01S is a fantastic option for a beginner guitarist at an extremely affordable price for a solid top guitar.
Specs:
Shape: Dreadnought
Top: Solid Spruce
Back and sides: Nato (Eastern Mahogany)
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Bracing:
Neck: Mahogany
Tuners:
Finish: Solid
Check it out here:
2. Epiphone Pro-1 Acoustic Guitar for Beginners – $140
The Epiphone Pro-1 is a brilliant first step into the guitar playing world and is primarily aimed at beginners.
This guitar has some incredible features which tailor to the beginner guitarist.
Firstly, the neck is designed for ease of playing with Epiphone including “JumoPRO” frets, which make fretting notes and chords a dream due to frets being taller and wider. In addition, the neck is a smooth rounded shape which will help a beginner guitarist holding a guitar for the first time, and ultimetly prevent from hand fatigue.
The easy play ability of the Epiphone Pro-1 is also aided by the shorter scale length and the lower action (distance the strings are from the fretboard) so the player doesn’t have to press down the strings as hard with their fingers, which in turn can reduce pain.
To help with younger players or space conscious musicians the Epiphone Pro-1 is a reduced size dreadnought guitar. The sound of this guitar does not suffer from the amazing features mentioned, with a select spruce top and mahogany back and sides giving a sweet sound.
The build quality of this guitar is everything you would expect from a brand such as Epiphone and it will not let you down.
Overall, the Epiphone Pro-1 is perfect for the beginner guitarist with all the designed features discussed above. This guitar will really help you with learning the guitar.
Specs:
Shape: Dreadnought (Reduced size)
Top: Select Spruce
Back and sides: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Bracing: Proprietary Bracing
Neck: Mahogany
Tuners: Deluxe chrome
Finish: Gloss
Check it out here:
3. Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar – $200
The Yamaha FG800 is part of a series of guitars which has 50 years of experience.
At the top end of the 200 (DOLLAR) budget the extra money in comparison to the other Yamaha guitar on this list really shows in comparison.
This workhorse of an acoustic guitar has features which really set it apart from other guitars in this price range such as the woods used and the build quality.
The top of this guitar uses solid sikta spruce and back and sides of nato (mahogany) and overall sounds fantastic. The neck is made from nato and gets the job done being smooth and comfortable. The Yamaha FG800 also uses new scallped bracing
The die tuners are good and is exactly what you would expect at this price point.
The money in this guitar comes in the woods used and would make a brilliant first guitar with a beginner guitar player able to grow into the quality of this guitar
For 70 dollars extra you can purchase the bundle deal which includes….
Specs:
Shape: Dreadnought
Top: Solid Sikta Spruce
Back and sides: Nato
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Bracing: Scalloped Bracing
Neck: Nato
Tuners: Diecast
Finish: Natural
Check it out here:
4. Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar – $70
The cheapest option on the list is the Jasmine S35 which is made by Takamine and by no means lacks the quality or sound you would expect from an acoustic guitar from Takamine.
The word that springs to mind with this guitar is ‘exceptional value’. Whether your a beginner guitarist looking for your first guitar, or a more advanced player looking for an acoustic guitar to bring camping or to be used as a second instrument, this guitar is a great option.
At $70 you can not go wrong with this guitar. At this price point the sound quality is fantastic, providing a vibrant and clear sound. This is aided by the satin finish, which allows the wood to resonate more than a gloss finished guitar. As I mentioned above this guitar provides ‘exceptional value’ and sounds great.
The Yasmin S35 is a fantastic budget option for advanced guitarists and is a more than adequate first guitar for any beginners just starting out.
Specs:
Shape: Dreadnought
Top: Select Spruce
Back and sides: Laminated Nato
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Bracing: Jasmine Advanced X Bracing
Neck: Nato
Tuners: Chrome Covered
Finish: Satin
Check it out here:
5. Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – $120 to $150
Fender are well known for their guitars and with the Fender FA-100 have made an awesome budget acoustic guitar.
This guitar comes with a package option, however you can buy the stand alone Fender FA-100 on its own.
Specs:
Shape: Dreadnought
Top: Laminated Spruce
Back and sides: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Bracing: X Bracing
Neck: Maple
Tuners: Die-Cast
Finish: Gloss Polyurethane
6. Washburn WD7S Harvest Series (Replace with a smaller size guitar – aimed at children)
Specs:
Shape: Dreadnought
Top: Solid Spruce
Back and sides: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Bracing: Quarter Sawn Scalloped Sikta Spruce bracing
Neck: Mahogany
Tuners: Chrome Diecast
Finish: …
7. Fender CD-60S All Mahogany Acoustic Guitar – $200
Finishing off the list is the Fender CD60S, which like others on this list is made from a solid top, however the Fender CD60s is made from mahogany.
Mahogany gives a richer, mellower sound in comparison to spruce and also, in my opinion, looks a little nicer. The mahogany makes this guitar stand out, and is a great option for both the beginner guitarist or a seasoned acoustic guitarist looking for a second instrument.
In addition to the solid mahogany top, it has mahogany back and sides and a mahogany neck which aides the more mellower sound. The die cast tuners are what you would expect and work great, and the scalloped X-bracing are a fantastic feature for such an affordable guitar.
At the top of the $200 budget you will not be disappointed investing a little more money and is a great alternative to a spruce top guitar.
Specs:
Shape: Dreadnought
Top: Solid Mahogany
Back and sides: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Bracing: Scalloped X-bracing
Neck: Mahogany
Tuners: Chrome Die-Cast
Finish: Natural
Check it out here:
