

Since reviving the long-dormant brand in the early aughts, Recording King has consistently produced affordable quality instruments, and the Dirty 30's Series 7 is a perfect example of just that. At under $300, this is the best acoustic electric guitar for those of us on a budget, and by a fairly wide margin. Setting our price gauge slider a little further south, we find ourselves with the highly playable Recording King Dirty 30's Series 7 parlor acoustic electric guitar.

Electronics: Gold Foil Soundhole Pickup.Best Budget Acoustic Electric – Recording King Dirty 30's Series 7 The D-240E is a great instrument and worthy additional to any troubadour's arsenal.īUY ON GUITAR CENTER 4. The Guild Westerly series is known for its use of the classic Guild archtop design, resulting in a lightweight and super playable instrument. Tone and volume controls sit discreetly tucked within the soundhole. The pickup, a Guild/Fishman AP1, is a piezo pickup system that provides a full, dynamic, and clean sound quality that's nearly unmatched in this price range. Real bone nut and saddle help deliver vintage style clarity. Who says you need to break the bank to get a solid acoustic electric guitar? The Guild D-240E is a testament to the craftsmanship and reputation of Guild, with its traditional dreadnought body shape and high-quality tone wood construction. Electronics: Guild/Fishman AP1 with Sonicore pickup.

Best Mid-Tier Acoustic Electric – Guild D-240E Hybrids like the Acoustasonic are here to stay, and while it may take some time to win over purists, there's no denying their versatility and value.īUY ON GUITAR CENTER 3. Ideal for studio use, as you can track a scratch acoustic guitar part without worrying about the sound bleeding into drum overheads. Unlike many acoustic electric guitars, which can sometimes sound overly bright and clean when plugged directly into a sound system, the Fender Acoustasonic offers warm and dynamic tones. The 3-way blade flips between meticulously crafted acoustic and electric tones, which can then be blended together with the blend knob. The key ingredient may be the instrument's semi-hollowbody design, featuring a finely tuned and resonant soundport that helps deliver pleasing acoustic tones when unplugged.īut the real magic starts once you plug this bad boy in. Suddenly everyone from J Mascis to Julien Baker was sporting an Acoustasonic, and once you play one, it's easy to see why. When the Fender Acoustasonic burst onto the scene a few years ago, no one could have anticipated just how popular and impactful the instrument would be. Electronics: N4 Magnetic Single-coil & Under-saddle Piezo pickup.Best Hybrid Acoustic Electric – Fender Acoustasonic The Gibson J-45 offers no compromises and no gimmicks, just a high-quality acoustic electric guitar.īUY ON GUITAR CENTER 2. An onboard preamplifier, unobtrusive and discrete volume control is mounted just inside the sound hole.

This tone is captured beautifully with the LR Baggs VTC Under Saddle Pickup, faithfully transferring every sonic nuance to the PA or amp. With its use of beautiful tonewoods such as its solid sitka spruce top, mahogany neck, and rosewood fingerboard, it's no mystery where the J-45's warm and rich acoustic tone comes from. The J-45 is well-known amongst guitar players for its warm, dynamic tone and playability. With so many acoustic electric guitars to choose from, it felt only right to start with a time-tested workhorse. We're kicking off our list with a classic, the iconic Gibson J-45. Electronics: LR Baggs VTC Under Saddle Pickup.Best Acoustic Electric Guitar – Gibson J-45
