Best acoustic guitars 2024: 10 top options for guitarists of all ages and abilities

Close up of Taylor acoustic guitar
(Image credit: Future)

It may sound bold, but we genuinely believe there's never been a better time to buy an acoustic guitar. The sheer volume of guitars on the market at the moment is exhilarating, with many companies producing the best acoustic guitars they have ever made. Now, with so many instruments from an incredibly diverse group of manufacturers, it's easy to get overwhelmed - we call it 'option paralysis' - but don't worry, we are here to help. 

Whatever your budget - and playing style - we guarantee one of these top acoustic guitars will be perfect for you, and this guide is here to help you pick your favorite. With entry-level acoustics from the likes of Epiphone, Yamaha, Martin, and Taylor, through to high-end heavyweights from Gibson and Fender, we've got you covered. 

Taylor GS Mini-e: was $699, now $599
Black Friday deal!

Taylor GS Mini-e: was $699, now $599
The irresistibly accessible playability of this compact model makes it one of our favorite acoustic guitars for beginners, one of the all-time classic travel guitars – and one of our favorite acoustics full stop. With a surprisingly rounded sound for its size and a low action, the GS Mini-e will make you want to play more – and its onboard electronics sound killer plugged in, too. It’s rare to see a discount on this perennial favorite, so $100 off at Amazon is not to be missed.

Recent updates

26/06/24: We've assessed and streamlined our product choices to make it much easier to find the right guitar for your needs. We've also added more clarity and depth to our buying advice and testing methodology.

08/03/24: We have recently made a few changes to this guide. The Fender CD-60S is now our top choice for the best acoustic guitar for beginners.

31/10/23: As well as auditing the products to make sure the list is up to date with the very best acoustic guitars around, we've also given this page a fresh new look, tweaking the format to make it easier to navigate and find the right model for you.

Daryl Robertson
Daryl Robertson

Daryl is a Senior Deals Writer at Guitar World, where he creates and maintains our 200+ buyer's guides, finds the best deals on guitar products, and tests the latest gear. His reviews have been featured in prominent publications like Total Guitar, Future Music magazine, and MusicRadar.com.

During his career, he has been lucky enough to talk to many of his musical heroes, having interviewed Slash and members of Sum 41, Foo Fighters, Feeder, Thrice, and more. In a past life, he worked in music retail. For a little under a decade, he advised everyone from absolute beginners to seasoned pros on the right gear for their needs.

Chris Corfield author image
Chris Corfield

Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Dawsons Music. Chris loves getting nerdy about all aspects of guitar gear from electric and acoustic guitars to pedals, amps and more.

Guitar World author Matt McCracken playing guitar on stage
Matt McCracken

Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at Guitar World. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on guitars, amps, pedals, modelers, and pretty much anything else guitar-related. Responsible for over 60 buying guides, a large part of his role is helping guitarists find the best deals on gear. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites including MusicRadar, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog.

A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and writing and recording in bands, he's performed everything from jazz to djent, gigging all over the country in more dingy venues than you can shake a drop-tuned guitar at. When he's not holed up in his home studio recording new songs or tweaking pedal settings, you’ll find him making a racket with Northern noise hounds JACKALS.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

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