From the bedroom to the studio and all the way to the stage, the best acoustic guitar under $800 can meet all your musical demands.
We’ve hand-selected a variety of acoustic guitars in different body shapes that are the best in their class and presented them here to make your choice of your perfect acoustic much easier.
Our Recommendation
I’ve got a hard favorite on this list, and that is definitely the Simon and Patrick Woodland Pro Spruce.
With an all-solid wood construction and the handmade quality build inherent in all Godin family guitars, the Simon and Patrick Woodland Pro is one of the finest acoustics on the market.
In the bottom spot, you’ll see the Cigano GJ-16. This is a nice guitar in most ways, but it’s unusual Django-inspired shape and soundhole are not the choice for every player.
It’s a cool acoustic, but it’s rather niche, so I’ve got to recommend it last.
Still, if all these guitars are a bit out of your budget, we’ve got great roundups of acoustics under $300, $200, and $100.
The Top 7 Acoustic Guitars Under $800 – Expert Recommendations
Cigano GJ-15 Grand Bouche Gypsy Jazz Guitar
Specs
- Top: Sitka Spruce
- Body: Sitka Spruce
- Back: Rosewood
- Neck: Nato
- Fretboard: Rosewood
Pros
- Highly atypical design for unique tonality
- Delivers crispy, high-energy gypsy jazz tones
- Great for flatpicking, blues, and jazz
Cons
- Unusual design may not be suitable for your preferred musical style
Review
Pairing the typical spruce and mahogany tonewoods in a rather unusual body style, Cigano’s GJ-15 is a prime guitar for gypsy jazz enthusiasts.
Inspired by Django Reinhardt’s custom instruments of yonder year, the GJ-15 gives you a jangly, articulate tone that’s great for pulling off speedy flatpicking and syncopated chord work. You can see more about Django’s favorite guitars here.
Despite its large body size, it’s not a very loud guitar, so those of you looking for dreadnought volume might be a bit let down.
It’s also got a pretty particular tone that you might not enjoy for a variety of genres. It’s somewhat flat and focused on the fundamentals, but that’s what it’s made for.
If you are looking for a great jazz acoustic to rival the sound of vintage archtops, the GJ-15 is an awesome choice.
Taylor Academy 12 Grand Concert
Specs
- Top: Maple, Ebony, Sapele, Spruce
- Body: Sapele
- Back: Layered Sapele
- Neck: Maple
- Fretboard: Ebony
Pros
- Angled armrest provides utmost playing comfort
- Spruce + sapele tonewood combo for bright, well-rounded sound
- Short scale and grand concert body great for smaller adults
Cons
- Technically a student model; high cost, few features
Review
It’s hard to write a review of the best acoustics without including at least one Taylor or Martin model.
Today we’re looking at the Taylor Academy 12. Though marketed as a student guitar, the Academy 12 has all the features of a high-quality mid-range acoustic, plus a few playability bonuses.
First off, it combines a solid spruce top with a body of layered sapele for a tone that is pronounced and balanced in all ranges. It’s versatile for use in many genres, from country to bluegrass to acoustic rock and more.
Its grand concert body and slightly shorter scale length make it an easy guitar to play for players not fond of the larger standard dreadnought body shape. Still, it packs a decent amount of volume that projects clean and clear.
Like most Taylor models, the Academy 12 has a sloped armrest on the bottom bout to make your picking hand’s job much more comfortable. It also features the exclusive A12 slim neck profile for fast and fun fretting in any position.
Guild Guitars P-240 12-fret Parlor Memoir
Specs
- Top: Mahogany
- Body: Spruce
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Pau Ferro
Pros
- Vintage-correct parlor design perfect for smaller players
- Tones reminiscent of the mid-19th century
- Easy-to-play C shape neck profile that’s soft on the hands
Cons
- Players looking for big volume won’t get that here
Review
Guild’s P-240 parlor acoustic is a historically accurate mini acoustic that will have you feeling like you’re jamming back in the 1800s.
Now, of course, acoustic guitar design has come a long way in the last two hundred years, and that’s why Guild equips the P-240 with scalloped X-bracing as opposed to the more traditional ladder bracing you would have found in the 19th century.
This might seem like a drawback if you’re looking for a real vintage guitar, but take my word for it, the scalloped bracing does wonders for the parlor’s tone.
With the classic spruce and mahogany tonewood combo, you get a sound that’s bright in the treble section, smooth in the mids, and strong in the bass. Despite its parlor body, it’s surprisingly loud and punchy.
Players with small hands will love the parlor body shape of the P-240. It’s great for kids or for anyone who can’t seem to wrap their hands around the bulk of a traditional western guitar.
Want to see some other guitars that are great for small hands? Check this review!
Blueridge Contemporary Series BR-40-12
Specs
- Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Body: Wood
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: East Indian Rosewood
Pros
- Spruce + mahogany tonewood combo delivers vibrant tones in every range
- Jumbo-sized body for a big booming acoustic voice
- 12-strings for a natural chorus effect
Cons
- Jumbo body shape can be difficult to manage for some players
Review
On the other end of the size spectrum, we’ve got the Blueridge Contemporary BR-40-12.
This guitar is big in build and in tone. The BR-40-12 is made with a jumbo acoustic body shape, which is on average a couple of inches longer and wider than a standard dreadnought. The extra space in its body means much more volume projection.
The jumbo shape in itself makes it louder, and then if you factor in its 12-string design, you’ve got a truly formidable sound box on your hands.
You might worry that 12 strings on such a big body will be in the muddier end, but the BR-40-12’s solid spruce top keeps things crystal clear.
It provides a rich, full chorus-style voice that is amazing as a rhythm guitar, while its slim neck design makes quick riffing a dream.
If you want as much sound as possible from your acoustic, the Blueridge BR-40-12 gives you both power and beauty in one jumbo-sized package.
Fender Paramount PM-1 Deluxe
Specs
- Top: Mahogany
- Body: Mahogany
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Mahogany
Pros
- Beautiful naturally finished all-mahogany build for creamy warm tones
- Costs reduced by ebony-emulating ovangkol fingerboard
- Open pore finish allows greater resonance and sustain
Cons
- Ships with very poor intonation; needs setup before playing
Review
If you’ve got a craving to play fingerstyle folk, Fender’s Paramount PM-1 is an excellent choice for you.
All-mahogany builds like that of the PM-1 are some of my favorites for providing a beautifully harmonic-filled acoustic voice.
Featuring solid wood throughout the whole body, the PM-1 is a guitar that sounds more spectacular with every passing day.
It’s a dark, earthy sounding dreadnought guitar that is awesome for fingerstyle genres and singer-songwriter music, with chords that ring loud and clear thanks to the punchy mahogany mid-range.
Its C-shaped neck profile is capped with an ovangkol fretboard. While this nonstandard wood choice might turn you off, rest assured that ovangkol is one of the leading ebony alternatives today, with a very similar hardness and density that results in a quick attack and response no matter the range.
Adding to its tone are the nut and saddle of real bone, giving pure, rich sustain for solo work and ringing chords that sing out beautifully.
Guild M-120
Specs
- Top: Rosewood, Mahogany
- Body: Mahogany
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Mahogany
Pros
- All-solid mahogany build gives the darkest, warmest acoustic tones
- Well-balanced sound and response in every register
- Scalloped bracing provides volume boost to concert body
Cons
- Reduced scale length can result in some string jangle
Review
Our featured concert-style guitar is the Guild M-120.
About the same size as a classical guitar, the Guild M-120 is a great choice for players with small hands. Though, if you’re a beginner, you might want to check out some of our less expensive recommendations.
For intermediate and professional players, the M-120 offers a totally solid build of pure mahogany. It’s creamy, dreamy, dark, and smooth, with a kicking mid-range and a lush low-end.
Surprisingly strong-voiced for its small size, the M-120 is an articulate concert acoustic that is just as well-suited for fingerpicking as it is for aggressive rhythm work.
As a fan of both concert bodies and all-mahogany builds, this is a close second for my favorite acoustic under $800.
Simon and Patrick Woodland Pro Spruce
Specs
- Top: Spruce
- Body: Wood
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
Pros
- Handmade in Canada by a some of North America’s finest luthiers
- The whole body is solid wood, resulting in the purest acoustic tones
- Hybrid custom polished nitro finish allows for natural aging of the woods and tone
Cons
- Finish can be damaged by some guitar stands
Review
I’m somewhat of a Guild guitar fanboy, but besides my personal preferences, this Simon and Patrick Woodland Pro is a clear winner in many ways.
First, it’s made of completely solid spruce and mahogany and nitro-finished so these beautiful woods can breathe and age as they’re supposed to.
Second, it’s handcrafted in Canada by a deluxe team of Godin’s best luthiers. There’s no detail overlooked in its construction, so you’re guaranteed a top-quality guitar every time.
It’s a dreadnought style acoustic with a booming low end, a strong mid-range, and singing highs that make it versatile for virtually every acoustic genre.
Whether you want to play country, folk-rock, bluegrass, jazz, or blues, the Simon and Patrick Woodland Pro will come through for you.
The only thing you need to keep in mind is that its custom polished nitro finish is sensitive. You can’t set this guitar willy nilly on any old stand, as the rubber guards of many guitar stands can chemically react with the finish and leave unsightly blemishes.
A guitar of this quality should be kept in its case when you’re not playing it, as you want to protect it any way you can. Read more about Simon and Patrick’s quality standards here.
Take care of it, and this is an acoustic that will not only last you a lifetime but could easily become a family heirloom.
The Final Word
$800 can get you a truly quality acoustic that will suit you well in any application.
These solid wood topped acoustics deliver the finest tonality and responsive playability you’ll find at this price range, making them perfectly ready for the stage or the studio.
When you’re ready to upgrade from your beginner acoustic, the best acoustic guitars under $800 will take your sound and playing experience to the next level.
