Do you already play the guitar or are just thinking about learning? In either case, you'll need to choose whether you want a classical guitar, an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, or an electro-acoustic guitar.
If you've decided that it's time for you to buy a guitar and that it's going to be an acoustic guitar, you're in luck! In this article, we're looking at different kinds of acoustic guitars, which acoustic guitar you should buy, and how much you can expect to pay for one.
What Is an Acoustic Guitar
While you might have heard of Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, etc., these are predominantly electric guitar brands. All of these brands do acoustic guitars, too, but you'll also need to broaden your horizons to include names like Takamine, Taylor, Martin, Tanglewood, etc.
You might know the only difference between an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar is that you plug the latter into an amp. An acoustic guitar is technically any guitar whose primary way of making sound is through a soundboard vibrating air in a hollow cavity. This means that folk guitars and classical guitars are both acoustic guitars, but since we have an entire article on buying classical guitars, we're using the term "acoustic" here just to refer to acoustic guitars with steel strings.
An electric guitar works differently as the body of the guitar is solid and the sound produced is caused by amplifying an electric signal in the guitar. This signal is generated by metal strings passing through a magnetic field generated by the pickups. The current induced in the pickups is then transferred through the guitar's wiring to the jack, then the cable, and finally, to an amp.
This is why when you play an electric guitar that isn't plugged in, it's very quiet. The strings still vibrate in the same way they would with an acoustic guitar, but they aren't amplified.
An acoustic guitar uses the soundboard to generate most of the sound. This is the large piece of wood on the front of the acoustic guitar's body. The wood that this is made out of is very important as it'll greatly affect the sound of the acoustic guitar, but the other woods used in the guitar's construction are also very important.
A classical guitar features nylon strings that tend to be tied to the guitar's bridge (the part where the strings meet the body of the guitar) whereas folk guitars (the acoustic guitars we're focusing on in this article) tend to have a bridge with pins that are used to secure one end of your steel strings.
These kinds of acoustic guitars can be used to play musical genres like rock, blues, flamenco, pop, etc. whilst the classical guitar is predominantly used for, you've guessed it, classical music.
Buying Your First Acoustic Guitar
Since classical guitar is often the most demanding kind of guitar playing, especially for beginners, it's recommended that everybody start with classical guitar before branching out to playing an acoustic folk guitar or an electric guitar.
However, we're fully aware that very few people do it this way and many will just buy either an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar as their first.
This isn't that much of a problem because it means you only need to buy one guitar and your very first guitar can be quite affordable. You should match your budget to your level when buying any musical instrument as expensive acoustic guitars won't make you a better guitarist.
Generally, newer players will find playing an electric guitar easier than an acoustic guitar. The neck on an electric guitar is usually thinner and the guitar's action (the distance between the strings and the fretboard) tends to be lower. However, both are playable by absolute beginners so don't get put off from buying an acoustic guitar as your first guitar.
So how much do they cost?
Fortunately for you, acoustic guitars tend to be cheaper than electric guitars and even cheaper once you consider that you'd need to buy an amp and cables to properly use an electric guitar.
In New Zealand, brand-new acoustic guitars tend to start at around $150. If you find brand-new acoustic guitars for less than this amount, you're probably looking at a guitar-shaped toy and not something you could seriously consider playing in the long term.
If you're certain that you'll likely spend quite some time with your guitar and won't leave it to collect dust in a corner somewhere, then you may want to invest slightly more in your first acoustic guitar. There are decent options for beginners at around $250 from reputable brands
We recommend heading into your local music shop if you're buying your first-ever guitar as you'll have opportunities to try out different models and speak to somebody in person who knows what they're talking about.
Treating Your Acoustic Guitar as an Investment
When properly taken care of, acoustic guitars have a fairly long lifespan so you might want to consider buying one as an investment. If you're unsure about whether or not playing the guitar is for you or you haven't started yet, then we'd recommend just buying a cheap entry-level instrument.
However, if you already play another instrument or are serious about playing the guitar, then there's no reason you can't future-proof your purchase by spending a bit more money. After all, the acoustic guitar is a versatile instrument that can be used to play a lot of different styles so you'll get some use out of yours.
We still wouldn't recommend going over $500 for an acoustic guitar if you've never played before, though. You can always sell your guitar once you outgrow it or no longer need it and recuperate some of the initial costs, provided you've taken good care of it. Guitarists are very particular about wear and tear so try to keep your acoustic guitar in pristine condition if you plan on reselling it one day.
The Cost of Different Acoustic Guitar Models
There are so many different factors that will affect the price of an acoustic guitar. Let's see what they are so that you can consider them when buying an acoustic guitar.
The Brand
Who makes your acoustic guitar is important and most guitarists will swear by a brand or two. Popular acoustic brands include Taylor, Epiphone, Martin, Gibson, and Takamine, though there are also plenty of other lesser-known brands that make excellent instruments, too.
With brand recognition comes a price increase and while you will pay a few dollars just for the name, all of the most famous brands make excellent acoustic guitars, even the brands that are arguably more famous for their electric guitars.
The Materials
What your acoustic guitar is made of will affect the price, too. Certain woods produce a better tone or better playability and you'll see that cheaper models tend to use the same woods and materials.
Commonly used woods for acoustic guitars include mahogany, maple, spruce, and rosewood, though many others are also used, especially in the more expensive acoustic guitars.
The Type of Acoustic Guitar
There are plenty of different types of acoustic guitars and they come in all shapes and sizes. Certain kinds of shapes and sizes are harder to manufacture or require greater expertise and you'll pay for it. Whether it's a dreadnought, jumbo, grand concert, etc. will all affect the price of your acoustic guitar.
Just like when you buy an electric guitar, if you decide to buy an electro-acoustic, the electronics, pickups, and wiring used will also affect the price.
You have a lot of things to consider when buying an acoustic guitar.
Get Help When Buying an Acoustic Guitar
The easiest way to work out what's good and what isn't is by speaking to somebody who knows what they're talking about. Fellow guitarists and staff members in your local music shop are both good options.
Remember that some staff members in music shops can earn commission on their sales and keep this in mind if they regularly suggest you spend a bit more money. The best thing to do is to get a second opinion from somebody who doesn't stand to earn more money from your purchase.
That said, most staff members in music shops are musicians themselves, have been through the process of buying an acoustic guitar, and know what it's like so we don't believe that they're all trying to make you overspend on your acoustic guitar, especially your first one.
You can also get advice on the accessories you'll need for your acoustic guitar such as:
- strings
- sheet music
- tablatures (or tabs)
- guitar tuners
- guitar cases
- guitar stands
- guitar straps
- plectrums/picks
How to Save Money When Buying an Acoustic Guitar?
One of the easiest ways to save money on an acoustic guitar is by tips for buying a second-hand guitar rather than a brand-new one. Acoustic guitars can last years if their owner takes care of them and most guitarists do.
There's a nice second-hand market for acoustic and electric guitars and you can find things both online and offline. For your first guitar, we'd recommend trying the guitar in person if you can, but there are lots of reputable sites and sellers online. We wouldn't recommend buying anything from abroad as you can end up paying taxes on your delivery when it arrives and there are plenty of guitars being sold in New Zealand anyway.
Second-hand guitars are a good way to get a deal on the top brands like Taylor, Epiphone, Martin, Gibson, Yamaha, Takamine, etc. but remember that once an acoustic guitar goes from "used" to "vintage", you tend to pay more than less for second-hand guitars. After all, vintage guitars are collectors' items and old and rare acoustic guitars, especially from some of the more popular and famous brands, will sell for thousands and only appreciate in value.
At the time of writing, the most expensive guitar in the world was the vintage Martin acoustic guitar played by Kurt Cobain at the Nirvana MTV Unplugged performance in 1993. It was sold for over 6 million USD!
Music shops tend to stock a lot of entry-level guitars and the market for them is quite competitive. Modern manufacturing techniques mean that new budget models are being added to most companies' ranges all the time. That said, there are still some cheap and nasty acoustic guitars out there, but you might be surprised by the quality of some unknown brands and their entry-level models.
There are also packs for beginners where you can buy an acoustic guitar and all the accessories you need to start playing. This can include a travel case, spare strings, plectrums, straps, etc. and often works out cheaper than buying everything individually.
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