-as of [24 MARCH 2024]–

*under $200*

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“GUITAR FELLA”

It’s not always easy to mix affordability and quality, which is why we are very careful in what we recommend in this budget-focused article

In our latest refresh, we removed a few lesser-seen guitars such as the Fender FA-100 and the Maestro by Gibson, instead adding three new models.

These comprise the fantastic Ibanez AW54OPN and the Yamaha FG800, as well as the compact Yamaha JR1 FG.

Whether you are on a strict budget or just want something to bash around on, if you are in the market for ‘the best cheap acoustic guitar’, it’s important to try out as many as you can – in particular the models you are considering purchasing.

However, unless you own a guitar store (or know somebody who does), it can be tricky to try every guitar on your shortlist.

This is why reading reviews – like those outlined below – can really help.

We have researched and reviewed some of the most popular steel-string acoustic guitars on the market, rating them on what we liked and what we didn’t.

The charts below feature guitars that offer a blend of both quality and value that are perfect for beginners, or experienced guitarists looking for something to practice on or travel with.

Top 10 Budget Acoustic Guitars Under $200:

Image Acoustic Guitar / Rating Summary Check Price

– Ibanez AW54OPN Ibanez AW54OPN

Total of 4.80/5 4.8 out of 5 stars

A magical mahogany acoustic from Ibanez.

– Yamaha FG800 Yamaha FG800

Total of 4.75/5 4.8 out of 5 stars

Solid wood and big tone from a ‘cheap’ acoustic.

– Epiphone DR-100 Epiphone DR-100
Total of 4.30/5 4.3 out of 5 stars

Epiphone offers you a taste of vingate in the affordable range.

– Jasmine S35 Jasmine S35
Total of 4.55/5 4.6 out of 5 stars

A guitar that completely redefined the budget segment in the industry

– Jasmine JO-36 Orchestra Jasmine JO-36 Orchestra
Total of 4.55/5 4.6 out of 5 stars

An orchestra style body, and another quality entry from Jasmine.

– Samick Greg Bennett GD100S Samick Greg Bennett GD100S
Total of 4.67/5 4.7 out of 5 stars

A Thunderflex-braced top leads to a guitar with a big voice.

– Ibanez IJV50 Ibanez IJV50
Total of 4.38/5 4.4 out of 5 stars

The quality that you can expect from Ibanez but with an unexpected price.

– Rogue RA-090 Concert Cutaway Rogue RA-090 Concert Cutaway
Total of 4.45/5 4.5 out of 5 stars

A simple but effective electro-acoustic from Rogue, offering superb value.

– Jasmine S34C Jasmine S34C
Total of 4.06/5 4.1 out of 5 stars

Jasmine offers a lot of guitar for not a lot of money.

– Yamaha JR1 Yamaha JR1
Total of 4.50/5 4.5 out of 5 stars

A compact budget performer from Yamaha.

Ibanez AW54OPN

The popular AW54OPN from Ibanez is a new entry to this chart, but one that has become an instant favorite.

However, there’s no one thing we can pinpoint about why this budget guitar is such a winner – it all works together so well.

The build and aesthetics are naturally the first things that jump out at you.

It features an all-mahogany body, with a solid top and rustic open-pore finish. The 20-fret mahogany neck proves very fun to play – it is an Ibanez after all!

With a few upgraded components, this dreadnought features a loud, warm and woody tone that suits so many styles of music. There’s more on this excellent acoustic guitar in the complete Ibanez AW54OPN review.

Yamaha FG800
Yamaha FG800

Part of Yamaha’s long-running FG Series, the FG800 is a very respected budget guitar due to its no-nonsense design and performance – as mentioned in our main review of the FG800.

While lacking some of the extra details found as you move into the higher end of the FG Series, the FG800 sports a clean dreadnought design with an elegant high-gloss finish. Most notably, the top of the guitar is made from solid Sitka spruce, which is impressive in this price range.

The 20-fret satin-finished neck makes performance a pleasure, while the tone is surprisingly full and resonant. Considering it comes in at under two hundred bucks, this popular guitar is a winner for any level of guitarist.

Epiphone DR-100
Epiphone DR-100

Just like Fender, Epiphone – the Gibson subsidiary – know a thing or two about budget acoustics, and this DR-100 (reviewed in full here) more than proves that! With a range of finishes, the DR-100 features a classic dreadnought body shape, with back and sides made from laminated mahogany, with a select spruce top, and black pickguard sporting Epiphone’s iconic E logo.

The neck is also constructed from mahogany, with a rosewood fretboard and 20 frets. The tuners leave a little to be desired, but hold their tuning well enough, while the carved rosewood bridge is a nice touch.

As for sound, it has enough tone for beginners and offers plenty of punch – well balanced and good for everything from blues to bluegrass!

Jasmine S35
Jasmine S35

Takamine’s subsidiary Jasmine have put together a fantastic budget model in the S-35, which we review in full here. For such an affordable guitar, the look is very classy – a natural satin-finished dreadnought shape body, with a spruce top and advanced X-bracing, with agathis back and sides.

You’re getting a big sound for your money, with the finish and bracing going a long way to adding stability while allowing the top to vibrate more, providing good resonance.

There’s also a slim nato neck, with a slick rosewood fretboard and 20 frets, while the hardware is chrome and the bridge is rosewood. It’s suitable for beginners, looks great, has a big sound, and is very affordable – what’s not to love?

Jasmine JO-36 Orchestra
Jasmine JO-36 Orchestra

Models from Takamine’s budget subsidiary Jasmine appear several times in this chart, and for good reason – they show great value. And the highly-playable JO-36 Orchestra is another guitar that’s worthy of your time, whatever your skill level.

With a 24.75” scale length, the JO-36 sports a comfortable orchestra body shape, and is crafted with laminate select spruce on the top with laminate sapele back and sides. The neck is made from nato and houses a rosewood fretboard, with 20 frets.

Hardware is decent and includes a rosewood bridge and die-cast chrome tuning machines, while the sound is very acceptable – rich enough in tone, but well-balanced with plenty of projection. You can read more about Jasmine’s JO-36 Orchestra in the full review .

Samick Greg Bennett GD100S
Samick Greg Bennett GD100S

While the name Samick may not rival that of Yamaha, Ibanez or Epiphone in terms of prestige, the major Korean brand have developed the Greg Bennett GD100S, which proves a worthwhile consideration if you are searching for a budget six-string.

Designed by the respected guitar designer Greg Bennett, this dreadnought features a wonderful performance and upgraded components that make it a bargain in this price range. Notably, the top is made from solid Sitka spruce, which features Thunderflex scalloped bracing.

This bracing, combined with the quality materials, lead to a boosted resonance and rich tone. Not bad for under $200! Want to read more on the GD100s? Head over to the full review.

Ibanez IJV50
Ibanez IJV50

While Ibanez have a great history in the electric guitar market, their acoustic offerings are also very good, and the IJV50 is their budget model that stands up to the rest on this page. The guitar features the classic dreadnought body, mixing a spruce top with agathis back and sides.

It also sports a mahogany neck, with rosewood fretboard and matching rosewood bridge. At the bridge, the IJV50 also features Ibanez’s Advantage bridge pins, which help make changing the strings an easier process.

There’s an excellent tonal quality that would please any beginner. In all, this is a great value model from Ibanez, proving they are a force to be reckoned with in the acoustic market. Make sure to check out the full review of the IJV50.

Rogue RA-090 Concert Cutaway
Rogue RA-090 Concert Cutaway

An electro-acoustic acoustic for around $100? It must be garbage, right? If you’re talking about the RA-090 Concert Cutaway, you’d be wrong. Very similar in build and style to the RA-090 that also features on this list, this model features a laminated whitewood top, back and sides, with a glossy finish and a range of color choices.

There’s also a comfortable C-shaped nato neck, with a ‘simulated rosewood’ fretboard and 20 frets.

As we mention in our complete review of the RA-090 Concert Cutaway this guitar is fitted with a simple but more than functional Eden MET-A06 undersaddle pickup system, allowing a versatile experience when plugged in to an amp – controls include volume, 3-band EQ, and an on-board tuner.

Jasmine S34C
Jasmine S34C

Here we have another beautiful budget jumbo acoustic from Jasmine – the S-34C, which is a true performer. It features a very attractive satin-finished grand orchestra-style body, crafted with a select spruce top (featuring Jasmine’s Advanced X-bracing) with sapele back and sides.

The neck is slim and comfortable to play, and has a rosewood fretboard with 21 frets – all easily accessible thanks to the deep Venetian-style body cutaway. The jumbo body, paired with the top bracing and satin finish, combines for a big, resonant sound that would please guitarists of all levels.

Superb value for an acoustic that looks and sounds a lot more expensive than it is. Make sure to check out the full review of this jumbo beauty.

Yamaha JR1
Yamaha JR1

While it’s a very popular travel guitar due to the smaller proportions, the Yamaha JR1 FG is an equally impressive affordable guitar in its own right.

It sports a reduced 3/4-size body with the same simple but stylish aesthetics that are on offer in the rest of the FG Series. As highlighted in the full JR1 FG review, it’s an all-laminate guitar, with spruce and nato used for the body, while solid nato is used to craft the 20-fret neck.

The compact size won’t appeal to every player, especially as the projection is quieter than a full-sized dreadnought, but it’s a worthy consideration for those wanting a smaller guitar on a budget.

You’ll notice throughout the summaries, we rarely used the word ‘cheap’. That’s because the word is usually associated with things that are low-quality, plasticky and easy-to-break. Thankfully, none of the guitars on the list above fall into any of these categories, and – as such – are better described as:

Affordable
Value
Budget
Low-cost
The reason there are so many good quality, affordable entry-level acoustics these days is because some of the biggest brands have entered this budget market, producing guitars of quality and durability. Beginners no longer have to settle for a generic ‘Acoustic Guitar’ when they can have a real Epiphone or Fender!

What to Look for in a Budget Acoustic
Firstly, you’ll want to decide whether you want a nylon-string or steel-string guitar, as they are technically two different instruments.

The easiest way to determine your instrument is to figure out what style of music you’ll be playing. If you are planning to play classical music or Latin styles such as flamenco, a nylon-string guitar – with its mellow, rich tones – our article on the top budget classical guitars is perfect for you.

However, if you are looking to learn rock, pop, country and blues, a steel-string acoustic will suit you best, as you get that lovely crisp, clear, twangy sound. If you can’t decide, go with a nylon-stringed guitar – they are slightly easier on beginners’ fingers, and much more comfortable to learn and progress on.

If you are a beginner, you may have heard of electro-acoustic models. In the future you may want to consider one of these, as they will allow you to plug into an amplifier and project your sound across a room, concert hall or stadium (well, you have to dream big!). However, for now it’s wise to stick with a solely acoustic model, which will be cheaper and less complicated to use.

It’s also worth looking out for – and avoiding – guitars with plastic components, such as tuners, bridges and saddles. While very cost-effective, they are prone to snapping and offer nothing when it comes to tone. Steer clear!

The Final Word
If you are on the hunt for a low-cost entry-level acoustic, chances are it’s either your first one, you are looking for something else to practice on, or you want a travel guitar.

Whatever your reason, as you have seen, there are some fantastic affordable guitars out there, that look and sound great. Having a cheaper guitar is good, as it won’t bother you if they get scratched, dinked or dropped (although you’d prefer this didn’t happen!).

However it’s worth considering whether you can stretch your budget further, because buying in a slightly higher price range can give you a better selection of styles, construction methods, tone woods, and playability, than the variety you’d find in the budget bracket.

Buying cheap, just because it’s all you can afford at the moment, may end up being false economy if you find yourself wanting to upgrade in the next year after you progress with the instrument.

Whatever price range you choose, good luck with your new purchase!

www.guitarfella.com /best-acoustic-guitar/cheap/
10 Best Cheap Acoustic Guitars [That Don’t Suck] | GuitarFella
Guitarfella Team
14-18 minutes
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Last Updated: November 19, 2019

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“THE GUITAR JUNKY”

www.theguitarjunky.com /acoustic-guitars-under-200-dollars/
10 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $200 (2020 Reviews)
Guitar Junky Staff
31-39 minutes
Our #2 Rated

YAMAHA FG800 Solid Top Acoustic GuitarTesting

Our #3 Rated

Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Guitar (Natural)Testing

Our #1 Rated

Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Natural Satin Bundle with Hard Case, Tuner, Strings, Strap, and PicksTesting

Our #4 Rated

Ibanez 6 String Acoustic Guitar Pack, Ambidextrous, Natural Gloss (IJV50)Testing

Our #5 Rated

Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic GuitarTesting

Fretboard: Laminated Hardwood

Our #2 Rated

YAMAHA FG800 Solid Top Acoustic GuitarTesting

Our #3 Rated

Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Guitar (Natural)Testing

Our #1 Rated

Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Natural Satin Bundle with Hard Case, Tuner, Strings, Strap, and PicksTesting

Fretboard: Laminated Hardwood

Our #4 Rated

Ibanez 6 String Acoustic Guitar Pack, Ambidextrous, Natural Gloss (IJV50)Testing

Our #5 Rated

Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic GuitarTesting

We only want the best choice especially when we’re on a limited budget, right? And if you’re looking for the best acoustic guitar under $200, I’d suggest going with this Fender FA-100 Acoustic Guitar Bundle. It’s got everything you need to start playing, of course without breaking your bank.

VIEW NOW ON AMAZON

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1 Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle with Hard Case, Tuner, Strings, Strap, and Pick Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle with Hard Case, Tuner, Strings, Strap,… No ratings yet FIND LATEST DEALS
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4 Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar, Natural Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar, NaturalTesting No ratings yet FIND LATEST DEALS
5 Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle with Gig Bag, Tuner, Strings, Strap, and Pick Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle with Gig Bag, Tuner, Strings, Strap, and… No ratings yet FIND LATEST DEALS
When it comes to passion, money should never be an issue—always go for it. Guitar playing is one of the most affordable instrument available in the market. Although the general rule is that the more expensive the better, it does not come without an exception.

There are actually a lot of cheap yet really good guitars out in the market that is priced competitively for those who have a tighter budget but still wants to pursue their passion for guitar playing. And today, we’re looking into the best acoustic guitars under $200 that’s perfect for your budget.

The best affordable acoustic guitars under $200 in 2020
Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
This guitar offers great Fender sound quality at an affordable price, perfect for beginners or those who are trying not to break their banks.

The Fender FA-100 acoustic guitar features a spruce top with X bracing that produces that full and resonant sound, body binding, exclusive Fender headstock shape, Fender pick guard, smooth-playing 20-fret hardwood fingerboard, rosewood bridge with compensated saddle, forward strap button with internal block reinforcement, and chrome hardware.

Being a well equipped guitar, this model is suitable for almost all styles of music making it a great purchase for its price.

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Pros

Full-dreadnought body
Rich and vibrant tone
Stays in tune for a long time
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Cons

Relatively poor playability
Not that great sound quality
Has a high action
Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar
SALE at $125.01 OFF

YAMAHA FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar

The Yamaha FG800 is great for beginners and advanced players alike. Despite its cheaper price, Yamaha made sure not to compromise its rich tone and robust build to ensure a longer lasting play with this model.

It features a solid spruce top with scalloped bracing, Nato/Okume back and sides, chrome tuners, a rosewood fretboard, a tortoise shell pickguard and an adjustable truss rod which not only makes it look good, but also sound good at a very affordable price making it a good choice for beginners and those who are in a tight budget.

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PROS

Warm and boomy sound
Robust structure
Great value for money
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Cons

Very high action, needs adjustment
Low to no pick-up
Appearance-wise, nothing unique
Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Guitar
This affordable priced Epiphone DR-100 is a force to be reckoned with! Boasting a fingerboard made from rosewood, a select spruce top, a 14-degree headstock that gives you more pressure at the nut and finishes available in ebony, natural and vintage sunburst, this guitar is surely more than what you are paying for.

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Pros

Great projection and volume
Great projection and volume
Great playability
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Cons

Neck dries out easily in warm climates
High probability of fret buzzing
High action
Ibanez IJV50 Jampack Acoustic Guitar
Ibanez 6 String Acoustic Guitar Pack, Ambidextrous, Natural Gloss (IJV50)

This awesome guitar boasts a dreadnought design responsible for delivering that punchy, clear and strong sound. Because of its sturdy build, fret buzzing will not be an issue even with those powerful strums that this guitar will be receiving.

The Ibanez IJV50 features a top that is made of spruce, neck made from rosewood, with a pickguard to protect the finish from any accidental scratches as well.

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Pros

Sturdy build
Produces great sound
Has a great neck stability
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Cons

Mediocre guitar
Not so versatile sound
The stock string is very bad
Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar
Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar

The Jasmine S34C comes with a big, bold sound and excellent features that represent exceptional performance at a low price.

Perfect suited for any player seeking a well-built and easy-playing guitar, this model offers a select spruce top with Jasmine guitar’s signature Advanced “X” Bracing, while the back and sides are made of agathis, making it light but definitely sturdy.

The slim neck and full 25 1/2″ scale length body provides a comfortable feel with excellent playability, while the smooth satin finish maximizes resonance for optimal sound quality making it good to the feel and luxurious to the touch with a rather stellar sound with it.

To top it all of, this model also features a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, full body binding and chrome tuners making it look sleek while sounding great.

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Pros

Cheapest in this price range
Balanced and rich tone
Light and fun guitar
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Cons

May need frequent tuning
Has an average build
Action is high
Glen Burton Acoustic Guitar
If you are looking for an affordable full package with a great guitar, have the Glen Burton GA204BCO-BK. It’s made with flame top and basswood back and sides. The neck and bridge are made of Catalpa with the fingerboard made of rosewood. Bridget Craft USA musical instruments has successfully designed this amazing guitar.

Included in the package are the strings, picks, strap, Digital Clip-on tuner, Truss Rod and the 10W amplifier. It also has an Active 4 Band 7545 equalizer onboard. Though there are a lot of accessories already, some of them aren’t offered at the best quality. The steel strings and the truss rod might need replacing before using. But, overall, it’s a great guitar package for its price.

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Pros

Amazing for the money for a beautiful guitar
Frets are nicely done and don’t have sharp edges
Smooth tuners and the guitar is easily tuned
Warm tone and projects well with no vibrations
Good neck relief and the nut is also perfectly cut
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Cons

The free practice amp included is not that great
Action could be a bit lower
But can be done with modification
The guitar finish is quite lacking
Accessories are not of good quality
Rogue RA-090 Acoustic Guitar
Rogue RA-090 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Black

In the guitar market that is filled with big names and brands, it’s kind of confusing to really pick out the best guitar with great features at an affordable price. However, there is one product that has been close to the heart of those in search of cheap, yet reliable guitars. And, that is the Rogue RA-090.

This guitar effectively used its dreadnought body to produce great sound quality. It’s made with laminated whitewood body with a beautiful glossy finish, responsible for giving powerful mid-range punch. The Nato neck gives more sustain without losing any strength in tone.

The maple bridge and fingerboard adds clarity to each note. This has a total of 20 frets. Aside from black, it also comes in sunburst and natural color options.

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Pros

Has low string action with good deep tone
You’ll get enough volume from this guitar
Easily tuned and sounds really nice
Stays in tune well, no need for constant tuning
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Cons

Much easier to play if you replace it with lighter strings
Better to have a gig bag or at least a cheap pick for its price
Some players complained that the sound isn’t crisp and muddy
Pickguard seems cheap
Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar
A great-looking dreadnought guitar, Jasmine S35 is made of Spruce top and laminated Agathis back and sides with a satin finish. The easy-to-use tuning machines are covered with chrome, while the fretboard is made of rosewood. The slick fretboard has 20 frets with chrome hardware.

From treble to bass, you’ll never go wrong with this acoustic guitar. It has the X-bracing to ensure that the guitar remains stable. Everything else is pretty straight forward with down-to-earth natural finish. However, the initial setup isn’t that easy. You need to go to a local shop and have a professional luthier make the necessary adjustments for you.

With great styling and time-tested construction, this guitar is built to last and it sounds powerful and clean. Since it’s offered at an affordable price, this is perfect for beginners who want to learn to play guitar.

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Pros

Has decent and easy to use tuners
Guitar has comfortable feel
Especially on the neck
Full dreadnought size that gives a fairly balanced sound
Good sounding
Solidly built starter guitar
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Cons

Low-end response could be better
Needs professional setup to play this guitar well
Tuners work, but they seem entry-level
Guitar is light
Almost mean fragile
Fender CD-140SCE
Fender CD-140SCE 12 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar with Case – Dreadnaught Body Style – Natural Finish

A single-cutaway 12-string dreadnought body like Fender CD-140SCE is a great buy, especially at its price tag. You can achieve a more robust tone with this kind of guitar.

Since it features an “Easy-To-Play” neck, it’ll be very comfortable for beginners and even intermediate players to try different playing styles. Plus, the rolled edges of the fingerboard, you can play for as long as you want without any problem.

It has a solid Spruce top with scalloped X bracing, along with the rosewood back, sides and fingerboard, this is really a capable instrument. You can achieve bright and responsive tone because of the Spruce top. It also boosts the Fishman’s acclaimed Presys preamp, built-in tuner, 3-band EQ and a phase button, so you can have more freedom optimizing the sounds it produces.

Simply plug the guitar into the Presys preamp and play any kind of music you enjoy.

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Pros

Plays nice and produces sharp and clear sounds
Excellent craftsmanship and the wood used
Has Fishman pickup system
Also produces big vibrate sounds
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Cons

Some quality control issues with the parts
Left hand needs to rest in multiple surfaces
Making it uncomfortable
Not a complete package for its price
Kona K2 Acoustic Guitar
No products found.

You want a perfect balanced between electronic guitar feel and acoustic guitar tone, you’ll get it from Kona K2. You can exactly get a balanced sound without sacrificing for large body adjustments, especially for small players. It’s made of Spruce top with natural high gloss finish, plus mahogany back and sides.

Crafted with 4-ply binding on the body and single-ply binding on the neck and headstock. This guitar has a thin body and dreadnought-size cutaway features EQ-505 3-Band Active Piezo Pick-up system. It has die-cast tuners and two Gold Strap pins.

You have a rosewood fretboard with 20 frets and a rosewood bridge. It’s 41-inch long, 3-inch deep, with 25.75-inch scale length.

You got the D’Addario strings upon purchase, including two pickguards, polishing cloth and neck wrench.

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Pros

Sound is great
Not too bassy and not too light
Has a functional truss rod included in your purchase
Thin, yet perfect neck
EQ and electronic pickup works well
Nicely finished with high gloss
Really looks great
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Cons

It has some horrible buzzing out of the box
The binding on the neck seems “rough cut” and not sanded
Input jack is cheaply made
Fell into the body of the guitar
A Must-Read Buying Guide If You’re Buying A Cheap Guitar under $200
Acoustic guitars come in different kinds and different prices. Of course, there are wonderful, undoubtedly expensive acoustic guitars, but, there are also cheaper guitars.

ALSO READ: Our ultimate list of the best acoustic guitars

What we included above are just some of the best acoustic guitars under $200. There is a lot more in the market. And, comparing them one by one takes time and effort. The more you compare products, the more confused you can be. So, we made this list.

However, for those of you who are looking for more options, we also include some proven guidelines for you to be directed to your search. Without further ado, here are the best practices we also used when compiling the products on this list:

cheap acoustic guitar

Playing Style
Now, this is something you need to consider before planning to buy a guitar. Your preference. There are a lot of acoustic guitars on the market. You have the nylon-string guitar, steel-string acoustic guitar or electro-acoustic guitars. If you want to play classical music or want mellow and rich tones, go for a guitar with nylon strings.

Likewise, if you want clear, crisp and some twangy sound perfect for playing blues and country or pop, have the steel-string guitars.

Furthermore, even if you are still a beginner and you have big dreams to perform to concert halls or stadium, well go for the latter. Go for an acoustic guitar that can be plugged into an amplifier or buy the one with a bundled amplifier so you can practice yourself playing with it before your performance.

You can further refer to Uberchord for more details about these three.

Comfortable Neck and Body
The beautiful sound of the guitar will only come out naturally if you are comfortable playing your guitar. So, before anything else, you need to really feel the guitar and try playing with it.

Although you can live with it later, you could have a great advantage if you are comfortable with your guitar. Aside from the neck, you also see to it that the body of the guitar is perfect for you. Both the neck and the body should have a profile that feels natural to you.

Neck profiles
Since we mentioned comfortable neck and body. There are three common neck profiles found in low-cost guitars. You can have the “C” profile, “U” profile and the “V-neck” profile. For smaller hands, the C-shaped neck is recommended since it’s the thinnest.

Most players find the U-shaped neck more comfortable because it gives less space between the palm of the fretting hand and the neck. You can easily play around with chords and progression. The V-shaped neck takes some angular approach, which may take time to get accustomed to, especially for beginners who just held a guitar in their life.

Tonewoods
There are three most common wood types used in crafting guitars – maple, mahogany, and ash, says Music Notes. However, at this price point, most guitars come out laminated, but there are still some that are offered in solid tops. Maybe look for solid top guitars to get started. There are many manufacturers in the market right now that are offering solid tops at this price point.

Solid Hardware Quality
This is also another thing that you need to consider. Ensure that you get a guitar with reliable tuners and strings. If you have a low-quality tuner, your guitar will always go out of tune and you need to stop playing and start tuning the guitar again. In order to be sure, you need to check the locking tuners like the chrome tuners.

Likewise, for the strings, this will also affect the sound you produce and the playability of the guitar. Strings, however, can easily be upgraded to better ones, unlike the tuners.

Fretwork
If the frets are smooth, it feels really comfortable with your fingers and not cause buzzing. Sharp fret edges are an indication of poor manufacturing, and therefore, not quality-made. However, if you think that the edges are the only problem with the guitar, you can have a guitar tech polish it and smooth it for better playability.

Accessories
Most guitars offered in this price range also include accessories. Some complained about getting cheap gig bags or low-quality straps. But, you get what you paid for. Not all the time, though. Just be careful not to get too excited on the accessories.

Avoid getting plastic components like tuners, bridges, and saddles. Though cost-effective and very enticing to have, they are prone to snapping and may affect the way you play. So, stay steered!

Value
It isn’t wrong to consider a brand when buying an acoustic guitar. There are brands that really do excel in quality even on their cheap guitars. The above-mentioned brands are among the trusted ones you can get reliable guitars from.

Good hardware and nice tonewoods are the best judges when selecting a great guitar under this price range. So, not only will you look into cheaper guitars, you’ll also look into something that gives more value.

Since you are looking for the cheapest acoustic guitar you can go, it’s very important that you’ll really study the guitar before jumping into buying one.

The more factors you consider, the narrower your options are, the better your choice will be. So, follow these tips to be able to successfully get a great acoustic guitar that won’t really break the bank.

Editor’s Choice
Fender FA-100 Dreadnought is the best acoustic guitar under $200. It’s definitely the best cheap guitar for budget-seekers. Moreover, this dreadnought guitar offers the best features at the cheapest price when compared to its close competitors, which is the Yamaha FG800 and Epiphone DR-100.

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