April 16, 2022 by Klaus Crow
Most entry level guitar players start off with a decent low budget acoustic guitar, but there are also beginners and intermediates who might have a few extra bucks to spend and are aiming for better sound and quality. It could also be that you want to upgrade and move on to your next guitar and keep your first guitar for travel or backup.
A good quality guitar motivates and inspires to practice and play. Whenever I walk into the living room and my guitar catches my eye, there’s no way back, I just got to play it. That’s what guitars can do. You want a guitar that moves you.
Today we’re going to look at some of the best acoustic guitars under 450 dollars for 2022. This is a nice affordable price range where good things are happening and guitars really step up. These 8 beautiful designs are all impressive in their own unique way and great value for money.
Enjoy!
1 – Seagull S6
Seagull is a Canadian guitar company and sub-brand of Godin Guitars. It’s most popular model is the S6. The guitar produces a warm to bright range sound. Full, crisp, warm and dynamic. A great feature is the narrow headstock that will keep the guitar in tune at all times. The Seagull S6 is a well-manufactured, smooth-playing instrument with a lovely tone.
Top: Select Pressure Tested Solid Cedar
Back and sides: Canadian Wild Cherry
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck: Silver Leaf Maple Integrated Set Neck
Finish: Semi-Gloss Custom Polished Finish
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Seagull S6
2 – Big Baby Taylor
Taylor is a leading guitar manufacturer that produces high quality guitars. The Big Baby Taylor is the biggest of their Travel/Small body guitar series. Bigger than the Baby Taylor and the GS Mini, it’s almost a full size guitar with its 15/16-size dreadnought.
Still, it does have the scale length (25 1/2 inch) of a full-size guitar which makes it look and feel like a grownup guitar, only easier to manage because of it’s smaller and slimmer body. Like the Baby Taylor, the Big Baby has an arched back that provides strength and contributes to its big tonal output. A great sound, awesome playability, a high quality guitar brand and yet affordable.
Size: 15/16-size Dreadnought
Top: Sitka Spruce
Back and sides: Layered Sapele.
Fretboard Material: Ebony
Bracing: Classic X Bracing
Scale Length: 25-1/2″
Tuners: Die-Cast Chrome
Pickguard: Tortoise
Bridge: Rosewood
Top Finish: Varnish
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Big Baby Taylor
3 – Fender T-Bucket 400CE Cutaway Acoustic-Electric
This acoustic electric guitar is ready for the stage with it’s robust onboard active electronics and eye catching looks. The T-Bucket-400CE incorporates quartersawn scalloped bracing to reinforce the crisp-sounding premium-grade laminated maple top.
It allows it to vibrate freely for greater projection and responsiveness. The back and sides also add a striking look and works in tandem with the maple top to create full, well-balanced sound that shines in any playing situation.
Top: Flame Maple
Back and sides: Flame Maple
Bracing: Scalloped X-Bracing
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Electronics: Fishman Isys III System with Active Onboard Preamp and Tuner
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Fender T-Bucket 400CE Cutaway Acoustic-Electric
4 – Yamaha L-Series LL6 Acoustic-Electric – Mahogany, Natural
The Yamaha LL6 has a dreadnought body and offers you an unequaled guitar rich in tone, feel, and appearance. A patented A.R.E (Acoustic Resonance Enhancement) process gives the LL6 the sound of a broken-in and well-aged acoustic guitar.
A redesigned 5-piece neck, updated non-scalloped bracing, and a passive SRT Zero Impact pickup (you’ll need an external preamp when you plug in) round out the features of this great-playing and sounding acoustic electric guitar. Handcrafted with a solid Englemann Spruce top, the LL6 offers an incredible range and a full, bright and brilliant tone.
Body: Dreadnought
Top: Solid Engelmann Spruce
Back and sides: Mahogany
Neck: 5-ply neck with high comfort traditional profile
Tuners: Diecast Gold
Electronics: SRT Zero Impact (passive) Pickup
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Yamaha L-Series LL6
5 – Washburn Vintage Series R314KK Acoustic Guitar
The Wasburn R314KK is part of the Vintage Series that recreates and resembles some of the great Washburn instruments that were crafted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In order to create the “vibe” of a 100 year old instrument that has been well played but not abused, Washburn has added a vintage finish and distressed hardware.
Because these guitars are built using modern techniques and materials, the resulting instruments are more durable and in many cases better sounding than their century old counterparts. The Washburn R313KK offers a nice warm tone and great feel and playability.
Shape: Parlor
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Trembesi
Bracing: Quarter Sawn Scalloped Sitka Spruce bracing
Rosette: Abalone
Neck: Mahogany V shape
Fretboard: Ebony (18 Frets)
Scale: 24.75
Bridge: Ebony
Tuners: Distressed Open Gear
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Washburn Vintage Series R314KK
6 – Epiphone Inspired by “1964” Texan Acoustic/Electric
Since it’s introduction in 1958, the Epiphone Texan has been the choice of countless musicians including Paul McCartney, Peter Frampton and Noel Gallagher. In fact, McCartney wrote and recorded “Yesterday,” one of the most recorded and popular songs ever, on his 1964 Texan and still uses it on stage today.
Now, Epiphone brings back the Texan combining all the great features of the original with modern updates for today’s musician. The new Inspired by 1964 Texan acoustic/electric reproduces a vintage classic with a powerful mid-range, punch and full tone.
Top: Solid Spruce
Back: Solid mahogany
Side: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Scale length: 25.5″
Neckshape: 1960’s SlimTaper™
Fingerboard:Rosewood with pearloid Parallelogram inlays
Electronics: Shadow Sonic sound-hole mounted system Controls Master Volume, High EQ, Low EQ, Phase Switch, Low Battery indicator
Tuners: Vintage-style, 14:1 ratio with small cream buttons
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Epiphone Inspired by “1964”
7 – Takamine GD30CE-NAT Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric
The Takamine GD30CE-NAT has a dreadnought body shape with a cutaway. The top is solid spruce with laminated mahogany back and sides. It’s got warmth, brightness and good resonant sound. And if you’re looking for great built-in electronics Takamine is the one to take you live on stage.
Top: Solid Spruce
Back and sides: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck: Mahogany
Tuners: Chrome die-cast
Electronics: TP-4TD preamp system with a built-in tuner, three-band EQ and gain controls for excellent amplified performance and versatility.
Finish: Natural
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Takamine GD30CE-NAT
8 – Yamaha FJX730SC Jumbo Solid Top Acoustic-Electric
The FJX is Yamaha‘s most recent series. The medium jumbo bodied guitars deliver a sound with a well-defined bass, wide dynamic range, plus clear and excellent response. The FJX730SC has a non-scalloped X bracing and a reverse L block neck attachment.
It also features an A.R.T. 1-way pickup system (System56) that faithfully reproduces the dynamic sound produced by its medium jumbo body. Onboard electronics include a chromatic auto tuner and 3-band equalizer. A gorgeous looking guitar with a big, beautiful sound.
Top: Solid Spruce
Back and sides: Rosewood
Neck: Nato
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Tuners: Die-cast Chrome
Pickup system: System56CB 1way (A.R.T.)
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Yamaha FJX730SC
Do you know any of these guitars and what do you think of them? Please share in the comments. I appreciate it.
Hi Klaus,
The Seagull S6 is a really nice guitar.
Thanks for a great post!
Dennis
I really like the Taylor series. No matter what model you choose, they are all really awesome sounding and quality guitars.
I think about buying a new acoustic. These guitars seem like a good pick. I heard some good words on Yamaha guitars. What do you guys think?
I absolutely love the Big baby Taylor.
This a really nice list of decent guitars.
Great bank for the buck!
Keep it up Klaus.
I recently picked up a Martin Dreadnought Junior acoustic/electric with their soft shell padded case. This is a fantastic little guitar for the price. Sounds great and the short 24″ scale neck is fun to play. My guitar has sapelle back and sides with a spruce top and arrived in like new condition. It really does
sound like a Martin dreadnaught with a substantial low end, nice mids and not overly bright highs. Much prefer this to the Taylor sound, which is a bit too bright for me, although they do make great guitars as well.
Could you do a similar series on 3-4 guitars in that price range with wider fretboards for big fingers?