Best 25.5" Scale Acoustic Guitars in 2024
Since the distance between bridge and nut is relatively long, you'll need to give the strings more tension to get them in tune. This higher tension will allow for a couple of things. First, you can get a lower action (get the strings closer to the fretboard) because the strings won't 'wiggle' too much when pluck and won't cause fret buzz. This can allow you to use lower tunings without increasing your string gauge, and it will make it easier to press down the strings fast.
However, the frets will also have a wider separation between each other, which can make it harder to play, especially if you got small hands. The higher tension will also make the strings feel stiffer, so bending will require more strength.
After comparing the 2000+ guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones with these characteristics. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
There are affiliate links on this page that may earn us a commission if you purchase after clicking. We are members of the Amazon Associates Program, and many others. However, we compare each guitar against each other under the same parameters, so this doesn't influence our scoring.
1. Gibson Custom SJ-200 Deluxe
What our users think
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Clean (3 votes)
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Deluxe
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
3. Epiphone Frontier USA Collection
What our users think
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Clean (3 votes)
Epiphone Frontier USA Collection
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
Ibanez AE440
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
5. Taylor PS14ce Honduran Rosewood
What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (8 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (7 votes)
- Pickups power: Clean (6 votes)
Taylor PS14ce Honduran Rosewood
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Electronics
- Synthetic Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
6. Fender Highway Series Dreadnought
What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (2 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (2 votes)
Fender Highway Series Dreadnought
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Ivory Tusq Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Mexico
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
Cort The Black Tree
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Black Tusq XL Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Washburn D100SWCE
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in China
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
9. Gibson SJ-200 Standard
What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (2 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Slightly chunky (1 vote)
Gibson SJ-200 Standard
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Ivory Tusq Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
10. Gibson SJ-200 Original
What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (2 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Slightly chunky (1 vote)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Clean (3 votes)
Gibson SJ-200 Original
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock