Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500 in 2024
Here you'll find the best acoustic guitars under $500. Here you'll find the best acoustic guitars under $500.
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.
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.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Cort MR730FX
Cort MR730FX
- 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
- Made in Indonesia
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
2. Fender Malibu Classic
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (1 vote)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (3 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (1 vote)
- Pickups power: Clean (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Malibu Classic
Fender Malibu Classic
- 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
- Made in China
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
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Strengths & Weaknesses
Washburn F11SCE
Washburn F11SCE
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- NuBone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- NuBone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
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4. Martin DJr-10
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What our users think
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (2 votes)
- Pickups power: Clean (2 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin DJr-10
Martin DJr-10
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Mexico
- No Expensive Woods
- No High-Quality Nut
- Low-Quality Material Saddle
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
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Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AC340CE
Ibanez AC340CE
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
6. Epiphone Dove Studio
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Normal (1 vote)
- Fret edges: Slightly sharp (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Holds tune well (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: D (1 vote)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (1 vote)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (2 votes)
- Pickups power: Clean (2 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Dove Studio
Epiphone Dove Studio
- Expensive Wood
- NuBone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Plastic Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
7. Taylor BT1e
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (7 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (7 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (1 vote)
- Pickups power: Clean (2 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor BT1e
Taylor BT1e
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Electronics
- Synthetic Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Mexico
- No Top Brand Pickups
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton CLMJ-15MCE
Harley Benton CLMJ-15MCE
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Plastic Saddle
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- Laminated Top Wood
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Guild Jumbo Junior Mahogany
Guild Jumbo Junior Mahogany
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
Strengths & Weaknesses
Alvarez LJ2CESHB
Alvarez LJ2CESHB
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Top Brand Pickups
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock