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In this economy money can be tight. If you are searching for a new guitar you may be on a budget. Maybe you are looking to buy your child their first instrument to start learning on and don't know where to start with the myriad of options available. Well let us at Yandas Music help you out. Here is our list of 10 outstanding Acoustic guitars for under $500! All of these guitars are obviously budget friendly, but more importantly they are all quality instruments. Unlike a lot of the junk you can find on amazon, these are the real deal. Let's see what gems we might see!
Gretsch Jim Dandy | $189
> Best Deal On Gretsch Jim Dandy
Oh My Goodness we sold so many of these last year!!! The Gretsch Jim Dandy may be a smaller guitar but it is not just for kids or beginners (although it's perfect in that role)! More seasoned players love these guitars as well. There affordability and size makes this the perfect guitar to strum on the couch or around the campfire. Throw it the back of the car and take it anywhere. Picnics! Campfires! Road Trips! Man this is a great Trucker's Guitar! Street Price $189
Fender CD60S | $199
> Best Deal On The Fender CD60S
The Fender CD-60 has been a staple at YandasMusic.com for a decade! This full-size dreadnought guitar with a solid mahogany or spruce top under Two-Hundred Bucks! Come on, what else can you ask for. Comes in natural (spruce or mahogany) or Black (spruce only). Even a Left-Handed version is available! All models have mahogany back and sides. The Dreadnaught shape provides provides a powerful rich sound. Street Price $199
Fender CC60s | $199
> Best Deal On Fender CC-60S
The Fender CC-60S deserves it's own place here on the list! Very similar to the above CD60s, the CC60s comes in Mahogany and Natural options. Currently it is not available as a left handed option. The main difference here is the body shape. The CC60s is the slimmer "folk" or Concert shape. It has a more focused sound and can be more articulate. Some will find the slightly smaller body more comfortable to play. Same solid top and mahogany back and sides. Street Price $199
Yamaha FG800J | $229
> Best Deal On Yamaha FG800J
The entry level to the Yamaha FG Series and a great guitar for most beginners! Smaller humans might find this full size dreadnought a little on the large size and may opt for the smaller CC-60S or Ibanez Talman. The full size deadnought shape does provide loads of volume and low end. At $229 Yamaha provides a solid Spruce Top with a combination Nato/Mahogany back and sides. Street Price $229
Ibanez Talman TCM50 | $329
> Best Deal On Ibanez TCM50
This is a true sleeper. Some may think the Ibanez Talman Acoustic Guitars look a bit odd, but they do pack a lot of tone and a lot of features. The TCM50 is an ash top model (TCM50) offered in two finishes, Vintage Brown Sunburst and Galaxy Black. We have decided to focus on the ash top TCM50 for this list as that figured top adds even more value and visual appeal. I'm a sucker for wood grain.
To round out the build, the guitar features Sapele back and sides, an Okoume neck and Purple Heart Fretboard. This is the first guitar on the list to feature built in electronics and tuner, which is a nice bonus. The Thinner body makes the Talman this ideal for a petite individual or younger beginner, but it also serves to reduce onstage feedback. These are killer guitars and Street Price is $329
Yamaha APX600 | $339
> Best Deal On Yamaha APX600
With five colors available there is an AXP for anyone! This is another thinner body style, so it less cumbersome than the typical dreadnought. The APX600 comes with built electronics and tuner. This guitar sounds great on it's own, but can be plugged in for a whole other world of sound. With a spruce top and rosewood fingerboard at a Street Price of $339 how do you go wrong?!
Breedlove Discovery S Concerto | $449
> Best Deal On Breedlove S Concerto
There are so many incredible Discovery Guitars under $500 that it's hard to pick just one. Really any of them could make this list. So I decided to go with model that features Breedlove's unique "Concerto" Body shape. This body boasts the benefits of a standard concert body, Clarity and tightness, with the volume and resonance of a dreadnought.
If you want a little more eye-candy with your acoustic, this model is also offered with the Edgebursrt Finish for a hundred dollar up charge. Totally worth it!
Yamaha FSX820C | $469
>Best Deal On Yamaha FSX820C
There are a lot of Yamaha guitars on this list, maybe there's a reason for that. The Yamaha FSX820C is a Concert body style with a solid Spruce Top, Mahogany back and sides. It also sports a cut-away and electronics. It's quite a guitar for under $500 with a Street Price of $469
Teton STG10NT Grand Concert | $480
> Best Deal On STG10NT
There are quite a few Tetons under $500 that are worth mentioning but we have to pick just one so how about the STG10NT? This guitar really stands out because of its quality tonewoods. Back and sides are Ovankgal and the top is Solid Spruce with a Mahogany neck and Purple Heart fingerboard. The Grand Concert body is good all-rounder that most people will comfortable to hold and play. One extra unique feature of the STG10NT is the open pore finish which boast a bigger, louder sound. Street Price of $480
Tagima Frontier | $499
> Best Deal On Tagima Frontier
Tagima is not a well known name but they produce some high quality, affordable guitars. The Tagima Frontier features a Solid Spruce top, Okume Back and sides and Rosewood Fingerboard for right at $499 Street Price Great Deal!
Bonus
I had to include a few guitars for the kids! These next two are every impressive for very little cash. They are 3/4 scale which means the scale length is 1/4 size smaller than a full size guitar making them much easier for little fingers and bodies to hold and play.
Fender FA-15 | $149
> Best Deal On Fender FA-15Available in five different colors These guitars are great for any first time beginner!
Yamaha JR2 | $179
> Best Deal On Yamaha JR2These are modeled off of the popular FG Dreadnought shape just shrunk down to be manageable for either a child or for traveling. Now Yamaha wasn't cutting corners on the JR2 thinking this is just for children, but they equipped it with a spruce top and included a gig-bag for people that may use this as a traveling guitar.
Thank you for this incredibly helpful article! 🎸 Your comprehensive list of the ‘10 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500 in 2023’ is a lifesaver for budget-conscious guitar enthusiasts like myself. The detailed reviews and key features for each guitar make it so much easier to make an informed decision.
I appreciate the effort you put into researching and curating this list. It’s evident that you’ve considered both quality and affordability, providing a valuable resource for those of us looking for a great acoustic guitar without breaking the bank.
Your insights have certainly guided me in the right direction, and I’m excited to explore the options you’ve recommended. Kudos to you for making the guitar shopping experience much more enjoyable and stress-free. 🎶 Keep up the excellent work!"