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The acoustic guitar complements fingerstyle guitar playing perfectly. Its natural and organic sound enhances the articulation of fingerstyle playing, creating a resonance that is unparalleled by electric guitars.
If you are a fingerstyle player in search of a new acoustic guitar that suits your playing style, do not worry. Here are some top acoustic guitars for fingerstyle available in the current market.
Best Acoustic Guitars for Fingerstyle Reviews
Listed below are some of the top acoustic guitars for fingerstyle playing, ranked by tonewood, neck width, body style, and body type.
1. Martin 15 Series 000-15M
Martin is often the go-to choice for many guitarists with a budget of $1500. The Martin D-15M is a fantastic option for those seeking a Martin acoustic guitar.
As the name suggests, the D-15M is a dreadnought guitar that showcases Martin’s iconic design. However, this particular model differs slightly from Martin’s usual offerings.
The most notable distinction is that the entire guitar, including the neck, is crafted from Solid Mahogany. This choice of material has various implications beyond just the guitar’s construction.
For enhanced resonance, the D-15M features an A-frame X-scalloped bracing made from Solid Sitka Spruce. The fretboard and bridge, on the other hand, are crafted from Solid East Indian Rosewood instead of Mahogany.
The D-15M’s neck boasts 20 frets, but only 14 of them are easily accessible due to the guitar’s non-cutaway body design.
Martin has spared no expense when it comes to hardware, utilizing bone for both the nut and saddle. The guitar is also equipped with classy open-gear Nickel tuners featuring butterbean knobs, ensuring a smooth tuning experience.
2. Taylor 214ce Deluxe Cutaway
The 214CE-CF boasts a strap holster that serves as a jack plug for electric playing. The CF designation refers to the layered copafera in which the holster is nestled, a prominent feature in Taylor’s revamped 200 Deluxe lineup. The wood is also matched on the back, showcasing its exquisite beauty.
The Tusq nut and scarf neck joint are adorned with elixir Phosphor Bronze Light strings, extending all the way to the satin-finished tuners. The headstock proudly displays Taylor’s Colorcore logo, a recognizable symbol for guitar enthusiasts.
Although the 11.7cm body depth may seem slightly imposing at first, don’t be deterred. The grand auditorium size is Taylor’s most popular for good reason, delivering a robust low end, particularly in an E major chord. Bob Taylor designed this shape in the early 1990s to provide singer-songwriters with the perfect midrange sound, while also offering pleasant treble tones on the higher strings.
As one of the first to experience this Venetian cutaway model in the UK, it is truly a privilege. Returning it will be a challenge, and we highly recommend it to those who demand a lot from their guitars. A Taylor guitar enhances any collection, but the 214CE-CF DLX would elevate your Taylor collection even further.
3. PRS Paul Reed Smith SE A60E
This latest addition to PRS’s affordable SE sub-brand is a Chinese-made model. The A60E, with its Natural finish, features the elegant Angelus Cutaway profile that the company is known for. Notable features include a solid Sitka spruce top, a three-piece 643mm (25.3-inch) scale mahogany neck, and a 300mm (11.8-inch) radius ebony fingerboard with 20 medium-sized frets. The ebony bridge plate and bone top nuts and saddle add to the overall quality of the instrument. Additionally, the guitar boasts an abalone soundhole rosette and shiny chrome tuners. A deluxe hard case is included with the purchase.
Delving deeper into the specifications, this model is equipped with a Fishman GT-1 preamp and under-saddle pickup, making it an excellent electro-acoustic guitar.
The A60E features PRS’s popular Wide Fat neck profile, which, despite its name, is not overly wide or chunky. With a nut width of just under 43mm, it offers a comfortable playing experience. The low action and well-chosen 0.012 to 0.053 gauge strings contribute to the guitar’s excellent playability in both SE models.
One of the standout features of this guitar is its X/Classical hybrid top bracing. This innovative design allows the solid spruce top to reach its full tonal potential more quickly than traditional bracing methods. The result is a guitar that sounds mature and well-balanced right out of the box.
It’s hard to find fault with this guitar. It not only plays and sounds exceptional, but it also offers incredible value for its price. Its stunning appearance, particularly the ziricote accents on the A50E model, adds to its appeal. If you’re in search of a high-quality electro-acoustic guitar, the new SE model from PRS is an excellent choice to consider.
4. Takamine Pro Series 3 P3FCN FXC Nylon
Takamine acoustic-electrics have been the preferred choice for steel-string guitar players, both famous and unknown, for almost 40 years. Artists like Bruce Springsteen and Jerry Garcia have relied on Takamine guitars for both studio recordings and live performances. While the company is well-known for its steel-string guitars, it also has a rich history of crafting nylon-string instruments.
From the acoustic “folk” guitars of the 1950s to the acoustic-electric classical guitars of the ’70s, Takamine has set the industry standard. One such example is the P3FCN from the Pro Series 3, a modern nylon-string guitar with onboard electronics that is popular among jazz and crossover musicians.
The guitar arrived with a comfortably low action, making it easy to play chords of all kinds and move swiftly across the fretboard. Despite a strap button that may dig into the palm at the highest frets, the guitar is well-balanced for both seated and standing positions. Equipped with Takamine’s Palathetic pickup system, the P3FCN features six piezo elements for a clear amplified sound.
The CT4B II preamp, located on the upper left bout, includes a chromatic tuner and controls for volume, low, mid, and high frequencies. Powered by a nine-volt battery, this guitar offers a versatile and affordable option for musicians seeking a quality nylon-string instrument.
5. Yamaha Transacoustic LS-TA
There are a total of 20 well-positioned and finely crafted frets on the guitar, along with a bridge saddle and nut made from urea at each end of the guitar’s scale length. The guitar’s soundhole is adorned with an attractive yet subtle rosette, featuring alternating circles of black and white with a center ring made of abalone.
In essence, this guitar is perfect for those seeking a strumming companion for home use or even for gigs. When played without any additional enhancements, the acoustic sound is rich and full, with a well-balanced blend of low, mid, and high tones.
Thanks to the ARE treatment, the guitar exudes a sense of maturity and depth in its tone, as if it has already been played for quite some time. The initial energetic brightness has transformed into a more refined and luxurious sound.
Now, let’s talk about its performance. It’s quite challenging to put it into words. While we are all familiar with chorus and reverb effects, we usually associate them with external devices rather than something that magically emanates from an acoustic guitar.
When the chorus and reverb are perfectly balanced, the sound takes on a three-dimensional quality that undoubtedly enhances performances in a living room or during a writing session. Although the effects may not reach studio-level standards, they are certainly good enough to give the guitar a professionally produced ambiance.
The level of innovation displayed here is truly remarkable. Everyone in our office who has had the opportunity to play this guitar has walked away with a smile on their face – and that, undoubtedly, is the ultimate goal.
Final Word
Fingerstyle guitar finds its application across various music genres, and this particular playing technique is frequently enhanced by employing an acoustic guitar that offers both a pleasant playing experience and a harmonious, natural sound. Dedicate some time to experimenting with these guitars to determine which one aligns with your playing style and resonates most favorably with your auditory senses.