5 Best High-End Acoustic Guitars Under $1500 in 2024

Are you planning to invest in a musical instrument, specifically an acoustic guitar, but do not know what brand to buy?

Buying an acoustic guitar can be an overwhelming experience, especially if you’re looking for the best acoustic guitars under $1500.

You have to consider not just your needs but you have to look at a wide range of woods, hardware, design elements, and your budget.

In fact, there are many factors and specifications to consider and these are just a few.

Factors such as budget, skill level, wood finish, as well as design must be considered before purchasing an acoustic guitar. We do not want to waste our money on a musical instrument that will not be useful.

Understanding these factors is key when it comes to deciding what acoustic guitar you should buy.

5 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1500 in 2024

• Taylor 214ce Deluxe Grand Auditorium
• Martin Street Master Series D-15M
• Takamine Pro Series 3 P3NY
• Ovation Melissa Etheridge Signature Elite AA
• Loar LH-700-VS Deluxe

Taylor 214ce Deluxe Grand Auditorium

This model is one of Taylor’s acoustic-electric guitars that is loaded with tone. It is composed of a solid Sitka spruce top, layered rosewood back and sides, and a very handy single-cutaway that gives you total access to the unbelievably playable ebony fretboard.

Aside from that, Taylor also asserts that this acoustic guitar will give you well-balanced, rich, detailed tones. According to users of this instrument, it is very comfortable and lightweight with a weight of 4.41 pounds.

• lightweight
• good for beginners
• crisp and design sound

• no plugin for amplifier

 

Martin Street Master Series D-15M

This dreadnought acoustic guitar is made up of an all-mahogany body, neck, and head plate. Special worn satin lacquer finishes Modern belly drop-in saddle Multi-stripe rosette Script Old Style overlay. Martin’s D-15M is an acoustic guitar that looks and feels like a well-worn musical instrument.

Their StreetMaster series models are built to the same specifications as the 000-15M and D-15M models, but Martin has added a beautifully distressed satin finish. It has 14 Fret dreadnought with a simple dovetail neck joint and non-scalloped Sitka spruce X-braced mahogany top paired with a mahogany body and neck.

• good finished
• durable

• heavy
• not good for kids

 

Takamine Pro Series 3 P3NY

This acoustic guitar has a natural satin finish with a highly acclaimed CT4B II preamp system with three-band EQ, volume control and a built-in tuner. Aside from its gold tuners with amber buttons, it also called as New York body because of its modern design.

For the price of $1,249.99, this is really good for both beginners and professionals. Other premium features include a solid Sapele back, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard with “dot-in-dot” inlays, gold tuners with amber buttons, natural satin finish, and the highly acclaimed CT4B II preamp system with three-band EQ, volume control, and built-in tuner.

• eye-catchy design
• solid body
• lightweight
• good for beginners

• battery needed
• no accessories when bought

 

Ovation Melissa Etheridge Signature Elite AA

This acoustic guitar is a really good one because it comes with huge playability, bold style, and incredible sound. The top is made from AA solid spruce and features quartersawn Scalloped X bracing, which sits on a shallow Lyrachord composite bowl, as is the case with all Ovation guitars.

In addition, the body of this acoustic guitar is lightweight and well-contoured which is why it is very comfortable to use. The guitar is very bright, tight, and vibrant, with a big projection thanks to the bowl and bracing.

Pros

• eye-catchy design
• produces solid sound
• with hard case

Cons

• no international shipping

 

Loar LH-700-VS Deluxe

This guitar is a good buy since it can give you a vibe from the past. It looks vintage that oozes nostalgia perfect for jazz sounds. It is composed of solid hand-carved, hand-graduated AAA spruce top, solid hand-carved maple back and solid maple sides.

The LH-700 is finished with a meticulously inlaid mother-of-pearl Flowerpot headstock design and a hand-buffed nitrocellulose lacquer tobacco sunburst finish to stay true to classic design and style. In 10 pounds, this acoustic guitar’s neck is figured maple with vintage-style skunk stripe.

• durable
• flexible
• well handmade

• strings were way-high

 

Things To Consider When Buying an Acoustic Guitar

An acoustic guitar is a kind of guitar that produces sound acoustically by transmitting the vibration of the strings to the air. The sound waves from the strings attached to the acoustic guitar resonate through the guitar’s body, creating an aural sound that is pleasing to the ears.

The acoustic guitar is one of the most successful instruments of all time, and also one of the simplest. There are a ton of reasons to play an acoustic guitar and some of these is (1) it is easier than the electric guitar (2) has only 6 strings (3) there is a chord chart.

Here are the things you should consider before buying a new acoustic guitar. Get your pen and paper to make sure about the things you need to remember.

Know your Budget

Before you look into the design and the classifications of an acoustic guitar, the first thing you must consider is your money. Determine how much money you have to spend on the guitar plus the accessories you will need.

If you are just a beginner, it is advisable for you to purchase a cheaper but durable one. However, if your budget is not a problem, then just find your maximum and then work from there.

Skill Level

Amateur or advanced? Beginner or professional? If you are a beginner, it is better to look for an acoustic guitar that is easy to play and lightweight. You do not need to spend too much on a high-end one since you are still learning and believe me, you will appreciate it at the moment.

There is a wide selection of good and quality acoustic guitar to choose from. If you are an experienced player, I suggest for you to purchase a much better guitar compared to your old one. In that case, it is important to know the difference between various tonewoods and how the soundboard affects resonance.

Wood Finish

If you are on a tight budget, a laminated top acoustic guitar might work. These kind of guitars are cheaper compared to solid wood tops. However, they do not vibrate – if you are looking for that characteristic. Meaning, that sound won’t be as rich and the volume is not that loud.

You can tell whether a guitar is a laminate top or solid wood top by feeling its top part. Laminated tops acoustic guitar will feel and look glossier and smoother compare to pure wood.

Construction and Design

If you just want to learn and make it a habit, I suggest you buy a well-built yet simple guitar. The design is not that important since you will just use it for practice or customary action.

If you will buy an acoustic guitar for a gig, a party, or any event with groups of the audience watching you, I suggest you buy an eye-catching design. But of course, you need to consider the quality first before you settle with the better design.

But there are some other, more subtle things to check on a good acoustic as well:

The Action: How high above the frets are the strings? On good guitars, they will be close. Cheap guitars have “high action,” meaning you must push much harder to play a note.

Neck Width: How easily can you reach the top strings with your fretting hand?

Body Size: Dreadnaught guitars are big, and have a similarly rich sound. A concert acoustic is much smaller and thus brighter. If you’re playing alone, sitting down, the big size can be nice. But if you’re part of a band and like to move, you might want something slimmer.

 

The Verdict

There is no such thing as right or wrong when it comes to choosing an acoustic guitar. Biggest does not always mean the best, and the popularity of a particular guitar brand does not necessarily mean that it’s for you.

Acoustic guitars come in all shapes and sizes, as well as designs, what someone else finds appealing may not be good for you.

The right acoustic guitar really depends on what you need. Regardless of the price, it is best to purchase a guitar that will really work for your purpose.

But if you are looking for the best acoustic guitar for under $1500, it is advisable for you to purchase Taylor 214ce Deluxe Grand Auditorium. Why? It has a very creative design and a good price.

ALSO READ: Our ultimate list of the best acoustic guitar