A lot of people tend to think that bigger means better. But in the acoustic guitar world, that isn’t necessarily true. It is possible, if not expected, for a mini acoustic guitar to produce a rich and full sound.
Apart from their measurements, they aren’t at all very different from their regular-sized counterparts. In fact, a mini acoustic guitar may even supersede a regular-sized acoustic because of its size.
There are plenty of benefits that come with being a tiny guitar. One, it proves to be a better companion for users with smaller hands. And two, it’s great for traveling – no more big and bulky guitars to lug around with as you go on tour.
If you’ve been contemplating getting a mini acoustic guitar yourself, you’d be pleased to know that there is a multitude of options available today.
Choosing just one may be a challenge, but to help you out with your search, we’ve made a roundup of the 10 best mini acoustic guitars below.
Check it out and see which ones fit your needs the most.
Contents
10 Best Mini Guitars
- Taylor GS Mini
- Yamaha JR1 FG Junior
- Luna Safari Series Muse
- Cordoba Mini M
- Luna Aurora Borealis
- Cordoba Guitars Coco x Cordoba Mini
- Taylor BT2 Acoustic Guitar
- Martin LXK2 Little Martin
- Fender CP-100
- Gretsch Guitars G9520
Runner Up | Editor's Choice | Also Great |
 |  |  |
Taylor GS Mini
The Taylor GS Mini is a great example of a mini acoustic guitar that does not minimize the quality of its sound. It looks like a high-end standard-sized guitar, and it also sounds like it too. The only difference is that it comes in a size that is friendly for smaller hands and for younger learners.
This acoustic guitar sports a classic and natural design; well-built and made with better grade woods that ensure sustainable good-quality sound. I also think that this guitar choice is a winner because it also comes at a reasonable price.
It’s not every day you get to purchase a guitar this good for a much lower price than what it’s really worth.
Pros
- Made with good quality woods for a better sound
- Produces a rich and pleasant tone
- Comes with a reasonable price tag for a brand name guitar
- Simple and natural design with a body that is built for comfort
- Does not come with a pickup
Yamaha JR1 FG Junior
Are you looking for a beginner-friendly mini acoustic guitar? Look no further – Yamaha is your best bet. It’s no secret that Yamaha is the go-to guitar for beginners.
It’s been known to be a student-friendly guitar primarily because of its accommodating design. It is comfortable to hold and easy to use, basically everything that may be useful to an absolute beginner.
The Yamaha JR1 FG Junior is one example of a beginner-friendly acoustic guitar. It is actually the mini version of the Yamaha FG series. And in my opinion, the Yamaha JR1 FG Junior may be short in size, but it does not fall short of its predecessor.
Pros
- Made with great craftsmanship
- Features a shorter neck and smaller body
- Perfect for smaller hands and young learners
- Made with good wood and a spruce top that help produce an authentic acoustic tone
- Gig bag also included with purchase for safe storage and easy transport
Cons
- A bit smaller than the usual 3/4 scale guitar
- Takes a bit of getting used to
- Fret space might be a little too tight for some users
Luna Safari Series Muse
There’s nothing more fun and exciting for a guitarist than to bring music everywhere and anywhere they go. Sometimes, we just get an itch to play guitar even if we are on the road. If you are looking for a guitar to take with you on your travels, the Luna Safari Series Muse may prove to be a great companion.
It has a surprisingly loud and full sound – perfect for singing along during nights around the campfire. The Celtic laser-etched henna design by Alex Morgan is also a great addition to an already beautiful guitar.
Pros
- An overall good quality guitar for a very affordable price
- Lightweight and it fits in small storage space
- Perfect for traveling
Cons
- A little bit of buzz can be heard
- Minor adjustments for action may be necessary
- May be difficult to use with a capo
Cordoba Mini M
Here’s another guitar that is not a stranger to the road. If you travel frequently and would like to bring a guitar with you on your journeys, there’s plenty of reasons why you should get a Cordoba Mini.
The Cordoba Mini M is advertised as the ultimate travel instrument. It has a lightweight body, a thin U-shaped neck, and comfortable frets. This would make an excellent guitar for beginners, learners with smaller hands and smaller statures.
Personally, what I love most about this guitar is that it comes with three different wood combinations: spruce/mahogany, spruce/Indian rosewood, and ovangkol – all of which make great woods that produce good-quality sound.
Pros
- Comes in three different premium-grade kinds of wood
- Ensuring awesome sound quality
- Super lightweight
- Making it easily portable to bring anywhere
- Has nylon strings that are more gentle for beginner’s hands
Cons
- E set of strings sold separately
Luna Aurora Borealis
True to the Luna brand name, its iconic crescent moon sound hole is perhaps one of the most attractive features of the Luna Aurora Borealis.
If you’re looking for an acoustic guitar that has a unique yet subtle design, then this is the option for you. Pair the sound hole up with the signature Luna moon phase fret markers, and you have a good-looking mini acoustic guitar.
But the Luna Aurora Borealis isn’t all about cosmetics. It also has components that guarantee a great guitar playing experience. It sports an easy-to-play design, and it comes in a very comfortable size.
But what I like most about this guitar is its loud sound. Thanks to the mixture of basswood, mahogany, and black walnut, this guitar guarantees great sound.
Pros
- Super lightweight
- Great for the traveling musician
- Sports a beautiful design created by the creative minds behind the Luna brand
- Durable
- Made with high-quality materials
Cons
- Glitter finish may be a bit too intimidating for some users
- Strings may be a bit difficult to keep in tune
Cordoba Guitars Coco x Cordoba Mini
Do you have a young one who is training to become a future guitar legend? You might be able to motivate his learning with a guitar that is modeled after the popular Pixar movie, Coco.
But make no mistake, just because this guitar was designed with an animated cartoon in mind doesn’t mean that this guitar is just for the kids.
Read more: Best Kids Guitars
The Cordoba Coco x Cordoba Mini is all about producing inspiring music – just like in the movie. It has a spruce top and mahogany back and sides for sustainably impressive sound quality. This mini guitar has the capacity to retain the playability of a full-size guitar as well.
But what I really like about this guitar is its design. Besides the fact that it is modeled after Disney Pixar’s art, this guitar is a wonderful display of art and culture as it is primarily inspired by Mexican heritage.
Pros
- Super attractive design inspired by Disney’s animated film
- Coco which makes this guitar a winner for kids learning to play guitar
- Well-built using high-quality woods and with great craftsmanship
- Comes with a Cordoba gig bag and a guitar strap as well
Cons
- Its sound is not as loud as other acoustic guitars
Taylor BT2 Acoustic Guitar
If you’re looking for a high-quality portable Taylor guitar, then you are in luck. The Taylor BT2 Baby Acoustic Guitar is made with the Taylor standards and does not have much of a difference from its standard-sized guitars – except for the fact that it is significantly smaller than the others.
Just like the regular Taylor guitars, this one has a surprisingly loud sound. It has a nice, comfortable build and it has all the right stuff in the right places. Overall, a great example of a great mini acoustic guitar.
And from the perspective of a beginner, it has a design that makes frets easy to play and great for fingerstyle playing as well.
Pros
- A beautifully-made guitar that is loud for its size
- Produces a warm tone that is perfect for fingerstyle playing
- Guarantees easy playability and comfort
- A great companion for those who want to play guitar for long hours
Cons
- A bit pricier for a guitar that offers the same quality as other guitars from a lower price range
Martin LXK2 Little Martin
Looking for a mini practice guitar that you can take everywhere with you? The Martin LXK2 could be your new travel buddy. This guitar sports a wood-pattern HPL top with a Sitka spruce bracing.
It has a comfortable low-oval neck and also Martin’s patented neck mortise. In other words, it is built with awesome craftsmanship, ensuring the sound quality of this guitar.
Apart from the ease and comfort this guitar gives, I love the fact that this guitar is made travel-ready. The woods were smartly selected to accommodate possible weather changes. As we know, humidity and rain can change the quality of sound but this guitar remains the same, rain or shine.
Pros
- Built with wood materials that can handle weather change and humidity
- Comes in a comfortable size for players with smaller hands and for younger players as well
Cons
- The tuners can be improved for better quality
Fender CP-100
No list is ever complete with the world-renowned brand, Fender. The CP-100 Parlor is obviously on this list for its impressive quality and build. It is made with a laminated spruce top and laminated mahogany back and sides.
Its design is simple and timeless; sporting a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays – a classic formula for a guitar that is comfortable and easy to play with.
So what makes this guitar any different than the others? If you’re looking for a mini acoustic guitar that has a distinct vintage style, then this might be the option for you.
Pros
- A good quality guitar that produces rich and loud sounds with a vintage tone
- Simple and timeless design
- Great for those who want a guitar that is built to last
- Great projection for a mini guitar
- Adequate for most rooms and can even be heard well enough outdoors
Cons
- Made of laminated woods which creates a more synthetic sound rather than an authentic tone
Gretsch Guitars G9520
If you love the look of the popular Rex parlor guitars back in the 40s and 50s, then you will absolutely fall in love with the G9520 Dandy Flat Top. We all know that Gretsch is one of the top manufacturers of guitars today. Together with their expertise and this lovable vintage design, you have a blast from the past.
Not only does it sound great, but it can replicate that old familiar acoustic tune that many of us know and love. Plus, this guitar has such a warm and round tone, it is also perfect for fingerstyle playing.
Pros
- Sports in a vintage-style design
- Great for fingerstyle playing
- Small-bodied but produces a warm and round tone that is also loud and full
Cons
- Minor adjustments needed out of the box
How To Choose The Best Mini Acoustic Guitar
Despite what you may think about its size, it’s undeniable that a mini acoustic guitar has a lot of potentials. For guitar aficionados with smaller hands, smaller statures, or for younger guitarists, a standard guitar may be too physically stressful.
Not only does it put a lot of strain on the body, but a bigger guitar also means a bigger fretboard. And if you have small hands, reaching frets could be a huge challenge – or rather, a hindrance in playing the guitar.
That said, choosing the best mini acoustic guitar is mostly about comfort and easy playability. Any acoustic guitar is expected to produce a good quality sound anyway. And besides, no high-end guitar is worth it if it is too stressful to play.
The next thing you might want to consider is to type of sound you are interested in playing. Though the strings have a lot to do with the mood and tone of a guitar, the body of a guitar also contributes to the sound.
ALSO READ: Our ultimate list of the best acoustic guitars
Our Top Pick
There is a long list of great mini acoustic guitars out there, and choosing just one of them is a difficult challenge. But sadly, we can only choose one from this roundup. Our pick for the best mini acoustic guitar is the Taylor GS Mini.
Not only is it made by one of the best guitar makers in the world, but the Taylor GS Mini is also a versatile guitar that is great for both beginners and veterans. It has a great shape, comfortable neck and frets, and it is also lightweight. All these components made it a bit easier for us to name it the best mini acoustic guitar.