Best Acoustic Electric Guitar Under $500 (2026): 5 Picks Compared
Updated Oct 24, 2026 · By 
Jonah Mercer · Ranked from listed specifications · How we rank
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For players shopping an acoustic-electric guitar in this budget range, the Yamaha FGX800C leads with a solid Sitka spruce top, a cutaway dreadnought body and a System 66 pickup with 3-band EQ. If a smaller body with a gig bag matters more, the Yamaha APXT2 is the 3/4-size pick with a padded gig bag in the box.
The picks at a glance
Which one should you buy?
- Players who want a solid spruce top with a cutaway: Yamaha FGX800C Solid Top Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar See pick 1
- Players who want a 3/4-size guitar with a gig bag: Yamaha APXT2 3/4-Size Acoustic-Electric Guitar See pick 2
- New players who want lessons included with the guitar: Fender FA-25CE Beginner Dreadnought Acoustic Electric Guitar See pick 3
- Players who want nylon strings on an acoustic-electric: Ibanez GA5FMTCE Thinline Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar See pick 4More picks: Best Acoustic Guitar with Electric
- Players who want a maple top with sapele back: Ibanez AEG70 Acoustic-Electric Guitar See pick 5
The 5 picks, ranked
1Best Overall
Yamaha FGX800C Solid Top Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- Solid top
- Built-in pickup / EQ
- Cutaway
- Body shape: Dreadnought
- Top wood: Solid Sitka Spruce
- 1 year warranty stated
It earns Best Overall with a solid Sitka spruce top, a cutaway dreadnought body and a System 66 pickup with 3-band EQ.
Who it suits
- Players who want a solid spruce top with a cutaway
- Players who want onboard EQ and a built-in tuner
Skip it if
- You want a smaller body than a dreadnought
- You want a guitar lighter than 7.5 lb
The System 66 pickup pairs an under-saddle piezo pickup with a 3-band EQ, an adjustable mid-range frequency control and a precision chromatic tuner. The top is solid Sitka spruce, the back and sides are Nato, and the fingerboard and bridge are rosewood. It has diecast tuners, an adjustable truss rod and a 1/4 inch jack, and it carries a 1 year warranty.
2Runner-Up
Yamaha APXT2 3/4-Size Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- Built-in pickup / EQ
- Case or gig bag included
- Body shape: 3/4-Size
- Top wood: Spruce Wood
- 1 year warranty stated
It holds Runner-Up with a 3/4-size body, a System68 preamp and contact pickup, and a padded gig bag in the box.
Who it suits
- Players who want a 3/4-size guitar with a gig bag
- Players who want a built-in tuner and onboard preamp
Skip it if
- You want a dreadnought body instead of 3/4-size
- You want a scale length longer than 58 centimeters
The System68 A.R.T. preamp and contact pickup let you plug in, and the built-in tuner lets you tune without extra gear. The top is spruce, the body is meranti, and the back is rosewood. A padded gig bag comes in the box, and it carries a 1 year warranty.
3Also Great
Fender FA-25CE Beginner Dreadnought Acoustic Electric Guitar
- Built-in pickup / EQ
- Body shape: Dreadnought
- Top wood: Spruce Wood
- 2-year warranty stated
It earns its Also Great spot with a dreadnought body, a spruce top and a built-in tuner with volume and tone controls.
Who it suits
- New players who want lessons included with the guitar
- Players who want a dreadnought with onboard controls
Skip it if
- You want a solid top rather than laminate
- You want steel strings instead of nylon strings
The dreadnought body is laminate with a spruce top, a walnut fingerboard and a satin finish. The built-in tuner and on-board volume and tone controls keep tuning and level changes at hand. A subscription to Fender Play comes with the guitar, with lessons and instructional videos, and it carries a 2-year warranty.
4Also Great
Ibanez GA5FMTCE Thinline Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Built-in pickup / EQ
- Top wood: Maple
- 1-year warranty stated
It earns its Also Great spot as a nylon-string thinline with a flamed maple top and a purpleheart fingerboard.
Who it suits
- Players who want nylon strings on an acoustic-electric
- Players who want a flamed maple top in berry
Skip it if
- You want steel strings instead of nylon strings
- You want a spruce top rather than maple
The top is flamed maple, the back and sides are laminate sapele, and the neck is okoume. The fingerboard is purpleheart, the finish is open pore, and the color is berry. It is a nylon-string acoustic-electric guitar with an Ibanez undersaddle pickup, and it carries a 1 year warranty.
5Also Great
Ibanez AEG70 Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- Built-in pickup / EQ
- Top wood: Maple
- 1-year warranty stated
It earns its Also Great spot with a flame maple top, sapele back and sides and an onboard tuner with LCD.
Who it suits
- Players who want a maple top with sapele back
- Players who want an onboard tuner with LCD display
Skip it if
- You want a nylon-string guitar
- You want a guitar lighter than 6 lb
The top is flame maple, the back and sides are sapele, and the neck is nyatoh. The fretboard is walnut, the finish is transparent charcoal burst high gloss, and the pickup is piezo. An onboard tuner with LCD and Ibanez Advantage bridge pins come in the box, and it carries a 1 year warranty.
Side by side
| Product | Solid top | Built-in pickup / EQ | Cutaway | Case or gig bag included | Body shape | Top wood | Weight | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha FGX800C Solid Top Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Dreadnought | Solid Sitka Spruce | 7.5 lb | 1 year |
| Yamaha APXT2 3/4-Size Acoustic-Electric Guitar | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Yes | 3/4-Size | Spruce Wood | 5.3 lb | 1 year |
| Fender FA-25CE Beginner Dreadnought Acoustic Electric Guitar | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Dreadnought | Spruce Wood | Not stated | 2-year |
| Ibanez GA5FMTCE Thinline Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Maple | Not stated | 1-year |
| Ibanez AEG70 Acoustic-Electric Guitar | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Maple | 6 lb | 1-year |
How we ranked these acoustic guitars
Every pick has at least 100 customer ratings on Amazon and a listing with real specifications. The order mixes two things: how each model compares on the specs below (higher share of the best value in this group scores more), and how widely it is bought. The spec score runs from 9.0 to 9.8 and only compares these picks with each other. A spec the listing does not state is left out and the other specs are re-weighted; a listing with fewer than 2 stated specs is scored at half. We do not test gear in person. Full method.
- Solid top weight 3
- Built-in pickup / EQ weight 2
- Cutaway weight 1
- Case or gig bag included weight 1
Buying advice: acoustic electric guitar under $500
Start with the top wood and body shape
A solid top and a laminate top differ on paper: a solid spruce top is one piece of spruce, while a laminate top layers wood. The FGX800C has a solid Sitka spruce top, and the FA-25CE has a laminate body with a spruce top. Body shape matters too: the FGX800C and the FA-25CE are dreadnoughts, while the APXT2 is 3/4-size. Compare the top and the body shape first, then look at the pickup and the controls.
Check the pickup, EQ and tuner before buying
An acoustic-electric guitar needs a pickup to plug in, and the pickup type decides what controls you get. The FGX800C uses a System 66 under-saddle piezo pickup with a 3-band EQ, an adjustable mid-range frequency control and a precision chromatic tuner. The APXT2 uses a System68 preamp and contact pickup with a built-in tuner, and the AEG70 has an onboard tuner with LCD. Check that the pickup, the EQ and the tuner match how you plan to plug in.
Match the size and the case to your routine
Size and what comes in the box decide how you move and store a guitar. The APXT2 is 3/4-size and comes with a padded gig bag, while the FGX800C is a dreadnought at 7.5 lb and the AEG70 weighs 6 lb. If the guitar mostly stays in one place, the dreadnought body and the solid top matter more.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a cutaway on an acoustic-electric guitar?
No. A cutaway gives access to higher frets, and the FGX800C has a cutaway dreadnought body. Choose the cutaway only if you play high on the neck, and compare body shapes across the picks.
What does a piezo pickup do on these guitars?
A piezo pickup turns string vibration into a signal you can plug into an amp or a mixer. The FGX800C pairs an under-saddle piezo pickup with a 3-band EQ, and the AEG70 uses a piezo pickup. Check the EQ controls on the pick you choose.
Is a solid top better than a laminate top?
A solid top is one piece of wood, while a laminate top layers wood. The FGX800C has a solid Sitka spruce top, and the FA-25CE has a laminate body with a spruce top. Compare the top with the body shape and the pickup before deciding.
Does the APXT2 come with a gig bag?
Yes. A padded gig bag comes with the APXT2, so it is ready to carry without buying a case separately. The APXT2 is 3/4-size, weighs 5.3 lb and has a built-in tuner.
Gear that goes with it
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Specifications and availability come from each Amazon listing on Oct 24, 2026 and can change. Check the listing before you buy.