Best Acoustic Guitar Under $1000 (2026): 4 Picks Compared

Updated Oct 24, 2026 · By Jonah Mercer · Ranked from listed specifications · How we rank

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The Fender CD-60SCE leads this list: a dreadnought cutaway with a solid mahogany top, scalloped X-bracing and a Fishman pickup and preamp. If you want a Grand Auditorium shape, the Taylor 24ce is the pick, with a mahogany top, sapele back and sides and a gig bag.

The picks at a glance

#	Pick	Product
1	Best Overall	Fender CD-60SCE All-Mahogany Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic Electric	Check on Amazon
2	Runner-Up	Taylor 24ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic-electric Guitar	Check on Amazon
3	Also Great	Yamaha FG820 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar	Check on Amazon
4	Also Great	Taylor GS Mini-e Mahogany Acoustic-electric Guitar	Check on Amazon

Which one should you buy?

Players who want a dreadnought cutaway: Fender CD-60SCE All-Mahogany Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic Electric See pick 1
Players who want a Grand Auditorium shape: Taylor 24ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic-electric Guitar See pick 2
Players who want a solid spruce top: Yamaha FG820 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar See pick 3
Players who want a smaller acoustic-electric: Taylor GS Mini-e Mahogany Acoustic-electric Guitar See pick 4More picks: Best Acoustic Guitar with Electric

The 4 picks, ranked

1Best Overall

Fender CD-60SCE All-Mahogany Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic Electric

Solid top
Built-in pickup / EQ
Cutaway
Body shape: Dreadnought
Top wood: Solid Mahogany
2-year warranty stated

9.8Spec score View on Amazon

It earns Best Overall with a solid mahogany top, scalloped X-bracing and a Fishman pickup and preamp.

Who it suits

Players who want a dreadnought cutaway
Players who want an acoustic-electric with a pickup

Skip it if

You need a Grand Auditorium body shape
You need a solid spruce top rather than mahogany

The dreadnought cutaway body pairs a solid mahogany top with scalloped X-bracing and mahogany back and sides. The Fishman Classic Design pickup and preamp system sends the signal out through a 1/4-inch instrument cable, and the neck has rolled fingerboard edges. It uses 6 strings with 80/20 bronze strings, a 25.3-inch scale length and a 2-year warranty.

2Runner-Up

Taylor 24ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic-electric Guitar

Solid top not stated in the listing
Built-in pickup / EQ
Case or gig bag included
Body shape: Grand Auditorium
Top wood: Mahogany

9.6Spec score View on Amazon

It earns Runner-Up with a Grand Auditorium body, a mahogany top and Fishman electronics.

Who it suits

Players who want a Grand Auditorium shape
Players who want a gig bag in the box

Skip it if

You need a dreadnought body shape
You need a solid spruce top rather than mahogany

The Grand Auditorium body pairs a mahogany top with sapele back and sides, a maple neck and an ebony fingerboard. Fishman Sonitone GT-2 electronics cover the plugged-in side, and the box includes a gig bag. It uses 6 strings and a 1/4-inch audio jack for the output.

3Also Great

Yamaha FG820 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar

Solid top
Built-in pickup / EQ not stated in the listing
Body shape: Dreadnought
Top wood: Solid Sitka Spruce
1 year warranty stated

9.1Spec score View on Amazon

It earns Also Great with a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides and diecast tuners.

Who it suits

Players who want a solid spruce top
Players who want a rosewood fingerboard and bridge

Skip it if

You need a cutaway body shape
You need a mahogany top rather than spruce

The solid Sitka spruce top pairs with mahogany back and sides, a rosewood fingerboard and a rosewood bridge. Diecast tuners hold tuning, and the guitar has an adjustable truss rod for neck relief. It uses 6 strings, weighs 6.4 lb and carries a 1-year warranty.

4Also Great

Taylor GS Mini-e Mahogany Acoustic-electric Guitar

Solid top not stated in the listing
Built-in pickup / EQ
Top wood: Mahogany
2-year warranty stated

9.0Spec score View on Amazon

It earns Also Great as a smaller GS Mini-e with a mahogany top and sapele laminate back and sides.

Who it suits

Players who want a smaller acoustic-electric
Players who want an ebony fingerboard

Skip it if

You need a dreadnought body shape
You need a solid spruce top rather than mahogany

The GS Mini-e pairs a mahogany top with sapele laminate back and sides, a mahogany neck and an ebony fingerboard. As an acoustic-electric guitar it plugs in through a 1/4-inch instrument cable. It carries a 2-year warranty and uses a smaller GS Mini body size.

Side by side

Product	Solid top	Built-in pickup / EQ	Cutaway	Case or gig bag included	Body shape	Top wood	Weight	Warranty
Fender CD-60SCE All-Mahogany Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic Electric	Yes	Yes	Yes	Not stated	Dreadnought	Solid Mahogany	8.6 lb	2-year
Taylor 24ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic-electric Guitar	Not stated	Yes	Not stated	Yes	Grand Auditorium	Mahogany	Not stated	Not stated
Yamaha FG820 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar	Yes	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Dreadnought	Solid Sitka Spruce	6.4 lb	1 year
Taylor GS Mini-e Mahogany Acoustic-electric Guitar	Not stated	Yes	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Mahogany	Not stated	2-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 guitar under 1000

Solid top versus laminate sides

A solid top vibrates as one piece of wood, while laminate back and sides layer wood for strength. The Fender CD-60SCE and Yamaha FG820 both use solid tops, mahogany and Sitka spruce respectively, and the GS Mini-e pairs a mahogany top with sapele laminate back and sides. Check the top wood spec before choosing, since the top wood is the first spec to compare.

Match body shape to your playing

Body shape changes how the guitar sits against your body and how much room it takes. The Fender and Yamaha are dreadnoughts, with the Fender adding a cutaway for upper-fret access, and the Taylor 24ce is a Grand Auditorium. The GS Mini-e is a smaller body, so compare dreadnought and Grand Auditorium shapes side by side before buying.

Check electronics before buying

Electronics decide whether the guitar plugs in. The Fender uses a Fishman Classic Design pickup and preamp, the Taylor 24ce uses Fishman Sonitone GT-2 electronics, and the GS Mini-e is also an acoustic-electric guitar. The Yamaha FG820 is the plain acoustic guitar here, with a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides and diecast tuners.

Frequently asked questions

What acoustic guitar is best here?

The Fender CD-60SCE leads this list with a solid mahogany top, scalloped X-bracing and a Fishman pickup and preamp. If you want a Grand Auditorium shape, the Taylor 24ce adds a mahogany top and a gig bag.

What is a solid top guitar?

A solid top uses one piece of wood for the guitar top, rather than layered wood. The Fender uses a solid mahogany top and the Yamaha uses a solid Sitka spruce top, while the GS Mini-e pairs a mahogany top with sapele laminate back and sides.

What does a cutaway do?

A cutaway removes part of the body near the neck, giving your hand room to reach the upper frets. The Fender CD-60SCE is the dreadnought cutaway here, while the Yamaha FG820 is a standard dreadnought.

Which guitar includes a gig bag?

The Taylor 24ce includes a gig bag alongside Fishman Sonitone GT-2 electronics. If a gig bag matters to you, the Taylor 24ce is the pick that includes one.