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Best acoustic guitars in Australia

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Ericka Pingol
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The best acoustic guitars in Australia

How did we pick this list?

For this list, we picked acoustic guitars based on actual customer reviews and ratings on Amazon and key product features. For every category, we carefully chose parameters based on our research and determined products with the highest review score within those parameters.

Read more detail on our methodology below.

Best overall acoustic guitar: Fender Malibu Classic

  • Lightweight and easy to play
  • Pleasant tone
  • Some reported cloudy paint work around the headstock
  • Expensive
Price (RRP): $1,830.00
Amazon pricing: Check site for current pricing
Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

For the best overall acoustic guitar, we picked the Fender Malibu Classic. It has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

With a high-quality build and sleek maple binding, the Malibu Classic guitar features quarter sawn scalloped X bracing for resonance and an upgraded bone nut and saddle. The 6-inch line headstock amps up this model's vibe. It has a natural solid mahogany bodywork and a painted top that's solid Sitka spruce. Additionally, it includes a Fishman-design pickup/preamp system and comes with a warranty.

Whether you're a beginner or a pro player, you can't go wrong with a Fender acoustic guitar like the Malibu Classic. Customers said it is easy to use and produces a pleasant tone. Its low and mid ranges are also crisp and loud. Others reported that it is lightweight and has a sleek design that looks great when mounted. The build showcases the high-quality craftsmanship that Fender is known for. Several customers received guitars with cloudy paintwork around the headstock, but this seems to be a minor issue.

Best acoustic guitar under $1,000: Yamaha FG830 Solid Top Folk Acoustic Guitar

  • Crisp sounds at the mid and low ranges
  • Beginner-friendly
  • Heavier than other acoustic guitars
  • Size may be too big for smaller or younger players
Price (RRP): $634.59
Amazon pricing: From $729.94
Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

We recommend the Yamaha FG830 Solid Top Folk Acoustic Guitar as the best option under $1,000. On Amazon, it has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars.

The Yamaha FG830 features a solid spruce top and rosewood back and sides for enhanced tone depth. With a traditional Western body, it has a rosewood headstock overlay, fingerboard and bridge. According to the company, this guitar also has louder and stronger sound in the low and mid ranges due to its cutting-edge acoustic analysis technology.

Customers gave positive feedback on the guitar's classic design, crisp sound and comfortable feel. It produces a crisp bass and treble tones. Others loved that it has louder mid and low ranges compared to other Yamaha models. It is easy to grip and play, suitable for both beginners and long-time players. However, it is larger than other options in the market, which may be a con if you've got a small frame.

Best acoustic guitar under $500: Washburn Rover Travel Guitar

  • Produces well-balanced sound despite being small
  • Compact and easy to carry
  • Tune is inconsistent according to some
  • Sound is not as rich as full-sized options
Price (RRP): $437.38
Amazon pricing: Check site for current pricing
Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

With a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon, we picked the Washburn Rover Travel Guitar as the best acoustic guitar under $500.

Despite being a compact guitar, this Washburn option packs a punch. Its neck and body are made of mahogany, offering uncompromised sound clarity. It also has quarter sawn scalloped Sitka spruce bracing and a rosewood fingerboard with 17 full frets. Apart from a soft shell casing, the guitar comes with 3 picks and a strap. Additionally, it features bronze strings that are lightweight and durable.

The general sentiment is that this is a travel-friendly guitar suitable for professional players or beginners wanting a more compact option. The strings are friendly to the fingers, allowing you to prick them without difficulty. Reviewers added that the mahogany construction adds to the guitar's sound clarity. However, its tune is inconsistent, according to some buyers. This means the guitar needs more frequent tuning than others.

Best acoustic guitar under $300: Orangewood Dana 6 String Acoustic Guitar

  • Comes with heaps of accessories
  • Suitable for smaller hands
  • Action height is too high
  • Several customers reported that the tune set-up isn’t good
Price (RRP): $287.15
Amazon pricing: Check site for current pricing
Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

We recommend the Orangewood Dana 6 String Acoustic Guitar as the best option for under $300. On Amazon, it has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from more than 250 reviews.

The Dana model is a baby concert-style guitar with a layered mahogany neck, top, back and sides in an open pore finish. The fretboard and bridge are also made of hybrid wood. Additionally, the bracing is scalloped X. The guitar comes with various accessories, including a tuner, strap, gig bag and capo.

The general sentiment is that this is an affordable and compact alternative to higher-end brands. The guitar is bigger than most portable ones, but it is lightweight enough to carry. According to customers, it produces a pleasant tone with crisp low and mid ranges. However, you need to frequently set up its tune to ensure that you're getting consistent sound each time. Others also didn't like its high action.

Best acoustic guitar for beginners: Fender FA-15

  • Lightweight and travel-friendly
  • Consistent tune and good intonation
  • Short scale length
  • May be too small for larger hands
Price (RRP): $331.45
Amazon pricing: From $324.68
Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

For beginners, we picked the Fender FA-15 as the best acoustic guitar available online. It has a rating of out of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

The FA-15 is a ¾ scale steel acoustic guitar with a laminated Agathis top and Nato neck. It also has a 3+3 headstock and a walnut bridge. Additionally, its back and sides are made of Sapele, while the fingerboard is made of walnut.

According to customers, this is a beginner-friendly guitar suitable for kids and those with smaller hands. The ¾ size is also compact enough for travelling. It also produces crisp tunes with good intonation. Reviewers also loved that it stays in tune for extended periods, minimising the need for frequent tuning. However, the length of the scale is quite short, which may affect its tonal properties.

Best acoustic guitar for kids: Loog Mini Acoustic Kids Guitar

  • Easy to learn
  • Suitable for 3-year-olds and up
  • Only has 3 strings
  • Requires frequent tuning
Price (RRP): $155.00
Amazon pricing: From $138.00
Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

Loog's Mini Acoustic Kids Guitar is our choice for the best option for kids. It has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 600 Amazon reviews.

This Loog mini guitar is made of high-quality wood materials and comes with 3 nylon strings that are soft and easy to strum. It also comes with cue cards and an app for Android and iOS devices.

Customers praised the product's durable build, ease of use and additional features. The cue cards are extremely helpful in teaching younger kids to play the guitar. The strings are finger-friendly, minimising the risk of cuts. Despite its small size, it still produces decently crisp bass and treble tones. However, it needs frequent tuning.

Best acoustic guitar strings: Fender 60L Phosphor Bronze Ball End Strings

  • Durable and produces excellent sound
  • Good value for money
  • Some said the lower string E breaks easily
  • Doesn’t stay in tune for long
Price (RRP): $13.00 (set of 3)
Amazon pricing: From $16.29 |
eBay pricing: From $13.00
Buy at Amazon
Buy at eBay

Why we chose it

With a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon, Fender's 60L Phosphor Bronze Ball End Strings is our pick for the best strings for acoustic guitars.

These Fender strings are made of bronze materials with a warm rose gold colour. It is suitable for adding depth to the sound of acoustic guitars. It also works great for solo guitar work. According to the manufacturer, these are ideal for songwriters and beginners as well.

According to customers, these strings are durable and help enhance the depth of their guitar's sound. They also help produce low base tunes, perfect for playing blues. The rose gold finish is quite sleek and stylish as well. However, it requires frequent tuning to ensure the sound remains consistent. A few customers also reported that the lower E strings break easily but this seems to be an isolated issue.

Amazon prices last updated on 26 September, 2021 at 01:01 pm |eBay prices last updated on 26 September, 2021 at 02:01 pm

Methodology

12
Brands considered
46
Products compared
7
Best products chosen
  • We compared over 40 acoustic guitars from 12 brands.
  • We then assessed hundreds of customer reviews and ratings on Amazon.
  • The products on this list are chosen by our editorial team and are not selected based on commercial relationships.

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