Your first guitar is crucial to your learning experience with the instrument. If it plays well and sounds good, then you will always be motivated to pick the instrument up. Conversely, if you get no joy out of playing the guitar because, say, it’s uncomfortable to play, then you’re not as likely to keep going in your learning journey.
That’s why it’s important to get a good first guitar to learn on. It will make you want to keep playing. Here we list the best acoustic guitars for beginners to help you out. I personally wish I’d encountered a guide like this when I first started learning to play guitar more than two decades ago, but it’s nice to be able to extend help that I could have used then!
We cover as much ground as we can with this list in terms of price. Many beginner acoustic guitars can be fun to play without them being expensive, while others have a lot of value-adding features and specifications and are just generally better built, which means they can cost more even though they’re basically starter guitars.
1. Phoebus Progeny
The first on the list is the Phoebus Progeny. It is the Chinese guitar maker’s entry-level
series and is available in different body shapes and sizes, and can come with or without a pickup. The prices of the models in this series range from just Php 5,000 to 5,500.
The models in the Phoebus Progeny series have a spruce top, which is known for its balanced sound and versatility. As such, spruce has been one of the more popular tonewoods for acoustic guitars. Meanwhile, their back and sides are made of mahogany, which is known for its warmth.
These features make the Phoebus Progeny apt for just about any music style and genre. The models also have a classic design and a beautiful finish that are reminiscent of those found on much more expensive guitars.
The Progeny series includes a number of models, one of them being the PG-15NC. The “N” stands for “natural,” referring to the finish, while the “C” refers to the guitar’s cutaway, or the indentation on its dreadnought body.
Dreadnought, first developed by esteemed heritage guitar maker C.F. Martin, is marked by its large size and bold, rich tone. It is the most common acoustic guitar body. When you think of acoustic guitars, the image that you probably have on your mind is of a dreadnought acoustic guitar.
Another model in the series is the PG-15CE, with the “E” referring to “electric.” It is similar to the PG-15NC in every way except this Progeny model is equipped with a Cherub GT-4 pickup that comes with a full-band equalizer and a built-in tuner.
2. Cort AD810
The AD810 is one of the cheapest acoustic guitars by Cort at Php 8,905. It also has a dreadnought body. And like the Phoebus Progeny models mentioned above, the Cort AD810 has a spruce top and mahogany back and sides.
With these parts, you can count on the Cort AD810 to deliver. It also doesn’t hurt that this guitar is part of Cort’s oldest acoustic guitar line, the Standard Series. The longevity of a product such as this could only be attributed to popularity and great reception in the market.
Cort itself is an enduring company, having been in the business for more than 50 years. So you can rest assured that you’re getting your money’s worth when you buy an instrument from this brand.
The Cort AD810 is available in black, sunburst, and natural.
3. Epiphone DR-100
Speaking of heritage, there’s none on this list that benefits from a vaunted lineage more than the Epiphone DR-100. Before getting acquired by another storied guitar brand, Gibson, in 1957, Epiphone was its own entity. It traces its roots to its founding in 1873 as a family-owned instrument maker in Turkey when it was still the seat of power of the Ottoman Empire. Talk about heritage.
But don’t let history intimidate you. The Epiphone DR-100 acoustic guitar is one of the most inexpensive offerings by the brand, but without no essentials sacfrificed. Like its competitors above, it has a dreadnought body, a spruce top, and mahogany back and sides.
The guitar is available in black, vintage sunburst, and natural. It can be had for Php 6,995.
4. Ibanez Jam Pack (V50NJP)
If there’s a theme running through this list, it has to be legacy. And why not, when it’s something you can go by and rely on in your first foray into something unfamiliar? When it comes to buying your first guitar guided by nothing but brand legacy, you can’t go wrong with the Ibanez Jam Pack.
This entry-level series not only benefits from the respected name of the Japanese brand, which was established in 1957. It also comes with a bonus: as its name indicates, this is a starter pack from Ibanez, coming complete with a bag, a tuner, picks, and a strap.
One of the guitars in this series is the V50NJP, which has a dreadnought body, a spruce top, and meranti back and sides. Meranti is known as Philippine mahogany, although it is not actually mahogany.
You can buy the Ibanez Jam Pack, including all the accessories that come with it, for just Php 8,490.
It’s available in vintage sunburst and natural.
5. Yamaha F310
The last on the list is the Yamaha F310, and it’s definitely not the least. It is one of the most popular and best-selling acoustic guitars in this price range owing to its reputation as a more-than-capable entry-level instrument.
The F310 is kin to Yamaha’s renowned FG series and similarly sports a dreadnought body, with a spruce top and Meranti sides and back.
The Yamaha F310 can be had brand-new for as low as Php 8,500.
Conclusion
Whichever of these acoustic guitars you end up buying as your first one, which we guess will more or less be determined by budget and availability, you’ll own something that will inspire you to keep playing. Let us know in the comments which one you’re getting!
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