The Best Acoustic Guitar Under 800 Dollars in 2019

When shopping for a new guitar, it’s important to compare instruments that sell for roughly the same price.

Manufacturers build to price points and aim to have their instruments thought of as the best in their respective classes.

That’s where the competition for your dollar really is.

It isn’t fair to compare a $150 import flattop to a $4000 new Taylor or Martin.

Those guitars have a wide gulf between them and aren’t meant for the same customer.

Today, we’re going to the best acoustic guitar under 800 dollars, which is plenty to spend to get yourself a road, studio, and lesson-ready new ride. 

None of these axes are entry-level affairs but full-featured guitars that are meant to rock for a lifetime.

Ready to meet your new best friend?

Let’s dig in!

Quick Top Acoustic Guitars Under $800:​

Keep reading for the full reviews!

The Best Acoustic Guitar Under 800 Dollars

Taylor makes some of the most highly-regarded and in-demand acoustic guitars available today.

Pretty much any Taylor you can pick up under $800 is going to be the best acoustic guitar under 800 dollars.

It's a prestige line from top to bottom, and you'll often see Taylor instruments in the hands of people who can afford to play any brand they might desire.

The Taylor 110e acoustic is an easy way to join the Taylor Owner’s Club without breaking your own bank.

The 110e is a dreadnaught instrument built with a solid Sitka Spruce top and layered Walnut back and sides.

The neck is crafted from Sapele wood and topped with an Ebony fingerboard.

It’s carved into Taylor’s standard neck profile, which will work for most players.

This guitar is made from all real woods, no high-pressure laminate, and that counts for a lot in terms of getting a quality unplugged sound from it.

It also comes with Taylor’s own Expression System 2 pickup and preamp, which is one of the best setups in the business and makes getting a nice amplified sound simple and quick.

The Taylor 110e is an excellent choice for any player looking to step up from a starter guitar to one they can play indefinitely.

Taylors always play and sound like a million bucks and have a swag factor that your audiences will notice.

If that sounds like a passing grade to you, a 110e test drive is very much in order.

Here’s a quick demo clip to give you a taste of what the 110e can do!

Simon & Patrick Guitars are part of the Godin/LaSiDo family of companies making cool guitars in Canada.

They are entirely North American-made from the forest to the stage.

This makes any of the company’s guitars a tremendous value for the end user, as you get an instrument produced in Canada and the USA that can compete with Pacific Rim imports on price head-to-head.

The Simon & Patrick Woodland Pro is a fine example of this and is another outstanding instrument any player would be proud to own.

It’s a dreadnaught with a solid Spruce top and solid Mahogany back and sides.

The neck is made from hand-sanded and finished Mahogany, topped with a Rosewood fingerboard, and delivers a high degree of playability and comfort.

You also get niceties such as an intricate wood soundhole rosette, layered binding and a hand-shaped headstock.

All of this results in a guitar with a well-balanced tone that’s warm, clear and inviting.

Available options include Q1T electronics and a TRIC case.

The Woodland Pro is a simple and unpretentious guitar made from excellent materials that will get you sounding like a professional at a hobbyist price.

Players looking for a new ride with all the value under the hood and not in cosmetics will find much to like here.

No matter what language you speak, the Simon & Patrick sound needs no translation!

Now, this is cool!

The Voyage-Air Songwriter Series VAMD-04 is a 15/16th-sized dreadnaught that folds up at the neck joint for travel and fits into its own backpack-type case.

Travel guitars are usually tiny and a bit uncomfortable to play for many folks.

That’s not what you get with the VAMD-04.

It’s slightly undersized but still has plenty of box to it.

That makes for real unplugged acoustic guitar tone that works anywhere you might find yourself jamming.

The guitar features a Select Spruce top and Mahogany sides and back, a Mahogany neck and bridge and a Rosewood fingerboard.

The big attraction with this guitar is the company’s patented folding neck-hinge system, which seems to be unique in the world.

It’s quite an impressive-looking setup that’s getting a lot of attention, even appearing on the Shark Tank TV show.

It is made of self-lubricating parts and is guaranteed for life.

Once you learn the basic maneuvers involved in the folding and unfolding stages, you are literally good to go anywhere in the world.

Electronics aren't included, but various L.R. Baggs systems can be added from the factory as upgrades.

If you find yourself on the move all the time, especially by air, the Voyage-Air Songwriter Series VAMD-04 just might be the travel companion you’ve been looking for all these years.

Watch this clip and dig that crazy neck joint!

Everyone knows that Yamaha makes killer gear, but the company's drums and keyboards often overshadow its guitar line.

Savvy guitar shoppers will want to check out the Yamaha CSF3M TBS Parlor Guitar, however, because it’s a fun, beautiful little instrument that’s priced right.

Parlor-sized guitars are smaller-bodied instruments favored by many fingerpickers and singer/songwriters for their warm and inspiring tones.

The CSF3M is built with solid Mahogany and Spruce construction, which is a classic recipe for acoustic guitar success.

Yamaha’s brand-new top bracing pattern takes this one over the top and makes it an outstanding pick for anyone looking to upgrade to a better guitar than their first.

It has a passive (no battery) zero impact pickup for plugging in at Open Mic Night and comes with a hard carry bag at no extra cost.

The CSF3M is a super choice for stage and studio playing, and its small stature makes it a good traveling partner, as well.

Here’s a short clip to show you more Parlor Love!

How Much Does A Decent Guitar Cost?

A lot of people get hung up on how much guitars cost and wrongly assume that their goal as a player is to own the most expensive one available.

Cost does relate to quality but not in the way most emerging guitarists think.

The most costly guitars aren’t necessarily exponentially better than their midline siblings, just more elaborately decorated.

After one crosses the $2000 mark, additional spending usually brings diminishing returns as far as the playability and sound of an instrument.

Sure, showy figured woods, fancy inlay work, and a prestigious brand name are fun, but they don't make a guitar function any better than a similar instrument made with less audacious specifications.

If your goal is a solid and gig-worthy guitar, you shouldn’t have to spend more than $1000.

Quality entry-level guitars for all you beginners out there can be had for $300 or less, as new players don’t need anything fancy to get themselves started.

Do your research, ask some experts and you’ll find the proper new guitar for your playing situation.

Conclusion

Getting your step-up guitar is a momentous occasion for any advancing player, and I hope this article and buying guide helps you to find the right next guitar to take on your musical adventures.

Do you have any recommendations for the best acoustic guitar under 800 dollars?

If so, tell us about them in the comments section below!

See you again soon with another dose of information and inspiration!