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Best of Both Worlds: The Best Acoustic Electric Guitars

  1. Takamine G Series Acoustic Electric Guitar
  2. Martin Acoustic Electric Guitar
  3. Taylor Acoustic Electric Guitar
  4. Martin Retro Acoustic Electric Guitar
  5. Ovation CE44P-SM Acoustic-Electric Guitar
  6. Buyer's Guide

The acoustic electric guitar combines the best of both worlds for guitar players. On their own, they provide guitarists with a full-on acoustic experience just like any other acoustic guitar does. They can also can be plugged in to an amplifier/speaker during performances or into an audio interface when you’re ready to record. Like any instrument purchase, picking out an acoustic electric guitar is more than just a matter of finding what looks good. We’ve outlined some essentials to consider in our buyer’s guide and you can check our list for the best acoustic electric guitars in 2022 which you can find below.

Jam out with the top acoustic electric guitars on the market

best Takamine G Series Acoustic Electric Guitar

Takamine G Series Acoustic Electric Guitar - Best Acoustic Electric Guitar Overall

There are numerous reasons why Takamine’s G Series GD10CE-NS is an ideal choice for beginners who are looking for a great acoustic-electric guitar. One is the instrument’s price tag, which falls way below the type of sound that this guitar offers. Another is the full and balanced sound that comes from its mahogany sides and back and spruce top; you’ll have no issues getting bright and defined sound from both the bass and treble ends of the frequency range. This guitar also comes equipped with a pin-less rosewood bridge which enables players to change strings quickly and easily, a task that can often be frustrating for new guitarists.

The electronics in the GD10CE-NS also offer many features useful to players of all skill levels. The TP-4T preamp system offers an onboard built-in tuner alongside its tone and volume controls. This acoustic-electric guitar is also extremely easy to play, thanks to its slim neck, made from satin-finish mahogany. While it’s definitely a starter’s guitar, it surprisingly delivers on all levels. Close your eyes and you may not be able to even tell the difference between this and a pricier option.

best Martin Acoustic Electric Guitar

Martin Acoustic Electric Guitar - Runner Up

The lineage of fantastic Martin acoustic guitars goes way back before the existence of the HD-28VE acoustic-electric guitar, but its manufacturers have taken care to ensure that this newer instrument continues to give a nod to the legacy of its past. The HD-28VE is a modern, acoustic-electric update of the HD-28 series, which was itself a nod to the company’s legendary herringbone style 28 guitars.

The HD-28VE still sports that herringbone trim top, which when coupled with the traditional zigzag backstrip, gives this axe a classic and esteemed appearance that properly signifies just how great it actually sounds. The HD-28VE’s Sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides contribute to a tone that is rich and full. That sound is only enhanced by the company’s scalloped X-bracing, which allows the sound to vibrate more freely and subsequently produces a louder and more resonant tone.

On the electronic side of things, a Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend pickup offers the detailed and nuanced sound this guitar deserves. And with a limited life-time warranty and hard-shell case included with purchase, you’ll never have to worry about damaging what’s sure to soon become the latest addition to your guitar family.

Taylor Acoustic Electric Guitar - Honorable Mention

The Taylor 614ce First Edition ushers in the company’s re-voiced maple 600 series, which aims to bring the bright tone of the guitar’s maple build to an even warmer and richer place, thanks to some refinements in the way that the instrument is built. Protein glues have been implemented to improve the transfer of tone between the key wood components of the guitar, and a maple-specific back-bracing profile enhances the responsiveness. Additionally, a torrefaction roasting process has been applied to the Sitka spruce top, which improves the resonant sound and response of the guitar.

The Expression System 2 electronics in the 614ce First Edition bring a clear and rich sound to the amplification of this instrument, thanks to a behind-the-saddle design of the piezo technology. The location of three individually calibrated pickup sensors gives a wider range of dynamics and provides a tone that is more accurate and can create sounds which are out of this world. This signal is able to be tweaked and improved upon further thanks to volume and control knobs. There’s also a preamp whose gain structure comes in at a hotter signal than previous designs, allowing players to get quicker results after plugging in to a mixer.

best Martin Retro Acoustic Electric Guitar

Martin Retro Acoustic Electric Guitar - Consider

If you were to play a Martin D-45E Retro with your eyes closed, it would be difficult to tell the difference between this new instrument in your hands and a classic, vintage sound of a guitar several decades old. That’s because Martin’s Retro series is dedicated to capturing the sounds of the past, an endeavor that is aided by the company’s faithful attention to detail in choosing the same tone woods used on the original models on this acoustic-electric guitar. The forward-shifted scalloped X-bracing on the D-45E Retro provides a warmer bass response, as the top is able to vibrate more freely.

 The Fishman F1 Aura Plus electronics offer a variety of sounds and options should you choose to plug this thing in. In addition to onboard EQ, compression, and feedback suppression, this dynamic sound system also allows guitarists to choose from a wide range of acoustic model sounds, use the under-saddle pickup, or even blend the two for a combined sound. A built-in tuner is also added into the mix, and is even accessible when the guitar is not plugged in, meaning no matter where you go, you’ll be able to tune up in seconds.

While built-in tuners and acoustic modeling presets may seem out of step with the way that things used to be in the golden age, all of these features have been lovingly crafted and implemented in a way that only furthers the sounds of yesterday, all while making it easier to do what you want to do when you pick up a guitar.

Ovation CE44P-SM Acoustic-Electric Guitar - Best Acoustic Electric Guitar Overall

With the A3R acoustic-electric guitar, Yamaha has provided a high-end instrument that is way more affordable than one might think it would be. The dreadnought body style of this guitar truly embodies what acoustic players have come to love about their instrument. This guitar really projects and resonates seamlessly, and it only gets better as you play it more aggressively. The solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides give this guitar a particularly bright and resonant sound. There’s also a mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard which darken the tone a bit to create more of a balance. The neck profile on this axe makes it extremely comfortable to play, too.

If you’re going to build an instrument that sounds so great and balanced on its own, it would be a shame to lose that sound in the translation process that occurs when the signal is routed out electronically. Luckily, Yamaha dodges that bullet with ease, thanks to the SRT electronics system built into the A3R. The technology implemented into this pickup system carefully analyzes the sound of each string and re-creates a sound that picks up on all the subtle nuances of your playing, so you never have to worry about sounding thin or “plugged in”, even when you are actually plugged in! The preamp controls in the system also allow you to customize your sound to best fit your playing environment, whether you’re onstage solo, playing in a band, or recording in the studio.

Buyer's Guide

Although acoustic electric guitars can be plugged into speakers or recording devices like their electric counterparts, it’s important to recognize acoustic electric guitars are their own specific type of instrument. For one, they’re built differently than regular acoustics; unlike electric guitars relyingh on pickups to transmit audio signal, acoustic electric guitars most often use a compact piezoelectric microphone attached to the guitar body to pick up the sounds. Here are some other factors to consider when buying an acoustic electric guitar.

Acoustic Electric Guitar Parts

There are different parts that comprise an acoustic electric guitar, and each part can be made from a different type of wood. The top, back, neck, and sides are generally regarded as the most important parts of the body; meanwhile, the fretboard, bridge, and binding also play a significant (if not slightly less important) role in shaping the sound and tonality.

Neck

The neck is one of the more easily identifiable pieces of the acoustic electric guitar. This area is where the instrument is held, it houses the frets that enable players to play notes, and it obviously also displays the strings.

Intonation

Intonation is the system by which an acoustic electric guitar’s notes play in tune as the player moves up the fretboard of the neck. Without proper intonation, a guitar won’t stay in tune and is useless for both live performance and recording.

Rosette

An acoustic electric guitar’s rosette is a stylized inlay located near the sound hole of the instrument. While the rosette has little to no impact of the sound of an acoustic guitar, it does change the visual appearance and character of the instrument.

Bridge

The bridge is the small wooden piece located directly below the sound hole of an acoustic electric guitar. This piece anchors the strings and transfers their vibration to the soundboard of the instrument.

Fret

An acoustic electric guitar’s frets are the small metal strips dividing the neck and fretboard into smaller sections. These frets are carefully measured into half-step increments and consequently enable guitarists to play different notes on their instrument.

Fingerboard

The fingerboard is also referred to as the fretboard. It’s the piece glued to the face of the neck and houses the frets divided by half-step increments.

Tuning Keys

The tuning keys are the small knob-like pieces located at the top of the acoustic electric guitar on the instrument’s headstock. By tightening and loosening the tuning keys, guitarists raise or drop the pitch of the strings, effectively tuning the guitar.

Headstock

The headstock is located at the top of the guitar. Its primary function is to hold the tuning keys.

Machine head

A machine head is an alternate term for the tuning key. These are also sometimes referred to as tuning pegs or tuners.

Binding

An acoustic electric guitar’s binding is utilized to compliment the look of the instrument’s body, neck, and/or headstock. Typically comprised of wood or plastic, this component doesn’t do much to affect the sound of the guitar, but gives it stylized character.

Pickguard

As its name implies, the pickguard is designed to help protect the body of the acoustic electric guitar from any wear-and-tear that would occur from strumming and picking at strings. It is located below the soundhole.

Finish

An acoustic electric guitar’s finish is another name for the final coating that is applied to the surface of the instrument.

Wood Type

The kind of wood that a guitar is made of has a two-fold effect – it obviously makes a difference in the physical appearance of the instrument, but can also alter the sound/tone of an acoustic electric guitar. As a rule of thumb, the denser the wood type, the warmer the tone of the instrument will be. Conversely, thinner wood leads to a brighter overall sound.

Cedar

Cedar tends to produce a brighter and more trebly tone. Because of its quick response, many players who favor fingerstyle picking prefer to play cedar tonewood instruments.

Spruce

Spruce is generally regarded as the standard for acoustic electric guitar tops. It provides excellent resonance and is responsive to a high velocity of sound.

Mahogany/Kao

Mahogany and kao emphasize more of the mid-range/low-end side of the spectrum when it comes to acoustic electric guitar sounds. Its “punchy” tone has made it an ideal choice for country and blues players.

Maple

Maple has a low response rate and internal damping, so it is generally only used for the side and back of acoustic electric guitars, as opposed to the top. Its dry and high-end favoring tone makes it an excellent axe for musicians playing live with other instruments, as it tends to cut through the mix with greater ease than other types of acoustic electric guitars.

Rosewood

Rosewood provides strong mid and high tones and is one of the more popular woods used on acoustic electric guitars. With a strong attack and sharp resonance, it is also used frequently for bridges and fretboards.

Body Style

Just as regular acoustic guitars are built in a variety of body shapes and styles, acoustic electric guitars often follow the same format. Most acoustic electrics can be categorized into one of four body type categories: parlor, classical, Dreadnought, and concert/full size.

Concert

The Concert style concert, commonly referred to as a full-size, is generally regarded as the standardized size for adult-size acoustic guitars. They provide a good range of tones, although the Dreadnought style guitar is more adept at handling lower, bass tones; this is because it is the largest of guitar styles and features a large and deep body.

Parlor

Parlor style guitars are smaller than concert style guitars and easier to transport.  One of the biggest differences for classical guitars and the other types of guitars is the fact that they use nylon strings instead of steel strings. They’re also designed for a fingerpicked style and subsequently produce a very different sound than the other kinds – much warmer, and better suited for styles such as flamenco and, of course, classical.  Classical guitars also have a wider fretboard than any other type of guitar.

Electronics

While most acoustic electric guitars amplify their sound using a compact piezoelectric microphone attached to the body of the guitar, they also employ other features working to produce the final sound. These models require a preamplifier that amplifies the audio signal before routing to an outside speaker like an amplifier or a PA. This device is built into the guitar’s body as well, and also allows players to adjust parameters such as volume, EQ, and tone.

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