13 Best Acoustic Guitar Under 3000 In 2023 And Buyers’ Guide

Anyone looking for the best acoustic guitar under 3000 dollars is definitely searching for a high quality guitar in terms of materials, tones, and playability. Whether it’s made from Taylor, Martin or Takamine, you’re looking for a real charming soul mate. It has to be something that makes you feel good when looking at, putting hands on, and listening to.

Today, the best acoustic guitar under 3000 dollars is not rare and limited anymore. You can easily go online or come to a guitar shop and take one home, as long as your budget allows. But the wide range of choices cause you analysis paralysis. You don’t know what to choose. You are overwhelmed by the options. You dig around to make the final decision, but what’s the best one available out there? 

That’s why in this post from Carroll / Fletcher, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the best acoustic guitar under 3000 dollars, and show you some suggestions so that you can decide the best one for you. So without further ado, let’s explore with us.

Best Acoustic Guitar Under 3000 Comparison 2024

MARTIN STANDARD SERIES D-18 Taylor 814ce Rosewood Grand Auditorium Takamine EF740FS
best acoustic guitar under 3000 best acoustic guitar under 3000 best acoustic guitar under 3000

Best Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Best Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar

Best OM Acoustic Guitar

** You will find our detailed reviews of the Best Acoustic Guitar Under 3000 below, also, click these following links to view the current prices and customer comments on Amazon.

Top Best Acoustic Guitar Under 3000 Reviews 2024

Yamaha A-Series A5R Cutaway Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar

  • Type: Dreadnought Cutaway 

  • Top: Solid Sitka Spruce with A.R.E. treatment

  • Back & sides: Solid Rosewood

  • Neck: African Mahogany

  • Fingerboard: Ebony

The A5R from Yamaha offers a wonderful experience for guitar players. The guitar top has been treated with Yamaha’s ARE to offer a more warm, vintage tone. The build quality is sturdy for travel, and the mahogany binding looks premium. The rosewood details add a vintage, heritage vibe to the guitar.

The ebony fretboard with rolled edges is super smooth. There are 4 knobs on the upper shoulder. It sounds good both when plugged and unplugged. The sound is clean. The intonation is perfect. The guitar comes with a nice hard case.

Takamine Pro Series 3 New Yorker Acoustic-Electric Guitar

  • Body: cedar top, sapele back and sides

  • Fingerboard: rosewood

  • Electronics: palathetic pickup with CT4B II preamp electronics

  • Guitar Pickup Configuration: Piezo

This is a parlor guitar with a smaller design than dreadnought guitars. It has a solid cedar top that is not only sturdy, but also improves the quality of the sound produced. The sides and the back are made of solid sapele that further enhances the solidity and the sound quality of the guitar. The body is quite heavy because of the electronics and hardware, making it quite bulky for a travel guitar, but if the weight is not a problem for you, this is one of the best acoustic guitars under 3000 dollars.

It suits a variety of music styles, especially folk. It has a built-in tuner and electronics, so you can easily plug it in an amplifier and perform on the stage.  The sound is not as boomy as bigger guitars, but you get the comfort and compactness. The palathetic pickup is super cool for live performances. It provides a clear, full sound mixed with sweetness and character.

Taylor 714ce V-Class Grand Auditorium Cutaway

  • Top Material: Lutz Spruce Wood

  • Body Material: Rosewood

  • Back Material:Indian Rosewood

  • Ebony Fingerboard

  • Mahogany Neck

This is an outstanding option in our list of the best acoustic guitars under 3000 dollars. This Grand Auditorium guitar is great for lots of styles, ranging from soft fingerpicking to burning strumming. It also has a cutaway which is convenient for reaching high frets.

The combination of Spruce top and Rosewood components has created a rich and powerful tone. The V-class bracing adds more power to the intonation, sustain and volume of the guitar. It comes with built-in Taylor electronics, which is great for performances. There’s a hard case included. 

The 714ce has all the features that make Taylors so famous among guitar players, and it’s great for those who love a big full crisp sound. The neck shape, fretwork and set up make it extremely comfortable for guitarists. The guitar produces a well balanced and impressive acoustic sound. The Taylor 714ce is a wonderful acoustic guitar that plays like a dream, sounds excellent unplugged or amplified.

Takamine EF360S TT Thermal Top Acoustic-Electric Guitar

  • Top Material: Alder Wood

  • Body Material: Rosewood

  • Back Material: Alder Wood

  • Solid Rosewood Sides

  • Mahogany Neck

  • Ebony Fingerboard

  • Gloss Natural Finish

  • TLD-2 Line Driver Preamp

  • Hard Case Included

This high end Takamine electro-acoustic guitar offers a delightful and vintage tone. The top is made from solid spruce treated with Thermal Top process. The woods are baked through a heating process that opens up the guitar, allowing the guitar to produce a unique and full tone. The built-in electronics feature TLD-2 Line Drive preamp and palathetic pickup, which deliver a bright warm sound.

The mahogany neck and the ebony fretboard are so smooth for players to play comfortably. The materials feel premium and high end.The fit and finish were spotless. The action is quite high, but this is not a guitar for easy playing. It has a wide neck for those playing fingerstyles and for strumming. The guitar also comes with a hard case.

Taylor Guitars 314ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic Electric Guitar

  • Top Material: Mahogany Wood

  • Back Material: Sapele Wood

  • Expression System 2 Electronics

  • Ebony Fingerboard

  • Mahogany Neck

This guitar from Taylor has a great design and wonderful attention to detail workmanship. It combines all of Taylor’s strengths, offering a fantastic tone when plugged and unplugged. The sound is bright, loud and deep. The sustain is incredible.

The neck and fretboard are smooth for fingerstyle and fingerpicking. The sapele back and sides are snugly to the player’s hand. The Expression System 2 Electronics offer a crisp and natural sound. If you love a modern sound with nice treble, this Taylor is very nice. But it doesn’t give you vintage woody sound.

Martin Standard Series D-18 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

  • Top Material: Spruce Wood

  • Body Material: Sitka-spruce; mahogany

  • Back Material: Mahogany

  • Dreadnought design

  • black ebony fingerboard

  • Bone nut and compensated saddle

The Martin D-18 is one of the most favorable guitars among guitar players. It has a dreadnought design. The solid sitka spruce top delivers a rich, crisp tone that gets better as you play. The mahogany back and sides contribute to the clear and punchy tone.

The forward-shifted scalloped X-bracing boosts the deep and rich sound of the D-18. If you’re looking for a Martin tone and experience, this guitar has it all. Its price is lower than D-28, but the quality isn’t lower. The tapered neck with low oval shape has given a slim feel to the guitar, which is great for people with small hands. However, the bridge is made of plastic.

Whether you play soft, hard, finger style, strumming or soloing, the D-18 still sounds great. Overall, this Martin guitar gives you great tonal clarity and resonance, and it deserves to be one of the best guitars under 3000 dollars.

Taylor 414ce-R – Rosewood Back and Sides, V-Class Bracing

  • Top Material: Mahogany Wood

  • Body Material: Rosewood

  • Back Material: Indian Rosewood

  • Taylor ES2 Electronics

  • Ebony Fingerboard

  • Mahogany Neck

The Taylor 414ce is an acoustic-electric guitar with a Grand Auditorium body shape and a cutaway for easier access to the higher frets. The materials give it a nice look, and a bright, natural, rich sound. The care put into the craftsmanship is excellent.

The Taylor 414ce features the Expression System 2, which amplifies the guitar’s unique voice in the most natural way possible. The sound is definitely spot on, and is great for many styles of music. The ebony fretboard is so smooth on the hand. You may be blown away by how gorgeous and versatile this guitar is. It comes with a hard case.

Takamine EF740FS TT Thermal Top Acoustic-Electric Guitar

  • Top Material: Solid Thermal Spruce Wood

  • Body Material: Solid Sapele

  • Back Material: Sapele Wood

  • Solid Sapele Sides

  • Mahogany Neck

  • Ebony Fingerboard

  • Natural Gloss Finish

  • TLD-2 Line Driver Preamp

  • Hard Case Included

This is a well made guitar with high quality materials and amazing sound. The ‘FS’ in its name stands for fingerstyle, which means it’s specifically designed for fingerstyle people. It has an OM shape with a wide neck and a cutaway for easier access to upper frets. SO it’s like a steel-string guitar with a classical guitar feel.

The top is treated through Thermal process, resulting in a darker look. The grains, stripes on the woods are striking and classy. The body is small and lightweight, so it may be a bit challenging at first to get used to the OM shape, but it is deep, so you get a lot of resonance and sustain. Overall, this guitar is definitely worth the money and time.

Blueridge Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar

  • Top Material: Spruce Wood

  • Body Material: Rosewood

  • Back Material: Mahogany Wood

  • Neck Material: Mahogany

Every Blueridge now comes with an exclusive sturdy, padded Blueridge logo bag

The solid spruce top combined with the scalloped braces offer tonal clarity and louder volume. The back and sides are made of premium rosewood that helps boost a strong bass. Mahogany neck is durable and easy to play. It has a parlor shape that is small and easy to hold.

The sound is mellow and deep. The guitar comes with an exclusive gig bag made of nice faux Chinese leather that has padding and seems to be sturdy enough to protect the guitar. Blueridge sound is more punchy, shimmering on higher notes. This guitar has an absolutely beautiful and even, well balanced tone. The wood quality is beautiful and the finish is almost flawless. The action may be a bit high.

Martin Standard Series 000-18 Auditorium Acoustic Guitar

  • Top Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Wood

  • Body Material: Mahogany

  • Back Material: Mahogany Wood

  • Body type: 000-14 Fret

  • Cutaway: Non-cutaway

  • Back & Sides: Solid Genuine Mahogany

  • Case Included

The Martin 000-18 has a unique vintage-inspired design and offers many features found in Martin’s pre-war era guitars. The 000 Auditorium body shape provides amazing projection and focus, as well as a well-balanced tone.

Whether you need a guitar for recording sessions or practice in your bedroom, this is a wonderful choice. Its slim profile is easy on your hand, allowing you to play for long hours. The ebony fretboard is so smooth and comfortable. The neck is fast. The guitar is perfectly designed for both fingerstyle and flatpicking.

The solid Sitka spruce offers a wide tonal range and amazing projection. As the years go by, the solid top would age and offer great tonal balance. 000-18 has a deep, boomy voice and a mellow top. The guitar also comes with a hard case.

Taylor 814ce Rosewood Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar

  • Top Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Wood

  • Body Material: Laminated-wood

  • Back Material: Solid Rosewood

  • Ebony fretboard and bridge

  • Expression System electronics with tone controls

  • Gold-plated Taylor tuners with gold buttons

The 814ce from Taylor is small and has an amazing sound. It’s very easy to play. The wood vibrates beautifully and creates clear, crisp sounds with resonation. It’s not very loud, so you may need an amp for performances. This is a serious guitar for serious players.

The guitar is perfect for playing solos and recording. It has the Taylor sound that Taylor lovers are looking for. The pickup system is modern. It has loud and fat bass, but not too much, is more of a vintage dreadnought. The midrange is rich and smooth.

With a high price, the 814ce comes with high expectations, and really surpasses them. It suits many musical settings, so you don’t have to wish for another guitar anymore.

Taylor Guitars 224ce-K DLX Koa Deluxe Grand Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar

  • Top Material: Solid Hawaiian Koa

  • Body Material: Koa Laminate

  • Back Material: Koa Laminate

  • Grand Auditorium Body

  • Scale Sapele Neck

  • Ebony Fingerboard

  • Taylor Expression System 2 Electronics

  • Full Shaded Edgeburst Gloss Finish, Chrome Tuners, Ebony Bridge with Micarta Saddle, and Tusq Nut

  • Includes Deluxe Hardshell Case.

This guitar from Taylor sounds very clear and sharp. The finish is glossy and looks perfect. The solid Hawaiian Koa wood offers you high quality sound. The craftsmanship is perfect. The design makes it so easy to play. While the Taylor’s ES2 electronics offer natural, bright sound, you can customize its sound by tweaking the controls, changing  the tone into something that better suits your playing style.

The case is very sturdy outside and velvety inside, and it has a nice handle. It produces a very well balanced sound overall. However, the bridge pins and truss rod cover is made of plastic, which many don’t like. But overall, the 224ce-K is an amazing guitar that ticks all the boxes.

Martin Standard Series OM-21 Acoustic Guitar

  • Color: Natural, Aging Toner

  • Body Material: Rosewood

  • Back Material: East Indian Rosewood

  • Fretboard Material: Ebony

  • Sitka Spruce Top

  • Ebony Fingerboard – Natural

  • Hardwood Neck

The OM-21 from Martin has 2 important features that fingerstyle players look for: the wider nut width and scalloped top bracing. It has a super slim, super fast neck, which is very easy to play. The Performing Artist neck profile, a shallow, tapered oval shape, is attractive to players with smaller hands or those used to electric guitars, because it makes it easier to reach around the neck.

The materials and finish look sturdy and luxurious. There’s nothing to complain about its look, as this Martin guitar achieves very high standards of build quality and presentation. The lower registers are plump, and the top end is jingly and clear. The tone would keep changing beautifully as you play.

The OM-21 is extremely responsive, delivering a solid tone from a very light touch. This is a solid and professional choice for any guitar player.

Buyer’s Guide: What To Look For In The Best Acoustic Guitar Under 3000 Dollars

best acoustic guitar under 3000

Are you planning to buy the best acoustic guitar under 3000 dollars, but overwhelmed by the diversity of options? Buying a high end and expensive guitar is a long-term investment, so a little bit of research beforehand is important. How a guitar differs from another in terms of tones, feels and playing experiences depends on numerous factors.

If you can understand these factors, choosing the best acoustic guitar under 3000 will be less of a headache. So let’s look at some characteristics that you need to consider when choosing a guitar.

Wood Types

best acoustic guitar under 3000

Spruce

This is the most common wood type for acoustic guitars. It delivers a bright and clear tone.

Mahogany

This wood has a strong, punchy sound that is suitable for blues.

Cedar

Cedar offers warm, rich tones that work well with fast finger picking.

Rosewood

Rosewood has a dark tone, with rich highs and mids and strong lows.

Maple

This is a very transparent wood type and doesn’t color the tone of the strings very much.

Wood top

Laminate wood tops are often cheaper than solid ones, so many budget guitars use laminate wood tops.

best acoustic guitar under 3000

Solid Top

Solid top delivers a more subtle, richer, diverse sound. The natural wood is also more durable and the sound gets better over time. Guitars at mid level to high end price range are usually made of solid wood top to offer the highest sound quality.Spruce, mahogany and cedar are the most popular types used for solid tops. Spruce offers a bright, loud and clear sound and is lightweight. Mahogany creates a full, warm sound that is perfect for country music and blues. Cedar delivers a mellow, deep sound.

Laminated Top

Laminate wood top is made from shards and layers of wood glued and compressed together. The sound created is constant and predictable. Laminate tops are often glossy and smooth.Each guitar can produce very different sounds from the other, even when made of the same wood type. Every guitar has its own beauty, so you shouldn’t get too bogged down about what the guitar was made with. It is entirely up to you to decide.

Tonewoods

best acoustic guitar under 3000

Tonewoods are used for the fretboard, body, neck and top of the guitar. Of course, they also affect the sound quality. Some common tonewoods are: maple, ebony, mahogany, rosewood, cedar, walnut, and sapele. Maple has low resonance and delivers warm, rich sound. Ebony is smooth and is mostly used for fretboards. Mahogany is often used in necks and creates a more controlled tone. Rosewood offers subtle overtones. Cedar has a bright sound. Walnut is loud and shimmering. Sapele is resonant and emphasizes treble as well as mid range.

Playability

Besides the sound and tone of the guitar, you should also consider the playability of the acoustic guitar such as the action height or the intonation.Action height is the distance between the strings and the fretboard. If the action is too high, it’ll be harder to play and you may have to put more pressure on the strings when you play. Low, even action is better.

best acoustic guitar under 3000

You should also check the guitar intonation. Proper intonation is when all the open strings and every note on the fretboard sound at their correct pitches. A well intonated guitar has a properly placed bridge, saddle and saddle angle. The truss rod is used to adjust the pressure of the strings and the angle of the neck. It affects the guitar’s age. All these factors determine the playability of the guitar and are a good starting point when you’re choosing the best acoustic guitar under 3000 dollars.

Brands

best acoustic guitar under 3000

There will surely be some brands that pop right up in your mind when it comes to guitar brands. For high end and mid level guitars, brands such as Fender, Yamaha, Taylor, Takamine, Martin have produced some of the most popular and well-known acoustic guitars, and they are loved by both new players and professionals all over the world. Those looking for high end options often choose Taylor and Martin guitars as these brands offer the highest quality choices.

Acoustic or acoustic-electric guitar?

best acoustic guitar under 3000

Acoustic-electric guitars can be plugged into amplifiers, which is suitable for those playing on stages. Because they have electronics in them, they are more expensive. Some even feature built-in tuners. Acoustic guitars need a microphone to amplify the sound.

If you’re only planning to play the guitar at home, you don’t really need an electro-acoustic guitar. But if you plan to perform on the stage some time in the future, it would be a good investment. Installing electronic components into an acoustic guitar can be costly later on. If you don’t have any plans yet, you can opt for an electro-acoustic one as a safe option.

Body

There are 4 common guitar body shapes: dreadnought, 000/OM, parlor and mini.Dreadnought guitar produces boomy and resonant sounds. The treble and bass are balanced. It’s also great for music with lots of strumming. Dreadnought design often comes with a cutaway so that players can easily reach high frets.

best acoustic guitar under 3000

000 – Auditorium and Orchestra Model (OM) have an hourglass shape. It’s smaller and easier to play. Its sound is mellow, and perfect for fingerpicking. OM has a wider neck, longer scale and the distance between the strings, and is great for small performances and recording. In the 000/OM family, there’s also the Jumboe, which is a larger model. Jumbo guitar is a combination of the shape and quality of classic guitar with the loudness of dreadnaught guitar. 

Parlor shape is larger than the mini shape and smaller than 000. It’s more suitable for mellow music and fingerpicking.

Mini guitar (or backpacker, or travel guitar) is the smallest model and is easy to bring when you travel. Because it has a small body, it doesn’t offer the same projection as larger guitars. It’s also a great option if you want to buy your child a gift.

There are other shapes which look fun and unique such as Ovation guitars or the Martin Backpacker models. However, the dreadnought shape is the most versatile one, as it goes well with most music styles and offers great projection, balance and playability. So it’s totally up to you to decide.

Body Size

best acoustic guitar under 3000

Full-size body is suitable for long-term use and long-hour playing. Smaller guitar is great for travel and small people. The key is to pick a size that you feel comfortable playing for a long time, because if you practice seriously, you’ll have to spend lots of time in your day with your guitar. It would be annoying if you’re too big or too small for the guitar.

Components

Neck shape is the profile of the back of the neck and it affects the playability of the guitar. Nut width affects the space between the strings and determines the comfort of the fretboard. Scale length is the distance between the bridge and the nut. The longer the scale, the more tension is put on the string. If you want to buy a high-end guitar, it means you are taking your music journey seriously and are ready to up your skill level. We’ve picked the acoustic guitars above based on how they fit the needs of a professional instrument and would serve you well in a wide range of situations such as composing, recording, and performing.

best acoustic guitar under 3000

High quality guitars are expensive because they are made with high quality materials and high quality craftsmanship. They offer more accurate and consistent sound. The tonewoods deliver a wider range, versatility and responsiveness.Guitars made from solid wood tops open up and resonate as they age, creating a more beautiful tone over time. They are also made of careful and attention-to-detailed workmanship, as well as strict quality control, so they are more solid, sturdy and durable.When it comes to guitars, it’s so wonderful that you can afford a high-end and high quality option. And as usual, it should always be the guitar that resonates with your soul, your ears and your hands.For more information about how to choose an acoustic guitar, you can watch this video:

Top 3 Picks Of The Best Acoustic Guitar Under 3000

Choosing the best acoustic guitar under 3000 dollars is no easy feat, as at that price range, you have many options to choose from. High end guitars are made of beautiful and durable materials and components, offer excellent sound, and the playability is great. Each of them is charming in its own way, and will make its own way to your heart (and ears, too). An outstanding guitar is also a long term investment, so if you can purchase a high end and high quality option, it’s totally worth the money.It would be better and easier if you are clear about what to look for in an acoustic guitar if you’re willing to spend lots of money on it. Based on the aspects that we mention above, you can easily pick the best acoustic guitar under 3000 dollars for yourself without sweat. And we also based on the characteristics above, the pros and cons of each guitar, to come up with top 3 picks as suggestions for you:

Best Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Best Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar

Best OM Acoustic Guitar

We hope this post is helpful for you to choose the acoustic guitar that fits your budget, your needs, and most importantly, you love to play and listen to. A good, high quality guitar can be your soul mate, as it can express your voice and understand what you need.Have you found the best acoustic guitar under 3000 dollars for yourself after this post? Or maybe you have a better suggestion? Either way, let us know by leaving a comment or question in the section below.

Thank you for reading this far! I hope that the information provided in this article will be helpful to you.

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