Best Acoustic Electric Guitar Under $500 (Jan 2023 Update)

Very nice playing guitar, sits right next to my Gibson LP and my Fender Stratocaster!!!! Plug it in to my Marshal amp and it will play and sound just great . I do think this was well worth every penny spent!!!! Best Regards Stevestepeye-0

I have 6 Other Guitars and have been playing for a number of years. The build quality is Okay but One Thing about the construction is the Machine Head mounting location for the "D" String and the "G" String are situated in such a way that the Strings run really Close to the Adjacent String. The Sound is also Very Bright and Lacks Warmth in Tone even with the Tone Control all the way Down. Having said that it has a Good Action but the Fretboard was really Dry. Not a Bad guitar for the Money.Mark K.

I love this guitar. It's such a joy to play and the tones are wonderful. The acoustic alone sounds fantastic, but the electric feature works awesome and the built in tuner is great! I am also impressed that the guitar came with two batteries, one of which was already installed. I am thankful to have my new guitar. To get the quality of a Fender guitar at this affordable price is a great way for me to get serious with my playing while I enjoy learning on it.michapicar

Great sounding and playing guitar, I replaced the synthetic saddle for bone, original was to tapered on the high E new saddle took care of that. Buy the epiphone or roadrunner jumbo case, nothing else fits, make sure if the guitar comes straight from the factory you use a humidifier in your case for at least 6 months. Especially in colorado. Then if you leave it out without a humidifier that you dont have forcrd Heat or air conditioning vents close to the guitar. This guitar has great projection.Kenny

After purchasing this guitar from American Musical Supply, I was really nervous awaiting its arrival because this was actually my first time purchasing an instrument online. I’m used to going inside music shops and trying out different gear and playing guitars before I buy them so I know that what I’m taking home with me already feels comfortable and right in my hands. This guitar in particular, however, is not a style that is normally kept stocked in the stores for customers to test drive before they purchase. Similar models are available in stores near me but I think anyone who has ever wanted this particular model from Epiphone knows that they have heard and felt the beautiful sound that projects from this big guitar and I am here to tell you that my “leap of faith” online purchase was nothing more than a huge win in my book! This guitar looks, sounds and plays just as I expected it would with much more to offer once it’s actually in your hands! I’m personally a country/blues guy so this guitar definitely fits right up that alley in my opinion. It feels so solid in your hands and the tone is just plain awesome! The Jumbo body allows the sounds inside the guitar to reverberate through your body as it’s pressed against you before making its way through the sound hole where it flourishes into that awesome deep, thick sound. From the factory the guitar is set up beautifully and very playable right out of the box. Quality parts, quality wood and quality electronics as expected from Epiphone and very well executed in this model. Definitely worth every penny for the undecided guitarist but hey, don’t take just my word for it! Pick up this awesome guitar from Epiphone through these good folks here at American Musical and set yourself up with one of their payment plans if that interests you! It’s an awesome way to be able to get the gear you need and the gear you’ve been wanting without breaking the bank right on the spot! Excellent Job by Epiphone once again and an excellent job by American Musical for supplying it at an awesome price and providing sweet payment options for your customers and future consumers!Billy

I once owned a Gibson J15, that I bought from Guitar Center, and I loved it, but I always wanted a J200, I just could never afford one. Well, I ended up having to sell my J15 to pay rent one month, and I ended up having some extra money from it, and thought why not give the Epi a try? It's closer to the Guitar I always wanted anyways. I was blown away. It has all the high end stylings of a Gibson J200, maybe even more if you consider the built in tuner and cutaway features for about 3000$ less. Well, unfortunately I only owned it for about a week before my car broke down and I had to return my Epi to pay for the repairs. I've regretted it ever since. I would have rather donated blood 50 times than have returned that guitar. (Fortunately I just got my tax return and repurchased it, and it seems like it sounds even better than before). As I was saying, it stacks up against s Gibson guitar nicely, the shadow preamp isn't as nice as any LR Baggs system but it will certainly give you lots of usable sounds. I think this is the best guitar in the 500$ price range and I'm disappointed in Guitar Center for not carrying it in store. I'm a firm believer in the fact that having a guitar you like, you like the looks of, you like the feel of, will make you a better guitarist, and that's what this beautiful, fat boy jumbo acoustic has done for me. I actually like mine so much I decided to put some money into it for upgrades, and I haven't been disappointed. I stuck some Grover Keystone tuners on it in gold of course ( had them on my Epi Les Paul before and thought would look cool so I just swapped them), some Martin ebony bridge pins, and some D'Addario EXPs and this thing sounds unreal now. So, if you're reading this because you're unsure as to whether you should buy this guitar or not, yes, you should absolutely buy this guitar and never look back.Anonymous

For what it is – a very cheap, small, travel guitar, this is great. You'll need a strap as it doesn't sit high enough on your leg to be comfortable to play. Also – the action was high, but a bit of adjusting with a belt sander on the saddle and that came down well. The scale length is short, but plays OK – takes a bit of getting used to from my full-sized acoustics. Putting a capo on it and making chords further up the neck is tight, but OK. Sound is very good for a travel guitar of this size. This would be a great kids guitar or even for an adult beginner. I did put 11s on it – sounds a bit weaker, but is fine, and that's what I use on my other acoustics. I had a washburn rover before – this is better, though not as small, but worth the extra size, I think. I have a GS Mini, which is much better, but a good bit larger, and much more expensive. Tuner works good, haven't tried plugging it in yet. Bought this for the boat – seems pretty sturdy.Alexander

I bought this guitar because I have chronic pain and am a small lady and found that even smaller acoustic guitars are too big and bulky and unplayable. I like to play high up on the neck so wanted a cutaway and occasionally perform so having an electro-acoustic version means it ticks all the boxes. When play acoustically it does sound really tinny, there's not getting away from that. It also tends to be unbalanced toward the neck end, so I need a strap to keep it in place. But it is much more playable for practice and I am almost managing to play bar chords again. Not chance on a normal size guitar. It has a full fret board just smaller but not too small.Michelle S.

I ordered this for my pastors wife who wanted to learn a new instrument. She is tiny ( less that 5 ' tall) and a full size guitar would not fit her body type. I was shocked when the guitar came in. The photos on line do not do the finish justice. I was even more shocked when I played it. Most student guitars in this price point have horrible action. The set up on this from the factory was great. It was very easy to play and the sound was extremely good for a thin body acoustic . Then we plugged it in. I could not believe the sound quality of the electronics in this guitar. On Sunday, I pulled out after church and let the music team take turns with it. Everyone that played it raved about every aspect of this little guitar. The instrument also came with a quality gig bag. The material was thick, padding was good, the zippers and hardware appeared to by sturdy. Even more importantly, she loved the guitar. I highly recommend that you consider this one for your beginner or intermediate guitar student. Both Children and small adults should be pleased with this one.Greg H.

I hate to be negative but….Here we go. I love the electronics (SST Technology) on some of the Ibanez brand Acoustic Guitars because it eliminates the need for an EQ and delivers a fuller, fatter sound than most acoustic guitars. That being said, I have to be able to play it first and foremost. Upon receiving the well packed and shipped guitar, I took it out of the box and fretted a Gadd9 and noticed a disastrous buzz on the high E at the 3rd Fret. Figured it just needs a set up and took it to my guitar guy who told me after adjusting the truss rod with no fix that the fret would probably have to be filed. This is a brand new guitar, the frets shouldn't need to be filed out of the box. American Musical was very helpful w/ trying to expedite me one last minute for Monday on a Friday afternoon (since I have to play on Monday) but we'll see what happens. This is the 2nd Ibanez Guitar in 3 months that I went through this with. I'm slowly getting turned off.JR Huffsmith

I got this as my first real guitar. It's an amazing guitar, the sound is really nice, more of a soft tone for finger picking. Plugged in it sounds pretty nice, I like the options with the fishman preamp. The tuner works pretty well. Now for complaints, it came in a brown color, which I didn't mind, the tuner for the G string is suuuuuupppper hard to turn, either it's too tight to turn, or way too loose, when I first got it it had an awful buzz, but when I got it in tune and played it some it sounded fine. Other than that a great guitar!Lord Potato

I am very happy with this purchase! It was sold as a factory second because of a minor flaw with the finish. To actually see the "flaw" you need to angle it just right in the light. It is NOT seen without close inspection. The pictures are not of good quality (they look splotchy). It is nice and easy to play as the strings are close to the neck (as I have seen with other Ibanz guitars). It sounded very good and I got compliments when I played it for a worship service. I had priced this exact model at musiciansfriend and it was $100 more expensive (with free shipping). So this is a very nice sounding, good looking guitar for a good price! Shipping was super fast (I live in Wisconsin where this came from).cheryloke_0

You get a 3/4 size acoustic guitar, of course, for the size. I already had the Yamaha APX500III which is a truly magnificent price-point instrument. The thinlne body moves you away from the bloat of a regular size dreadnought. All of the features of the larger brother are implemented in the APX Thinline 3/4: built-in tuner, volume and tone controls. The reason I wanted a comparable guitar in 3/4 size was to have it in my office nearby, ready to pick up at a moment's notice and for that it serves me perfectly. You can sit in an executive swivel chair and play this guitar comfortably. Do not delude yourself into thinking the big sound of the bigger thinline will transfer to the smaller guitar when play unamplified. When amplified the difference is slight. So now I have what I wanted – a quality price point smaller guitar that sits on a stand in easy reach for those moments when you need to reach out and find a way to explore a musical idea, run some scales, etc. Perfect solution!Jerry

Although I bought this guitar online from PMT (excellent service) I also posted a detailed review on Amazon UK where I also counselled against paying the stupid prices being charged by some of their affiliates. The PMT price was excellent. There were a few negatives with my guitar, all of which I was able to cure or tweak: the action was ridiculously high and until I altered the battery holder, the pickup and tuner wouldn't work. However, they were hopefully one-off problems. The guitar has far better tone that you might expect from an all-laminate guitar, especially if you play above the soundhole or at the end of the fretboard at around the 17th fret. Played with a hard pick it can sound a bit 'thin' but played with fingers or with a less aggressive 'attack' it has a really sweet sound. I am 75 with normally sized adult hands and do not find any problems with the fretting or scale length. Having made the adjustments, it's become my go-to acoustic guitar . . . and as I also have a GS Mini, that it is praise indeed. If you buy this guitar, I'd suggest changing the strings although the generic type which are fitted are OK. I changed them whilst shaving the saddle and fitted D'Addario 10's. This guitar is ideal for adult 'noodling' + a beginner of any age + a travel guitar. It has proved to be an excellent buy . . . for more detail, check out my review on Amazon UK but I doubt you'll find a better price or service than PMT.Alan S.

Funny thing about this world is that, a perfectly shaped, and sized acoustic guitar with modern electric pick-up and built-in tuner. The maker gives you a gigs bag, which is not much thicker than double bags from your local grocery store. And you must become religiously pious and pray that every time you go out of the door, that free gigs bag is gonna protect your $200 investment. I ended up purchased in extra, a Gator Hardshell case, GWE-acou 3/4. The case is still big, so I use some swimming noodles to pad up and cradle the guitar in full protection. The plush liner inside the hardshell case can be peeled up, so I can tuck in the noodles to form a snug fit. I also purchased an Amplifier, for practices and maybe buskering later. My setup of the case is not flight luggage safe, so if you are a frequent flyer, better ask nicely if you can give it to the cabin member to stow in the closet for you. I am personally happy with the sound range and volume, very little difference when compared with a full-sized guitar. The human comfort is better under your right elbow. The deal I got comes with a tuner, but the guitar already has a built-in unit running on 2 AA batteries. The free stand is ok.djadtoys

I had bought a Fender Acoustic 100 amp from here over a week or so ago which I love. The only problem was ,it doesn't work well with passive pickups as far as volume levels are concerned. I've been using a Taylor BBT along with a Duncan Woody SC which sounded great but just was not projecting the volume I needed . So I ended up going to a reputable dealer and ended up doing a cash/trade deal for one of these in the Natural finish just today. It is exactly what I have been looking for since I got my amp and it thanks to the Fishman Presys pickup, sounds great and projects the volume I needed and more in spades. I find that the tone on this one also projects more compared to the Mahogany model which I had for a while as well. I'm a happy camper and now have a rig that sounds really amazing that I can use with my solo Acoustic act.JeffO46

I just purchased this for my sister for Christmas as she tried to run away with a lot of my personal guitars. I was looking for a basic guitar but not too basic so that it wouldn't become boring too fast as she began advancing. This guitar is far from basic. In person, this is a fantastic looking guitar. I picked it up and fell in love, and I have never been too partial to Fender (however this is the first time I picked up a Fender acoustic). Pictures don't do it justice. The built in tuner is an awesome feature. I am actually very jealous and am having second thoughts about giving it away 🙂joehd8811

Wanted to try a double coursed instrument for lead playing. So I bought one of these open box and took off the octave strings leaving only the B and high E doubled. Tonally it's as fine as any mid range Martin I've handled, not as funky, purer sounding with better sustain than my myrtlewood Breedlove, Better made than, but reminds me of my rebuilt Yamaha 180 in character: it will grow mellow with age and only increase in value. Worth every penny.tapcity

I own and have owed dozens of guitars. Many makes and models. This includes hollow, semi-hollow and solids. I have built and rebuilt many. With that said…this APXT2 is a fine "baby" guitar. Of course one can not expect it to sound like the full size…even with the pick-up. The bigger the body the potential lower richer tone. I play it almost every day for practicing. It is very light weight and does provide good sound. It is perfect for travel. Anyone that plays guitar could enjoy owing one of these.lottaplenty

I got this travel guitar so I could have something to do at job site during lunch. In my little Toyota truck it fits quite comfortably in the driver seat. I choose this traveler due to size, value vs other little guitars. Also I liken having built in tuner plug in capabilities. I choose it against a baby Taylor, little Martin. Sound wise apxt2 sounds pretty good. It doesnt sounds as crisp as other travelers but thats why I have my high end guitar at home. Using this little guy has helped up my game.bojackson63

I bought this out of curiosity. Didn't expect much, got more. Pure acoustic, it's not much. I have played it every day trying to beat some tone into it. It has improved but I'm probably just getting used to the tone and accepting it how it is. Like all new string instruments the nut requires some use and powdered graphite so the strings will move freely and tune properly. This little guitar really likes standard tune best, tension and tone wise. I also think best tone is achieved with a soft touch, pick or fingers. Plugged in, it comes to life. I have been using a Bose S1 Pro and couldn't be happier. I think it will get a lot of use around the house, on outdoor adventures, road trips, etc. Really can't imagine I would use it as a primary guitar for a gig, but it might be effective for a particular miced sound or visual effect.LW

Good sound and feel, especially for the price. I honestly really enjoyed playing this guitar. However, it is quite disappointing that the craftsmanship was lacking, since I always took great care with handling it, and the bridge snapped in half. I was using it very often, so it may be best for beginners or for only periodic use.Nick

I bought this guitar because it was the cheapest acoustic in the store and I wasn't sure I'd stick with playing. I have had so much fun with it a year later I feel compelled to write a review! This guitar looks, feels, and sounds great, and mine rarely needs a tune-up despite regular use. Folks are saying the action is too high but I haven't noticed (and as a newbie maybe that's helped me build finger strength more quickly, who knows.) The only con I can think of is the sound is a tiny bit thin, but for a casual player like myself, that's no big issue. Anyway, I love this guitar and would absolutely recommend it for newbies/casual players. This is a great value instrument!Nomi

I have always had trouble with guitars. My hands are small and not very strong, so I've never had good luck trying to get good, consistent sound out of a guitar. It's just been too frustrating for me to continue. I also have a hard time feeling comfortable with the size and shape of most guitars I've tried. I've got limited funds to invest in an instrument and I wanted to make sure it was going to be an instrument that would let me play the things I wanted to play, and give me the range I was looking for. I've looked at banjos, classical guitars, and even junior guitars. But I always came back to the acoustic guitar in terms of sound and range. So when this guitar went on sale, I took the plunge and placed the order (after watching numerous video reviews, of course). I couldn't be happier! This is a gorgeous guitar that feels great, and it doesn't take much pressure at all to get a beautiful sound from it. It is wonderfully constructed. I had mine shipped to the store, which may have protected it. Either way, I didn't experience any of the construction issues I read in some of the other reviews, but also I was confident in the purchase guarantee of Guitar Center, and I knew I would have received a replacement if anything was wrong. It's definitely why I purchase through Guitar Center. Now I'm so excited about playing this guitar that I practice twice a day because it's so much fun and it sounds so great. As a new player, I simply couldn't be happier about this purchase. The onboard tuner makes it very easy to tune quickly. When I first tuned it, I used my Super Snark tuner to check the accuracy and they both matched exactly. I also purchased the Fender 20 watt amp and plugged it in. Wow! What a fun set-up! This is definitely a purchase I will treasure forever.Kristin

Look, just wanted to reply to some reviews that say this guitar sounds well…..thin. Duh, yes its not a jumbo acoustic or even a regular body acoustic. Its a thinline acoustic so it sounds just like what it is. Ive played several thinline guitars and they all sound…well…thin. That doesnt mean its cheaply made or a bad sounding guitar. It has its own sound. If you want a deep bass, then buy a jumbo or regular acoustic. I like the easy neck movement. The chords sound fine and this guitar doesnt require anymore tuning than any other in this price range. I tried ten guitars at guitar center including more expensive brands like fender, mitchell, yamaha and others and this was the only one under 400 dollars that stayed in tune from an E chord to a C chord. I bought it because Ive owned Ibanez before and never regretted it. To each his own but keep in mind a thinline guitar is not going to have a deep rich sound, but, I record my bass along with it so it sounds fine. It is what it is…a nice thinline acoustic-electric guitar.Kjmmusician

I had been playing a very old and very nice acoustic at church for night service, and didn't want to subject it to the rigors of live playing on a regular basis. After some research, it came down to purchasing a Talman or a Stratacoustic. I went with the Talman due to the price, and Ibanez's reputation. When the guitar arrived, I was a little apprehensive as the neck felt awesome, but the setup was awful. The strings were heavy gauge, and were set way too high. After some work shaving down the bridge, changing to light strings, and adjusting the truss rod, this baby plays great! I love that the electronics are really easy to use, and it was made to plug in. The sound when you are practicing unplugged isn't as full or rich as you get with a full sized acoustic, but this guitar wasn't made for that – it was made to be plugged in. I was able to eliminate having to use pedals to get the proper volume and EQ, which makes the live rig way easier to set up and tear down. I play it through a Line 6 spider II 75 watt head running through a Marshall 4×12 cabinet. The spider's clean channel is great for acoustic as it does not color the tone, and the Marshall is plenty loud for a church sanctuary. Overall, I am quite happy with the Talman, even though I had to put in some extra work to get it the way I like my guitars. It is a steal at the price if you have the skills and are willing to play with the setup.Stratbuilder

Bought this LH Fender because I wanted an acoustic. Overall the sound is good with the right strings. Within 3 weeks of purchase I had to have the neck adjusted and frets filed because they were inset too high. The sound overall is bright and vibrant. Had a couple times playing where the sound was not the best. Overall, it's a solid entry level guitar. Could be better but could be far worse.Phil

Overall: While this has a decent tone, it's not going to improve with age as the top is a laminated top–not solid spruce.Moreover, since this is a guitar targeting the beginning student, I mark it down because the setup is NOT conducive to the beginner. The action needs to be lowered and the Fender branded DuraTone strings it came from the factory with feel more like a medium gauge than a light gauge. I have a 12-string Yamaha that is easier to play than this.But to give it some props–the price includes a hardshell case–something no other guitar in this price range offers. And the abalone rosette is a nice cosmetic touch.The tuning machines turn smoothly and it does hold a tune very well.And for those who object to Chinese-made guitars, this was made in Indonesia.David

Generally, it is a great guitar. Many of you would expect a low volume for a mahogany top, back and side guitar. However, it's dreadnought style compensates for this and thus you will have a warm mellow toned guitar whilst still having plenty of volume. The guitar looks a lot better in real life than on the photos you may see on the internet. Contrary to the CD60S spruce top (built in Indonesia), this guitar is manufactured in China. The tone difference between CD60S spruce top and this one is small as the spruce top also has mahogany back and sides. This guitar however is one with great overtones. Being a novice, it is a great starting guitar. My only complaint is that the nut and saddle are plastic. The nut, in particular, causes the guitar to be in need of tuning every 2 or 3 days. However, this disadvantage is very manageable and if you prefer, you can spend a tiny bit of money to replace the nut with a bone nut at a guitar shop. If you webchat with a guitar center rep they might be able to give you a discount to cut the cost of this guitar to the price level of the cheapest possible for a major manufacturer's acoustic guitar.Dan the Beginner

. Now let me set the scene… I am a guitar lover (I can even play a little too) and a quality professional so My expectations are somewhat higher than most looking at this product. An absolutely beautiful instrument, this is my second SA360 and although they are no longer. Made in Japan, be assured they have not lost any of the build quality or attention to detail. The guitar was really well set up, is great to play, feels good in the hand and sounds the bee’s knee’s. If you are looking to start out in guitar playing get yourself an Ibanez Gio to start as a first upgrade from that, then the SA series is where you want to be at.Timbo

First of all, this is a gorgeous guitar. It looks just great. It has a big, rich sound even moreso than other larger bodied guitars I've seen. The tuner works great. I love playing it. A few minor issues. First, I find the action high, & the bridge is not adjustable. 2nd, the complaints others have offered about the fret edges being VERY rough are entirely true: you can practically leave your hand bloody, I'm sure, if you play long enough, just from being roughed up by the fret edges. I'll try filing them down & refinishing them, as some have suggested. Finally, you'll want to get rid of the strings & go with a lighter gauge, partly to alleviate the high action issue. I'd get this guitar again. I think it is a $500 – $600 guitar lurking for only a little more than half that price. But before recommending it to a friend, I'd point out these couple issues.DET

Poor quality control! Neck is a mess with all of the fret ends protruding and sharp. One fret is noticeably higher causing all kinds of issues. Inside edge of the sound hole is poorly finished and some of the ribs look rough, like they weren't sanded smooth. This one's going back!Bill

I’m a 54 yr old,pro player & guitar instructor, I’m always interested in budget guitars to suggest to students. I’ve found some feel cheap,or play horribly. This brand is quite the opposite, it has a solid feel, low action, rich bass and sparkling tone. I know those terms are tossed around a lot,listen to the demos on YT, this guitar sparkles like a nice acoustic should. The finish feels wonderful,it came with everything,a tuner, strap, extra strings,and a gig bag. The kit even came with a battery and a wrench to adjust the height of the action. The wrench works well, Ashthorpe has videos showing how to use it, The ELECTRONICS are what makes this instrument much better than the other budget acoustics on Amazon, It has a strong, rich equalizer onboard,u can do or subtract treble, or bass..or midrange..or the super high frequency string noises can be lowered or raised w the presence control. It has a volume control and a battery tester with LED right onboard. This electronics and preamp package is what you’d expect on guitars $300 or higher..It’s not Fishman or a famous brand, but it may as well be, it feels the same. I’ve owned over a hundred guitars, probably closer to 200 and I’ve never seen an acoustic electric with this kind of tone, feel and quality electronics in this price range..ever, if this guitar had no electronics,and was not electric-acoustic at all..it would still sell like crazy at this price. It’s almost hard to believe you get SO much for your hundred bucks. I have had acoustics where the case alone cost more than this guitar. Buy this model if you are considering a few different ones.. the thinline Ashthorpe makes is a smaller body, good for small hands, petite ladies or teens.. but the full size dreadnaught has the rich,thick bass u can feel in your body. The tone is better than the thinline,but a dread body can be big for some smaller people. The thinline was small and comfy,little more sparkly and less bass, but this model has the tone. And the way they laser etched the logo on the navy blue headstock is classy,it gives the whole guitar the expensive,modern vibe I go through guitars fast, I buy, sell, trade.and give some away to students…and I only wind up w the ones I LOVE. And I still have my Ashthorpe Dreadnaught Blue burst,it was a gift from my parents,.and has special meaning to me, Just buy this one,thank me later! forget the budget brands u see on Amazon..Ashthorpe users all leave great reviews, and for good reason.. the customer service is top notch too, a nice lady named Jennifer took great care of me when I had inquiries,and replied to my emails the same day, super quickly.Kevin G.(.I.

I purchased the guitar to play bottle neck slide on . Right out of the box it was easy to set up . Tuned up no issues. Nice action height , and really good sound . I would highly recommend the guitar . A real bargain for the money .Kevin

I’ve been a guitar instructor over 30 years, I’m a pro player with album credits on Warner, Gergen and more.. I’m 54 and playing since I’m 12 I own two Ashthorpe acoustics, this one in a dark butterscotch finish,and a full size dread in blue burst, The thinline has that tone like one of the smaller bodied guitars..bright,sparkly and up front. The body is not as thick as a big acoustic like my dreadnaught, but it is a full scale length adults acoustic.. they just made the body thinner for smaller folks to feel more comfy, The electronic package is superb,get it for that alone,you can plug in delays and effects, phase shifter and compressors, reverbs.. use the PA system or a small amp and play coffee house gigs, without the trouble of putting another Micah the guitar. The EQD section and the onboard controls are well made, useful and the eq points are musical and just right. It’s amazing how intuitive these designers were, they got just about everything right… the feel, the neck, the tone, the electronics..the finish.. it came with a strong gig bag ,not padded but rainproof and strong, like the nylon Tents and backpacks are made from..also a good electric tuner that works nicely,a cable,picks, a strap,extra strings..everything good quality and usable for a pro..maybe investing in a set of more expensive strings will help, the sets they provided sounded ok.but I’m guessing some high end strings would improve sound too,(Martin,Diaddario,Ernie Ball..etc) If u want something light and comfy, yet adult scale length with a pro feel and gorgeous woodwork, they’re out there.. but in this price range? There’s nothing available with the electronics package like this.. It’s so much fun playing with effects through an amp, this company is really awesome,they have instructional videos on YouTube and the customer service was polite,efficient and very pleasant.Kevin G.(.I.

I went into the local music store expecting to buy a Taylor 114 or Taylor 214 also. I picked up the 214 and it just wasn't the guitar for me. I picked up a fender 140 c e and it had no Bass to it at all hardly. Didn't like some of the other readers here I stumbled across another guitar thinking it was a fender and it sounded beautiful. To my surprise it was a Yamaha fgx800c. Never considered buying a Yamaha but it sounded as deep and Rich as I could have wanted. Just goes to show you when you listen with your ears and not with the name brand and price tag you get the same response many of the reviewers here got. You will need to add another strap button to the neck because it only comes with one. For the money this is Bar None the best guitar I think that is made. I went out of my way to write this review so somebody out there searching for a good acoustic guitar who leads worship at church as I do and in youth groups would not miss out on this deal!AndrewSGI

Bought a Fender guitar to practice with an acoustic guitar (I own 5 guitars total classical, electric, and travel guitars). The bottom bridge came unglued after ten days of taking it home, so I wanted something different and better built. I wanted to stay in the $800 or less budget, so I headed to Guitar Center; I played with over 30 guitars for over two hours (including Taylors and the mini travel Martin's). I stumbled on this Yamaha which had the most clear rich sound! I was very impressed with the quality of the electronics; particularly the tuner! I took it home and plugged it up to my amp, and once again, I was very impressed with the guitar's capabilities! I highly recommend this guitar even when it never crossed my mind to own a Yamaha.Tavo

I'm backing up a woman who writes, plays a Taylor, and sings like an angel. We play at some venues that are crowded with lots of other musicians running around on and back stage. I had been playing a $3600 Martin HD-18V and was somewhat nervous about it getting damaged or stepped on. So I set out to find reasonably priced guitar with good sound. I hit all the local music stores in the Atlanta area and played just about everything on the market for under $1000. NOTHING came close to the Yamaha FSX800 and FGX800 series as far as consistency, quality, playability, or PRICE. To get a Martin or Taylor that sounded and played this good, one would have to spend at least 700, and more like $1000 to get a comparable guitar. One that that really stood out to me as I spent 2 days of test driving acoustics all over Atlanta was the incredible consistency in the Yamaha guitars. Even in their models that were under $200. So with the intention of having a nice sounding a playable "insurance policy" substitute for my Martin, I ended up with a great sounding guitar that I really enjoy. And, if it were to be stolen or demolished, I now know that I could get a replacement for it that would be as good. While it's not quite the guitar that my expensive Martin is, it really lacks nothing. It's sounds good and plays good. It's fun to play and is incredibly loud. The electronics (when plugged in) actually sounds as good or better than my music partners $2K Taylor. Strongly recommend anyone looking for a good quality acoustic guitar to check out Yamaha. These guys have really nailed it.Very Yahama-pleased

. Now let me set the scene… I am a guitar lover (I can even play a little too) and a quality professional so My expectations are somewhat higher than most looking at this product. An absolutely beautiful instrument, this is my second SA360 and although they are no longer. Made in Japan, be assured they have not lost any of the build quality or attention to detail. The guitar was really well set up, is great to play, feels good in the hand and sounds the bee’s knee’s. If you are looking to start out in guitar playing get yourself an Ibanez Gio to start as a first upgrade from that, then the SA series is where you want to be at.Timbo

After allowing the guitar few weeks to adjust and giving it a good set up including new strings and a neck adjustment (tightening the rod), Conditioning the fret board and a good polish, The guitar is easy to play and has great sound for an inexpensive guitar. I like the So Cal green color others may not as it is a vintage vibe. Tuners are price point but even price point tuners these days are decent. A little sticking from the nut, I think I can lightly file that out and add some nut sauce. The fret ends were not too sharp but I conditioned them to a nice smooth finish useing 500 grit sponge. Very little cost to make improvements and the guitar is fun to play. The sustain is probably the biggest suprise and I am satified to practice with this guitar every day. Very pleased for the cost. Good value.Bruce P.

Guitar is ok for the price; however, I was expecting the strings to last longer than 2 days before breaking. Even the extra ones that came with the bundle broke as I was putting them on. I had to buy better ones and had a professional put them on to make sure they were adjusted correctly. Additionally, the small tuner's battery was dead out of the box so I had to get a new one. Again, I guess you get what you get for the price. On a positive note, the guitar looks nice, the small amps is super convenient, and everything arrived fast and together in one box.Luis L.

The guitar did not have the black scratch panel that is shown in the Sunburst guitar. Also, when my son opened the gift guitar, the black bag was covered in a white mold/mildew. It was delivered one week before his birthday and kept in a dry room, and opened for the first time on his birthday. The guitar seems ok, I will know more when someone with some guitar knowledge checks it out for me. It may be going back to the store. The pictures show exactly what the bag looked like minutes after the gift was opened. Looks rough, 2 stars are for the fact that the guitar was not moldy.Kacee

Great sounding guitar, electric or acoustic. Easy & fun to play I bought this guitar as a backup for just in case My 66 Gibson LG-0 fails or string breaks at a gig. The next day after it arrived & played it live plugged in for 2 hrs. It was great. Deep bass & clear highs. The only thing that was a little bit of a bummer was only a cosmetic, in my opinion flaw. You can see where they marked the frets for installation of the wire with a hand marked, magic marker on each fret. Then they must have gotten a little wild because there is an actual magic marker mark on the fretboard for no reason. We laughed about it being from china & kept playing. For the money its a great guitar.Gibtard of the year

Right out of the box I noticed a horrible buzzing (bad action) and it couldn't be tuned properly. Poor callibration. No hesitation. Returning as soon as possible for something of better quality. Ibanez isn't what they used to be. Done with them. So disappointing.Beev

Overall: I purchased this guitar in February and it arrived unplayable. I was unable to review for this reason. Due to living in a remote location and being disabled it was to dificult to exchange, however, zZounds was very prompt at trying to help me return it. Unfortunately my caregiver had to throw away all the packaging. So my fault I couldn't return. I have purchased many ibanez guitars and this was the first time I had a problem. However, it's pretty obvious ibanez knew about this when sending the guitar to zZounds. So a little disappointed. So I'm unable to try this guitar, however, zZounds was very prompt and the customer service was great. I just can't return it and that's my fault. I would still recommend this guitar and zZounds.Kenneth

Looked good online but like someone else said it's like a toy I should have listened. I was told since I didn't like it I would have to pay return shipping and ups quoted me eighty five so I called guitar center and they said I could return it there. I did and they were very nice and it went back on my cardDavy E

This has been a great entry level (or more?) guitar. Been using it with youtube videos and Rocksmith and everything works as advertised!ROBERT