Best acoustic guitars for beginners (UK)
The Yamaha FG800 is the first acoustic most adults can buy without regret, at around £279. The Fender CD-60S gets you a similar solid-top dreadnought for around £199.
Published 12 Nov 2026 · Last updated 14 Nov 2026
Quick picks
- Yamaha FG800 EDIT'S PICK · Adults and older teenagers who want a full-size acoustic that sounds better than its price · around £279
- Fender CD-60S BEST VALUE · Adult beginners who want a big-brand, solid-top dreadnought for as little as possible · around £199
- Fender CC-60S · Adults and teenagers who want a full-scale guitar in a smaller, easier-to-hold body · around £199
- Gretsch Jim Dandy Parlor · Children, smaller adults, and anyone who wants a sofa guitar with vintage looks · around £189
- Ibanez PC14MHCE · Beginners who want a cheap electro-acoustic with a cutaway and a built-in tuner · around £225
- Yamaha Storia II BEST PREMIUM · Beginners who want a stylish, comfortable concert guitar that's ready to plug in · around £349
No. 1 · EDIT'S PICK
Yamaha FG800
around £279 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
Yamaha's long-running entry-level dreadnought, with a solid spruce top, nato/okume back and sides, a nato neck and a 650 mm (25 9/16-inch) scale. There's no pickup.
Why we picked it
Guitar World names it the best beginner acoustic for adults, and Guitarist's Dave Burrluck, reviewing the matte-finish FG800M for MusicRadar, says it sounds close to a far pricier Martin dreadnought, if a little thinner and crisper. Reviewers keep coming back to the solid top, which is unusual at this price, the smooth, rounded neck and Yamaha's tidy build. The catch is size; Guitar World and MusicRadar both say the big body will be too much for younger players.
Best for: Adults and older teenagers who want a full-size acoustic that sounds better than its price
Skip it if: You're buying for a child or a small adult, or you want to plug into an amp.
| Body | Dreadnought; solid spruce top, nato/okume back and sides |
|---|---|
| Neck | Nato, rosewood or walnut fingerboard, 20 frets |
| Scale | 650 mm (25 9/16 inch) |
| Electronics | None |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 2 · BEST VALUE
Fender CD-60S
around £199 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
Fender's entry-level dreadnought, with a solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, a mahogany neck with Fender's "easy-to-play" profile and rolled fingerboard edges, and a walnut fingerboard.
Why we picked it
It's Guitar World's best beginner acoustic overall and MusicRadar's budget pick. Guitar World's reviewer found it a very playable dreadnought with a wide, well-balanced tone, Guitar World likes the slim, inviting neck, and MusicRadar says the rolled fingerboard edges make barre chords easier. The trade-offs are the usual dreadnought ones; MusicRadar notes the large lower body can be a stretch for smaller players, and that you may want more tonal depth once you improve.
Best for: Adult beginners who want a big-brand, solid-top dreadnought for as little as possible
Skip it if: You're small-framed, or think you'll want a pickup within the year.
| Body | Dreadnought; solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides |
|---|---|
| Neck | Mahogany, walnut fingerboard, 20 frets |
| Scale | 25.3 inch (643 mm) |
| Nut width | 43 mm |
| Electronics | None |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 3
Fender CC-60S
around £199 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
The concert-bodied sibling of the CD-60S, with the same solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, walnut fingerboard and easy-to-play neck, in a smaller body.
Why we picked it
Guitar Player picks it as the best budget beginner acoustic, saying the concert body suits players of most sizes and that the solid top gives a sweet, articulate sound for fingerpicking and strumming. Its 25.3-inch scale is long enough for adults. Guitar Player also says it isn't as loud as a dreadnought, and that you might outgrow it if you start gigging.
Best for: Adults and teenagers who want a full-scale guitar in a smaller, easier-to-hold body
Skip it if: You want the loudest, boomiest strum, or a pickup.
| Body | Concert; solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides |
|---|---|
| Neck | Mahogany, walnut fingerboard, 20 frets |
| Scale | 25.3 inch |
| Nut width | 43 mm |
| Electronics | None |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 4
Gretsch Jim Dandy Parlor
around £189 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
A small parlour guitar inspired by Gretsch's 1930s mail-order "Rex" acoustics, with a laminated basswood body, a nato neck with a C-shape profile, a walnut fingerboard with 18 frets and a short 24-inch scale.
Why we picked it
Guitar World names it the best beginner acoustic for kids and smaller players, praising the low action, the tidy fretwork and how well it held its tuning out of the box. The small body means less bass than a dreadnought; Guitar World describes the sound as bright but not brash. Larger hands may find the fingerboard cramped, and Guitar World's review of the Jim Dandy Concert found the open-gear tuners a little stiff.
Best for: Children, smaller adults, and anyone who wants a sofa guitar with vintage looks
Skip it if: You have large hands, or want a rich, full low end.
| Body | Parlour; laminated basswood top, back and sides |
|---|---|
| Neck | Nato, walnut fingerboard, 18 frets (12 to the body) |
| Scale | 24 inch, short scale |
| Nut width | 1.69 inch (43 mm) |
| Electronics | None |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 5
Ibanez PC14MHCE
around £225 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
A cutaway grand concert guitar with an all-laminate okoume body, a slim nyatoh neck, a laurel fingerboard and a 25-inch scale. Ibanez fits an undersaddle pickup and an AEQ-2T preamp with bass, treble, volume and a built-in tuner.
Why we picked it
Guitar Player names it the best acoustic-electric for beginners, pointing to the price, the warm tone, the comfortable compact body and the onboard tuner, which is handy when you're starting out. The cutaway makes higher notes easier to reach. Guitar Player is clear that a laminate top won't sound as rich as solid wood, and it only comes in one finish, weathered black.
Best for: Beginners who want a cheap electro-acoustic with a cutaway and a built-in tuner
Skip it if: You care most about acoustic tone, or don't like a weathered open-pore finish.
| Body | Cutaway grand concert; okoume top, back and sides |
|---|---|
| Neck | Nyatoh, laurel fingerboard, 20 frets |
| Scale | 634 mm (25 inch) |
| Electronics | Ibanez undersaddle pickup, AEQ-2T preamp with tuner |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 6 · BEST PREMIUM
Yamaha Storia II
around £349 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
A concert-size acoustic with a solid mahogany top, mahogany back and sides, a walnut fingerboard, a 25-inch scale, rounded body edges and a passive undersaddle pickup with no onboard controls.
Why we picked it
MusicRadar's Rob Laing calls it a must-try for beginners because it plays as well as it looks, and praises the low action, the bevelled body edges and a lively upper midrange. MusicRadar's budget guide names it the best cheap acoustic for gigs. The pickup is passive, so there's no EQ on the guitar, and MusicRadar says the small body isn't the loudest unplugged.
Best for: Beginners who want a stylish, comfortable concert guitar that's ready to plug in
Skip it if: You want tone controls for the pickup, or plenty of volume unplugged.
| Body | Concert; solid mahogany top, mahogany back and sides |
|---|---|
| Neck | Nato, walnut fingerboard, 20 frets |
| Scale | 634 mm (25 inch) |
| Electronics | Yamaha passive undersaddle pickup, no controls |
Retailer links coming soon.
How we chose
We started with the beginner acoustic guitars recommended in the 2026 guides from Guitar World, Guitar Player and MusicRadar, MusicRadar’s guide to cheap acoustics, plus individual reviews from Guitar World and MusicRadar. That gave us a shortlist of around a dozen guitars, which we cut to those on sale new in the UK now at roughly £150 to £400.
For a first acoustic, we weighed comfort and playability most heavily: a low action, a friendly neck and a body size that suits the player. A guitar that hurts to play is a guitar that goes back in its bag. Sound and build quality came next, with a preference for a solid top where the budget allows.
We also wanted a spread of needs. There’s a full-size dreadnought for most adults, a cheaper alternative, a smaller concert body with an adult-length neck, a short-scale parlour for children, and two guitars with pickups for anyone who wants to plug in.
Some well-reviewed guitars didn’t make it. The Taylor GS Mini and the Martin LX1E Little Martin cost well over £400 in the UK. The Tanglewood Blackbird TWBB-OE was sold out at guitarguitar, and Tanglewood’s UK site says that model isn’t currently distributed here. Epiphone has relaunched the Hummingbird Studio, but the expert reviews we found cover the earlier version.
This guide is based on manufacturer specs, retailer listings and expert reviews, listed below. We haven’t played these guitars ourselves. Prices are typical UK prices on the date shown beside each pick, and they move around Black Friday and Christmas.
Sources
- Guitar World: Best acoustic guitars for beginners 2026
- Guitar Player: Best beginner acoustic guitars 2026
- MusicRadar: Best acoustic guitar for beginners 2026
- MusicRadar: Best cheap acoustic guitars 2026
- Guitar World: Yamaha FG800 review
- Yamaha Europe: FG/FS800 series specifications
- Thomann UK: Yamaha FG800 NT
- guitarguitar: Yamaha FG800 NTII
- guitarguitar: Fender CD-60S Natural, Walnut Fingerboard
- guitarguitar: Fender CC-60S Natural, Walnut Fingerboard
- guitarguitar: Gretsch Jim Dandy Parlor, Rex Burst
- Andertons: Gretsch Jim Dandy Parlor, Rex Burst
- Scan: Gretsch Jim Dandy Parlor, Rex Burst
- Guitar World: Gretsch Jim Dandy Concert review
- Ibanez: PC14MHCE
- guitarguitar: Ibanez PC14MHCE, Weathered Black
- MusicRadar: Yamaha Storia II review
- Yamaha Europe: Storia specifications
- guitarguitar: Yamaha Storia II
- Mann's Music: Yamaha Storia II
- guitarguitar: Martin LX1E Little Martin
- Tanglewood Guitars: TWBBOE
- guitarguitar: Tanglewood TWBBOE Blackbird
FAQs
Do I need an electro-acoustic to learn at home?
No. Guitar Player's advice is that a pickup only matters if you plan to play through an amp or PA, or record through an audio interface. If you think you'll do that later, the Ibanez PC14MHCE and the Yamaha Storia II already have one.
Is a dreadnought too big for a beginner?
It depends on your size. Guitar Player and MusicRadar both say a full dreadnought like the Yamaha FG800 or Fender CD-60S suits adults and older teenagers, but its deep body and wide lower half can be uncomfortable for children. Concert and parlour guitars such as the Fender CC-60S and Gretsch Jim Dandy Parlor are easier to hold.
Is a solid top worth paying for?
Guitar Player thinks so, saying a solid top usually sounds richer and sweeter as your playing improves, which means you're less likely to need an upgrade soon. The Yamaha FG800, both Fenders and the Yamaha Storia II have solid tops; the Gretsch and the Ibanez are all laminate.
Should a child start on nylon strings instead?
Nylon strings are softer on the fingertips, which is why Guitar Player and MusicRadar say many younger beginners start on a classical guitar. Both also point out that most players move to steel strings eventually, so older learners may prefer to start on steel and get through the sore-finger stage sooner.
Last updated 14 Nov 2026.