In recent years, the acoustic electric guitar has exploded in popularity, allowing you to get the acoustic sound you love with the convenience of an electric guitar. If you’re looking for an acoustic electric guitar that’s great for a beginner or an experienced guitarist, you’re in luck. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. To make the process easier, we’ve rounded up some of the best acoustic electric guitars under $500, so you can find the perfect one to suit your needs and budget.
Best Acoustic Electric Guitars For Under 500
| Rank | Product Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
|
1
 |
Yamaha FGX800C Solid Acoustic-Electric Guitar
|
9. 7
|
|
2
 |
Fender CD-60SCE Acoustic-Electric Guitar
|
9. 5
|
|
3
 |
Ovation Applause 6 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar
|
9. 1
|
|
4
 |
Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar
|
8. 8
|
|
5
 |
Ibanez AW54CEOPN Acoustic/Electric Guitar
|
8. 6
|
|
6
 |
Fender CB-60SCE Electric Beginner Bass Guitar
|
8. 2
|
|
7
 |
Takamine GD11MCE-NS Acoustic-Electric Guitar
|
8. 0
|
|
8
 |
Martin LXME Little Martin Acoustic-Electric Guitar
|
7 .7
|
|
9
 |
Taylor Guitars Baby Mahogany-e Acoustic-Electric Guitar
|
7. 4
|
|
10
 |
Taylor BBTe Big Baby Taylor Sitka and Walnut
|
7. 2
|
1. Yamaha FGX800C Solid Acoustic-Electric Guitar
I recently purchased a Yamaha FGX800C Solid Acoustic-Electric Guitar and I am absolutely in love with it. The sound quality is amazing and it has a great finish. The neck is comfortable and it’s easy to play. The strings are well made and stay in tune for long periods of time. I’ve been playing it for about a month now and I’m consistently impressed with the response I get from the instrument. The pick-up system is also great and I can plug it into an amp and get a wonderful sound. I would highly recommend this guitar to anyone looking for an excellent acoustic-electric instrument.
- Solid spruce top
- Rosewood back and sides
- System 68 preamp with 3-band EQ and built-in tuner
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Non-scalloped X bracing
- 1/4″ output jack
- Diecast tuners
2. Fender CD-60SCE Acoustic-Electric Guitar
I recently purchased the Fender CD-60SCE Acoustic-Electric Guitar and it has been a great addition to my collection! It is a very well-made instrument and I can tell it will last for many years to come. The sound quality is excellent and the electric capabilities make it a great choice for playing live. The neck is smooth and easy to play, and the built-in tuner is a great feature. The overall look of the guitar is very eye-catching and I am proud to own it! Highly recommended!
- Solid Sitka Spruce top with scalloped X-bracing
- Mahogany back and sides
- Easy-to-play neck with rolled fingerboard edges
- Fishman® Presys pickup/preamp system
- 25.3 scale length
- Bi-Flex truss rod system
- Dot position inlays
- Die-Cast Tuners
- Compensated saddle
3. Ovation Applause 6 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar
I recently purchased the Ovation Applause 6 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar and I am absolutely in love! The sound is amazing and the craftsmanship is top-notch. It has a beautiful glossy finish and the strings are very easy to play. The pickups are great and make it very easy to plug into an amp or mixer. The built-in preamp also makes it easy to adjust the sound. I highly recommend this guitar to anyone looking for a great sounding, high-quality instrument. It has definitely been worth the investment!
- 6-string acoustic-electric guitar
- Solid spruce top with quarter sawn scalloped bracing
- Mid-depth Lyrachord body
- Figured maple neck with an ergonomic design
- Rosewood fretboard
- Ovation preamp and OCP-1K pickup
- Chrome hardware
4. Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar
The Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar is an excellent choice for a beginner or experienced player who wants an acoustic-electric guitar that looks and sounds great. The solid spruce top provides a bright, clear tone, and the mahogany back and sides offer extra warmth. The built-in Fishman electronics provide plenty of volume and tone control to shape the sound, and the die-cast tuning machines make it easy to keep the guitar in tune. The CD-60SCE also has a cutaway body style, allowing easy access to the higher frets. I was impressed with the sound, quality, and playability of this guitar. It’s a great value for the money and I would highly recommend it.
- Dreadnought body shape
- Solid spruce top
- Mahogany back and sides
- Satin-finish neck with “Easy-to-play” profile
- 20-fret rosewood fingerboard
- Fishman® Presys pickup system
- On-board tuner
- Graphtech® NuBone® nut and saddle
- Nickel-plated die-cast tuners
5. Ibanez AW54CEOPN Acoustic/Electric Guitar
I recently purchased the Ibanez AW54CEOPN Acoustic/Electric Guitar and couldn’t be more pleased. The guitar has a beautiful finish and the sound quality is amazing. The guitar is easy to play and the action is low, making it easy to get a good sound out of it. The pickup system is great, allowing you to plug in and get a great sound when playing live or recording. The built-in tuner is also really useful. Overall, this is an excellent guitar and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great sounding and playing acoustic/electric guitar.
- Fishman Sonicore pickup for natural amplified sound
- Onboard Ibanez AEQ-SP1 preamp with onboard tuner
- Mahogany back & sides and a solid spruce top
- Smaller body depth for comfortable playing
- Rosewood bridge and fretboard
6. Fender CB-60SCE Electric Beginner Bass Guitar
I recently purchased the Fender CB-60SCE Electric Beginner Bass Guitar and I’m absolutely in love with it! The sound is amazing and the instrument is so easy to play. The action is smooth and the tone is incredibly deep and rich. The bridge is adjustable and the strings are of good quality. The finish looks amazing and it feels very solid overall. The bass is light enough to carry around without any trouble, and the price is great too. I highly recommend this bass guitar to any beginner, or anyone looking for a good quality electric bass. It’s a great value for the money, and I’m sure it will bring you many years of musical enjoyment!
- Solid spruce top
- C-shape maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard
- 20 medium jumbo frets
- Single humbuckers for robust and full bass sound
- 4-band EQ for tone-sculpting
- Built-in tuner for accurate and easy tuning
7. Takamine GD11MCE-NS Acoustic-Electric Guitar
I recently bought the Takamine GD11MCE-NS Acoustic-Electric Guitar, and I’m absolutely in love with it! The sound that comes out of this instrument is simply gorgeous. It has a very smooth and rich tone, which allows me to play any style of music that I want. The electronics and controls are very easy to use, and the overall construction is high quality. I appreciate the fact that it comes with a built-in tuner, which makes tuning my guitar a lot easier. I would highly recommend the Takamine GD11MCE-NS Acoustic-Electric Guitar to anyone looking for a great quality instrument.
- Body: Solid Spruce top with Mahogany back and sides
- Neck: Mahogany with a Rosewood fingerboard
- Hardware: Takamine TP-4TD preamp system with built-in tuner, 3-band EQ and gain controls
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Strings: D’Addario EXP16 Light strings
- Construction: Dovetail neck joint
- Finish: Natural Satin
8. Martin LXME Little Martin Acoustic-Electric Guitar
I recently purchased the Martin LXME Little Martin Acoustic-Electric Guitar and I am extremely pleased with my purchase. It is a great sounding, lightweight, and affordable guitar. The sound is bright and full, with a great balance of highs, mids, and lows. The quality of materials and craftsmanship are excellent. The neck and action are comfortable and the fretboard is smooth and easy to play. The built-in electronics are excellent as well, allowing me to plug in and amplify the sound with ease. Overall, I highly recommend this guitar for anyone looking for a quality, entry-level acoustic-electric guitar.
- Compact size with full-scale 24 playing length
- Sitka spruce top with X-bracing
- Mahogany HPL (high pressure laminate) back and sides
- Modern neck profile with a satin finish
- Fishman Sonitone electronics with built-in soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls
- Richlite fingerboard and bridge
- Includes padded gig bag with an adjustable backpack strap
9. Taylor Guitars Baby Mahogany-e Acoustic-Electric Guitar
I recently bought the Taylor Guitars Baby Mahogany-e Acoustic-Electric Guitar and I’m absolutely in love with it. The sound is rich and full sounding, and I’m very impressed by its clarity and projection. The electronics are top notch, with a well balanced preamp and a great pickup that really captures a true acoustic tone. The body shape is comfortable to play, and the neck is very easy to navigate. Overall, the design and craftsmanship are spot on, and I’m really happy with my purchase. Highly recommend this guitar to anyone looking for an excellent acoustic-electric guitar.
- Dreadnought body shape
- Solid mahogany top
- Mahogany back and sides
- Modern X-bracing
- Satin mahogany neck with a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard
- Fishman-designed electronics
- Rosewood bridge with compensated Graph Tech Nubone saddle
- Nickel hardware
- Includes a deluxe Taylor gig bag
10. Taylor BBTe Big Baby Taylor Sitka and Walnut
I recently purchased the Taylor BBTe Big Baby Taylor Sitka and Walnut and I am in love! This guitar is perfect for acoustic music, whether I’m playing fingerstyle or strumming chords. The Sitka and Walnut construction really brings out the bright, crisp tones that this instrument is known for. The neck is comfortable and makes it easy to navigate the frets without feeling cramped. I’m especially pleased with the sound projection and volume I’m able to get out of this instrument, which is perfect for performing. It’s also great for recording, giving a clear, natural sound. I’m so happy with my purchase and would highly recommend this guitar to any acoustic music lover!
- Dreadnought body shape
- Solid Sitka spruce top
- Layered walnut back and sides
- Satin finish
- Chrome tuning machines
- Mahogany neck
- Ebony fingerboard
- 25.5 scale length
- 1-11/16 Nut width
- Fishman® Sonitone electronics
