Even after all these years and technological advancements, the good old acoustic guitars still have their appeal. This is exactly why you’ll hear the instrument even in contemporary mainstream pop music. Therefore, it seems that we’ll be playing and listening to steel-string, or “Western-style,” acoustic guitars for many years to come. But what some may not know, this is a fairly delicate instrument. You can’t just glue together some random pieces of wood and expect it all to sound and feel good. Sure, there are some cheaper acoustic guitars, but even those need to be built with care and there’s a lot of attention put into the overall design as well.
But just imagine how much effort goes into making those high-end acoustic steel-string guitars. It’s not only the selection of materials but also a very detailed design and very meticulous building process. In many cases, these are completely hand-built instruments with even some hand-carved elements. Their tone is very resonant, quite often even louder compared to cheaper guitars. Additionally, they may include electronics and under-saddle piezo pickups that manage to capture the instrument’s essence in the best way possible. With this said, we’re going to look into these high-end guitars, but we’ll limit ourselves below the $2000 mark.
Blueridge BR-240A
Blueridge is not a name that you hear that often in the world of acoustic guitars. However, they make some of the best high-end instruments that you’ll find on the market. One of those is most certainly BR-240A that combines the standard dreadnaught body shape as well as a traditional tone that’s perfect for folk and blues musicians. It comes with an Adirondack spruce top and mahogany back and sides, bringing a very balanced and resonant tone. It’s all rounded up with a thin and very comfortable neck, as well as wonderful binding and inlays which give this guitar exquisite looks.
Ovation Exotic Woods Legend, Poplar Wood
Up next, we have an Ovation guitar, the Legends model from the Exotic Woods series. Of course, Ovation is one of the biggest and most reliable brands, spanning from mid-priced guitars and up to high-end top-level models. Here, in particular, we’re looking into their model that comes with a poplar wood soundboard (basically its body top). As for the oval-shaped back and sides, we have their well-known Lyrachord. This particular combination gives an accent to higher-ends, making this guitar very useful for lead players in almost any genre. Blues, jazz, rock, country – this is a guitar that you’ll want to have if you’re doing all the solo parts. Additionally, it comes with an Ovation OP Pro preamp and an Ovation OCP1K piezo pickup.
Takamine Pro Series 3 P3DC-12
While we’re at it, Takamine is another popular and very reliable brand, especially if it’s the price level that we’re talking about here. Coming from their Pro Series 3, the P3DC-12 model is a special one. Firstly, we had to include at least one 12-string guitar, and we believe this is a perfect model for all those who love their specific tone. With Sapele sides and back, along with a solid cedar top, you’ll have a tone that cuts through the mix and pronounces all the required nuances that 12-string players adore. The design features some very simple traits, yet it makes this guitar look fresh and unique for pretty much any setting.
Fender American Acoustasonic Telecaster
Now, we have something completely different. Although still making those evergreen guitars that haven’t changed since the beginnings of rock ‘n’ roll, Fender is still a company at the forefront of innovation. The Acoustasonic series are pretty unusual, but they’re high-end professional guitars that have already found their use in practice. The Telecaster model in particular caught our attention. Aside from the solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, this guitar comes with one piezo pickup and one regular single-coil magnetic pickup. You can use it the way it suits you, making both a great acoustic and electric guitar.
Yamaha A-Series AC4K
Of course, we cannot ever avoid Yamaha when there’s a mention of guitars of any kind. And that’s especially the case with high-end acoustic guitars that they’re well-known for. The AC4K model from the company’s A-Series features a concert-style body made of premium-quality tonewood. First, we have a solid Hawaiian Koa top, and the same material is used for back, sides, and even the neck. You can only imagine how bright and resonant this guitar sounds. Along with its single-cutaway design, it comes as a perfect choice for experience lead players.
Taylor 312ce
Lastly, we’d like to mention one amazing Taylor model. The guitar in question is 312ce which comes as one of their most respected acoustic guitars. Its wonderful tone comes from a Sitka spruce on the top of the body and Sapele back and sides. This is a very balanced tone with a slight accent on the higher-ends. This makes it a very universal instrument that finds its use in any genre, both for rhythm and the lead sections. Taylor 312ce also comes with the company’s impeccable Expression System 2 electronics and pickup that pronounce all of this guitar’s best traits. It’s expensive, right on the edge for this list, but it’s worth every single penny.
