An acoustic-electric guitar is an acoustic guitar with a built-in pickup and preamp. It sounds like an acoustic at home and like a professional instrument through a PA. If you have any plans to perform, buy one from the start.
The most common acoustic guitar regret: buying a regular acoustic, developing as a player, wanting to perform, and then discovering you need to retrofit a pickup system ($100–$200, requires drilling or modification) or buy a second guitar entirely.
Acoustic-electrics solve this problem. They play and sound exactly like regular acoustics when unplugged, and they connect to a PA or amp through a standard instrument cable when you need amplification. The price premium over a non-electric version of the same guitar is typically $70–$130. That’s excellent value for the capability it adds.
If there’s any chance you’ll perform, open mic nights, church, family gatherings, playing with other musicians, buy an acoustic-electric from the start.
What to Look for in a Beginner Acoustic-Electric
Electronics quality. The pickup and preamp determine how you sound amplified. Budget acoustic-electrics often use poor-quality undersaddle pickups that produce thin, piezo-electric tone, notoriously plastic-sounding and unflattering. Better electronics (Fishman Sonitone, Fishman Presys, Taylor’s ES-B) produce a more natural, acoustic-sounding amplified tone.
Onboard tuner. Most mid-range acoustic-electrics include a chromatic tuner in the preamp. Invaluable on stage, plug in, tune silently, and go. Look for it.
The acoustic tone first. You’ll spend most of your time playing unplugged. The guitar’s acoustic quality matters more than its electronics. A mediocre acoustic with great electronics sounds mediocre unplugged. A great acoustic with mediocre electronics sounds great unplugged and average amplified, the better of the two compromises.
Solid top. As with any acoustic, a solid spruce or cedar top produces better tone and improves with age compared to laminate. More important than the electronics.
Quick Picks
| Guitar | Price | Electronics | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha APXT2 Thinline | $229 | System 68 | Budget, compact body |
| Fender CD-60SCE | $349 | Fishman Presys | Warm dreadnought AE |
| Yamaha FSX800C | $419 | System 65 | Concert body, balanced |
| Ibanez AEG50 | $349 | AEQ-TTS | Slim body, electric players |
| Taylor 114ce | $799 | Taylor ES2 | The benchmark beginner AE |
| Taylor Academy 10e | $799 | Taylor ES-B | Most comfortable |
The Best Acoustic-Electric Guitars for Beginners
Yamaha APXT2 Thinline ($229)
The most affordable acoustic-electric on this list, and a practical instrument for beginners who need electronics but are on a strict budget. The 3/4-scale thinline body is compact and lightweight, making it comfortable for apartment playing. The System 68 preamp with built-in tuner covers the essential performance functions. For beginners who specifically need plug-in capability at the lowest realistic price from a reputable brand, the APXT2 is the answer.
Best for: Budget-constrained beginners who specifically need electronics, apartment players, compact body preference
Not ideal for: Players who want the richest possible acoustic tone; the compact body limits acoustic volume and warmth
Specs:
- Acoustic-Electric / 3/4-Scale Thinline Body / 22.8” Scale
- Spruce Top / System 68 Preamp w/ Built-In Tuner / Single Cutaway
🎸 Guitar Center · 🎵 Sweetwater
Fender CD-60SCE ($349)
A solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and Fishman Presys electronics, the CD-60SCE is the complete-package acoustic-electric at a beginner-friendly price. The Fishman Presys system includes a built-in tuner, 3-band EQ, and a natural-sounding pickup that doesn’t produce the harsh piezo quality of budget electronics. The easy-play neck profile makes it beginner-friendly. The solid top means it sounds better than the price suggests and will improve with age.
Best for: Most acoustic beginners who plan to perform, the best acoustic-electric value under $400, folk and pop strummers
Not ideal for: Fingerpickers who want a concert body; players who don’t need electronics (the non-electric CD-60S is $120 cheaper)
Specs:
- Dreadnought w/ Cutaway / Solid Spruce Top / Mahogany Back & Sides
- Fishman Presys+ Electronics w/ Tuner / Easy-Play Neck
Ibanez AEG50 Grand Concert ($349)
Designed specifically for players crossing over from electric guitar, the AEG50’s slim-taper body sits more like an electric than a standard acoustic, thinner, more compact, and less physically demanding. The solid spruce top, sapele back and sides, and AEQ-TTS preamp with onboard tuner produce genuine acoustic tone and reliable amplification. For electric players adding an acoustic-electric, the AEG50’s ergonomics eliminate the adjustment period that full dreadnoughts impose.
Best for: Electric guitar players who want to add an acoustic-electric, players who find standard acoustic bodies awkward
Not ideal for: Acoustic players who want maximum acoustic volume and projection; players who don’t have ergonomic concerns
Specs:
- Grand Concert Body / Slim Profile / Solid Spruce Top / Sapele Back & Sides
- AEQ-TTS Preamp / Onboard Tuner / Single Venetian Cutaway
🎸 Guitar Center · 🎵 Sweetwater
Yamaha FSX800C ($419)
A concert body acoustic-electric that’s particularly suited to fingerpicking and folk playing. The FSX800C’s smaller frame produces balanced, focused tone rather than the bass-heavy dreadnought projection, individual string voices ring more clearly, which suits fingerstyle and delicate playing. The System 65 electronics include a built-in tuner and produce a natural amplified tone. For beginners who specifically fingerpick and need electronics, the FSX800C is the right body shape.
Best for: Fingerpicking acoustic-electric beginners, folk and singer-songwriter players who perform
Not ideal for: Aggressive strummers who want maximum acoustic projection; budget-constrained players
Specs:
- Concert Body w/ Cutaway / Solid Spruce Top / Nato Back & Sides
- System 65 Preamp w/ Built-In Tuner / Scalloped Bracing
🎸 Guitar Center · 🎵 Sweetwater
Taylor 114ce ($799)
The most recommended acoustic-electric for serious beginners and intermediate players, the guitar that appears on most guitar teachers’ “you’re ready to step up” lists. A solid Sitka spruce top, layered walnut, Taylor ES2 electronics with natural-sounding pickup character, and the Grand Auditorium body that handles both strumming and fingerpicking. The 114ce is the guitar that covers home playing, recording, and live performance from a single instrument, at a price that makes sense for players who are committed.
Best for: Serious performing beginners, intermediate players making a meaningful investment, the best acoustic-electric under $1,000
Not ideal for: Budget-constrained players; the Fender CD-60SCE or Yamaha FSX800C serve those who can’t reach $799
Specs:
- Grand Auditorium / Solid Sitka Spruce Top / Layered Sapele
- Taylor ES2 Electronics / Ebony Fretboard / Venetian Cutaway
🎸 Guitar Center · 🎵 Sweetwater
Which One Should You Buy?
| Situation | Buy this |
|---|---|
| Budget AE, compact body | Yamaha APXT2 ($229) |
| Best acoustic-electric under $400 | Fender CD-60SCE ($349) |
| Electric player adding acoustic | Ibanez AEG50 ($349) |
| Fingerpicking, smaller body | Yamaha FSX800C ($419) |
| Serious performing beginner | Taylor 114ce ($799) |
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