Last Updated: January 13th, 2019.

Welcome to our article on the Best Acoustic Blues Guitars we could find.

In this article you’ll find a fairly large (Definitely larger than other online articles we could find) categorized list of the best Acoustic Guitars you can find to buy. You’ll find everything from vintage guitars to those still in production.

How do We Review the Guitars?
The History of Blues and What Makes a Blues Guitar?
Acoustic Blues Guitar Reviews
- Top Rated Guitars Under 500$
- Top Rated Guitars Under 200$
- Top Rated Guitars 1,000+
- Top Rated Acoustic/Electric
More tips on Buying a Guitar
- I think I know which one I want, but I’m really not sure.
- Should I consider an Electric instead?
A Message from Us. (Thank You)

How Do We Review the Guitars?

When reviewing Guitars, we try to first look at every single physical aspect of the guitar. Every single material down to the wiring used(On the Acoustic Electrics). Every little thing matters and affects how it plays and sounds. After doing a complete inspection on all of the guitars, the guitars are then tested for two of the most important factors, how they sound and how they feel to play. They are also rated on how well they compare as well in value, comparing less expensive guitars to some of the more expensive guitars in the market as well.

The History of Blues and What makes a Blues Guitar?

To understand what makes a Blues Guitar, it’s best to start with the History of blues so you can get an idea of what has shaped this unique sound you don’t hear in other styles of music.

The Blues was first started by slaves in the 19th century (In the United States), so that’s why you see primarily African-American blues players and singers dominating the genre. If you look even farther back into it’s history, you’ll notice that the origins might have even started in Africa as African Chants/Spirituals.

So, of course. The original Blues were not played with Guitar, or any instruments. It was all songs sang in the fields.

Songs about the hardships of life, Hard Luck, Frustration….were all common themes of Blues songs. These songs are meant to be felt in the soul.

Around this same time, Jazz was also becoming popular. And became a heavy influence on the Blues, and the Blues on Jazz as well. Which is why they sound so similar.

Both styles were born in the same area, Jazz born in New Orleans and Blues in the Mississippi area.

Jazz caught on fire and moved to the Midwest almost instantly, where Blues took many many years to gain popularity in the rest of the country.

However, The Blues’s unique sound was changed slightly depending on the region. And that’s why we have so many different kinds of blues!

Traditional country blues– Music about Country life, played on old acoustics about the American South. This is the style of popular songs such as “I ain’t Gonna Cry no More” and “Candy Man.” Lots of songs about railroad work and the struggles of African American men, like most styles of Blues music.

Jump blues– Stands apart because it is up-tempo and has many Jazz elements involved. Played usually with a full band with brass instruments like the Saxophone. This genre had heavy influence on Rock and Roll as well. Popular songs like “Shake Rattle and Roll”, “Real Gone Rocket”, and “Hound Dog” were all songs in this genre.

Chicago blues– Came around in the 40s and 50s when African Americans were looking for work, the Chicago Blues has to be played with a full blown horn section and an overbearing amount of Jazz influence. Popular Chicago Blues songs were “Smokestack Lightnin”, “Sweet Home Chicago”, and “The Red Rooster.”

Cool blues– A sophisticated piano-based form that owes much to jazz, cool blues songs were just that…..very calm and cool. “Boom Boom”, “Dust My Broom”, and “The Thrill Is Gone” were all extremely popular songs that live on today from this genre.

West Coast blues– Popularized mainly by Texas musicians who moved to California. West Coast blues is heavily influenced by the swing beat. Popular hits include: “Talkin Woman”, “Crying Blues”, and “San Francisco Blues.”

Memphis Blues– This whole Genre can be described by one song……which was a HUGE hit. “Memphis Blues” written by WC Handy started the blues craze throughout the US. So many people were in awe of the song and was the first time most people were introduced to slide music (He actually used a knife instead of a slide, which at the time Slide music was mainly played in Hawaii). Without Memphis Blues, it’s hard to say if the genre would’ve been as popular as it was.

St. Louis Blues– My personal hometown, the Saint Louis Blues are basically a huge mash-up of ragtime, piano blues, and jump blues. People also refer to the St. Louis Blues as the best hockey team in the world! (At least round here we do)

So, What Makes a Blues Guitar?

Originally, blues guitars were basically whatever you could get your hands on……the old blues players you’ve heard before didn’t play anything fancy. Since around that time, there wasn’t much to go around.

If you were lucky, you were able to shell out 45$ and get yourself a cheap J-45 Gibson. (Some of these are worth a small fortune now)

And if not, well you probably got a Stella or a Harmony. Which are rock-solid guitars you can beat up a little, good choice since playing in Juke Joints (Underground illegal bars with moonshine) got a little rough sometimes.

Now, not all Blues Guitars of course were cheap.

B.B. King played quite a few different expensive guitars such as “The King of Blues” the ES-355.

Buddy Guy’s played a signature Polka Dot Stratocaster.

Albert King has his signature Flying V.

Remember, you don’t need to be to worried about what you play the blues on.

There were famous Blues players that played on oil cans. All you really need out of your guitar is to be Loud, Not Bright, and have a good midrange.

Here’s a list of some great sounding Blues Guitars, hope you enjoy it. I’ve put a ton of work into it.

Top Rated Acoustic Blues Guitars

Top Rated Acoustic Blues Guitars (Under 500$)

Gretsch G9200 Roundneck Boxcar-

This is my personal favorite because of how well this sounds projecting across a room. After testing all of the Acoustics under 500$ this one is definitely it. It’s got a Mahogany top, body, and neck and the ampli-sonic hand-spun spider cone is quite loud and just really makes this guitar perfect for playing for an audience. This guitar is a “Resonator Guitar” which means they use a metal cone to create the sound, these were actually created originally by John Dopyera, who wanted to make a guitar that could be heard in big-bands (This was in the 20’s before electric guitars were around).

You can hear it’s unique sound here.

(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)

Taylor Big Baby BBT (Taylor BIG BABY)-

This is a 15/16 scale dreadknought guitar with a Sitka spruce top. The quality on these guitars is comparable with high end acoustics for sound quality and general playability. This is the best quarter for the price on our 500$ or under list.

Generally, Taylors are just a little to bright to be blues guitars. However, the Big Baby has the warm feel Blues players are looking for.

I would consider this guitar if you’re looking to play other styles than just the blues, but also still want the feel of a higher end blues guitar at a steal.

Take a listen and you’ll see why it’s the best on the list.

(More Details and pricing info at Guitar Center)

The Loar LH-200-NA Flat Top Acoustic Guitar-

The classic beauty of this guitar is truly what makes this guitar stand out from the others, the body is designed just like other guitars pre-war and has that full bodied tone you’re used to hearing from blues players from the 20s era. Spruce top, and mahogany back and sides. Butterbean Tuners. Ivory binding.

(More details and pricing info at Guitar Center)

Recording King ROS-G6 Classic Series 12th Fret 000 Acoustic-

This guitar is perfect for any fingerpicking style. Even though this guitar is small, there is a huge amount of hype around it. If you take a listen though, you’ll notice that the higher pitch treble side just doesn’t sound that great on this guitar compared to the others.

(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)

Sigma 000m-15e-

First thing that came to my mind playing the sigma was just “Wow.” This guitar has an incredible sound that very few guitars under 500$ have, play one for awhile and I think you’ll fall in love. It is also the most versatile guitar for under 500$. This was very close to being first on the list.

Jump to 1:42 to hear the bluesy-sounds.

Keep in mind Jack Billman is a phenomenal guitar player as well, which helps.

(More Details and pricing info at Guitar Center)

Top Rated Acoustic Blues Guitars (Under 200$)

Fender Acoustic CD60-

Surprisingly, this guitar is actually very well built for being so inexpensive. I know, most guitars in this price range are just made to fall apart and meant to be beginner entry-level guitars, but the CD60 is more than the average starter guitar. Many of the normal things that are wrong with budget acoustics are not on problems on the CD60, for instance the action on this guitar is phenomenal and makes playing very easy.

Made of laminated spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides and a rosewood fingerboard.

This guitar is top of the line for the price range.

(More Details and pricing info at Guitar Center)

Yamaha fg800-

This guitar has a beautiful mellow tone and is made of solid spruce and nato/okume for the back and sides. Technically, this guitar is meant for folk music, but still a good option to play the blues on.

For someone on a budget this is good deal.

(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)

Epiphone El-00 pro-

A very popular blues guitar, Epiphones are not usually the first guitar on most people’s list…..however, you might want to think that when it comes to that the El-00 pro.

The El-oo line was actually started and became popular with blues guitarists back in the 1930s, because of the woody tones and how comfortable these are to play.

Note: They have recently raise the prices on these, you might have to find one used to get as good of a deal.

Listen to it!

(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)

Top Rated Acoustic Blues Guitars (1,000+)

Gibson Keb Mo Bluesmaster-

Gibsons have traditionally been the best guitar for blues, but me personally I think they come in second to Martin. When you buy a Gibson, you pay a lot for the brand name. I’m not saying they aren’t absolutely incredible guitars. I’m just saying that there are better options like the Martin.

Of course, this comes down to personal preference. There is no doubt that, Gibsons have a great tone for the blues, but for instance the 000-15m Martin sounds better than this guitar (Review Below) and it’s a fraction of the cost.

(More Details and pricing info at Guitar Center)

Gibson Acoustic J-45 (Standard)-

The Best Selling Gibson of all time (First introduced in 1934, following the less expensive j-35 sold during the depression) , the J-45 has a beautiful full-bodied sound that resonates deep with warm bass tones. Many Many guitar players consider it to be their favorite guitar, and really there is just something special about it.

Maybe it’s the fact that many famous players played it?

(Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Lightnin Hopkins – List goes on and on)

Who knows.

All I can say for sure, is that the J-45 is an iconic guitar that sounds absolutely incredible.

Listen.

(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)

Martin 000-15m-

When hearing about high end acoustics, you’re likely to hear about Gibsons, Martins, and maybe Taylors and a few others.

However, between the high end guitars…..

The Gibsons and Martins stand out for blues with their warm sound, Many other high end guitars sound to bright for the blues like most Taylors.

(Some Taylors are exceptions to the rule, like the Big Baby Taylor I reviewed at the beginning of this list.)

Another incredible guitar born out of the 30s, the Martin 000-15m is made of almost all Honduran mahogany minus the rosewood fingerboard and the rosewood bridge. Don’t let this guitar fool you by it’s basic looks , the rich tone on this guitar is unreal.

Fun Fact: The reason why a lot of these guitars look worn when they are new is because Martin actually puts an extremely thin layer of lacquer on these guitars so that they have better tonal transfer.

Which is one of the reasons they sound so beautiful.

Listen here:

(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)

Martin 000-28-

Another Martin? You bet.

Martins really do embody the sound of the blues really well.

The craftmanship on these guitars is on-par with guitars with other brands double the cost.

I really enjoy this guitar because you get the benefits of the sound quality of a larger guitar, but because of the design it’s still comfortable to play. With a wide neck and the action being perfect you’ll love to play it.

Listen.

(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)

Top Rated (Acoustic/Electric) Guitars for Blues

Gibson LG-2 American Eagle Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Antique Natural-

This is the perfect acoustic for playing onstage and is not only good for blues, but also Folk, Fingerstyle, and Slide.

I still prefer the sound of the Martins for blues over this however.

This Acoustic/Electric has a very unique tone as well that stands out.

(More Details and pricing info at Amazon)

Think You know Which one you want, But Not Really Sure?

(Deciding on a Guitar is a daunting task for those who aren’t loaded like a rockstar, or recently won the lottery….so this section is meant to put your mind-at-ease to feel comfortable with your next Guitar purchase.)

Always Buy From A Reputable Source, Reputable Source = No Issues and Virtually No Worries.

When you buy from Amazon, Guitar Center, or Musicians Friend…..you are dealing with companies that make your purchase easy.

I never suggest buying from smaller equipment dealers, as much as I love to Support small businesses, unless you happen to know them very well. Buying from a reputable dealer, ensures you will have a quality piece, the quality checks at these businesses (More for Guitar Center and Musicians Friend) are always superior to Mom and Pop shops. (Yes there are exceptions). The Larger stores know they are providing quality instruments as well, so you can also purchase warranties and insurance through them as well. They have absolutely no problem taking a return either if you end up deciding that this wasn’t the right purchase and you need to choose a different option as well.

Smaller companies just simply cannot offer this same comfort.

I once personally took a small risk and bought from a smaller local shop, where I even had the owners number. I bought a refurbished guitar that seemed to be completely fine and had quite a few issues. The shop closed down, and he avoided my calls for a couple months until I just gave up. (I don’t really blame the guy if he couldn’t refund or replace my purchase, but I do wish he would’ve picked up and told me so.)

Apart from choosing the right company, you also have to be Totally in Love with the Guitar’s Tone.

You have to absolutely make sure you love the sound of the Guitar, If you Don’t you will never play it.

Of course, this may seem obvious…..but sometimes the obvious has to be said. I taught Guitar once to a student who bought a Flying V on Craigslist, and didn’t test it on his own amp. He hated the tone, and it had a buzz as well. Funny thing is, even after seeing this happen to him I let the same thing happen to me when I bought a Dobo at a raffle (I know raffles are usually a longshot), but it seriously turned out to be completely awful. Even the fret spacing was off. Just a complete disaster.

Make Sure It Fits With Your Future Plans

Let me explain what I mean by this, since it sounds very vague.

Basically, I’m asking for you to look into the future and decide if this guitar will help or hinder your future efforts.

For instance, if you’re looking for an incredible guitar that you can play at shows for years, you might as well go ahead and shell out a higher priced guitar rather than one of the 500$ price ranged, because otherwise you’ll end buying the 500$ guitar AND the higher priced guitar later.

Say you only plan to use this sparingly, but you plan on playing metal shows much more often. You should save then on your acoustic blues guitar purchase and save on your equipment for headbanging then.

Begin with the End in Mind. Seriously.

I know it sounds corny, but go ahead and picture in your mind how you’d like the future to be with your music and go ahead and work towards it, you can’t get to a goal without a vision!

(Sorry for the motivational Mumbo Jumbo)

Just Do What Feels Right.

In the end, we’ll always wish we would’ve went with our gut anyways. So just do what feels right and you won’t have any regrets, there really aren’t many rules for choosing which guitar is the best for you, because only you know you. So just go with the gut, if all else fails just return and try again.

Should I Consider an Electric Instead?

Hell Yeah you should consider an Electric guitar instead.

The Blues, as beautiful as it is……has countless songs that will literally be remembered through all time (I can’t prove this, but so far they’ve stayed hit songs) that were played on Electric Guitars. Tunes such as…..

Born Under a Bad Sign
The Thrill Is Gone
Pride and Joy
Dust My Broom
Sweet Home Chicago
Hoochie Coochie Man
Boogie Chillen
Call It Stormy Monday
Wang Dang Doodle
Born In Chicago
Mannish Boy
All My Love In Vain

All of these Iconic Blues songs were played on an Electric Guitar, and since this article is supposed to be about Acoustic Blues Guitars…….I won’t write anymore on this section, just know it’s a good idea to own both. (It’s never a bad thing to own more than one guitar).

Conclusion: A message from Us.

Thank you so much for reading our post, we’re consistently working on making it better/more informative. If there’s anything we’ve missed/that you’d like to add…….please message us on our contact page.

Thank you so much for reading.

-Broke And Talented.