best acoustic guitar for blues

10 Best Acoustic Guitars For Blues Guitar Players In 2022

Updated on April 1, 2022 by Dan Harper

Blues is the music that has the power to tune in to deep-rooted emotions. To play such songs, the artist must have the best acoustic guitar for blues in hand to play the untamed music and tunes. This music finds its root in the African-American folk music and has a great resemblance to rock.

Quick Links To Our Best Blues Acoustic Guitar Recommendations

Though the rock genre has evolved out of electrified blues itself, the true blue genre requires slow and rhythmic improvisations. Thus, while the electric guitar can pull off most of playing blues just fine, acoustic adds the texture, quality, and the thrust to it better.

So, this article will be centered on the best acoustic guitars for blues. Read on to find out!

Our Blues Acoustic Guitar Recommendations

1.  Ibanez AVN6 Artwood Vintage Acoustic Guitars

Artwood vintage is one of the most popular and authentic Ibanez guitar brand with a unique vintage finish. The idea proposed behind this particular guitar is to revive the raw tones of the golden age of acoustic blues.

This parlor guitar has a compact body with a solid Sitka spruce top and a classic grand-concert-like style. A soft neck satin-finish mahogany neck, back, and the sides give a classy look and easy hold. Also, the fretboard and the bridge of this best guitar are made up of Indian rosewood.

Ibanez AVN6 Artwood is a little smaller in size as compared to the regular guitars. However, the sounds produced by this are quite impressive, unique, and exceptional. It has surprisingly quite a high volume and can give the classic 1900’s feels.

Though it can appear to be a bit expensive for a parlor guitar, it is exclusive and best suited for blues and delta blues.

Top Features:

  • Herringbone rosette
  • Solid Sitka spruce top
  • Bone nut and saddle
  • Slotted Headstock
  • Open gear tuners of antique nickel
  • Distressed tobacco sunburst finishing
  • Length: 24 ¾’’
  • Frets: 12

Pros:

  • Unique vintage tones
  • Impressive build
  • Lightweight
  • Great volume for a small guitar

Cons:

  • Lacks the extensive tonal depth

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Ibanez AVN6 Artwood Vintage

2.  Fender F-1000 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitars

The Fender F-1000 Dreadnought is one of the most popular picks for musicians looking for top-notch quality guitar for blues at affordable rates. It is an ideal instrument for amateur artists and the ones still learning. It has a steel string acoustic tone that fits perfectly for a genre like blues.

This guitar has its back and sides made up os laminated mahogany with a C-shaped overall profile. It has a cutaway body that can be excellent for the strummers and flat pickers. Crafted with a subtle timbre, it also has a Pau Ferro fretboard.

This also aids in regulating the high-frequency overtones and produce a warm and soothing sound. Additionally, it has a Fishman ISYS III electro acoustic pickup system and a built-in tuner for maximum benefits.

This pickup system also comes equipped with several onboard controls, including volume, battery indicator, and EQ control. Thus, the subtle resonance, and 70’s touch in the music, makes Fender F-1000 a great choice in acoustic blues guitar.

Top Features:

  • Mahogany body and neck
  • Fishman ISYS III pickup system
  • Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Solid spruce top
  • The 70s style Fender headstock
  • Length: 25.3’’
  • Frets: 20

Pros:

  • Premium build
  • Classy design
  • Excellent quality
  • Gentle blue tones
  • Budget-friendly

Cons:

  • Not a modern design
  • Fret has limited reach (C-shaped profile)

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Fender F-1000 Dreadnought 

3.  Martin 000-15M Acoustic Guitars

Martin is an exceptional mix of vintage and modern tones. It is a perfect blend of vintage looks and modern technology. Its exemplary tones, high-quality sound, and volume make it a complete package to complement the blues.

It is made up of Mahogany completely along with a sturdy rosewood fingerboard, and clean satin finish. This lends high durability, stability with warm tones, and natural resonance.  Also, this finely crafted best blues guitar can maintain the tuning for considerably long periods.

One of the unique features of Martin is the expressive and subtle low-end frequencies, which are essential for acoustics. It has a versatile nature as it can beautifully express various musical vibes, adequately making it fit for multiple styles.

From delta blues to the warmer tones, it can deliver the sound perfectly and thus can be a great choice. Above all, it is reasonably priced and promises fine quality with sturdiness as well.

Top Features:

  • Completely mahogany build
  • Warm and subtle tones
  • Bone nut and saddle
  • Frets: 14

Pros:

  • Easy to play and handle
  • Affordable rates
  • Focussed sound (best for close performances)
  • Unique design with a premium finish
  • Lightweight

Cons:

  • No cutaway can be a downside for convenience to some players.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Martin 000-15M

4.  Taylor 114ce 100 Series Acoustic Guitars

This grand auditorium six-string guitar has exceptional sound quality with a new inclusion of the cutaway style. Taylor 114ce 100 has a Solid Sitka top, which adds great stability and strength to the guitar. Also, it’s back, and sides are made up using walnut laminate with a fine finish.

The headstock and fingerboard are designed using a combination of ebony and ebony overlay, while the neck is made of Sapele. It has an ebony bridge and a classic shape with a Venetian cutaway. This overall makes it lightweight with a sturdy grip and great sound quality.

However, the best part about this best acoustic blues guitar is its versatility. It perfectly plays a variety of genres and can be used as an electric guitar as well. It has two pickups that enhance the amplified sound as well. Thus, it can be a great choice for blues with its superior tones and dynamic sound.

Top Features:

  • Cutaway guitar
  • Right-handed guitar
  • African ebony fingerboard
  • Layered Sapele bracing pattern
  • Length: 25.5”

Pros:

  • Expensive but worth-buying
  • High tuning retention
  • Exceptional build quality
  • Sturdy with a steady grip
  • Splendid playability
  • Serves dual-purpose acoustic/electric guitar
  • Smooth neck (Thus, low friction.)

Cons:

  • No onboard tuner
  • Not a beginner’s guitar
  • Heavy

Here is a full Taylor 114CE review as well.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Taylor 114ce 100 Series Acoustic

5.  Gibson J-45 Progressive Acoustic Blues Guitars

With legends like Bob-Dylan and Woody Guthrie playing this guitar, Gibson J-45 is already popular and admired guitar of all times. This dreadnaught style blues guitar has a perfect blend of Sitka spruce on the top and Mahogany back and neck.

It has a reddish-brown tinge near the edges and an overall classy-vintage look. The Sitka spruce on top produces exemplary sustain with great resonance. Also, it has a rounded top with scalloped bracing for quality resonance and better projection.

The Richlite fretboard offers a great sustain and very fine percussion. The latest versions of this blues guitar have the mother-of-pearl parallelogram inlays with the classic Gibson-sloped shoulder style. Additionally, it has the ‘Lyric,’ jack endpin, and smooth volume control.

It is also called the hand-crafted guitar specifically made for contemporary progressive acoustic artists. This best guitar for blues also has rustic tones that produce a thick and warm sound. Above all, it has great playability and notability, which makes it a great choice for blues.

Top Features:

  • Sitka spruce top
  • Richlite fretboard
  • Mahogany body
  • Scalloped bracing
  • Tune-o-Matic bridge
  • Mother-of-pearl parallelogram inlays
  • Frets:20

Pros:

  • Classy overall appearance
  • All essential features available
  • Great notability and playability
  • Exemplary sustain
  • Ideal intonation
  • Overall elegant body

Cons:

  • High pricing

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Gibson J-45 Progressive

6.  Fender CD-60S All-Mahogany Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Fender CD-60S is an ideal choice for aspiring musicians with its easy to use and understand features. It boasts of a powerful onboard electronic built-in tuner that enhances the tone and playability of this guitar.

It has a solid mahogany top, which offers versatility from hard strumming to subtle and delicate fingerstyle. Thus, it makes a perfect fit blues guitar for a beginner who aspires to play blues, rock, and so on. It has a walnut fingerboard, chrome hardware, and dreadnought cutaway body style.

With a great grip to hold the neck and easy-to-play aspects, it is designed to provide maximum convenience and comfort. Also, the Fishman pickup/preamp system powers up the performance and provides excellent resonance, with rich tones.

The sound quality produced by Fender CD-60S is very fine with high clarity and bright notes. The mahogany sides add up to the rich bass sounds and make the overall quality exceptional. This makes it a great choice for beginners and can help a lot with experimenting.

Top Features:

  • Single Cutaway body style
  • Fishman low profile pickup and preamp
  • Solid spruce top
  • Mahogany back and sides
  • Easy to play
  • Easy-grip neck and rolled fingerboard

Pros:

  • High quality in affordable rates
  • Comfortable neck
  • Smooth switching between strumming to fingerstyle
  • Brilliant sound
  • Low string action

Cons:

  • Quality issues with saddle and nuts
  • Average pickup system

Our Rating –
4/5


Check The Latest Price On The Fender CD -60S All-Mahogany Dreadnought 

7.  Takamine GN93CE-NAT Nex Cutaway Acoustic Guitars

Takamine is one of those guitars that boasts of being an all-rounder with perfect tones suited for most styles. It is not just limited to the acoustic feel but is also powered up with electric duality. With an adorable color scheme and a premium build quality, it is always on the top of the charts.

This guitar has a perfect blend of black walnut sides and high-quality Mahogany for body and neck. It has a laurel fingerboard with an overall glossy finish on the guitar. It is a very well-balanced blues guitar with very fine sound quality.

To use the electric function, the player can simply call upon the TK-40D preamp system. This opens up the set of features and offers great volume control, subliminal tone management. Above all, you can also take control of the gain and play it to the best capability.

Additionally, it has notable clarity in the sound quality, with a crisp and magnificent texture in the music. These best guitars for blues have a built-in tuner as well and can be used perfectly for different styles.

Top Features:

  • Mahogany body
  • Solid spruce and black maple/walnut build
  • Overall Length: 43.2”
  • Frets: 21

Pros:

  • Exemplary sound clarity
  • Comfortable grip
  • Easy to use
  • Considerably well-balanced guitar
  • High quality

Cons:

  • High pricing
  • Heavy stock strings

Our Rating –
4/5


Check The Latest Price On The Takamine GN93CE-NAT Nex Cutaway

8.  Blueridge BR-40T

This guitar is a reasonably priced and high-quality guitar that can amp up your performance very well. It has a Sitka spruce top with mahogany laminated back, neck, and sides. It has an authentically styled bracing which is unique to Blueridge series of guitars.

This vintage styled acoustic guitar has a slim neck and a dove-tail body for easy grip. It is also termed to be a redesigned classic O-sized tenor guitar. It exclusively uses Indian redwood fingerboard and bone nut and saddle.

The sound quality of this blues guitar is classical and fitting to the looks of the guitar. It has quite well-balanced strummed passages with even strings. Also, the notes produced by it are distinct, clear, and with ideal resonance.

Overall, it has a fine tonal combination and can be a perfect fit for playing with a group or band. It can be a great jamming partner and produce warm and subtle tones perfect for the blues.

Top Features:

  • Solid Sitka spruce top
  • Mahogany back and sides
  • Slim and slender neck
  • East Indian rosewood fingerboard
  • Nickel-plated tuners
  • Frets: 20
  • Dove-tail neck/body joint
  • High-gloss finish
  • Bone nut and saddle

Pros:

  • Sleek playability
  • Great stability
  • Fine articulation with crisp tones
  • Pocket-friendly

Cons:

  • Issues in the finishing of frets
  • A little generic

Our Rating –
4/5


Check The Latest Price On The Blueridge BR-40T

9.  Ibanez AW54OPN

Ibanez guitars are well-known for their remarkable and unique bridge pins, which are also unique to the brand. These are designed to suffice both modern and traditional music in one single instrument.

It has a traditional build with complete Mahogany built with a customary rosewood bridge and fingerboard. It sports an open pore top, which offers full-resonance and exemplary sound projection. Also, the Mahogany adds a rich, full, and warm intonation aspect as well.

The pricing of this guitar is reasonable, and it is loaded with all the necessary modern components. Ibanez AW54OPN is also praised for an exceptional and powerful bass that is unique to this model in the range.

Additionally, this robust acoustic has chrome die-cast tuners with Ivorex II nut and saddle. The added quality and comfort add a delight of its own on playing. It’s slim and comfortable neck males it easy to handle and makes it perfect enough for musicians of all ages and experiences.

Top Features:

  • Dreadnought body
  • Solid Mahogany top, back, neck, and sides
  • Rosewood bridge and fretboard

Pros:

  • Rich, warm and loud tones
  • Great quality with affordability
  • Resonance Intonation
  • Slim and comfortable to handle neck
  • Exceptional aesthetics
  • High durability
  • Enhanced tonal stability

Our Rating –
4/5


Check The Latest Price On The Ibanez AW54OPN 

10.  Yamaha FS850

Yamaha FS850 is quite popular as a folk-guitar which now comes in concert and dreadnought body styles. It has solid mahogany tops as well as Mahogany back and sides. With a traditional rosewood fingerboard and bridge, it has an overall classy-vintage look.

One of the unique features of this guitar is the adjustable truss rod and scalloped bracing pattern. The ideal acoustic structure of this guitar makes it highly durable with rich, raw, and exceptional sound quality.

This guitar exhibits praiseworthy craftsmanship through its magnificent exterior and superior bass and intonation aspects. Moreover, it is loaded with great features that compliment the playability of the blues guitar and makes it easy to handle.

Also, this guitar sports die-cast tuners that make the adjusting and intonation as effortless as it sounds. It is perfectly suited for a variety of music styles and can be a great choice for blues as well. Above all, it offers a sturdy grip ready for dynamic actions and switching music styles.

Top Features:

  • Solid Mahogany top, back, and sides
  • Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
  • Die-cast tuners
  • Adjustable truss rod
  • rich sound

Pros:

  • Sturdy
  • Convenient grip
  • Solid and steady top
  • Deep and rich color
  • High quality and classy look

Cons:

  • Steel strings might not be suitable for all

Check out our full Yamaha FS850 review here.

Our Rating –
4/5


Check The Latest Price On The Yamaha FS850

Factors To Consider When Choosing Top Acoustic Guitars For Blues Music

When you are looking for a new acoustic suitable for blues music, there are several factors you should consider: type of wood, size and thickness of the body, top bracing design, neck construction and shape, strings gauge and tuning.

Acoustic guitars are versatile instruments and can be used in several styles of music, such as folk, country and blues. While many people might think that there is no major difference between the acoustic guitars used for blues and those preferred by folk or country acoustic guitar musicians, this is not actually true. If you are interested in playing acoustic guitar blues, it is important to know which features will help you to achieve the sound you want and what features do not make any difference.

Consider The Acoustic Guitar Wood

When looking for a good blues guitar suitable for blues, it is important to consider the type of wood used in its construction. While many people prefer the look of the sound of a solid cedar body as it has an attractive appearance and provides a good tone, other people prefer mahogany because it improves the sound without losing its excellent projection. To get the best blues sound, it is important to consider both materials because they have their own advantages and upsides.

Consider The Blues Acoustic Guitar Body Size

The size and thickness of the body is also something that should be taken into consideration when choosing an acoustic guitar for blues music. If you are a beginner looking for a good quality cedar or mahogany guitar, you should look for an instrument that has a 15-inch lower bout. Such a guitar will provide you with a good sound with great projection.

When you are considering the size and thickness of the body, it is also important to consider the overall size of the instrument. If you are a player who wants to have more control over your guitar, it might be better to go for an instrument which is slightly larger than what you usually prefer, but should not be too much larger for you to be able to play easily and accurately.

Consider The Top Bracing Design

A significant feature that should be taken into consideration when choosing an acoustic guitar for blues is the top bracing design. You can choose a guitar with a traditional top bracing design for a better tone or one with more of a modern design which produces better volume and projection without losing its excellent sound. It is also important to know that there are guitars that use both traditional and modern bracing designs to provide you with the best possible sound.

Consider The Blues Acoustic Guitars Neck Construction And Shape

The neck construction and the shape are two important factors that you should take into account when choosing an acoustic guitar for blues music. You can choose a classical guitar with a 15-inch lower bout and a flat top or one with a deeper body which is good for slide players.

When it comes to the neck construction, you can choose a great acoustic blues guitar with a standard C shape, which is suited to any style of music. The other option is the modern C-shaped instrument with a thinner profile built on a lower pitched blueprint.

Some other quick picks:

  • Taylor GS Mini
  • Epiphone AJ220S in vintage sunburst
  • Martin LX1
  • Gretsch G9200 Roundneck
  • Cordoba C9 Crossover

Endnotes Of These Top Blues Acoustic Guitars

All these best blues acoustic guitars have unique and distinct features that make them great and well-suited for playing blues or other acoustic guitar genres. However, to make a choice, you can consider some of the factors like the size and weight of the guitar, which directly affects the playability.

Also, its body style must resonate with your unique playing style and fit your hands as if they are a part of you. To a musician, their best acoustic guitar for blues is not just another addition to a collection, but another mate that compliments their talent.

So, go on and choose wisely a best sounding acoustic guitar for blues guitarists that fits into your budget and helps you express your blues perfectly.  Looking for something slightly different?