A cutaway used to mean a custom-shop price. These days you can get easy upper-fret access, stage-ready electronics, and serious tonewoods well under $1000.
Every guitar on this list satisfies a serious player, not just a beginner on a budget. Value at this price means real solid tops, real bracing, and electronics you’d actually gig.
We rated these ten on tone, build quality, and plugged-in performance. The vintage-voiced Blueridge BR-40CE takes the crown.
If you’re shopping the broader field, our best acoustic guitars under $1000 guide skips the cutaway filter. The chart below compares all ten.
Quick Comparison Chart
| # | Product | Our Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Blueridge BR-40CE Acoustic Guitar | ★★★★★ | Check Price |
| 2 |  |
PRS SE Angelus A55E | ★★★★★ | Check Price |
| 3 |  |
Ovation Glen Campbell 1771VL-1GC | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 4 |  |
Washburn WCG66SCE Comfort Deluxe | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 5 |  |
Yamaha A-Series A3R | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 6 |  |
Martin LX1E Little Martin | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 7 |  |
Walden G2070RCE | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 8 |  |
Martin GPCRSG Grand Performance | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 9 |  |
Alhambra 3C-CW-US Classical | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 10 |  |
Takamine GD51CE-NAT | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
From Vintage Voices to Stage-Ready Workhorses
Tonewood choices split the field. The Blueridge, PRS, and Takamine lead with solid spruce tops, the Washburn and the Walden answer with warmer western red cedar, and the Walden is an all-solid build, which is genuinely rare at this price.
Electronics run from the Ovation’s bare volume and tone knobs to the Yamaha A3R’s stage-tuned SRT2 system with mic modeling and feedback control. Body styles stretch just as far, from the travel-size Martin LX1E to the deep-bodied Martin GPCRSG.
1. Blueridge BR-40CE Acoustic Guitar
Blueridge BR-40CE Acoustic Guitar
Vintage-inspired cutaway with a solid Sitka spruce top, pre-war forward-X bracing, and a bone nut and saddle.
Pros
- Balanced, full-bodied tone
- Low action straight away
- Authentic forward-X pre-war bracing
- Tasteful tortoiseshell binding
Cons
- Body shape won't suit every player
- Laminate mahogany back and sides
Blueridge built its name on vintage-style tone, and the BR-40CE brings the house recipe to a budget cutaway: solid Sitka spruce on top, laminate mahogany behind, and bone at both ends of the strings.
The forward-X, pre-war bracing is the detail that matters. It’s the same pattern Blueridge uses across its whole range, and the strummed tone comes out harmonious, balanced, and full.
With low action and easy high-fret reach, it plays well above its price.
2. PRS SE Angelus A55E
PRS SE Angelus A55E
PRS quality at an accessible price, with a freely resonating solid spruce top, hybrid bracing, and Fishman GT1 electronics.
Pros
- Ebony bridge and fretboard feel
- Above-average plugged-in tone
- Hybrid bracing lets the top breathe
- Abaco Green quilted maple stuns
Cons
- Factory action runs high for barre chords
- Sits near the top of the budget
The Angelus A55E is the PRS experience without the PRS invoice: quilted maple in Abaco Green, spectacular inlays, and a gloss finish that delights from across the room.
A classical/X-brace hybrid lets the solid spruce top resonate freely, and the soundhole-mounted Fishman GT1 passes that tone along without squashing it. PRS’s 55-millimeter string spacing gives fingerstyle hands room to work.
3. Ovation Glen Campbell 1771VL-1GC
Ovation Glen Campbell 1771VL-1GC
Glen Campbell signature single-cut with a shallow vintage Lyrachord bowl and strong mid-range punch that cuts any mix.
Pros
- Mid-range punch cuts through
- Slim profile plays comfortably
- Gold hardware and abalone inlays
- Exceptional string-to-string balance
Cons
- Tone and volume knobs only
- Hardware durability gets mixed reports
Ovation built this single-cut in honor of Glen Campbell, around the shallow Lyrachord bowl of its 60s and 70s heyday. That body is why it punches through a mix with such clear, articulate mids.
A 20-fret ebony fingerboard rides the five-piece mahogany and maple neck, with custom abalone inlays and gold hardware dressing it up. The electronics stay deliberately simple: volume, tone, and nothing between you and the signature sound.
4. Washburn WCG66SCE Comfort Deluxe
Washburn WCG66SCE Comfort Deluxe
Grand Auditorium with a solid red cedar top, spalt maple body, ergonomic armrest, and Fishman stage electronics.
Pros
- Warm, distinctive, balanced voice
- Armrest bevel eases long sessions
- Venetian cutaway reaches every fret
- Stays in tune with 18:1 tuners
Cons
- Finish trails similarly priced rivals
- Spalt maple looks divide opinion
The Comfort Deluxe name is literal: a beveled armrest on the lower bout takes the edge off long sessions, and the Venetian cutaway opens up the top frets. The solid western red cedar top over spalt maple looks like nothing else under $1000.
Cedar’s warmth defines the voice, well-balanced and distinctive, while the Fishman electronics give it a recognizable stage presence with plenty of tonal shaping.
5. Yamaha A-Series A3R
Yamaha A-Series A3R
All-solid rosewood and Sitka workhorse with Yamaha's A.R.E. treated top and stage-tuned SRT2 electronics.
Pros
- Vibrant, warm, played-in tone
- SRT2 mic-blend stage pickup
- Hand-rolled fretboard edges
- Strong value for an all-solid build
Cons
- Light build isn't for everyone
- Stock bridge may need adjustment
Yamaha treats the A3R’s solid Sitka top with its Acoustic Resonance Enhancement process, aging the tone before you ever strum it. Solid rosewood back and sides and new scalloped bracing push the low-mids forward.
The SRT2 system was tuned specifically for stages, with blend control, auto feedback reduction, and a mic-modeling switch. Hand-rolled fretboard edges make the slim cutaway neck feel custom-shop comfortable.
6. Martin LX1E Little Martin
Martin LX1E Little Martin
Martin's famous travel-size acoustic-electric with a solid spruce top, mahogany voice, and Fishman Sonitone electronics.
Pros
- Rich, unmistakably Martin tone
- Classic spruce and mahogany recipe
- Louder than its size suggests
- Reasonable price for the badge
Cons
- The one non-cutaway on this list
- Slim neck splits opinion
Full disclosure: the LX1E is the only guitar here without a cutaway. Its junior dreadnought body kept the slot on sound alone, because spruce over mahogany is arguably the most desired tonewood pairing in acoustic building, and Martin executes it at travel scale.
Fishman Sonitone electronics make it stage-usable, and it projects louder than the footprint suggests. We go deeper in our Martin LX1E review.
7. Walden G2070RCE
Walden G2070RCE
Luthier-styled Grand Auditorium with a solid cedar top, rosewood armrest bevel, and Fishman Presys Blend electronics.
Pros
- Clean, luthier-inspired design
- Graphite-reinforced neck stability
- Per-string geared Ratio tuners
- Internal mic blends with the pickup
Cons
- Few owner reviews to lean on
- Minimal looks read plain to some
The G2070RCE borrows its clean lines from luthier-built instruments: a pale cedar top, a plain ebony fingerboard, and a rosewood armrest bevel as the lone flourish. Twin graphite rails flank the truss rod for lifetime neck stability.
GraphTech Ratio tuners gear each string differently so every knob turn means the same pitch change, and the Fishman Presys Blend mixes an internal mic with the under-saddle pickup for a full, balanced amplified voice.
8. Martin GPCRSG Grand Performance
Martin GPCRSG Grand Performance
Road Series Grand Performance cutaway built from solid, sustainably sourced woods with a big amplified voice.
Pros
- Warm, loud, resonant voice
- Easy player by Martin standards
- Strong projection and sustain
- Renewable wood sourcing
Cons
- Heavier than typical auditoriums
- Subdued working-guitar looks
The GPCRSG comes from Martin’s Road Series, built from solid, renewably sourced woods rather than constructed panels. Its body runs deeper than most auditorium shapes, which is exactly where the warmth and volume come from.
Plugged in, it sounds bigger than it feels, and it holds tune and resonance through hard playing. A true working musician’s Martin under $1000.
9. Alhambra 3C-CW-US Classical
Alhambra 3C-CW-US Classical
Handmade Spanish classical with a cutaway, a narrowed nut for easier chording, and an optional Fishman E1 preamp.
Pros
- Rich, warm, surprising volume
- Careful handmade finishing
- Narrower nut eases chord changes
- Durable finish wears slowly
Cons
- Lighter body caps the volume ceiling
- Nylon voice isn't for steel-string fans
The 3C-CW-US is the classical option here, handmade with the small-detail care Alhambra is known for. The nut is trimmed to five centimeters, slightly narrower than classical standard, to ease chord changes and pick playing.
The cutaway opens the upper fretboard most classicals wall off. With the optional Fishman E1 preamp and tuner aboard, it’s a student-priced guitar that performs well past student level.
10. Takamine GD51CE-NAT
Takamine GD51CE-NAT
Dreadnought cutaway pairing a solid spruce top with rosewood and Takamine's TP-4TD preamp for stage-ready plugged-in tone.
Pros
- Solid spruce top with rich, balanced projection
- TP-4TD preamp with built-in tuner and three-band EQ
- Smooth Venetian cutaway for upper-fret access
- Slim satin mahogany neck plays easily
Cons
- Back and sides are laminate, not solid
- Gig bag not included at this price
The GD51CE pairs a solid spruce top with rosewood back and sides in a dreadnought cutaway, voiced bright and punchy with real low-end drive. Takamine’s TP-4TD preamp adds a three-band EQ, gain control, and built-in tuner, so it’s genuinely stage-ready out of the box.
The slim mahogany neck wears a smooth satin finish that keeps position shifts easy, and the Venetian cutaway opens the upper frets without choking the dreadnought voice. For the money, it’s a lot of working instrument.
Final Thoughts
The Blueridge BR-40CE is the guitar we’d hand most players first: vintage bracing, a bone nut and saddle, and a balanced voice that makes the price tag look like a typo.
The PRS SE Angelus A55E is the stage pick with its hybrid bracing and Fishman GT1, while the Yamaha A3R gives you an all-solid build and the smartest electronics here.
Fingerstyle players should hear the Walden, and the Alhambra covers the nylon-string corner beautifully.
Every guitar here delivers more than its price in tone and build. For the wider field, start with our best acoustic guitar overview, or jump to the best acoustic-electric guitars if you always play plugged in.
