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The 8 Best Electro-Acoustic Guitars of 2022

Electroacoustic Guitar – Buying Guide, Opinions and Analysis

Electro-acoustic guitars are very popular today, as they are used to play with or without an amplifier, thanks to the fact that they have a resonance box, that is, you can use them acoustically or electrically, depending on your preferences and needs. If you want a good quality guitar, here we recommend two models. For example, the Fender Malibu Player electro-acoustic guitar, which has an elegant design with a walnut fingerboard and bridge, spruce top and the rest of the body in painted mahogany wood. Another recommended model is the Ibanez TCM50-VBS, with an ash top and rosewood fingerboard, plus a 2-band preamp.

The 8 Best Electro-Acoustic Guitars – Opinions 2022

With so many options on the internet, it’s not easy to choose a specific guitar model, especially when there are so many prominent brands, for example Fender, Takamine or Ibanez. For that reason, this time we have prepared a list with some of the best electro-acoustic guitars of 2022, perhaps one of them is the one you are needing. 

Fender electro-acoustic guitar

1.Fender Guitar

This could be the best electro-acoustic guitar with a Fishman preamp, since it has 2 equalization bands, bass and treble, and also has a digital tuning system. You simply press the Tuner button on the preamp and start tuning the strings. This is a great advantage to quickly tune the instrument before playing, without the need to be a professional. 

On the other hand, the materials are of high quality, for example, it has a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, as well as a mahogany neck. Of course, the woods do not come in the natural color, but have been previously painted with a burgundy satin finish. This style of painting is like wine from the French region of Burgundy. 

In addition to this, this Fender electro-acoustic guitar has a thin C-shaped profile neck, so you can place the chords more easily. 

If you are looking for the best electro-acoustic guitar of the moment, don’t forget to review the pros and cons of this Fender model, whose materials and accessories are of high quality. 

Pros

Body: Its body or soundboard is made of spruce and mahogany, two woods that offer great sound and durability. 

Neck: The neck is made of mahogany and the fretboard is made of walnut. This latter wood is beautiful with its natural grain and offers good tonal balance.  

Preamp: It has a 2-band Fishman preamp with digital tuner, plus it has a light to let you know when to change the battery.  

Cons

Calibration: It may come a little out of calibration, so you will have to make this adjustment before using it. 

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2. Fender 0970713121 Right 6-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar

It is difficult to know which is the best electro-acoustic guitar due to so much variety on the market today, but if you are a beginner, this instrument may meet your expectations. First of all, because it has a solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, as well as a walnut fingerboard, woods that promise a clean and balanced sound. 

Second, it’s a good choice for beginners because it offers a digital tuning system on its Fishman preamp. This accessory allows easy tuning, because it has a screen that lights up green when the string has reached the correct tension. 

In addition to this, this Fender electro-acoustic guitar has a wide, round-type body, for a broader sound without the need for an amplifier. This is an advantage for playing camping and other outdoor activities with family or friends. 

The main advantages and disadvantages of this product could catch your attention, so here we explain some of them. 

Pros

Woods: Spruce, mahogany and walnut are the woods with which this beautiful guitar has been made, in addition, it has transparent paint finishes.  

Preamplifier: Its body incorporates a 2-band Fishman preamplifier or microphone, to be able to equalize bass and treble to your liking.

Design: With a wider soundboard and Cutaway design you can play songs of various styles, including solos on the last frets.

Cons

Strings: It would be nice if the package included a set of spare strings. 

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Ibanez electro-acoustic guitar

3. Ibanez TCM50-VBS electrified acoustic guitar

This is an Ibanez electro-acoustic guitar with an ash top, mahogany body and neck, plus a rosewood fingerboard. In this way, it manages to offer you a clear and pleasant sound to play various styles of music, country, jazz, pop, ballad, etc. In addition, the fretboard has Pearl Dot inlays, to make it easier to find the musical notes. 

Another quality that we can mention about this guitar is its authentic design with a thin body, straw-shaped soundhole and wooden pickguard. Likewise, its fixed microphone in the upper part of the mouth is striking, which picks up the sound of the strings with greater precision, and then sends it to the amplifier through the Ibanez AEQ200M preamplifier. The latter has 2 equalization bands for personalized frequency adjustment. 

In the following lines we will explain some qualities that you should know before buying this Ibanez guitar model. 

Pros

Preamplifier: The preamplifier is called Ibanez AEQ200M, which has 2 equalization bands and a light to know when to change the battery. 

Materials: It is made of mahogany, ash and rosewood, which are high quality woods and offer a fairly clear sound. 

Aesthetics: Its beauty is something that you notice with the naked eye, since it has an elegant and shiny paint finish, as well as a fine body. 

Cons

Adjustments: Before using it, the neck must be adjusted, so we recommend taking it to a luthier. 

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4. Ibanez AS53-TF Acoustic-electric guitar Semi-hollow Wood 6 strings

This could be the best value for money electro-acoustic guitar on the market, because, although it is one of the cheapest, it is made with high quality woods, mahogany on the body and rosewood on the fingerboard. This last wood has a nice reddish-brown color and withstands humidity or climate changes without problems.

And, if you want an Ibanez electro-acoustic guitar to plug into an amp and practice with your band, this could be the one, because it has two humbucking pickups similar to those used on traditional electric guitars. This allows the microphones to better capture the sounds of each string or note you play. In addition, it is a system compatible with pedalboards or effects processors for electric guitar. 

Another quality that highlights this instrument is its fine body with holes similar to a violin. 

These are the most important qualities of the Ibanez AS53-TF guitar, so read each of them carefully if you want to buy the right product. 

Pros

Pins: It has two double ACH-ST model pickups, which offer a clear sound. 

Fingerboard: It has a thin and comfortable neck, in addition, the fingerboard is made of rosewood and it has Perl Dot inlays. 

Bridge: The bridge on this guitar is a Tune O Matic type, so you can easily raise or lower the action of the strings. 

Cons

Sound: Due to its thin body, the sound does not offer much bass power, however, by connecting to the amplifier you can get better bass. 

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Epiphone electro-acoustic guitar

5. Epiphone Dove PRO Acoustic-Electric Guitars

This guitar has a solid spruce top, a resistant wood that offers warm and pleasant sounds to the ear. Also, on its back and sides it has maple wood, a material that, combined with the spruce top, offers a balanced sound.

In addition to this, this Epiphone electro-acoustic guitar has medium jumbo frets, which are resistant to scratches and finger treads when making chords. It also has a rosewood fingerboard, which is very nice with its natural grain. 

Another aspect that stands out about this model is that it has very striking and authentic inlays on frets 3, 5, 12, etc. They help to quickly find the notes on the fretboard, especially for soloing. 

Epiphone could be the best brand of electro-acoustic guitars, so learn more about this musical instrument.

Pros

Fingerboard: It has a fingerboard made of rosewood with pearl inlays, which help improve execution. 

Top: This guitar has a top made of solid spruce, which is strong and durable. 

Design: It has an attractive and classic design, in addition, it can be used by both men and women. 

Cons

Tuner: The preamp does not have a built-in tuner, so you will need to buy one separately, especially if you are a beginner. 

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Alvarez electro-acoustic guitar

6. Alvarez AC65CE Acoustic-Electric Guitar

This Álvarez electro-acoustic guitar has a classic style with nylon strings. It also has an LR Baggs StagePro EQ and Element electrical system that will allow you to have an optimal live performance. 

Similarly, we mentioned that the preamp is 3-band, so you can configure the low, medium and high frequencies. This accessory will even tell you when to change the battery, thanks to a red light that activates when it detects low power. 

On the other hand, it should be noted that its body has a Cutaway design, which allows the fingers to more easily access the highest notes, that is, those after the 12th fret. In addition, this instrument has been made of wood rosewood, mahogany and red cedar. Similarly, it has a semi-gloss finish, so it looks great to the naked eye. 

Choosing an electro-acoustic guitar can be an easy task if you know more about its pros and cons.

Pros

Body: It has a Cutaway design, this type of design allows the guitarist’s fingers to more easily access the high notes. 

Preamp: It has an LR Baggs StagePro EQ and Element circuit, which is 3-band, for a more personalized sound.  

Woods: The woods used for the manufacture of this instrument have been mahogany, red cedar and rosewood, which are resistant and offer good sound. 

Cons

Spare: It would be nice if the instrument came with spare strings. 

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Takamine electro-acoustic guitar

7. Takamine GD15CENAT acoustic-electric guitar

This Takamine Acoustic-Electric Guitar features an attractive Venetian-style cutaway and Cutaway-type body design, also known as a half-moon design by some players. This quality is very useful for soloing on the 13th, 15th, 17th frets and other higher notes. 

This guitar is suitable for beginner guitarists, but offers a high-quality sound. Also, we mention that it is made mostly of mahogany and the top is made of spruce. The bridge and fingerboard are made of rosewood, a wood also known as palisander or rosewood and that withstands climatic changes very well. 

Another quality that stands out in this guitar is its preamplifier, which will allow you to connect the guitar to a mixer, amplifier or recording interface. Its preamp even has a built-in tuner, as well as volume control, for added ease of use. 

If you still don’t know which electro-acoustic guitar to buy, we present this Takamine brand model, which offers a good sound. 

Pros

Tuner: It has a tuner that will allow you to adjust the guitar strings correctly before using it in a rehearsal or recital. 

Pickguard: Next to the soundhole it has a black pickguard that will protect the top from scratches with the pick. 

Neck: The neck of the guitar has been made with mahogany, a wood that combines very well with the rest of the instrument and is also resistant. 

Cons

Cover: It is missing that the guitar includes a cover, so you do not have to buy it separately. 

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Stagg electro-acoustic guitar  

8. Stagg A2006-BLS Electro-Acoustic Guitar

It has a body made with a spruce top, in addition, the bridge and fingerboard were made of rosewood. Likewise, this Stagg electro-acoustic guitar comes in an attractive blue color with leaf and hole decorations on the top. By these last ones it emits the sounds, unlike other guitars that have a mouth in the center of the body. 

Also, its buttons stand out to hang the strap and be able to play standing up. We also mentioned that it has chrome tuners that fit seamlessly into the design of the guitar. 

Another point that you should know about this guitar is that it comes with a preamplifier, from which you can adjust the volume and other sound options. This system has a piezoelectric, which, in turn, is installed under the bone in the rosewood bridge. 

If you are looking for an electro-acoustic guitar to learn to play, check out this model, because it is one of the cheapest, but it offers a good sound. 

Pros

Design: It has an unconventional design that makes it an attractive guitar, especially for its ornaments on the top. 

Bridge: The bridge has been made of rosewood, this being a type of wood that is very resistant to the tension of the metal strings. 

Versatility: With this guitar you can play different musical styles, jazz, country, pop, ballad, rock, etc. 

Cons

Strap: It might be better if it came with a shoulder strap so you don’t have to buy it separately. 

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Acoustic-electric guitar accessories

Electroacoustic guitar amplifier

Fender acoustasonic guitar amplifier 15 w instruments amplifiers

This is one of the best accessories for electro-acoustic guitar, the Fender Acoustasonic amplifier. With it you can connect your electro-acoustic guitar to make it sound louder, which is useful in live performances, band practice, music lessons, etc.  

In addition, it is an amplifier for electro-acoustic guitar with a 3-band equalizer, so you can adjust the bass, midrange and treble of the instrument. Also, the amplifier offers the outstanding Chorus effect, which gives a more complete listening sensation, as if you were playing several guitars at the same time.

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electroacoustic guitar strings

Elixir 11002 Bronze Acoustic Guitar String Set 

Replacement electro-acoustic guitar strings are very useful when the ones that came from the factory with your instrument rust or break. In this case, we present you the Elixir 11002, which provide a gauge from.010 to.047, so they are soft on the hands, very useful when making chords with bars, riffs or guitar solos. For that reason, they are called Extra Light, in Spanish, extra light, so that the fingers of the left hand will not tire you much. 

Elixir competes very well with the leading brands on the market, offering good tone and long life. 

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Shopping guide 

To choose a good instrument of this type, you have to know the most important characteristics that make it up, for example, woods, types of guitars, sound, electrical system, etc. That is why we have prepared this guide to buy the best electro-acoustic guitar on the market. 

woods

In a comparison of electro-acoustic guitars, this point cannot be missed, since wood is the main material of these instruments. To better understand this quality we will start talking about the body. This part of the electro-acoustic guitar is basically made up of three parts, the top, the back and the sides, just like the traditional acoustic guitar. The bottom is also known as the back, and many guitarists call the sides sides. 

Well, the top is the front part of the guitar body and both the bridge and the mouth of the instrument go on it. The top is directly responsible for the sound, so spruce is often used, which is a useful wood for providing warm sounds. However, some manufacturers use other woods such as cedar, ash, mahogany, palo santo. These woods come from different cuts of the tree, so although we are talking about guitars with tops of the same woods, the sound can vary from one instrument to another. 

The same happens with the other woods of the body, for example, the mahogany in the sides and back. Many guitars have this material in those parts of the body. Depending on the cut, the drying process of the wood and the layers of paint used for the finishes, the sound will be more or less bright and warm. 

Other very common woods are palisander, also known as palo santo or rosewood, in English, rosewood. This type of wood is used in the elaboration of the fingerboards of many electro-acoustic guitars today. This is so due to its quality and long life. There are also other woods such as ebony and walnut, which are also used for the fingerboards of these guitars. Those options could be useful too, because they are woods that withstand hand sweat and scratches very well. 

Types of guitars and strings

The design is varied in this type of guitars. There are classic models with nylon strings and newer ones. Classical electro-acoustic guitars are very comfortable for the fingers of the left hand, since the nylon strings are much softer. On the other hand, electro-acoustic guitars with metal strings can be more annoying on the fingers. However, metal strings also come in different gauges, just like nylon strings. This means you can buy a set of.009 or.010 gauge metal strings if you want your fingers to be safe. 

The most difficult calibers are.012 and above. The higher the gauge, the thicker the strings. In a sense, this turns up the string action.

We advise you to be very sure of what type of electro-acoustic guitar to buy, metal or nylon strings. If you’re not sure and later you think about mounting metal strings to a classical electro-acoustic guitar, you could damage it, because they are specially designed for nylon strings, which exert less tension on the bridge and neck. 

In other words, there are only two types of electro-acoustic guitars, classical nylon strings and metal strings. 

Sound

The sound is closely related to the body or soundboard of the guitar. If this is wide, it will have more space for the vibration of the musical notes, therefore, the guitar will sound louder. In this sense, we are talking about the volume. 

Another aspect of the sound that you should check is if the guitar emits balance between frequencies. Especially between the high and low notes. If you like bass sounding guitars, choose a model that gives you warm tones, such as one with a large body and metal strings. 

Electric system 

Before asking yourself how much an electro-acoustic guitar costs, check this quality because the electrical system can raise or lower its price. However, you may be able to find a good and cheap guitar with a 2-band preamp, due to the wide variety of models and brands on the market. 

On the other hand, we mentioned that, if you are a beginner, an electro-acoustic guitar with a digital tuner in its electrical system will serve you much better. The tuner will help you put the proper tension on the guitar strings each time they go out of tune. 

Frequently asked questions

Q1: How to learn to play an electro-acoustic guitar?

If you put your mind to it, you can learn to play electro-acoustic guitar in a short time. The first thing you should do is know the parts of the guitar and the names of the strings. Then, learn exercises to develop the technique in both hands, there are many of these on the Internet, even through YouTube tutorials. 

Next, start learning major and minor chords, which are the most basic. These are also on the Internet, there are hundreds of pages with very well explained diagrams. 

Finally, when you have mastered a certain amount of technique and chord exercises, you can start playing songs, which are also available on YouTube videos totally free or, if you want to train in a personalized way, you can enroll in an online course or face-to-face classes.. 

Q2: How many frets does an electro-acoustic guitar have?

Electro-acoustic guitars typically come with 22 frets, but some models offer up to 24, similar to electric stratocaster. Also, there are other models of electro-acoustic guitars with fewer frets, so before buying a model on the Internet, check the photos or description of the product, to make sure you have the necessary amount. 

Q3: How to equalize an electro-acoustic guitar?

Electro-acoustic guitars have a preamplifier to be able to send audio signals to the amplifier. This electrical circuit often comes with equalization bands, for example two or three. If it has three bands, it means that you can equalize the highs, mids and lows. 

Another way to equalize electro-acoustic guitars is from the amplifier you connect them to. For example, some amplifiers have a built-in equalizer, you just have to adjust it to your liking or according to the music you are going to play. 

Q4: How to tune an electro-acoustic guitar?

To tune an electro-acoustic guitar by ear, you can use a tuning fork tuned to A. This is a small accessory that you can hit in the palm of your hand, and when you do it it will vibrate a bit. Of course, its sound will not be very loud, so we recommend that you touch the soundboard of the guitar with the neck of the fingerboard while it is vibrating. This way the guitar will amplify the A sound emitted by the fretboard. 

When you hear the A, you just have to adjust the tension of the fifth string of the guitar, so that it sounds the same as the pitch of the fretboard. Later, when you manage to tune the fifth string, A, you continue with the others, but taking their sound as a reference. 

Q5: How to calibrate an electro-acoustic guitar? 

Electroacoustic guitars have a soul, that is, a metal rod hidden inside the neck. The soul makes the neck support the tension of the strings without problems, in addition, it prevents them from bending the fingerboard and neck. 

Normally, the fingerboard and neck are almost completely straight, to provide the proper tuning at each fret. If you tune the guitar and when you play it sounds out of tune, it’s because it’s out of tune. To recalibrate it, use the Allen wrench that came with your guitar and tighten the truss rod a bit.

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