Finding the right acoustic guitar for blues can feel like searching for the perfect note in a 12-bar progression. The genre demands an instrument with soul, one that can moan with sweet resonance and bark with percussive attack. From the raw, fingerpicked sounds of Delta blues to the slide guitar of the Chicago electric era, the right guitar is your voice. This guide cuts through the noise to present a curated list of instruments that deliver the tone, feel, and character essential for any blues player.
Whether you’re a seasoned picker looking for a new workhorse or a beginner drawn to the raw emotion of the blues, the options here cater to every level and preference. We’ve considered everything from classic dreadnoughts and jumbos to specialized nylon-string and 12-string models, ensuring you can find an instrument that resonates with your personal style. Our roundup focuses on build quality, tonal characteristics, and playability to help you make an informed decision for your next—or first—blues guitar.
Our Top Picks for Blues Acoustic Guitars
- Yamaha NTX1200R Acoustic Electric Classical Guitar
- Taylor 200 Series 214ce DLX Grand Auditorium Guitar
- Cordoba C10 SP Classical All-Solid Woods Guitar
- Gretsch G5022CWFE-12 Rancher 12-String Guitar
- Guild F-1512E 12-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Light Acoustic Guitar Strings
- Fender FA-125 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Bundle
- Epiphone Masterbilt Hummingbird Acoustic Electric
- Martin LX1RE Little Martin Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Folk Acoustic Guitar
Yamaha NTX1200R Acoustic Electric Classical Guitar
For blues players drawn to the warm, mellow tones of a nylon-string guitar, the Yamaha NTX1200R is a premium choice. Its solid Sitka spruce top provides a crisp and articulate response, while the solid rosewood back and sides contribute a deep, complex resonance perfect for fingerstyle blues. The thinner neck profile and cutaway body design offer a modern feel and easy access to the upper frets, making it highly versatile for intricate lead work.
The combination of all-solid woods ensures this instrument will only sound better with age, developing a richer character over time. The onboard electronics allow you to plug in and project that authentic nylon-string tone in a live setting, capturing the subtle nuances of your playing. This guitar is built for the serious musician who values traditional materials with a contemporary, player-friendly design.
Taylor 200 Series 214ce DLX Grand Auditorium
The Taylor 214ce DLX brings the brand’s renowned playability and modern tone to the blues genre. The Grand Auditorium body shape offers a balanced sound with a clear midrange and defined bass, making it excellent for both strumming and fingerpicking. Its layered wood construction is engineered for stability and a consistent tone that cuts through, whether you’re playing solo or with a group.
Taylor’s patented neck joint and low-action setup make this one of the easiest-playing steel-string guitars available, reducing hand fatigue during long practice sessions. The built-in Taylor ES-B electronics provide a natural amplified sound that faithfully reproduces the guitar’s acoustic character. This model is a fantastic option for players who prioritize comfort and a sleek, professional sound.
Cordoba C10 SP Classical All-Solid Woods Guitar
The Cordoba C10 SP represents a benchmark in the classical guitar world, built with a traditional fan-braced solid European spruce top and solid Indian rosewood back and sides. This combination produces a tone with exceptional warmth, clarity, and dynamic range, ideal for the expressive demands of blues music. The detailed hand-inlaid rosette reflects the high level of craftsmanship found in this instrument.
As part of Cordoba’s Luthier Series, the C10 SP is voiced for a professional player, offering a responsive touch that rewards nuanced technique. The rich, full-bodied sound it produces is perfect for capturing the emotional depth of blues ballads and intricate fingerstyle arrangements. It comes with a polyfoam case, making it ready for both the studio and the stage.
Gretsch G5022CWFE-12 Rancher 12-String Guitar
Add a shimmering, chorus-like richness to your blues sound with the Gretsch Rancher 12-string. This model provides a fuller, more complex tone that can fill a room with its vibrant harmonics, reminiscent of legendary blues and folk-rock tracks. The striking white finish, gold hardware, and iconic falcon inlays give it a visual flair that matches its bold sonic presence.
The cutaway body design is a practical feature that allows you easy access to the upper frets for solos and melodic passages. Despite having twelve strings, the neck is designed for comfortable playability. This guitar is an excellent tool for adding a layer of texture and grandeur to your blues repertoire, whether you are recording or performing live.
Guild F-1512E 12-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar
The Guild F-1512E is a jumbo 12-string built for power and projection. The solid Sitka spruce top and solid Indian rosewood back and sides create a loud, resonant voice with a strong low end and sparkling highs. This tonal characteristic makes it stand out in a mix, perfect for blues players who need their rhythm parts to be heard with clarity and depth.
Guild’s vintage-shaped neck with a 1 7/8″ nut width provides a more spacious string spacing, which can be very helpful for managing the double courses of strings on a 12-string. Equipped with a Fishman Sonitone pickup system, it is fully equipped for amplification, ensuring your full, chorused tone translates perfectly to the PA or amplifier.
Ernie Ball Earthwood Light Acoustic Guitar Strings
Strings are a crucial part of your guitar’s voice, and the Ernie Ball Earthwood Light set is a reliable choice for blues players. The 11-52 gauge offers a comfortable balance between playability and full tone, allowing for easy bending and vibrato without sacrificing volume or resonance. They are an excellent option for players who want to reduce finger fatigue without moving to an extra-light gauge.
These strings are known for their bright, well-balanced tone and long-lasting life. The two-pack ensures you have a spare set on hand, so you can maintain a fresh, vibrant sound on your guitar. Regularly changing your strings is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep your acoustic guitar sounding its best for blues playing.
Fender FA-125 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Bundle
The Fender FA-125 is an ideal starting point for anyone beginning their blues journey. This dreadnought guitar produces a classic, robust tone that is well-suited for strummed blues rhythms. Its lightweight design and easy-playing neck make it comfortable for beginners to handle during long practice sessions, helping to build technique without unnecessary strain.
This bundle is particularly valuable because it includes all the essential accessories a new player needs: a gig bag for protection, a tuner for keeping your guitar in pitch, a strap, extra strings, and picks. The included instructional DVD provides a foundation for learning. It’s a complete, budget-friendly package that lets you start playing right away.
Epiphone Masterbilt Hummingbird Acoustic Electric
The Epiphone Masterbilt Hummingbird captures the essence of a classic design, known for its warm, balanced tone and distinct visual style. The aged cherry sunburst finish gives it a vintage look that matches the timeless quality of blues music. This guitar is built to offer a rich, articulate sound that works well for both chordal accompaniment and melodic lines.
As part of the Masterbilt series, it features higher-quality materials and construction techniques, resulting in improved sound and projection over standard models. The acoustic-electric capability means you can easily plug in for performances or recording. It’s a great choice for players seeking that iconic Hummingbird character and reliability.
Martin LX1RE Little Martin Acoustic-Electric Guitar
The Martin LX1RE, or “Little Martin,” proves that a big, bluesy tone doesn’t require a giant guitar. Its scaled-down body is highly portable and comfortable to play, especially for younger players or those with a smaller frame. Despite its size, it delivers a surprisingly full and balanced sound with the characteristic Martin warmth and clarity.
Its solid construction and high-pressure laminate (HPL) back and sides make it incredibly durable and resistant to changes in humidity and temperature. With its built-in electronics, this little guitar is ready for the stage, making it a perfect travel companion or a primary instrument for players who value comfort and portability without compromising on brand quality.
Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Folk Acoustic Guitar
The Yamaha FG800 is widely regarded as one of the best values in the acoustic guitar market. It features a solid spruce top, which is a key factor in producing a dynamic and mature tone that improves with age. The dreadnought body style provides a strong, clear voice with plenty of volume, making it suitable for various blues playing styles.
Yamaha’s reputation for consistent quality and setup means the FG800 is typically ready to play right out of the box, with comfortable action and reliable tuning stability. It’s an incredibly dependable workhorse guitar for beginners and experienced players alike who need a no-fuss instrument that sounds great and can handle the rigors of regular practice and performance.
Buying Guide: What to Look For in Your First Blues Acoustic Guitar
Choosing your first blues acoustic guitar can feel like a big decision, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. I remember being overwhelmed by all the options when I started. The key is to focus on a few core features that really make a difference for the blues sound we all love. Let’s break down what you should be looking for.
First, consider the body shape. For blues, you often want something that projects well but also has a bit of a gritty, personal character. Dreadnoughts are powerful and common, but don’t overlook smaller bodies like Parlor or 000/OM models. These smaller guitars are incredibly comfortable to play, especially when sitting down, and they have a focused, mid-rangey tone that just sounds “right” for fingerpicking and slide work. They were the go-to for many early blues legends.
Next, think about the tonewoods. The combination of the top (soundboard) and the back and sides creates the guitar’s voice. A solid spruce top is a fantastic and common choice; it’s responsive and tends to sound better as it ages. For the back and sides, mahogany is a classic for blues. It gives you a warm, dry sound with strong mid-range presence, perfect for those soulful, vocal-like leads. Rosewood offers more bass and sparkle in the highs, which can be great for a fuller sound. If you’re on a budget, don’t fear laminated woods—they can still sound very good, especially on a well-made instrument.
The neck profile and string action are crucial for playability. Blues involves a lot of bending and sliding, so you need a neck that feels comfortable in your hand. A thinner “C”-shaped or “slim-taper” neck can be easier for players with smaller hands. More importantly, check the action—that’s the height of the strings above the fretboard. High action is hard to press down and makes playing fast licks a chore. A good setup from a guitar tech can make any decent guitar feel like a dream, so factor that potential cost into your budget.
Finally, let’s talk about the type of strings. Acoustic guitars usually come with bronze strings, but for that authentic blues growl, many players prefer nickel or phosphor bronze strings, which have a slightly softer feel and a warmer, less jangly tone. Starting with a set of .012 gauge strings (often called “light” gauge) is a good balance between volume and playability. As you get more comfortable, you can experiment with different brands and materials to find your perfect sound. Finding the right instrument from our list of the 10 best blues acoustic guitars is about matching these features to your personal comfort and the specific sound you hear in your head.
FAQ
What is the best body shape for blues acoustic guitar?
There isn’t one single “best” shape, as it depends on your style. For loud, rhythmic playing, a Dreadnought is great. However, for the classic, intimate blues sound associated with artists like Robert Johnson, a smaller Parlor or 000 body is often preferred. These smaller guitars are comfortable, have a focused tone that cuts through, and are perfect for fingerstyle and slide techniques.
Are more expensive guitars better for beginners?
Not necessarily. While high-end guitars are beautiful instruments, you can find fantastic options for a few hundred dollars that are perfect for learning. The most important thing for a beginner is a guitar that is easy to play (with a comfortable neck and low action) and stays in tune. A poorly set-up, expensive guitar can be more frustrating than a well-set-up, affordable one. Focus on playability first.
Can I use a regular acoustic guitar for blues?
Absolutely! You can play blues on any acoustic guitar. The genre was born on whatever instruments were available, often cheap or even homemade. The recommendations in a guide for the 10 best blues acoustic guitars are optimized for that specific sound—often favoring warmer tones and comfortable playability for bends and slides—but any guitar you have is a good guitar to start learning the blues on.
What is the difference between a resonator and a standard acoustic guitar for blues?
Resonator guitars (like Dobros) have metal cones inside the body instead of a traditional wooden soundboard. This gives them a much louder, brighter, and more metallic tone that projects extremely well. They are iconic for slide blues. A standard wooden acoustic guitar offers more tonal variety, from warm and mellow to bright and jangly, and is more versatile for a player who wants to also play rhythm or fingerstyle without a slide.
Should I start with steel-string or nylon-string?
For blues, you will want a steel-string acoustic guitar. The steel strings provide the bright, ringing, and sometimes gritty tone that is essential to the blues sound. Nylon-string (classical) guitars have a much softer, mellower tone that isn’t typically associated with the blues genre. The feel under your fingers is also very different.