Best Acoustic Guitar for Blues in 2022

There are so many different acoustic guitars out there that finding the one best suited for your purpose is difficult. Today, we want to help you find the best acoustic guitar for Blues. We’re going to do this by taking a look at the top seven contenders. We have done our best to pick acoustic guitars that are best suited for playing the Blues. 

Best Acoustic Guitar for Blues: Reviews

1. Yamaha Storia III Acoustic Guitar

Here we have an absolutely beautiful and great-sounding acoustic guitar that is fantastic for playing the Blues. It looks nice, and it sounds even better.

Review

Here we have a really nice acoustic guitar that is made out of solid mahogany. The top of the guitar is made out of solid mahogany, the body is made out of mahogany, and the back is made out of mahogany too. 

Generally speaking, everything on this guitar that can be made out of wood is made out of mahogany. This goes for everything but the neck, which is made out of walnut. 

Mahogany is of course a fantastic tonewood that features a very well-balanced range of sound. It allows for a really thick bottom end, a controlled high end, and a great mid-range. Not only does this allow for great sound quality for playing the Blues, but also for great durability.

The fact that it comes complete with a hand-rolled fretboard does make it very comfortable and easy to play. In terms of the overall tone, you can expect a really strong, earthy, and midrange-focused tonality.

Let’s not forget that this acoustic guitar also looks very nice. It features shimmering inlays, brass adornments, and champagne gold tuners. It’s definitely quite the eye-catching guitar. Yamaha is a trusted brand name, and they have not failed to deliver a quality product here.

Pros

• Warm and earthy 
• Balanced sound 
• Very eye-catching
• durable
• Made mostly of mahogany
• Hand-rolled fretboard 

Cons

• Very hard strings 
• Action is higher than some might prefer

2. Taylor 210ce Dreadnought Sitka/Rosewood Natural ES2 Guitar

Here we have another very nice acoustic guitar that comes to us from a very popular brand name. It’s made with high-quality materials, and its sound is rather perfect for playing the Blues.

Review

Right off the bat, what stands out here is that this is an acoustic-electric guitar. It’s nice because you can play it as is or you can also hook it up to an amplifier and a speaker. You might also appreciate how all of the electronics are onboard. This allows you to very easily control a variety of aspects while also producing a high-quality tone.

The top of this guitar is made out of real spruce. Not only does this spruce look nice, but it also holds up well to really aggressive strumming. Spruce is a great tonewood, because it holds up well to many styles of playing. It has a really broad dynamic range that reproduces sounds at all ranges very well.

The body of this guitar, as well as the back, are both made out of layered rosewood, which is also true for the fretboard. 

Rosewood is a great option to go with in this sense because it allows for a really full low end with excellent and bright treble. This type of tonewood also allows for very clear articulation. 

Keep in mind that the neck of this guitar is made out of mahogany, which is very durable and performs well too. It may be a very simple-looking guitar, but it absolutely gets the job done.

Pros

• Stands up to aggressive strumming
• Ideal for many playing styles
• Fantastic dynamic range
• Full low end with bright treble
• Mahogany neck and high-quality spruce body 

Cons

• Very basic design 

3. Gretsch G9200 Roundneck Boxcar Guitar

Here we have an acoustic guitar designed specifically for all types of Blues playing, for bluegrass, and other such types of music.

Review

The standout feature of this guitar is the Gretsch Ampli-Sonic resonator cone. This resonator cone is hand spun in Europe, and is made out of 99% aluminum. This allows for absolutely fantastic sonic projection and high volumes. 

It’s definitely going to be one of the loudest guitars that you could possibly use for playing the Blues. This is the reason why it is so ideal for playing the Blues. 

Something else that makes it ideal for playing the Blues is the fact that it comes with a round-neck design. That round-neck design makes it extremely comfortable and easy to play.

The body of this guitar is made out of rosewood. Of course, rosewood is a fantastic option because it allows for a full low end with fantastic treble. 

The back of this guitar is then made out of mahogany, which is great because it features a really dynamic range of sound. This is a type of tonewood known for having a perfect mid-range, controlled high end, and a thick bottom end.

Keep in mind that the neck of this guitar is made out of mahogany, whereas the fretboard is made out of rosewood. Yes, this is a six-string guitar, complete with a 25 inch scale length.

Pros

• Excellent tonewoods
• Can handle aggressive playing
• Great tonal range
• Round neck for blues
• Resonator cone for volume and resonance
• Looks very nice

Cons

• Limited durability and build quality

4. Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Here we have a really sleek and stylish acoustic guitar that comes to us from a trusted brand name and comes complete with a variety of extras.

Review

What stands out about this particular guitar is the fact that it is made out of many different materials. First, the back of the guitar is made out of basswood. This is a good tonewood to go with because it’s extremely lightweight, and it produces a very even and full to mid-range response along the entire bandwidth. 

Furthermore, this guitar comes complete with an X bracing system. This allows this guitar to have excellent stability, and it also allows for a really balanced voice.

Now, do keep in mind that the top of this guitar is made out of laminate. It’s not the number one best material in terms of the tone it produces, although it is extremely durable. Laminate does sound good enough, and is more than durable enough, considering the low price of this guitar.

Next, the fretboard of this guitar is made out of solid walnut. Walnut is a good fretboard material because it should last for quite some time, and it performs well too. The neck of this guitar is made out of nato wood, which is a cost-effective yet lightweight and durable choice.

You might also appreciate the black gloss finish of this guitar, as it does look rather nice. Keep in mind that this guitar does feature a 25.3-inch scale length, complete with a 20 fret fingerboard. What’s nice is that you do then also get a fairly decent guitar case, a guitar strap, picks, and a clip-on tuner too.

Pros

• Looks nice
• Good beginner set
• Everything included 
• Great tonal properties
• Fairly high-quality materials (besides the laminate)
• Great price

Cons

• Laminate may be durable, but doesn’t have the number one best sound quality 

5. Yamaha FG840 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar

Here we have a combination spruce and maple guitar that should produce excellent sounds for Blues playing purposes. It also comes to us from a very trusted brand name, yet doesn’t cost a fortune.

Review

The main body of this guitar is made out of maple, which is regarded as being an excellent tonewood. Maple is extremely hard and dense, and also very strong. Therefore, it is very durable, and great looking too, but also produces excellent sound. 

This type of wood has excellent tonal qualities with fantastic sustain. It is a perfect material for Blues guitars. This type of tonewood also features a really bright tone. The back of this guitar is also made out of maple, which has its own benefits.

The top of this guitar is then made out of authentic spruce. Spruce also has great tonal properties, and it’s fairly durable too. Spruce is often regarded as being one of the most well-rounded tonewoods out there, in its ideal for many styles of playing. It can stand up to being heartily strummed, and has a broad dynamic range too.

The fretboard is made out of rosewood, and the neck is made out of nato wood. Both of these materials are perfectly acceptable and more than ideal for Blues playing purposes. You may also appreciate the fact that this guitar comes complete with an adjustable truss rod, as well as diecast tuners.

Also worth mentioning is that Yamaha has engineered this guitar to have the best possible bracing design that allows for excellent volume as well as a very strong sound in the midrange and the lower ranges. Finally, it also comes with a flamed maple back and sides, that allow for a very high-end and exotic appearance.

Pros

• Great tonewoods with fantastic tonal properties
• Looks very nice
• Durable design
• Reasonable price
• Comfortable to play 

Cons

• Very narrow neck – not ideal for large fingers

6. Martin Guitar D-18E Modern Deluxe Acoustic-Electric Guitar

If you are looking for a nice acoustic-electric guitar that works well for playing the Blues, this might just be it. It’s not the cheapest guitar in the world, although it is probably one of the best.

Review

Here we have the very modern deluxe acoustic-electric guitar that comes complete with a vintage tone system. This guitar is made out of a combination of Sitka spruce and mahogany. This allows for a very aged and rich sound, combined with extremely powerful tones. It performs well at all sound and tonal ranges.

Here, you also get a carbon fiber bridge plate that is excellent at amplifying volume. It’s definitely not a quiet guitar by any means. 

It then also comes with that classic dreadnought body style that is excellent at producing a very deep and rich bass sound. Let’s not forget that both types of wood used in the construction of this guitar are also extremely durable.

You can also get a dovetail neck joint, a scalloped forward shifting X brace, and a high-performance tapered neck. X bracing is something that we particularly like as it allows this guitar to have a very balanced voice combined with excellent stability. 

You might also appreciate the open gold tuners, as they’re very easy to use, and also very good-looking. Speaking of overall quality and appearance, let’s keep in mind that this guitar is handmade. 

Moreover, this is the kind of guitar that you can use for bluegrass, Blues, country, jazz, rock, and more or less any other style too. 

Pros

• Very rich and full sound
• Great stability
• Very balanced voice
• Plenty of volume
• Warm and clear sound
• Durable design
• Looks very nice 

Cons

• Somewhat expensive 

7. Taylor Guitars 414ce-R V-Class Grand Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Here we have a fantastic guitar made out of a variety of tonewoods that allow it to perform very well for purposes such as playing the Blues.

Review

First, the top of this guitar is made out of mahogany. As we have discussed, mahogany is a great tonewood because it has a perfect balance of all ranges of sound. It therefore works well for most types of playing. 

The body of this guitar is made out of a combination of Sitka spruce and rosewood. Spruce is, of course, known for being a very well-rounded tonewood that allows for a very broad dynamic range and can stand up to being heartily strummed. 

Rosewood is another great type of tonewood, because it has a very rich sound with deep lows, and plenty of treble, and therefore it does pop quite a bit. Keep in mind that the back of this guitar is also made out of rosewood.

You might also appreciate the fact how this auditorium-style guitar is shaped in such a way that it produces a great deal of volume. It’s certainly quite a loud guitar, and this is even the case without amplifying it.

This guitar then also features nickel tuners, an ebony bridge, in my car to saddle, and a black graphite nut. Many people do like the performance that an ebony bridge provides. Of course, this is an acoustic-electric guitar, and it comes with the Taylor Expression System two electronics.

Pros

• Great tonal qualities
• Works well for most ranges
• Stands up to hearty strumming
• Very rich and deep lows
• High-quality ebony bridge
• Can be amplified

Cons

• Very high frets 

Buyers Guide

Before you go out and buy an acoustic guitar for playing the Blues, there are some important considerations you need to keep in mind.

1. Brands

With guitars, how well they perform and how long they last does often depend on the brand name. Therefore, you do want to go for some trusted brands. These include ones such as Taylor Guitars, Martin Guitars, Collings Guitars, Fender, PRS Paul Reed Smith guitars, Gibson, Yamaha, Gretsch, and others. You do get what you pay for here, so it is recommended that you spend a bit extra.

2. Style

When it comes to choosing the best acoustic guitar for playing the Blues, you also need to consider the style of the guitar. Some of the most common styles include dreadnought, parlor, jumbo, auditorium, grand auditorium, and classical. 

As you can see from our reviews, some of the best types of guitars for playing the Blues include the dreadnought and the grand auditorium guitar. That said, you may also find a special type of acoustic guitar known as the resonator guitar. 

Resonators have special interiors that allow for greater resonance and a much richer and louder tone. If you are interested in learning more about all of the different styles of your cars, we do recommend doing some additional research.

3. Tone & Sound

You then want to pay attention to what kind of tone and sound the guitar in question hands, which is mainly going to come down to the type of wood it is made out of. As you can see from today’s reviews, mahogany, spruce, rosewood, and other such options are all very popular. 

If you’re looking for a great dynamic range, a guitar that sounds well whether you are playing highs or lows, or if you want a very rich, warm, and clear tone, we recommend going for a combination of spruce and mahogany. That said, each type of tone would have its own properties, so this is something you may want to research in some more detail.

4. Body

To avoid confusion, the body of the guitar can come in many styles, which we talked about above, such as dreadnought, for example. This is going to influence the sound and tone of the guitar, as well as the volume. However, when it comes to the body, you do then also want to consider the type of tonewood that it is made out of. Once again, something like mahogany or spruce is generally considered best.

5. Headstock/Neck 

If we are talking about the neck and the headstock with the guitar, one of the best materials you could go for is maple. Maple guitar necks tend to have a really great tone along with moderate weight, and they have plenty of bite along with great sustain too. Maple is also very durable. Speaking of the neck, you may want to look for something rounded, as this is going to be more comfortable to play with.

FAQs

1. What is the best way to learn blues guitar?

Learning the Blues generally involves a few steps. This starts with learning a basic Blues shuffle, then playing the shuffle along with a drum machine, then learning some simple Blues guitar licks, then playing those licks over a backing track, and then finally learning a very easy blues song and playing it from start to finish.

2. How do I become PRO in playing blues?

The only way to become a pro at anything, whether playing the Blues or otherwise, is by practicing. The more practice you get in, the better you will get. To practice, follow the steps listed in the question above.

3. How often should I practice?

The official recommendation is that you should practice for at least 15 minutes per day, five days per week. That being said, the longer you practice, the faster you will learn.

Conclusion

If you are looking for the best acoustic guitar for playing Blues, it is the Yamaha Storia III Acoustic Guitar that we recommend. It’s made out of fantastic tonewoods, it looks nice, and is very comfortable to play too.