The acoustic-electric and the acoustic guitars are extremely similar to each other. So much so that I would even venture to say there is barely any difference. Most acoustic-electric guitars are offered as plain acoustic guitars. The only difference between an acoustic-electric and an acoustic guitar is the added electronics which allow for a little extra amplification. What does this mean for a person looking to buy a guitar? It might be wise to consider buying an acoustic guitar in the same price range as the acoustic-electric unless you are looking to pick one up for the sake of some professional need – such as if you are traveling around the country and performing in front of loud audiences where you would need extra amplification to sound good.
Even then it might be wise to consider using a microphone to amplify the sound of your guitar instead of purchasing a guitar with an extra feature. Though the best acoustic-electric guitars do offer exceptional amplification and electronics that could knock you out of the park, even the best acoustic-electric guitars under 1000 are not much different from the best acoustic guitars under 1000. Some of the models are even the same, except for the added electronics. This does not mean that you should not be considering buying an electric acoustic guitar, it only means you should be considering your options. If you do have a specific reason and an understanding of why you want or need an acoustic-electric guitar, then this list is for you.
What’s The Best Acoustic-Electric Guitar Under 1000
| Image | Guitar Model | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Alhambra 3C-CW-US, Solid Red Cedar |  (4.9 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
 | Taylor GS Mini-e Koa | (4.9 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
 | PRS SE Angelus AX20E | (4.9 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
 | Epiphone DR-500MCE |  (4.8 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
 | Godin A6 Two-Chambered Electro-Acoustic |  (4.7 / 5) | Check on Amazon |
Alhambra 3C-CW-US, Solid Red Cedar
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If you’re in the mood for a nylon-string acoustic-electric guitar, then the guitar I’m going to talk about will be a nice option to consider. Alhambra 3C CW is a model from the brand’s student series, but that doesn’t limit it to those who are just starting out. The features that are tailored to guitarists who are still learning make it easier to play and hold. Its lightweight body has a single cutaway that basically grants you special access to all the frets. The nut is narrower to assist you in the learning process even more. 3C CW has a solid red cedar top, mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck, and Indian rosewood fingerboard. These are the features that we encounter pretty frequently, yet they can truly work wonders. The richness and warmth of its sound will force you to fall in love with the guitar and play with it interminably. If you’re a beginner, it will help you understand your sound better, recognize the mistakes easily and improve your skills day by day. Alhambra 3C CW is reasonably priced and offers a wonderful journey as a part of a package – you’ll definitely have some amazing moments with it.
Pros:
- Suitable for students and professionals
- Powerful
- Rich, soft sound
Cons:
- Synthetic nut and saddle
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
The small size of Taylor GS Mini is deceiving of its true loud, strong, alluring sound and looks. Those of you who believe that small guitars are made for children will find this guitar to be proving you wrong. Much more wrong than you thought you ever could be. The guitar is a full Koa make – an unusual choice for the body of a guitar. This unusual choice is one of the reasons the guitar sounds as unique as it does – the tones are warm and vibrant, just as you would expect of a guitar with this much character in looks. The electronics on the guitar are exceptional, existing for the purpose of amplifying and emphasizing the beauty of this guitar. The small size is perfect for all of you traveling gig masters, who do not like back problems associated with carrying heavy things on their backs. Overall, this is the perfect guitar for the traveler who wants to be able to plug in at as many performance stages as possible.
Pros:
- Quality tonewood
- Good, easy to use electronics
- Consistent
Cons:
- Strings (they are not bad, per se, but for such an amazing quality guitar I would choose a better set)
- Price (A bit high for a mini guitar but in my opinion it’s worth it)
PRS SE Angelus AX20E
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There are guitars out there that win our hearts with their names, there are ones that lure us with their design and there are the ones that mesmerize us with promises about the overall quality. Even though promises are usually hard to fulfill, some brands manage to do so while still maintaining a reasonable price tag. PRS SE Angelus AX20E promises to be a powerful beast from the very first glance at a feature set. Even though its tonewoods are a typical deal (solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany body), there’s something special about it. Its sound isn’t just warm – it has a unique character that I have a hard time explaining. If you have some free time, I suggest listening to demos and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Its Angelus body shape promises to be comfortable and hug your body – another promise PRS managed to fulfill faultlessly. Since this is an acoustic-electric model, it’s worth noting that AX20E comes with Fishman GT1 electronics – a pretty decent deal, don’t you think? Oh, I almost forgot – even though you can nail fingerstyle with this fella, its properties make it more suitable for heavier strumming and some more aggressive techniques. What a beast!
Pros:
- Well-balanced tone
- High-quality electronics
- Reasonable price
Cons:
- The sound could benefit from more presence
Epiphone DR-500MCE
There is beauty and power in a design that is a little over 70 years old. Just like there is beauty and power in a time-tested man with a story that goes both through love and war, a balding head full of stories to tell, ones that will rock your world to the very core. A man with a life that you can only dream of ever having. The Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500MCE is based off of the designs that were first created in 1931. The guitar was a good one then and is a good one today, with an affordable price and an amazing-sounding twist ending. While it is hard to compare the lifetime tales of an old man to the sound of a guitar, it might be interesting to consider that a man telling the story might find the guitar to be the best accompaniment to his voice. Solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides of this guitar create a pleasant sound that feels like it is as much a reminiscence about the past as the design of the guitar is, warm and sweet. This a beautiful guitar those with an eye for quality will find useful.
Pros:
- Woody sound
- Affordable
- Good sound
Cons:
- Might be too big for beginners
- Needs string changing
Godin A6 Two-Chambered
A shotgun will attract the attention of everyone within a mile wide radius, whether it will be fired or not. A double-chambered shotgun will turn the heads of anyone within a radius of two miles. The Godin A6 Two-Chambered Electro-Acoustic has the potential to turn the heads of everyone in the world, when used right. This more electric than acoustic guitar stands out in the collection brought here because of its tendency to lean more towards electric than acoustic, but the sound it produces is in no way inferior to the acoustic guitar. The built in speaker produces a sublime acoustic sound that can be altered with the use of controls and the ability of the guitar to be integrated with a computer. Plug it into an amp and the guitar is just as powerful an electric as it is an acoustic guitar.
Pros:
- Amazing plugged-in sound
- Great electronics
- Comfortable and lightweight
Cons:
- Not the best-unplugged sound
- Strings
Acoustic-electric guitar benefits
So what is the point of having an acoustic-electric guitar if the biggest advantage to having the acoustic-electric guitar is the fact that the sound it produces can be amplified without a microphone? Why not just use the microphone to amplify the sound and save the little bit of extra you will be paying for the electronics attached to the acoustic-electric guitar?
Well, reason number 1, the electronics are not simply attached to the acoustic guitar. Despite the similarity between the structures, the actual addition of electronics to the acoustic guitar starts way before the acoustic guitar is finished. Correctly attaching the numerous electronic items, threading the wiring through and finalizing the construction take a long time and need to be done at the same time as the acoustic guitar is being constructed from scratch. It takes a lot of precision to be done right, so yes, the work does also cost a certain amount of money.
The electronics included in the best acoustic-electric guitars under 1000 are also not cheap. These electronic devices are carefully crafted to have the highest quality amplification effect without creating any drawbacks on the guitar itself. The parts are specifically considered, just like the tonewoods and the bracing systems used in guitars, so that a specific result is achieved. The specifics of the instrument are determined by the purpose of the instrument its creators envision for it. Whether the guitar is created for a specific genre, type of player or type of play, all of the details are considered in picking the right parts for the acoustic-electric guitar. This attempt to create the best-fitted instrument for a specific purpose results in a high-quality product that has value to those who know what they are looking for.
Any beginner guitar player aspiring to purchase the best acoustic-electric guitar under 1000 would be wise to first consider whether they have an actual need for the electronics included. These people will often find that the best guitar for them is an acoustic, as they will not be performing live sessions in front of crowds regularly, meaning that they could get away with a microphone amplification of their instrument. A purely acoustic guitar also tends to be cheaper and more beginner-friendly in care.
Those artists who spend a lot of their time on the road, on the other hand, will find that the acoustic-electric guitar is incredibly useful when looking for amplification at any gig. The people who need such guitars come from many backgrounds and genres. Still there are specific genres of music that tend towards having more acoustic electric guitars than others. Jazz musicians, blues musicians, country and bluegrass bands, as well as some rock and roll performers all find the acoustic-electric fitting to their needs. These are performers who find themselves among loud instruments or in front of loud crowds that, if the guitar was not amplified, would not be able to hear the instrument too well or at all.
While the acoustic-electric guitar does have the specific purpose of amplification, there might be ways to creatively use its ability to be connected to an amp. More creative musicians might find ways to use the guitar and pedals used for electric guitars, as well as potentially other add-ons, for specific ends. There might be a whole unexplored world of acoustic-electric guitar sounds that we are not fully aware or understanding of yet. If you are one of the people who are about to go exploring, I hope you find the list helpful to your purpose.
Conclusion
I like to imagine how my life would have been different if instead of a large city I had been born deep in the countryside. It might have been the case that I would be an entirely different person. Would I say “Yall” more often? Have a beautiful and sexy accent that I could use to croon people into loving me? Maybe I would’ve had a big truck and a pack-a-day cigarette habit that would enhance my voice to be deeper. I would have found myself learning to sing and play country songs and eventually ended up on one country stage or another, performing for a dozen people at a time. I could have ended up with a song that caught popularity like a field of dried corn catches fire, ended up on the radio of half the Country. I would’ve been in high demand at all venues eventually, gigging around the states and the world with my trusty truck and acoustic guitar by my side. I might not have become rich, but I would have had enough money to buy a new guitar eventually. I would’ve possibly picked one of the best acoustic-electric guitars under 1000 as per some guy’s recommendation on the internet. Thought that the electric part would have come in handy for the exponentially large crowds attending my concerts. Somewhere in the back of my mind I know it is just a fantasy, one that would’ve never turned out the way I imagine it now. The strange thing is I have grown attached to this fantasy. After all, it is just exciting as the one from my teenage years, where I imagined myself a rockstar.
Good Luck!
