The Best Acoustic Guitar Brands You’ve Never Tried
Published on 28 April 2025
Acoustic guitar fans, do you find that you always end up checking out the same few brands? There is definitely a tight group of acoustic giants - I would include Martin, Gibson, Taylor & Lowden here - that every acoustic fan is interested in. They are classic, aspirational, and played by some famous names, so they get the majority of the interest.
That’s a shame, because the world of acoustic guitars is far deeper and more interesting than that. As wonderful as those brands are - and they are wonderful - I’d like to put some eyes (and ears and hands, ultimately!) on equally excellent brands that have their own thing going. Some of these will be very affordable, and others will be more high-end. The only rule I had for this blog was that we have the guitars available and ready to play in our guitarguitar stores, at time of writing at least!
So, in no particular order, here are some wonderful acoustic guitar brands that you need to try, and may not have!
The Brands at a Glance
Atkin
- Masterful British takes on American classics
- Exceptional touch and feel
Let me begin with a brand from these fair shores themselves. Based in the South West of England, Atkin are a small, efficient operation who hand make guitars to incredibly high standards. Generally taking classic US designs as their starting points, Atkin build traditional guitars that feel like ancient heirlooms. They do build ‘em like they used to!
You can choose dreadnoughts, triple-ohs, square or round shoulders, with a variety of timbers and finishes. The real selling point with Atkin - as with all acoustic guitars - happens when you choose one to have a strum on. The tops sing and resonate wonderfully, and the whole feel has that rarefied pre-war specialness, particularly if you go for one of their models with a torrefied top.
Atkin should be on your shortlist if you are looking for a ‘life partner’ in terms of acoustic guitars.
Cole Clark
- Great gigging choice; superlative plugged-in sound
- Genuinely unusual features on certain designs
I always love seeing Cole Clark guitars because they are so unique. Designed primarily for live use, Cole Clark have their own proprietary pickup system that uses a combination of piezos and body sensors. The plugged in sound is something I strongly recommend you experience next to any other similarly-priced electro acoustic. Let your ears decide on the difference, but I reckon you’ll be impressed.
The brand are visually interesting too, with a preference for ‘blonde’ timbers (mostly native to Australia, where the brand is based) and only subtle accents of decoration here and there. That is, until you meet the EC models with full-on Lollar PAF-style humbucker built into them! That’s a pretty strong visual!
I’m sure you’ve seen them, but have you given one a test drive? These aren’t gimmicks, they are serious bits of equipment, made with finesse and intention. See what they can do for your music.
Eastman
- Rewriting the rulebook on Chinese quality/expectations
- World-class quality for very agreeable cost
Eastman are one of those brands who dare you to question your preconceived notions. When they came onto the scene in a big way a few years ago, guitarists were sceptical about Chinese-made instruments being sold for relatively high prices. The notion was that we already had plenty of instruments like that available, and for less.
That was, until these players actually picked up an Eastman and had a strum. We started noticing a lot of guitarists revising their opinions, let’s put it that way! Eastman still build relatively costly guitars today (and they are exceptional) but there are many more affordable instruments coming out of their stables nowadays, too.
What you’ll get as a player is as much resonant tone as your money can buy, with guitar designs that are graceful and familiar, but not copycats by any means. I personally feel like if you don’t try a selection of Eastman acoustics - whatever your budget - then it’s you that’ll miss out!
Very impressed, and with their electric guitars too, for that matter.
Alvarez
- Extensive R&D makes for very effective and lively guitars
- Prices frequently astonish, given the performance
Alvarez are a brand you’ve no doubt seen in your travels. You may remember Alvarez-Yairi, a collaboration brand between Alvarez in the US and K Yairi in Japan? Wherever that name shows up, you can expect considered design and good quality.
I’m including Alvarez in the blog today because I believe they punch a good deal above their weight, particularly in the more mid-priced area. This is a hotly contested arena for guitar brands, and a lot of players don’t look further afield than Yamaha, Epiphone or the Taylor GS Mini. I get it, because those are all pretty great choices. That said, straying off the well-worn path and into the realm of Alvarez will unearth delights, from affordable solid-topped electro acoustics to classical guitars with more than a hint of the Ramirez design about them!
There is also the Alvarez Laureate series, which combines luxury appointments with pretty heroic levels of hands-on building, particularly given the ‘just over a grand’ cost.
Take the Alvarez Laureate LP70e for example. I love this parlour guitar for several reasons:
- The timbers are incredible: AAAA Sitka Spruce top, quartersawn no less! East Indian Rosewood back & sides, and an Ebony fingerboard.
- Hand-sanded bracing
- Very thin clearcoat finish to help that Sitka Spruce resonate and move
- LG Baggs HiFi pickup system
Now that sounds like a very high end set of specs! Add to this the knowledge that every component and timber part for every Laureate guitar is literally hand-selected (for each instrument), and you know you are getting an absolute gold mine of quality here for considerably less cash!
The slotted headstock design and parlour body works for my inner Robert Johnson, but there’s a selection of folkier and ‘dreadier’ body options, too.
Maton
- Classic Aussie brand, made with unusual timbers
- Supported by acoustic superstar Tommy Emmanuel
Back to Australia for my next pick. I daresay many of you will recognise the Maton name thanks to the incredible Tommy Emmanuel? He certainly put the brand on the worldwide guitar map, and fans of his will already be familiar with the selection of TE signature models he has with the brand.
Maton are quite an established Aussie brand, and we have seen players over here really taking to them when they try them. Like Cole Clark, Maton favour the use of native timbers such as Tasmanian Blackwood in their builds. This gives each Maton guitar its own special flavour and story, in addition to superlative tones.
Also, you know…Tommy Emmanuel!
Furch
- Inspirational brand from former Czech Republic
- Innovative and good value
- Relatively exclusive
My last choice is a European brand that hugely impressed all of us at guitarguitar when they first reached out to us.
Now, I do like to get my pronunciation correct, but even I’m not 100% on this one. I believe you say ‘FOO-R-CH’ with the guttural ‘CH’ us Scots use to say ‘loch’. Our gg staff will understand you when you ask for one, so don’t worry!
Anyway, Furch have been building excellent instruments in Czechia since 1981, secretly, due to the iron fist of Communism preventing private enterprises and businesses from functioning. Founder Frantisek Furch endured, building right through and past the fall of the communist regime, up to today, making theirs an inspiring story of passion, perseverance and dedication.
The brand can count the likes of Al Di Meola and Suzanne Vega amongst their users, proof enough of how far that ‘other F’-marked headstock has travelled. Innovations such as their pioneering CNR neck join system have rewritten the rules on guitar action and neck relief, not to mention soundboard vibration.
Furch are lovingly built guitars that place function and sound squarely above all else. There are 70 employees building 900 guitars a year, so there’s also a lovely level of exclusivity to go with the quality, the value and the inspiring story.
For extra fun, ask to be shown the Furch Little Jane guitar! It’s a wonderful travel guitar that is truly portable! Don’t let me spoil the fun, just ask to see one!
A Vibrant Acoustic World
So, those were some of my top picks for guitars that you can conceivably walk into a guitarguitar store today and play. I believe they all have something special to offer you, and each brand is as dedicated, experienced and capable as any from the USA.
I love classic acoustic guitars as much as you do - don’t get me wrong about that - but the big brands are not the beginning, middle and end of the acoustic guitar world, not by a long shot.
Next time you visit us, bear this blog in mind and see if we don’t have something hanging up on the walls that’s a little bit different. I can promise you, it’s there for a reason.
Enjoy!
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