Finger picked guitar playing is all about articulation accuracy speed and melody replication. It is an intricate form of guitar playing that requires dedication to perfect it as an art. A good guitar that is extremely responsive, one that puts out great tones can go a long way in helping you train your ear to understand differences in various tones. Once you have understood what you sound like you will be able to focus on your technique.
Finger picking style of guitar playing revolves around a rhythmic and a percussive groove and your ability to sustain it is what defines you as a guitar player. Additionally, learning to play on a guitar that has good mid frequencies will help you bring out the best in your technique. Your first guitar is a very important part of your life, since it will go on to define what kind of tone your future music will entail while it defines your style as well.
Let us now take a look at a list of the best acoustic guitars which which we think are a great option for playing finger picked numbers on the guitar.
Need a acoustic guitar pickup? Check out our choices!
Martin 000-15SM
Pro: Superb warm tone compact and lightweight, signature Martin sound.Con: It may not be for you if you crave for the bright sounding tone of a spruce top acoustic guitar.
There is a saying in the guitar communities that says that “You simply cannot beat a Martin”. This applies appropriately to the best acoustic guitars for fingerstyle playing as well. The 000-15SM is a fine example of this. Crafted from solid genuine mahogany, the top, back and the sides are made out of this, tone wood as a result of which, the Martin produces some excellent warm tones. Extremely lightweight and comfortable in terms of size, if you are someone who appreciates a dark tone, then this guitar is perfect for you. It is extremely well suited for guitar fingerpicking, as promised by Martin.
Guild GAD F-130R Orchestra Size Acoustic Guitar
Pro: Superior quality and bright articulated tones, excellent usability which is ideal for fingerstyle playing, superb volume replication and presence.Con: The dreadnoughts sound louder than this orchestra size guitar.
A superb guitar that has a solid spruce top construction, the back and sides are made out of rosewood and the guitar has a mahogany neck, with a Rosewood bridge and fingerboard. This is an excellent choice of tone wood from Guild, resulting in the guitar producing some phenomenal warm tones. The instrument is secured with an ivoroid nut and bridge, giving you great playability which is smooth and fast. A well balanced guitar all around, this is a brilliant guitar from Guild.
Alvarez AP66SB Artist 66 Series Parlor Acoustic Guitar
Pro: Smooth action, nice warm tone which is versatile, superb robust mahogany construction.Con: This is a great guitar at this price and it hardly has any cons.
The Alvarez AP66SB has a parlour body style and is made out of mahogany on the top back and sides. Thanks to the all solid African mahogany construction, the sound contains a healthy dosage of mids which is great for recording situations and live performances. The tone the AP66SB produces is warm and powerful at the same time. The ability of this guitar to replicate tone frequencies from both the treble and bass spectrum is remarkable. Its sonic character let it be of use as a blues guitar, country guitar or folk guitar. For an instrument that has a considerably small sized body compared to the dreadnaught, it is ideal for use for a finger picking guitarist. The neck is just the right size and offers a lot of comfort.
Simon & Patrick Woodland Pro Acoustic Guitar – Spruce SG
Pro: High quality construction, superb bright tone, excellent value for money.Con: Hardly any cons for a good guitar at a good price.
If you were looking for a bright sounding guitar with a comfortable neck, then this is it. The Simon and Patrick Woodland Pro is very well made with a lot of attention to detail. The guitar has a classic spruce top sound. The mids on this guitar come out nice and bright and this can be attributed to the solid spruce top construction. A superb fingerpicking guitar for this price.
Teton Acoustic Guitar with Abalone Inlays STS205NT
Pro: Superb choice of material for construction, works well in a live performance scenario, extremely well made guitar and best bank for buck.Con: None.
Made from a solid cedar top, solid mahogany on the back and sides. The Teton is a full scale dreadnought guitar and is the ultimate back for your buck product, all the way. The guitar has an ebony fretboard and it strikes all the right chords for a guitar at this price. The quality of this instrument is amazing and it is loud as well! This one is our personal favourite for a best fingerstyle guitar and we are certain that it is going to put a huge smile on your face, like it did for us.
Ibanez Artwood Vintage AVN2-OPN
Pro: Surprisingly well made by a name that is better known for making electric guitars, signature warmth in tone that comes with an all mahogany construction.Con: There are better alternatives at this price range from the competition.
Although not known very well for making acoustic guitars, Ibanez have done a great job with the art wood. This is basically a modern approach to acoustic guitar tradition, as claimed by Ibanez. This is an extremely good looking guitar and the natural beauty of the woods used in its construction, are evident. The Ibanez AVN2-OPN has bone nuts and bridge and has grover open gear tuners with ivory knobs. The guitar producers the familiar warm tone that comes with an All mahogany Construction. This is a decent instrument for beginners and intermediate players alike, who are looking to get into finger picked guitar playing.
Blueridge BR-43AS
Pro: Exceedingly good in terms of tone and playability, superb value for money, ideal beginners guitar.Con: We wish it had a larger body with a bigger sound box.
This is one of those instruments, that can give the more expensive guitars one a run for their money. The sound quality of the Blue Ridge is shockingly good. Made from a solid adirondack top and mahogany back and sides, this guitar has the signature bright sounds that you usually get from more expensive spruce top guitars. The neck on this one is very thin and comfortable. If there was a guitar made that was ideal for a beginner to learn finger style playing, then the Blue Ridge would be it, given its ability to bring out some phenomenal tones. The BR-43AS is said to sound almost as good as a Martin, which is a phenomenal achieve for a fairly new guitar maker. A wonderful beginner’s guitar to train your fingerpicking.
Fender CD-60
Pro: Very good sound for a guitar of this price.Con: The character of an all solid wood made guitar is missing and it won’t be long before you notice it.
This Fender dreadnought is made from laminated spruce top, nato wood back and sides. This is sturdily built guitar and looks very attractive in terms of looks. The sound is rich and deep but the action tends to be on the higher side with the way the nut and bridge have been set up. A superb beginners guitar, the Fender CD 60 is a great way to get introduced to playing with the size of a dreadnaught on your lap.
Yamaha FS700S
Pro: Well balanced tone, great overall sound quality, top notch construction.Con: Action near the upper frets is high and the bridge and nut set up may require changes.
Another brilliant option for beginners and intermediate players looking for a second option. The FS700S has a well balanced tone and great presence all around. The guitar is made from solid spruce for the top and mahogany back and sides. The neck is made of mahogany too and has a rosewood fretboard. The sound quality across the sound spectrum is good without the lows overlapping the highs and vice versa.
Yamaha FS800
Pro: Solid construction, superb value for money.Con: It will not take long for you to grow out of this guitar if you are just starting off as a player.
The FS800 has a solid wood construction, a bare necessity to get well defined and well balanced tones. The FS800 is an excellent beginner guitar for this price. The small body shape and the low width neck is perfect for someone starting out to learn the art of fingerpicking.