The Best Archtop Guitar for Every Budget: 2023 Reviews

Playing guitars have been everyone’s desire since childhood. We would not be surprised if you told us that you even enrolled yourself in guitar classes! The guitar is one of the popular musical instruments that is been played all over the world. Adapted from Western culture, the guitar has been emerging as an instrument that no song or no music can go without!

There are different types of guitars for different types of music. This article is going to provide you with details about some of the best archtop guitars that is available in the market for enhancing your guitar-playing skills! Before going on to the very features of the guitars, it is important to know 2 things about them: what is an archtop guitar and what are the factors that you need to consider while buying the best archtop guitar! We have both the answers ready for you as you will scroll down the article!

Though many of you may agree that the maintenance of a guitar is high, let us tell you that it is actually not! All you need to do is take care of the guitar as if it is a part of your own self! And voila! Your guitar will remain in a good state even after being used rigorously!

What is an archtop guitar?

An archtop guitar is a hollow steel-stringed acoustic or semi-acoustic guitar, which is generally used for playing jazz, blues, and rock music. The guitar has a full body with an arched top and six strings. They are a bit more expensive than the normal guitars because of their distinctive features and unique design. The artistry and exclusiveness of these guitars are everything worth the price!

Best Archtop Guitar – Buying Guide

Buying the best archtop guitar is no big deal if you know exactly what you are looking for! Though all the archtop guitars are pretty much the same, some differences in their features. If you know what you want for the betterment of your musical skills and performance, buying the archtop guitar will be as easy for you as it is to make a cup of tea!

While many of you may want to try your hands on the best acoustic guitars in the beginning stage of your guitar lessons, if you are into jazz music, archtop guitars are going to be the perfect fit for you!

Factors to look for while buying the best archtop guitar

The following guide will help you in finding the best archtop guitar.

• Material of the guitar: While buying any guitar, be it an archtop or a simple one, one should always look for the material of the strings. Guitar strings usually come in the form of steel or nylon. Archtop guitars come with compatible steel strings that are player-friendly. Strings are the most important part of any guitar and hence, ensuring that they are of good quality should be the primary concern. Other than the strings, the body material of the guitar should be hardy. Generally, they are been made up of wood, so it is durable and strong.

• The thickness of the strings: Archtop guitars or acoustic guitars have varied types of strings. Some strings maybe thicker while some are thinner. It will completely depend on the guitar player what type of strings they are comfortable playing. For beginners, it is always better to go with the best archtop guitar having thin strings, as it is easier to have a grip over it. Professional players often choose thick strings as the sound quality has a significant difference in both cases.

• The worth of money: While buying anything, the first thing that comes to anyone’s mind is the budget and price of the product that they are planning to buy. In the case of guitars, there is an ample number of guitars in all price ranges. You need to check the specifications that you are looking for and then the price. Setting a budget beforehand will not just help you in saving money, but also you will get what you need at the correct price! If you are really passionate about playing the guitar, you should buy the one which caters to all your needs and features and is worth the price.

• Size of the guitar: Playing the guitar is not everything. Being comfortable while playing the guitar is everything! There are many sizes of guitars available. You need to buy the one in which you will be comfortable for you to play. A big-sized guitar may often lead to uneasiness while lifting the guitar while the correct size will not make you look good but also make you comfortable while playing it!

Best Archtop Guitar Reviews

Without getting into any further complications, let us straight away drive to the main thing- the best archtop guitar! Relax at home while you go through the article to get a very fair idea about the different kinds of archtop guitars with their features and then decide your call!

1. Eastman AR503CE Electric Archtop Guitar

While naming the top archtop guitars, there is simply no way that this could come anywhere but at #1! The best archtop guitar under 1000 is built with top quality material.

It is an electric guitar offered by the brand at affordable prices. This guitar is stylish and comfortable and gives a huge amount of satisfaction to the one playing it! The body of the guitar is been designed in a single cutaway while the top is carved spruce and the sides are of maple laminates. For controls, it has volume and tone, and that itself does wonders! The sound of the guitar is deep, resonant, and soothing to the ears. If you are a jazz music lover, you will surely fall in love with just the sound of this guitar!

The added bonus of this product is that it comes in a hard shell case and the classic finish of the instrument is everything that a guitar lover will fall in love with!

• The guitar comes packed in a case, which protects it from further damage while traveling or carrying.
• The design is sleek and beautiful along with the classic finishing touch to it.
• The tone and sound of the guitar are peaceful and soothing, and the control comes with volume and tone.
• It is perfect for any jazz lover who is deep into jazz music!

2. Ibanez AFC95 Archtop Electric Guitar

Are you looking for something more affordable in price yet from the best archtop guitar brands? Then, what are you waiting for? Flashing this as #2 in the list of the best archtop guitar, it is also one of the best archtop guitars for the money!

If you go by the saying, “Good things are expensive!” then you will be surprised to see this product! The body design of the guitar is like any normal archtop guitar with a single cutaway. The top of this archtop guitar is been built out of spruce while the sides are of maple, giving a perfect look to the guitar! Because of its slim and sleek structure, it provides a very comfortable play! The fretboard of the guitar is been made out of ebony. Four knobs control the tone and volume of the guitar, and it produces a rich and impressive tone!

If you are looking for a guitar that is well within your budget and offers a versatile tone, then rest assured that this is the one, and it will surely not disappoint you!

• The body thickness and structure of the guitar are the best beginner archtop guitar, which provides comfort while playing.
• The sound effect of the guitar is rich and impressive with lots of resonance in the tones.
• The appearance of the guitar makes it stand out from the crowd.
• Considering all the features, it is the best suited for a low-budget buy!

3. The Loar LH-350-VS Archtop Guitar

The best budget archtop guitar is here! If you are a vintage lover and want your archtop guitar to have a touch of it, then no guitar can beat this. It seems like all the nooks and corners of the guitar are screaming vintage in their own classy way!

The specialty of The Loar is that they provide top-quality artisanship and design to all its musical instruments! Their guitars are not just beautiful to look at, but also they are highly playable and provide a sense of comfort that you would not find in any other guitar. The body design is an archtop with a Florentine cutaway with a hand-carved spruce top and sides and back built out of maple. The neck profile is been made out of mahogany. The vintage look of the guitar is been kept intact by its lone control knob.

If you are a jazz and blues lover, then there stands no chance that you would not enjoy this guitar! The added bonus of this is it is an excellent choice for solo guitar playing!

• The tones and sounds produced by the guitar are soothing and warm.
• The playability of the guitar is easy and comfortable for even beginners to begin their careers.
• It is been considered to be one of the best modern archtop guitars with a touch of vintage in it, making it a perfectly blended product!
• The guitar is been built out of top-quality material that ensures that they are durable.

4. Gretsch G100CE Acoustic Electric Guitar

Do you not want the best acoustic archtop guitar for yourself? Who does not want it? We are glad to present in front of you the best archtop guitar from the lot!

The specialty of this company is that it manufactures quality products and hence, it is a renowned brand in the musical instruments market! This is an archtop acoustic-electric guitar, which has a hollow body with a touch of vintage style in it! The archtop hollow body features a synchronistic cutaway with a spruce top and back and the sides are been made up of laminated maple. It has a lovely natural finish that gives a classy look to the guitar! The playability of the guitar is easy and comfortable.

If you are keenly interested in jazz music, then your choice should be this guitar. No doubt, this is the best archtop guitar under 500 that you will find when you search for them on the Internet!

• The fretboard of the guitar can hold 20 frets and is been made up of rosewood.
• The quality of the guitar ensures that it is a highly durable one.
• The sound and tones of the guitar are perfect for any jazz music lover.
• A classy-looking archtop guitar with a vintage touch and an easy-to-play feature!

5. Guild Starfire II ST Electric Archtop Guitar

Archtop guitars are usually a bit more expensive than the usual guitars. If you are searching for the best cheap archtop guitar, then what are you waiting for? Your ideal guitar is here!

This brand believes in one thing- making your guitar-playing activity a pleasure and not a pain! This hollow-body electric archtop guitar is the perfect combination of vintage and modern. The archtop has a Florentine cutaway, and the body of the guitar is been built out of pure mahogany, thus ensuring its durability and strong material. While the guitar is of mahogany, the fretboard is been made out of rosewood. The high gloss finishing touch of the guitar adds a special attractive look to it! Along with its appearance, it has a wide range of tones, hence allowing you to try different genres of music.

Fitting well into your pre-planned budget, this is to be regarded as one of the best archtop guitars for the money! Do not worry about its sound, as it is the best that you can imagine!

• Because of its versatile tones, this guitar can be used for any genre of music.
• The look of the guitar is enough to take away your show with the vintage touch, modern look, and glossy finish.
• The guitar has a loud and clear acoustic sound with soothing tones.
• The playability of the guitar is easy and comfortable with an aesthetic feel.

6. Godin 5^th Avenue Archtop Acoustic Guitar

Wondering what can be the best beginner archtop guitar? How about if we guide you through it along with its very minute details? You are already here for it!

One of the top archtop jazz-style acoustic guitars with an amazingly built structure and design! The guitar is entirely been made up of Canadian wild cherry. The archtop and the back are been carved and polished, giving it a burst finish while keeping intact its aesthetic look! The neck of the guitar is been built out of silver maple leaf, and the fingerboard is of rosewood. You can well imagine the durability and look of the guitar! This purely acoustic archtop guitar will be all set to make your mood because of its all-rounder features and qualities!

Being a pleasure to play, amazing to look at, and easy in the pocket, this acoustic archtop guitar is the best thing that you come across in musical instruments!

• The guitar has a rich and dynamic tone with a soothing sound.
• It is a beautiful guitar, making it the best modern archtop guitar on the market!
• Best suited for beginners because of its easy playability and comfort playing.
• It has a height-adjustable feature that ensures the stability of the guitar and makes it easier for the person to play it.

7. Loar LH-300 BKM Archtop Thin body Matte Black Guitar

Another beauty from the Loar Company is this matte black guitar! Being one of the best archtop guitar brands, you will be no less than surprised to find all the classy and good quality guitars loaded with features and specifications and among the best archtop guitar under 2000!

With a carved and thin body with a vintage design, this guitar is one of the most popular archtop guitars among jazz musicians and archtop guitar lovers! The special feature of this guitar is its vintage “V” neck, which is been made up of mahogany and not to forget, and the adaptable ebony bridge. For any guitar lover, this is a crazy combination to get in one guitar! Built out of pure mahogany, the guitar is a durable one and is surely not going to disappoint you with its span of life!

The dark black matte color is everything that a guitar lover will crave in their guitar! Not every guitar has this texture and structure, so make your decision wisely!

• There is a diversity of sounds in this guitar, and the tone is punchy and warm with soothing notes.
• The vintage design and the black matte color are the perfect combinations for a modern-day archtop guitar.
• The body is been made out of spruce, and the fretboard material is ebony, giving a sense of durability.
• The guitar offers an adjustable guitar bridge system that makes the playability of the guitar easy and comforting.

 

The best archtop guitar that is the most suitable for you in terms of budget, specifications, and playability is been listed above. All you need to do is have a very detailed check on your selected guitar and finalize your buy! The archtop guitars are an excellent mode of music that is soothing to the ears and peaceful to the soul! To make your guitar sessions memorable and enjoyable, there no better way you can do it if not with these guitars!

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