On a budget and need a decent acoustic guitar with electronics? Here’s a quick guide to help you find the best acoustic-electric guitar under $300.
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What Are The Best Electric-Acoustic Guitars Under $300?
Inexpensive Acoustic-Electric Guitars at a glance:
| Product | Feature Image | Rating | Relative Price |
| #1 Overall Best Value | |
(4.2) |
$$ |
| #2 Best Branded Kit | |
(4.6) |
$$$ |
| #3 Best Premium Bundle | |
(4.3) |
$$$ |
Top Three Acoustic-Electric Guitars on a Budget: Reviews & Buyer’s Guide
1. Glen Burton GA204BCO-BK Acoustic Electric Cutaway Guitar
2. Fender FA-135CE Cutaway Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar
3. Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Player Package
Compare featured inexpensive acoustic-electric models
What is an acoustic electric guitar?
Final Words on Cheap Electric-Acoustic Guitars
EDITOR’S PICK
If you love the sound of an acoustic guitar and want to amplify it without using mics, it is possible with an acoustic electric guitar. You also don’t have to spend to find the best acoustic-electric guitar under $300 that fits your budget.
Let’s have a look at our top picks for budget friendly instruments:
Top Three Acoustic-Electric Guitars on a Budget
1. Best Cheap Acoustic-Electric Guitar Under $300: Glen Burton GA204BCO Acoustic Electric
Glen Burton GA204BCO Acoustic Electric Cutaway Guitar
The Glen Burton GA204BCO Acoustic Electric Cutaway Guitar is the best acoustic electric guitar under $300 for beginners looking into buying all that they will need to play the guitar.
Aside from the guitar itself, the purchase also includes several accessories such as a guitar strap, picks, guitar strings, battery, tuner, amp cord, 10-watt amp, and a gig bag. The guitar features a cutaway to make it more comfortable to reach the frets.
The body of the guitar has a flame top and basswood back and sides. This provides that good acoustic sound. For the electrical part, it has an active 4-band 7545 EQ and a battery-operated preamp. This guitar is available in black or a natural color and has a smooth finish.
Glen Burton Acoustic Electric Guitar Features
- The guitar body has a flame top and basswood for the back and sides
- The neck and bridge are both made of catalpa while the fingerboard is made of rosewood
- The gear tuners are sealed and it makes use of a steel strings
- The package includes the strings, guitar bag, 10 watt amp, truss rod, strap, picks and a digital tuner
Pros
- It includes an amp that you can use to practice playing the guitar
- It comes at a very affordable price
- It is available in black or a natural color
- The guitar has a preamp, which enables the sound to be amplified even before it goes to the amplifier where it is further amplified
Cons
- Needs to be set up to for it to sound well. This can be done by more experienced guitar players or by a guitar store when players are still beginners
- Strings may need to be replaced for those of a better quality
What do Glen Burton Acoustic-Electric Guitar Owners think? >>
2. Best Branded Kit: Fender FA-125CE Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Fender FA-125CE Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar
The Fender FA-125CE Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar is a fine branded acoustic guitar you can play plugged or unplugged.
This Fender acoustic has a strong laminated spruce top that helps provide a clean and punchy sound, and will take extra abuse which is great for lead guitars. It comes with die-cast sealed tuners that enable players to tune the guitar precisely and keep it stable.
The electronics in the guitar are by Fishman, a very well known company. The controls are easy to use, and accurately reproduce the instrument’s natural voice for a guitar that was made to take the stage should you choose to do so.
Beginners and developing players alike will appreciate the comfortable nato neck that gives the guitar a lively tone and smooth, easy playing feel.
As a standalone unit, and considering it comes with a super protective hardcase, this is the best branded acoustic-electric guitar kit under $300.
Fender FA-125CE Acoustic-Electric Guitar Features
- Highly affordable dreadnought acoustic-electric cutaway that is great for beginners
- Laminate spruce top and basswood back and sides produce great tone
- Nato, C-shaped neck with walnut fingerboard offers great playability
- Visually stunning Viking bridge provides great tonal support
- Fishman electronics provide solid amplified acoustic tone
Pros
- Quality is good as the parent company name demands better standards
- Includes a free Fender Play trial subscription
- Comes with a hardshell case for excellent protection
Cons
- Doesn’t come with an amp
- May need a setup to realize full playability
What Are Fender FA-125CE Cutaway Guitar Owners Saying? >>
3. Best Premium Bundle: Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Player Package
Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Player Package
The Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic/Electric Guitar Player Package offers great value for its price. It comes with additional accessories that beginners and more experienced players will love.
Additional accessories include a guitar bag, amp, cord, strap, picks, instructional DVD, tuner and strings.
The Epiphone branded guitar itself comes in a great shape and size that’s comfortable for players both beginners and more intermediate players alike. Made to withstand great use, and is made with a mahogany body and spruce top.
The hardware is chrome for it to withstand use. This is the best acoustic electric guitar under $300 that has a passive piezo pickup with volume control.
Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic-Electric Player Package Features
- Package comes with various accessories including a guitar bag, strap, chord, picks, tuner, strings, instructional DVD and amp
- Can be configured to fit different game consoles such as a PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 or Xbox One
- The body is made from mahogany and spruce while the neck is made from mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard
- It has chrome machined heads that look great and are durable too
- It has a passive piezo pickup
Pros
- The cutaway style of the guitar enables players to easily reach the frets past the neck-body joint
- The included Epiphone 10-watt amp provides more than enough customization including gain, treble, volume, mid, bass and a boost switch
- It comes with a tuner that is easy to use.
Cons
- Players may experience fret buzz when it is not properly set up. More experienced players can set it up on their own while beginners would have to bring it to their local guitar shop
- Strings are not the best quality and should be replaced to achieve a better sound
Are Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Customers Happy? >>
Compare these featured affordable acoustic-electric guitars:
What is an acoustic electric guitar?
An acoustic electric guitar is a hybrid of an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar. Essentially, it sounds just like an acoustic guitar when it is unplugged but it is also fitted with a pickup or microphone inside so that its sound will be amplified and be loud enough for a bigger area.
“Piezo pickups”, which can be cost effective, are mostly used to make sure that the sound produced still sounds like an acoustic guitar, but just louder and clear.
Most of these guitars also have preamps to help boost the sound even before the amplifier does its job. Some also have an equalizer for players to alter the sound to their preference.
Many guitar players choose an acoustic electric guitar for its advantages, one of which is that the acoustic guitar is easily amplified by just plugging it in.
You won’t need a mic and a stand manually placed in front of the sound hole of the guitar. Your playing and the music you create is heard easily when plugged into the additional amplification.
Another advantage is the broader range of performance situations it allows. You can certainly play it as an acoustic guitar for more intimate jamming sessions where volume may need to be minimum, or you can plug it in when you need to be heard in a larger environment.
The sound and tone produced can also be altered, depending on the electronics that are fitted in the guitar, to better suite the atmosphere.
Final Words on Cheap Electric-Acoustic Guitars Under $300
In our opinion, the Glen Burton Acoustic-Electric Guitar Pack qualifies as the best acoustic electric guitar under $300 of our choices. That includes not only the guitar – and an amp, but also other accessories that will be useful for beginners and more advanced players alike.
If you only have $300 as your budget for an acoustic electric guitar, you can certainly find one that you can practice on and make beautiful music with.
With proper setup and tuning, this guitar makes an excellent start for a player to help you learn and improve your skills.
EDITOR’S PICK
Glen Burton Acoustic-Electric Cutaway Guitar
Check Glen Burton Acoustic-Electric Availability! >>
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