Best Country Guitars Reviews

Country music, which came to us from South America, is as popular today as it was in the previous century. In those days, musicians performed it on any available guitar. In today’s reality, where famous bright performers dictate fashion and style, it is possible to identify instruments perfect for country music’s modern sound. Country songs have an undeniably distinctive surround sound and fast-paced rhythm, so I’ll guide you in choosing the best guitar for country music.

Guitars for country music comparison table

What to look for in a guitar for country

Of course, you can play country music on any guitar since there’s no distinction between guitars used in country music or guitars used in jazz and so on. But country music implies open guitar chords and a winding, piercing sound, so acoustic, full-size guitars, so-called dreadnoughts, with surround sound, are better suited here.

Tonewoods and tonal characteristics

Now, let’s talk about how the type of wood affects a guitar’s sound. It’s pretty interesting:

• Spruce: This wood gives a bright and balanced sound, which many folks playing country and fingerstyle music love.
• Mahogany: If you want warm and rich tones with a strong mid-range, mahogany is your buddy. It’s used in both acoustic and electric country guitars.
• Cedar: Cedar is super responsive. That’s why many fingerstyle country players dig it.
• Maple: Maple gives a crisp and bright sound. It’s often used in country-rock electric guitars.

Body style and size

The shape and size of a guitar matter a lot. There are a few common ones:

• Dreadnought: These guitars are known for their powerful sound and all-around versatility. They’re great for a lot of country styles, especially traditional and fingerpicking.
• Jumbo: If you need a guitar that belts out bold and loud tunes, jumbos are your go-to.
• Parlor: These guitars are small and cozy, perfect if you’re into country with a folk twist or fingerstyle playing.
• Auditorium: Auditorium-style guitars have a balanced tone and can handle various country sub-genres.

Strings

Let’s get into the strings you use:

• String gauge:
  • Light strings (.010-.046 или .011-.052) are the usual choice for country, especially on acoustics. They give you a clear and bright sound that fits many country styles.
  • Medium-light gauge strings (.011-.052 или .012-.054) offer a fuller tone with a bit more sustain. I like them for their balanced sound and extra sustain.
• String material:
  • Phosphor bronze: These are common in acoustics in country music. They bring a warm and rich tone with strong mid-range notes. Plus, they last a good while.
  • 80/20 Bronze: Another favorite for acoustic country guitars. They give you a bright and clear sound. That country twang? These strings help bring it out.
  • Nickel-wound: If you’re rocking an electric country guitar, nickel-wound strings are your pals. They offer a balanced tone. It’s great for soloing and bending notes.

Best country music guitar reviews

Acoustic guitars for country music

Fender Malibu – best acoustic

So, let’s start. And the first and best acoustic guitar for country music by all parameters, I find Fender Malibu Player. This company has been famous and popular among musicians for a long time, and there are even those who do not appreciate other manufacturers’ instruments. So if you have not dealt with Fender yet, you can be sure in advance about the quality, and you will undoubtedly be pleased with the affordable price.

The Malibu Player model of the California Series has a unique vintage design of the smaller, lighter body that was first introduced in 1965. But it looks more than modern and has 6 colors to choose from: Sunburst, Aqua Splash, Natural, Midnight Satin, Arctic Gold, and Burgundy Satin. The guitar has a Sitka solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. This wood is extremely durable and can “open up” with time, so the instrument will last a long time, and its original dynamic range will only get better. In addition, the GraphTech® NuBone® strut system provides excellent resonance and balanced vibration.

The only slight drawback, in my opinion, is the absence of a cutaway on the body, which makes it difficult for the player to access some of the frets. But it is compensated for by an extremely comfortable glued-in mahogany fingerboard with a 20-fret walnut fingerboard. The walnut has an excellent, bright timbre and is pleasantly smooth to the touch. The fingerboard’s profile is thin tapered, and C-shaped, which makes it highly comfortable. That’s the kind of fretboard I prefer.

Ibanez AW54CE OPN – for beginners

Many beginners have difficulty choosing their first guitar because today’s market offers a wide variety, and it’s easy to get confused. However, if you dream of playing country music but are not yet ready to spend money on an expensive instrument, this product is definitely for you. The best beginner acoustic guitar for country music is the Ibanez AW54CE OPN from the Artwood series. The famous manufacturer has released a decent inexpensive instrument, and you will get lots of positive emotions playing it.

Unlike the Fender Malibu Player, the body of the AW54CE OPN has a cutaway, which will make studying easier by giving you access to all the frets. The body, balanced by an internal X-bracing, has a dreadnought shape, solid Okoume top, back, and sides and gives you a naturally voluminous sound, rich, warm tone with a wide timbre range, and excellent sustainability. Available in Natural color with an open-pore finish, it looks awesome.

The 20-fret AW/Nyatoh neck is dovetail-mounted to the body and provides a rich mid-range and bass. The fingerboard with white dot inlays is made of laurel. Overall, the neck is comfortable in the hand, but the action between the bridge and the nut is too big, making it difficult to play.

Martin 00-15M – for professionals

The Martin brand created the Martin 00-15M guitar as if it was specifically designed for country music. However, this model is worthy of professionals, as even its price says. But it is not the highest, meaning a musician who understands and is ready to pay for quality can buy it. Trust me, it’s a beautiful instrument and can be a source of pride.

All the materials used to create the Martin 00-15M guitar provide a great sound. The top, back, and sides are made of solid mahogany with a rich Satin finish. The chic pickguard is available in a cerulean or tortoise pattern. The internal Non-Scalloped X-Brace Non-Scalloped Sitka Spruce’s small body produces a great surround sound with a superbly balanced tone and evenly blended voices. Like the Fender Malibu Player, this guitar has no cutaway, but it is suitable for left-handed playing.

Just like Ibanez AW54CE OPN, the neck of Martin 00-15M is fastened to the body by a dovetail system and has 20 frets. It is made of East Indian Rosewood with a Satin Finish in a Modified Low Oval shape that is a slim “C meets V” profile and is attached to the body on the 14th fret. Like many experienced players, I believe such a model has more resonance and a faster tone, which is exactly what is needed in country music.

Electric guitars for country music

Fender Player Telecaster – best electric

Fender Telecaster guitars have been and continue to be chosen by some of country music’s most famous players in different periods. The greatest players of the last century were Phil Baugh, James Burton, Marty Stuart, and many others. And today, the most famous are Brad Paisley and Vince Gill. So if you still doubt that the Fender Telecaster is the best electric guitar for country music, let’s take a closer look at it.

The guitar comes in 6 colors: 3-Color Sunburst, Black, Tidepool, Polar White, Butterscotch Blonde, and Capri Orange. Its single cutaway body was an innovation when it was created in 1950, but now it is a classic. Its solid Alder body with a high-gloss finish, solid maple neck, and fingerboard provide a bright, bouncy sound with full rounded tones. The Fender Player Telecaster keeps up with innovation, so the fingerboard has a modern C-shape, smooth backing, and 22 frets, making it comfortable for any playing style.

As for the electronics, there are two Player Series Alnico 5 Tele® Single-Coil passive pickups and a 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Tele® bridge with block steel saddles. If you read the reviews, you’ll find that not all players like this saddle, so you should pay attention to it. In my opinion, though, for its price, this guitar has decent electronics that will give you a clean, powerful sound.

Epiphone Les Paul Classic Worn

You don’t have to spend a fortune to own a great electric guitar. Epiphone Les Paul Classic Worn has a powerful tone and great vibration, making it suitable for playing country music. It is a popular guitar among musicians. The guitar has a similar classic Fender Telecaster shape with a single cutaway and is very comfortable to play.

Worn Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Worn Purple, Worn Ebony, Worn Metallic Gold – choose your mahogany body color with a maple top. These materials give your guitar sound clarity combined with the depth of tone. And the SlimTaper C-profile Mahogany fingerboard with a 22-fret Indian Laurel fingerboard offers a fuller, more dynamic sound. Playing on it is fast and smooth.

Two powerful passive Alnico Classic PRO humbuckers provide warmth in the midrange, which is also good for rhythmic playing style. In addition, Les Paul Classic Worn has a coil split feature that will expand the range of sounds. Still, these coils are not of the highest quality, but they are easy to replace if you want. The LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge provides stability.

You may need

D’Addario EJ16-3D – great acoustic guitar strings for country

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