Top 7 Acoustic Guitars for Intermediate Skill Levels

The nicest intermediate acoustic guitars are often high-value options, bringing quality features to the table at a reasonable price tag. We define intermediate acoustic guitars by targeting models designed for people who are committed to the instrument and firmly outside of the beginning stages of learning. These acoustics usually have a solid top, some sort of onboard preamp, are built by a respected brand, and have a reputation for being capable of semi-professional or professional use.

Top 7 Intermediate Acoustic Guitars

For a long time the Seagul S6 has been one of our favorite, high-value acoustic recommendations. Its unique combination of solid Cedar and laminate Cherry tonewood produces a fantastic tone that's warm and fun to play. The QI version (preamp included) gives you the option to pay for a preamp or not, while the price point (for either version) is extremely reasonable.

Read the full review: Seagull S6

If you're an intermediate player with smaller hands, or you just prefer a smaller acoustic guitar body (like Ed Sheeran), the Little Martin LXK2 is one of your best options. It doesn't have a solid top or electronics, but the LX1E is a preamp-equipped version available to those wanting to plug in. Both guitars are extremely similar and put out plenty of resonance, especially considering the small body size. This is also a good performing acoustic, since it's so easy to maneuver. 

Read more: Acoustic guitars with a thin body

Most of these acoustics have an acoustic-electric version or some kind of built in preamp. However, the GN93CE by Takamine has one of the best onboard preamps of any acoustic guitar we've tested. It includes a three-band EQ, notch filter, tuner, and EQ bypass option. If the preamp is your main concern and you're looking for flexibility in that area, the GN93CE should get a long look.  

The Epiphone EJ-200SCE is closer to a jumbo acoustic body size with a distinct sunburst color pattern and what one might describe as a "floral" pickguard and bridge. Yet, it's a feature-rich acoustic with a great low-end tone and two interior pickups (NanoMag and NanoFlex) feeding into an ESonic2 preamp system. This also makes the EJ series ideal for recording. Epiphone sweetens the deal a little further with Grover tuning heads.

Again, on the upper end of the intermediate acoustic guitar spectrum, the CW Flame Maple QIT from the Seagull Performer series is a great option. The top is solid while laminate Maple is used on the back and sides. Aside from specs, this guitar just players really well. Open chords sound especially full and rich, while the cutaway gives a little extra brightness to finger picking and higher notes.

The smaller size and concert body style of the 12e is good for fingerstyle playing, but we've liked it for rhythm and strumming as well. We've also found that the ES-B preamp does a great job replicating the guitar's natural sound when played through an amp. It definitely picks up a lot of right hand dynamics, highlighting pick scrapes and movement.

Read more: Best Taylor acoustic guitars

Everything in this guitar is made from Koa tonewood which has both a flexible tone profile, able to be crisp and bright, yet warm and heavy at the same time. Koa tonewood looks fantastic and is far more rare than the Spruce, Sapele, and Maple offerings we typically see in this price range. It also looks a lot nicer than those tonewoods.