This list covers acoustic guitars in smaller body shapes: small-body, orchestra and auditorium. Those shapes are narrower than a dreadnought, and several of the models here add a cutaway or a built-in pickup. Top wood, back and sides, and the pickup system are the main differences between them.
The six guitars below are all spruce-topped and range from an all-acoustic orchestra model to cutaway acoustic-electrics. Specs come from each product’s listing page. We have not played these guitars ourselves. Tone and build descriptions are the makers’ own.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links below are affiliate links, and they do not change the product information we give.
What to Look For
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Body shape | Small-body, orchestra and auditorium shapes differ in size and reach |
| Top wood | Solid spruce, torrefied spruce and similar tops are described differently |
| Back and sides | Rosewood, mahogany and sapele are listed across these models |
| Pickup | Acoustic-electric models can plug into an amp or mixer |
Specs at a Glance
| Guitar | Top | Back and sides | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha FS830 | Solid Sitka spruce | Rosewood (per bullets) | Small body; rosewood fingerboard |
| Cort L60 OM | Solid spruce | Mahogany back | Orchestra body; dovetail neck joint |
| Taylor 114ce | Torrefied spruce | Sapele | Grand Auditorium; Expression System 2 |
| Eastman PCH1-GACE | Sitka spruce | Sapele | Acoustic-electric; rosewood fingerboard |
| Cort GA1E | Solid spruce | Mahogany | Cort CE304T electronics; cutaway |
| Yamaha FSX830C | Solid Sitka spruce | Rosewood | Small body; cutaway; System 66 pickup |
The 6 Best Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitars
1. Yamaha FS830
A small-body acoustic with a solid Sitka spruce top, rosewood back and sides per the feature bullets, a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, diecast tuners and an adjustable truss rod. The specification field lists the body as mahogany, which conflicts with the bullets.
Suits: an all-acoustic small body. Strengths: a solid spruce top and a truss rod. Weaknesses: no pickup. Skip it if you need to plug in.
View Yamaha FS830 Small Body Acoustic Guitar on Amazon
2. Cort L60 OM Luce 60
An orchestra-body acoustic with a solid spruce top, a mahogany back and neck, a laurel fretboard, vintage-style appointments and a dovetail neck joint. The listing names coated strings.
Suits: an orchestra shape without a pickup. Strengths: a solid top and a dovetail joint. Weaknesses: no electronics on this version. Skip it if you want a pickup.
View Cort L60 OM Luce 60 Acoustic Guitar on Amazon
3. Taylor 114ce Grand Auditorium
An acoustic-electric with a torrefied spruce top, sapele back and sides, a maple neck, an ebony fretboard and Expression System 2 electronics. Strings are phosphor bronze.
Suits: a Grand Auditorium with a pickup. Strengths: an ebony fretboard and Expression System 2. Weaknesses: the listing text has typos. Skip it if you want a rosewood body.
View Taylor 114ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic-Electric on Amazon
4. Eastman PCH1-GACE
A six-string acoustic-electric with a Sitka spruce top, sapele back and sides, an okoume neck and a rosewood fingerboard. The listing’s size and weight fields look like shipping figures, so we leave them out.
Suits: a spruce-and-sapele build. Strengths: a Sitka top and a rosewood fingerboard. Weaknesses: little detail on the electronics. Skip it if you want a cutaway named in the listing.
View Eastman PCH1-GACE Acoustic-Electric Guitar on Amazon
5. Cort GA1E Grand Regal
An auditorium-cutaway acoustic-electric with a solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, hand-scalloped X-bracing, Cort CE304T electronics and an ovangkol fretboard. The color field says Sunburst Open Pore while the title says Natural, so check the photos.
Suits: a mahogany auditorium with a cutaway. Strengths: a solid top and scalloped bracing. Weaknesses: the color wording conflicts. Skip it if you want rosewood.
View Cort GA1E Grand Regal Acoustic-Electric Guitar on Amazon
6. Yamaha FSX830C
A small-body cutaway acoustic-electric with a solid Sitka spruce top, rosewood back and sides, a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and diecast tuners. The System 66 setup has an under-saddle piezo pickup with a three-band EQ, a mid-range frequency control and a chromatic tuner.
Suits: a small body with a built-in tuner. Strengths: a cutaway and a three-band EQ. Weaknesses: one spec field lists a pickup layout that conflicts with the piezo. Skip it if you want no electronics.
View Yamaha FSX830C Small Body Acoustic-Electric Guitar on Amazon
Setup Checklist
- Check whether the model has a pickup.
- Compare the top and back wood across listings.
- Look at the color wording against the photos.
- Confirm the listing covers the guitar only, without bundled extras.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming every small body has a cutaway.
- Ignoring listing fields that contradict each other.
- Expecting a plug-in signal from an all-acoustic model.
- Treating solid-top wording as the same across brands.
Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitar FAQ
What does torrefied mean?
Torrefied wood is heat-treated. The listing names it for the Taylor 114ce top.
Do these guitars have pickups?
Four do, and the Yamaha FS830 and Cort L60 OM are all-acoustic.
The Short Version
For an all-acoustic small body, the Yamaha FS830. For an orchestra shape, the Cort L60 OM. For a Grand Auditorium with a pickup, the Taylor 114ce. For spruce and sapele, the Eastman PCH1. For mahogany with a cutaway, the Cort GA1E. For rosewood with a tuner, the Yamaha FSX830C.
