Whether you’re a seasoned or beginner guitarist — finding the perfect guitar(s) for you is an important part of your musical journey. Guitars are beautiful instruments capable of producing all sorts of different tones. And though finding the specific sound you like takes time, there are, thankfully, some things in the guitar world that are pretty simple.
When it comes to steel string guitars, if you’re wondering whether to buy a guitar with a wide-neck or a normal-width neck, it pretty much comes down to what you physically feel the most comfortable with. Do you have bigger sized hands? You might want to try out a wide-neck guitar, as it’ll likely give you a more comfortable playing experience.
Or if you don’t exactly have lumberjack-style hands, a normal guitar neck may allow you to glide along the strings a little easier. As a fair warning, though, wide-neck steel string acoustic guitars are rare. So if you’re at a gathering and want to pick up that random guitar your friend has lying around to play a few songs on, don’t count on it being a wide-neck.
Classical guitars, on the other hand, which use nylon strings, pretty much all have wide necks. So if you’re looking to learn that style of music, you’ll in general end up with a wide-neck guitar anyways. If, however, you want to learn modern, contemporary music, you’ll need a steel-string guitar.
Again, it all comes down to personal preference. All that said, here are some of the best wide-neck acoustic guitar options out there. Wide guitar necks are defined as those whose diameter at the nut is around 1 and 7/8” / 47.6 mm.
The main manufacturer of wide-neck guitars is Seagull; they really own the market in this category. There are a few outliers, but Seagull is where you’ll find the most options for wide-neck guitars.
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Seagull Coastline S6 Acoustic Guitar
The Seagull Coastline S6 is a beauty to behold. And though it has a wide neck, it is designed like a classical guitar. So it isn’t cumbersome at all. And to top it off, the price is also pretty decent.
The neck width on this guitar is 1.8 inches. So it offers all of the space in the world for those who are looking to breathe a little bit and ease up on the “claustrophobia” of normal guitar playing.
The top is made of solid cedar, the back is wild cherry, the neck is silver leaf maple, and it has a semi-gloss finish. This guitar has a beautiful bright tone that cuts through in the best way. It indeed does have a sort of classical guitar tone, as the shape would suggest.
The only real downside to this guitar is that it does not have a big sound as dreadnought-shaped guitars do. This guitar is best suited for folk, acoustic pop, and r&b rather than country or rock. Check out Amazon or Sweetwater.
- New Deep Dark Custom Stain on Wild Cherry Back and Sides
- New Custom Pick Guard
- Solid Cedar Pressure Tested Top
Recording King Ro-G6 Solid Top 000 Acoustic
The Recording King Ro-G6 is beyond impressive. It also has a classical shape, but this fella packs a punch. The price is also in the low to mid-range, so it’s not at all a wallet-breaker (as far as guitars are concerned).
The neck width is 1.75 inches. It is made of a solid spruce top and beautiful tortoise shell rosette, binding, and pickguard. The tone of this thing is about as big as it gets. It’s hard to believe just how much power this guitar has for its shape. It has a full, bassy tone that honestly combines some of the best aspects of Martin and Taylor guitars — it’s bright, it’s full, and it has really good resonance.
This guitar is no joke and doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses. However, even with all of its vibrancy, it will not keep up with the power of a dreadnought. This guitar is best suited for pop, folk, country, and r&b. Check out Amazon or Sweetwater.
- Solid Spruce top
- Mahogany back & sides
- 24.9" Scale Length
Seagull S-6 Original
A dreadnought guitar that comes with a little bit of everything as far as tone is concerned, the Seagull S-6 Original is in a similar price range as the guitars above. So once again, this is not a bank-breaker.
The neck-width on this guitar is 1.8 inches. It is made of a solid cedar top, a wild cherry back, a silver leaf maple neck, and has a semi-gloss finish. The tone of this guitar is bright – it really cuts through. So if you’re looking for a guitar with a real voice, this just might be the one you want.
The downside to this guitar is that it will be very unforgiving unless set up, tuned, and played properly. This isn’t the kind of guitar you pick up to wow an audience with unless you know a thing or two about what you’re doing. But likewise, if treated well, this guitar will sing beautifully for you.
This guitar is suited for any genre that an acoustic steel-string guitar can be used for. It won’t be the best instrument to use for classical music, but it could hold its own there as well. Check out Amazon or Sweetwater.
- New Deep Dark Custom Stain on Wild Cherry Back and Sides
- New Custom Pick Guard
- Solid Cedar Pressure Tested Top
Seagull Artist Mosaic
This guitar is gorgeous. Another dreadnought, the Seagull Artist Mosaic pushes the pace as far as tonal perfection and synchronicity. Unfortunately, you’re going to pay quite a bit for this one, but it’s well worth it.
The neck-width on this guitar is 1.8 inches. It is made of a solid cedar top, solid mahogany back, a mahogany neck, and has a semi-gloss finish. The tone of this guitar is best described as complete tonal teamwork. The guitar simply hits on all cylinders when it comes to tonal quality.
If you’re looking for a forgiving guitar that works with you and not against you, this is what you want. The downside to this guitar, though, is that it is, in a sense, a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. There isn’t anything flashy about this guitar in any particular category – but at the end of the day, it sounds beautiful.
This guitar is best suited for genres where it doesn’t have to “scream,” at you. Folk, r&b, acoustic pop, and indie would all fit it very well. Check out Amazon.
- A shimmery natural finish, a full bodied dreadnought high-gloss mahogany body shape for exceptional...
- An ample cutaway for easy upper fret access, a highly vibrant and resonant solid spruce top
- New Seagull Artist inlays, discretely placed LR Baggs Anthem system, and utmost attention to detail...
Seagull Coastline Momentum HG Acoustic-Electric
A reasonably priced beauty, this dreadnought has a bright “it factor” tone that immediately makes its presence felt. The neck-width of this Seagull Coastline Momentum HG is 1.8 inches. It is made of a solid cedar top, wild cherry back, and Adirondack spruce sides.
The tone of this beauty is bright – like a Taylor. This is the prettiest sounding guitar on this list. It doesn’t have a very beefy tone, but it is, by far, the loveliest-sounding. If you’re looking for the guitar that people have to stop and listen to, this is the one; it really calls your attention.
The downside of this instrument is that it is a lot to lug around for its style. It is a dreadnought that goes against the grain and sounds very much like a parlor guitar or a lighter shape. However, that may also be one of the greatest things about it – it’s bright, and it soars.
This guitar is best suited for open chorded music. Its strength is in its ambiance. It won’t give you a dark sound very easily, but what it will give you is that droning sound that guitarists search the ends of the earth to find. Check out Amazon or Sweetwater.
- Dreadnought Body w/Solid Cedar Top and Wild Cherry Back/Sides; Adirondack Spruce Bracing
- 25.5"-Scale Silver Leaf Maple Neck w/Double-Action Truss Rod and 16"-Radius Rosewood Fingerboard...
- Fishman Sonitone Electronics w/Soundhole Vol and Tone Controls
Seagull Performer CW Concert Hall Burnt Umber QIT Acoustic-Electric
This is a stunning guitar that catches the eye. And fortunately, it catches the ear too. The Seagull Performer CW Concert Hall is a mid/high priced option made for mid-range sounds. It isn’t a powerful sound, yet it isn’t weak – it’s a happy medium.
The neck width of this guitar is 1.8 inches. It is made of a solid spruce top, flame maple back, a silver leaf maple neck, and it comes with a classy high-gloss finish.
The tone of this guitar is right where it needs to be for an acoustic-electric. The guitar is built for the stage — it isn’t bulky at all. It also has the right tone for cutting through the low end without being too bright. In essence, it’s a band instrument that can fly solo as well.
So if you’re looking for an instrument for the bright lights, consider the Performer CW. The downside of this instrument is the inverse of its strength; it is built perfectly for teamwork. So maybe don’t expect it to be the greatest thing you’ve ever heard when it’s by itself.
This guitar is well suited for all genres of music. Check out Amazon or Sweetwater.
Takamine EF740FS TT Thermal Top Acoustic-Electric
A beautiful OM sized acoustic-electric guitar; this model has brightness, mid-range, and low-end tone. The Takamine EF740FS TT is everything you could want in a guitar — and unfortunately, it costs every bit that it’s worth.
The neck width of this guitar is 1 – 7/8 inches. It’s made of a solid thermal spruce top, a solid Sapele body, solid Sapele sides, a mahogany neck, an ebony fingerboard, and it has a gloss finish.
The tone of this guitar is pure muscle. Takamine doesn’t quite have the name prominence of Taylor, Martin, or Gibson, but this guitar can compete with anything out there.
This guitar is suitable for all genres of music. If you want something that kicks, take a look at this one at Amazon.
- Solid Thermal Spruce Top, Solid Sapele Body
- Solid Sapele Sides, Mahogany Neck
- Ebony Fingerboard, Natural Gloss Finish
Yamaha C40II Classical Guitar
As mentioned before, classical guitars are comfortable to play, and they have wide necks that are easy to navigate. This guitar, the Yamaha C40II, is the perfect starter model if you’re looking to ease into learning. Let’s be honest; those steel strings can be tough on the fingers at first.
The neck width of this guitar is roughly 2.05 inches. It is made of spruce and rosewood and has a typical classical guitar tone. And though it’s not the most impressive of noise-making concoctions, it is a great place to start. This guitar is good for classical music.
Find it at Amazon or Sweetwater.
- Spruce top
- Meranti back & sides
- Rosewood fingerboard & bridge
Cordoba C4-CE Acoustic Electric Classical Guitar
Or maybe you’re feeling confident, and you want a classical guitar that you can plug in? The Cordoba C4-CE is an excellent option. This mid-range-expense guitar sounds like butter. Its smooth tone is just what the doctor ordered after a long day.
The neck width is roughly 1.97 inches. It’s made of a solid African mahogany top, layered African mahogany back and sides, a mahogany neck, and a Pao Ferro fingerboard.
The tone of this guitar is all about the lows and mids. It has a perfect classical sound. It is truly a wonderful guitar suited for all types of classical music, and the Fishman pickups don’t hurt at all either.
Get yours at Amazon or Sweetwater.
- Solid African Mahogany top
- Fishman Sonitone classical piezo
- Maple Binding
So go try out a few and see what you think! The guitar is one of the most fun instruments on earth – enjoy your journey!
Last update on 2024-12-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
