The next guitar we’ll review in this list is the Yamaha L-Series LL6 Acoustic-Electric Guitar, a wonderfully sounding instrument that is conveniently quite comfortable to play as well; the 5-ply neck with high comfort traditional profile allows you to effortlessly press the strings against the rosewood fretboard and to easily take your hand up and down the neck when playing scales or licks. One thing to keep in mind though – it has a 1.65” nut width which, although perfect for strumming, may turn out to feel a little narrow for fingerpicking. At 42 inches long, it sure does fall into the larger end of the spectrum for a Parlor guitar’s size, but since it bears the distinctly narrow, pear-shaped Parlor body (and Fender themselves call it so), we’d love to group it under this category. The guitar’s LR Baggs VCT pickups allow for lossless transmission of the unamplified tone to an amplified setting on as large a stage as your heart desires. If you are thinking of venturing into the high-end Parlor guitar segment but need that sound and build in under $1000, then do give the PM-2 a serious consideration. Fingerboard Wood: Mahogany There’s a lot to love about this guitar. What does this mean to the average player? For example, with keyboards, drum kits, electric guitars and DJ gear there are plenty of variables, but with acoustic guitars things are a lot simpler. The mahogany CP-60s is a light, airy parlour guitar that does not belong in the under $500 section in a music store, let alone the under 250 category. Fingerboard Wood: Rosewood The mahogany neck is quite comfortable to play on, while the fingerboard is crafted with walnut. Yamaha CSF-TA Electro-Acoustic Parlor Guitar With Transacoustic Technology (Best Under $1000), 6. The laminate mahogany sides and back add tonal quality as well as sturdiness and durability to the guitar. It just means due to its smaller size, this guitar sounds best with a non-standard E/A/D/G/B/e tuning. Fingerboard Wood: Rosewood In contrast, we’ve come across plenty of other guitars in the $150 range with tones that are nothing to write home about. The all-solid body is a pleasure to hold and play with, and the quartersawn, X-scalloped bracing keeps the solid top flexible and responsive. The Nato wood neck and rosewood fretboard together offer a vibrant tone. With a solid spruce top, proprietary easy-to-play neck design, and excellent playability, it’s a great option for not just blues and folk musicians, but anyone looking for a great sounding small-body guitar at a pocket-friendly price point. The article originally appeared in the JUNE 2015 issue of Acoustic Guitar Magazine. The solid sitka spruce top and solid mahogany body projects a loud, clear, balanced tone that we think most experienced musicians will be quite impressed with. Its all-laminate spruce and mahogany body produces a pretty nice and resonant midrange tone. My Review: With Alvarez’s 66 series, they’ve brought back the vintage appeal and exciting, punchy tone of the Parlor guitars in their heydays. 8 Best Parlor Guitars - December 2020 Results are Based on. The bright high-end of the Spruce and the low-end of the Rosewood offer you an inspiring tone that is rarely found – luscious, warm, clear, and full-range. Its solid wood body has a scalloped bracing that allows the top to stay flexible and reverberate for clear note definition. Basically, if you click on a product link on this site and buy that product we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. This gives this guitar a unique visual aesthetic as well as tonal quality. This is a mindblowing feature that gives you control over your tone and effects even in an unamplified setting. Gretsch G5021WPE Rancher Penguin Parlour, 10. Frets: 20 Overall, they’ve used good quality laminates that manage to produce a pretty sweet tone even at a $150 price tag. This section is for those of you who want to learn more about Parlor Guitars before reading reviews. Tone and Sound Quality: Thanks to thoughtful craftsmanship and high-quality components, the AP66SHB is incredibly responsive and projects a loud, soul-satisfying, full-bodied tone that is beautifully balanced. One of the best parlor guitars out there — and our personal favorite — is the Taylor BT1e Baby Taylor. Wood Details: The EL 00 Pro has a solid spruce top, maple sides, and a mahogany back. 11 of the best acoustic guitar string sets, and everything you need to know about them. Meanwhile, the Fishman sonitone preamp fitted in the soundhole allows you to tweak the master volume and tone to your liking. Grand concert guitars are based on the shape of classical guitars. Check out the best acoustic guitars for blues players guide for more options, or be sure to check out our travel guitar buyers guide to find the perfect 3/4 or smaller guitar for you. Meanwhile, the fretboard and the bridge is crafted with black walnut, adding to the warm tonal depth and the deep dark elements of the overall design. A quite affordable but solidly built offering from Dean, the AXS Parlor guitar makes for a subtle stylish, and portable Parlor to add to any guitar player’s stable. Dean AXS Parlor Acoustic Guitar, Mahogany, 9. While Parlor guitars usually have 18 frets, travel guitars may have anywhere between 21 to 24 frets. Overall Build and Design: The Jim Dandy Flat Top looks like it time traveled straight from the 1930s, from the looks of it. If we had to pick the Parlor guitar with top-of-the-line craftsmanship and tone, then we would pick the Gibson Modern EC and the Blueridge BR – 341. Guitar Lobby is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program. First, you need to know that there’s no standard reference to a parlor guitar. Not only is this guitar loud, but its tone also has a noteworthy nuance and vibrance that will be appreciated both by fingerstyle players as well as those that love strumming away to folk music. Wood Details: Even at such a competitive price point, Fender has managed to fit this guitar with a highly coveted solid Spruce wood top, which is a rarity at this price range. This blending of classic craftsmanship with modern bracing technique gives the guitar a higher overall resonance and a richer bass response. With a small body shape that is an iconic feature of the late 19th century parkour guitars, this truly is as vintage and original as a retro parlour acoustic guitar can get. Wood Details: The Yamaha CSF1M has a solid Sitka Spruce top, and Mahogany back, sides as well as neck and fingerboard. The open-pore natural brown finish makes it quite irresistible to look at, and the delicate adornment around the soundhole and the body adds a beautiful touch. This will make sure that you’re comfortable holding and playing the guitar. This makes for butter-smooth playing with minimal exertion. And if you’ve been wondering if parlour guitars are good instruments to travel with, then just pack this thing up and go; super light, durable, and worth every cent. Washburn R314K Vintage Series Parlour Acoustic Guitar – Natural Red Finish, 4. A. If you’re looking for that retro, metal blues guitar which you’ve seen all the old blues players using, then this is about as close as you’ll get without shelling out the big bucks. With a solid mahogany top, bi-level bridge, and a proprietary bracing system, even the small-bodied shape of this model projects a loud and crisp tone. Thanks to a good combination of affordability and quality, this model is a good Parlor guitar to start with for beginners, and especially if you’re on a tight budget. Considering its pocket-friendly price point, this little wonder does a great job of projecting a loud, resonant tone that’s well-balanced, warm, and rich. The Baby Taylor isn’t the … Travel-friendly guitars have a smaller nut width vis a vis a standard acoustic, whereas Parlor guitars have the same nut width as a regular-sized acoustic guitar. If you do plan to shell out a pretty penny over your Parlor, then do it on a guitar like this one, because it will be well worth it. Secondly, this is a larger body than other Parlors, which gives you a loud projection and tone, while still retaining the quintessential Parlor style. (The Best Parlor Guitars For 2020). Overall Build and Design: The PN1MHOPN (quite a mouthful to say!) Handedness: Right Handed They’ve managed to translate that vision pretty well with this beauty. Sound-wise, acoustic guitars are famous for their projection and rich resonance. This further enhances the resonance and quality of the tone. The mahogany sides, back, and neck add a bit of warmth to the very welcome tone. Here at the Guitar Lobby, our aim is to share our passion for Music and gear with the rest of the music community. Blueridge BR-371 . My Review: Crafted with all-solid wood, the tone, playability, and aesthetics of the Blueridge BR 341 puts it up there as one of the best. Well, we gave it a go and weren’t disappointed. The neck is also crafted with mahogany wood, while the fretboard is made with rosewood. The R320SWRK is fresh out of the Washburn Vintage Series range, with a carefully crafted blend of materials to make this old school throwback built to last. My Review: An all-solid guitar for under $1000? Frets: 18 Jason Schneider. The mahogany back and sides further enhance and support the bright tone by adding a sweet midrange to it. The guitar gets its ‘Parlor’ tag mainly because it was used usually for intimate performances at home or small public Parlors. My Review: For musicians looking for unsurpassed craftsmanship, timeless quality, and a sweet, warm tone in their Parlor guitars, the Cordoba C9 Parlor is something that will check all the boxes. Your email address will not be published. The sunburst finish adds even more to an already vintage look for this parlor guitar. My Review: Ibanez has pushed the envelope of combining affordability and quality with the PN 15 by sticking to the basics and doing it well. Also, if there are any great Parlor guitars that you know of that you feel we should add to this list, let us know in the comments below. It has a 24.4” scale length with 18 frets, which will be quite comfortable to play at even for those used to playing regular sized guitars. Firstly, this guitar has been inspired by flat top guitars that were all the rage in the 1930s among blues and folk guitarists. by. Neck Wood: Mahogany Luna Gypsy Muse Parlor Acoustic Guitar, 11. The Jim Dandy Flat Top had features which include an agathis body, a rosewood fingerboard and classic nickel-plated vintage guitar hardware. The sunburst backdrop illuminates the body, giving this guitar a crisp throwback to the original parlour guitars it is inspired by. Body Wood: Sitka Spruce Top, Mahogany Back and Sides But, magically, it is. Overall Build and Design: First off, the AXS Parlor is a sturdily built Parlor guitar with great looks. As a result, musicians that have never played a small-bodied guitar before will also find it a breeze to play on. While a wider lower half adds slightly more bass to the tone, a more balanced body shape will have more of a mid-range tone. Neck Wood: Mahogany It is ideal for the player looking for the feel, comfort, and ease of playability that a smaller instrument provides, while retaining the pleasant, warm tone created by solid wood construction. He is also a current and past contributing writer to … As part of the brand’s award-winning Parlor guitar series, the AP66SHB brings out the best of its wood, design, and hardware, giving you an amazing, rich tone and super comfortable playability. Tone and Sound Quality: With this model, Blueridge has cleverly juxtaposed two different solid tonewoods to produce a wonderfully balanced sound. Home » Guitars » 14 Best Parlor Guitars in 2020 (All Price Ranges). Q. I saw an acoustic guitar at my local pawn shop. The 11 Best Guitar Amps of 2020 Before you head to your next jam session, pick up one of these bad boys. This natural parlour guitar comes constructed with a spruce top, rosewood back and sides, an ebony fingerboard and a solid ebony bridge. Fingerboard Wood: Rosewood Through this article, we are going to review five of the best parlor guitars in 2020. The set neck makes the entire body vibrate as one, while black walnut fretboard mellows the overall tone, making it great for fingerpicking and flatpicked sound. Neck Wood: Nato wood Basically, there is a small device known as the actuator that’s embedded in the guitar’s body, and when you tweak the on-board knobs, it causes the actuator to resonate and vibrate, which in turn vibrates the guitars and the air surrounding it. The guitar has a solid spruce top, a beautiful rosewood back and sides, and a mahogany neck that aids when playing blistering blues runs and soulful slide guitar. Personally, I’ve fallen victim to multiple issues that, whilst …, Your email address will not be published. Thanks to being cleverly designed, even a tiny Parlor guitar projected loud, distinct, resonant tones – a quality that was greatly appreciated by musicians frequently playing in indoor and outdoor Parlor settings, as well as doing so unamplified. What’s even better is that thanks to the piezo pickups, you can project this signature Parlor sound out to as large an audience as possible. The Washburn R320SWRK is another great choice for parlor guitar buyers with a medium budget. Fender CP-60S Parlor Acoustic Guitar (Best Under $300), 7. You can … The spruce and mahogany body projects an open, resonant and rich midrange tone, while the mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard makes for butter-smooth playability. The Best Parlor Guitar. You can still play the blues music you want to, and you will definitely still look the part, but most importantly, you’ll have enough money for a fly suit and a double JD and coke for when you get to that jazz club with your retro-looking (but secretly brand new) vintage parlour acoustic guitars. ... 2020 . In the classic sunburst, smokey effect, this guitar is fantastic for beginners and even seasoned players looking for that super retro, parlour guitar vibe without the hefty price tag of actually buying a real early 20th century acoustic. The PM-2 is their Parlor guitar from the series and is a great option for fingerstyle guitarists looking for that vintage, warm tone. 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