If you are want to get started learning the acoustic guitar, you will undoubtedly come across guitar starter kits/packs.
Starter kits for the acoustic guitar are basically a set of accessories bundled with the guitar.
Why buy a guitar starter kit though?
The idea is that a beginner will need guitar accessories anyhow, so manufacturers (and even stores like Austin Bazar) have created bundled kits and sell it all in one pack.
Contents
What’s included in an acoustic guitar starter pack?
Most acoustic guitar kits will include the following items:
- guitar
- tuner
- gig bag
- spare strings
- picks
Do such kits really include everything you need to start learning guitar? Yes they do. You can buy more accessories as needed (like a capo), but kits will include everything you need to start learning the guitar.
How much do acoustic guitar starter kits cost?
Starter packs are aimed a newbie guitar players looking for a bargain, so they cost between $100-$250.
The more money you pay, the better guitar you’ll get.
Acoustic guitar kits that include a solid wood top guitar are available from $200. I would suggest you get a solid-top guitar instead of a laminate-top one for less money, simply because solid-top guitars sound much better.
At first, you might not be able to hear the difference, but you will after a few months of playing.
Best acoustic guitar kits for beginners in 2024
If you want to get a quality acoustic guitar kit at a good price, these are my recommendations.
Yamaha Gigmaker Deluxe Acoustic Guitar Pack
This guitar pack includes a lot of accessories, and most importantly, the solid-top Yamaha FD01S acoustic guitar.
Yamaha FD01S acoustic guitar ratings
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Yamaha FD01S summary
This full-sized dreadnought makes for a great 1st guitar, gift, or a travel guitar. The FD01S has a solid spruce top, which is borderline unbelievable at this price point.
As with all inexpensive guitars, you will need to get a pro setup to get optimal sound out of the FD01S. If you want to get even better tone, swap the plastic nut and saddle to bone. You will have a guitar that sounds 3x its cost.
Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Player Pack
This pack is unique among acoustic guitar kits, because it includes a solid-top acoustic-electric guitar and an amplifier.
Many beginners think that this means that the guitar will perform like an electric guitar as well, but this is not true. It simply means that the acoustic guitar can be played louder through the amp, and can be recorded directly.
Yamaha FD01S acoustic guitar ratings
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Yamaha FD01S summary
This full-sized dreadnought makes for a great 1st guitar, gift, or a travel guitar. The FD01S has a solid spruce top, which is borderline unbelievable at this price point.
As with all inexpensive guitars, you will need to get a pro setup to get optimal sound out of the FD01S. If you want to get even better tone, swap the plastic nut and saddle to bone. You will have a guitar that sounds 3x its cost.
Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Folk Acoustic Guitar + Axepack
The Yamaha FG800 is a solid-top guitar that performs wonderfully. It doesn’t come in a bundle, but you can buy the Yamaha Axepack to complement the guitar.
The Axepack is a seperate bundle of the guitar accessories that are usually included in other guitar kits.
Yamaha FG800 acoustic guitar ratings
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Yamaha FG800 summary
The Yamaha FG800 is full-sized dreadnought acoustic guitar. It has a solid Sitka spruce top and internal bracing, which means you get a lot of guitar for a very competitive price.
The FG800 is perfect for beginners on a budget. As with all beginner guitars, you should get it set up first, and perhaps upgrade the plastic nut and saddle to bone.
The result will be a guitar that plays perfectly and sound like a $1000 guitar.
Fender FA-115 II Bundle
This Fender acoustic guitar is a new addition to this list. It is the 2nd generation of this guitar, and lots of improvements have been made.
This kit includes fewer accessories than most other ones do, but that is because the guitar is a bit better.
Fender FA-115 guitar pack ratings
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Fender FA-115 pack summary
This 2nd generation Fender FA-115 guitar pack is a definite improvement of the FA-115 I.
The solid spruce top, combined with the scalloped bracing gives the guitar a nice, chimey tone. Overall, the guitar sounds very nice after a proper setup and new strings.
The pack does not include a gig bag or a tuner though, so if you need those, you should look at other guitar packs.
Ibanez IJV50 Jampack
This pack is one of the lowest-priced acoustic guitar bundles you can find on the market. Despite the low price, the guitar has a solid spruce top.
Of course, it doesn’t play like the Yamaha FG800, but can be a good choice if you are on a budget.
Ibanez IJV50 Acoustic Guitar Pack Ratings
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Ibanez IJV50 Acoustic GUitar Bundle review
This guitar pack is priced so low, that you can’t complain about the minor things that you would with guitars more expensive.
The Ibanez V50 pack is a good choice for the budget-conscious beginner guitar player. It will need a setup and new strings, but is perfect to learn to play guitar on.
You get a nice guitar at a nice price with the V50 bundle.
Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar Kit – Gigmaker Classic
This guitar bundle includes the Yamaha C40, which is a classical nylon stringed guitar.
If you want to learn to play on a classical guitar, this starter kit is a good choice. Many now famous classical guitarists got starter on the C40.
Yamaha C40 classical guitar ratings
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Yamaha FG800 summary
The Yamaha C40 is full-sized classical guitar. It is aimed at beginner guitar players looking for an inexpensive 1st guitar.
The C40 is a very popular choice for many guitar students. It has a surprisingly nice tone and is built well, so it makes for a perfect starter guitar.
Fender-60S Bundle
This solid-top guitar is available in 3 different designs. If you want something more exciting than a traditional looking acoustic, you’ll find it here.
It is bundled with various accessories not by the manufacturer, but by a retailer called Austin Bazaar.
Fender CD-60S guitar ratings
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Fender CD-60S summary
The Fender CD-60S line of guitars come as part of guitar bundle packs. They include several things a beginner guitar player will need to get started learning the guitar.
The CD-60S is available in 3 variants: spruce top, mahogany top, black painted spruce top. The guitar is well made (they are Fender after all). Tone is good, and projections is great thanks to the large dreadnaught body.
The Fender CD-60S bundle offers good value to beginner players, and makes for a good first guitar.
Yamaha JR1 3/4-Scale Acoustic Guitar Bundle
This bundle is aimed at children, as it includes a 3/4 scale guitar. Check out this post to find out more about kids guitars.
The Yamaha JR1 is a fine guitar. It is smaller than a normal sized guitar, but it is no toy. Again, it is provided as a guitar package by Austin Bazaar.
Yamaha FG JR1/JR2 Ratings
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Yamaha FG JR1 and JR2 review summary
Yamaha FG guitars are high-quality instruments, and the JR line is no exception. The JR1 and JR2 provide exceptional quality for the money you pay. The guitar stays in tune, has good playability and intonation, and is as loud as you can expect a guitar of this size to be. It is advertised as a 3/4 scale guitar, but it is on the smaller end of the spectrum.
Are acoustic guitar starter packs worth it?
If you are new to the guitar and just starting to learn how to play, you will find value in the extra guitar accessories you can get with the above guitar bundles.
Keep in mind that the gig-bags included are not of good quality. If you know you will be on the road often, you should get a guitar with a separate gig bag that has padding.
If you already play the guitar, you will most likely already own the accessories included in guitar kits, so you probably don’t need to buy a guitar kit.
