Wanna have a live intimate guitar performance? or perhaps you want some acoustic recordings? or do you just wanna jam some blues.
Parlour guitars are the specifically designed companions for such performances through their compact yet elongated shape & size.
To help you further, we have compiled a list of modern parlor guitars that can help you play the music that you want!
Buy the Best Parlor Guitars in 2020
- Solid Sitka spruce top with scalloped braces gives you clean articulation and a crisp tone
- Solid mahogany back and sides for robust, warm resonance
- Slim mahogany neck offers fast, easy action and inherently long-lasting stability
- Premium ebony fingerboard gives extra durability and striking good looks
- Every Historic Series Parlor guitar now comes with a sturdy, padded Blueridge Logo ProTour BV-1302 Parlor Guitar Gig Bag
For a regular part of composers out there, travel guitars are simply a way to be more comfortable and protected during vocation and a practical top-quality six-string that can genuinely stand up to the big boys and they can take it out without any problem.
No need to worry about space issues or damaging the body. One of the very best bits is the BR-341 model from Bluebridge. Without wasting any more time, let’s get into it.
Material & Neckband
The very first thing to notice is the generous touch of the instrument and its cosmic build quality. Its booming body, flawless design, a super playable and comfortable neck shine very brightly here, making it obvious that we are dealing with a bonus instrument.
This masterpiece comes with a stock solid mahogany back and sides mixed up with a solid Sitka spruce top. It feels like a standard tonewood combo, but we can not ensure that quality craftsmanship and careful selection have done their part of work which might not produce the expected sound results.
The neck piece is mahogany that is not inclined to bend at all, making the instrument very well adapted for traveling. The ebony fingerboard makes the guitar stand out way above the rest that makes the performance significantly easier, lessens fret noise to zero, and gives the six-string a rhythmic feel. So here BR 341 gets all the 5 out of 5 marks! Hurrah!
Hardware
Other peculiarities worthy of mentioning include a rosewood bridge, bone nut, and saddle, a 24.75 inch (630 mm) scale length, a 1-7/8 inch nut width, a maple bridge plate, a dark tortoise binding, and matching soundhole rings.
Sound
The top sonic attacks we have ever heard from a guitar this small. The reverberation, friendship, and stroke are on par with many dreadnought models, and the appearance of low-end beats has gallantly amazed us. Parlor models usually lack basses and offer a banjo-like sound, but this guy packs a mean punch, allowing everything a quality full-grown six-string has, within a small package.
Summing-Up
In a nutshell, except warm basses, punchy middles, and bright trebles. Much like with the body section, we can only give it a 5/5.
- The Yamaha csf Series takes parlor-size acoustic guitars to a new level
- The 600mm Scale Length, 34mm shorter than a standard full-size acoustic, feels and sounds like a full-sized Guitar, just more comfortable
- Mahogany and Sitka Spruce construction, with all-solid woods on Csf3 provide a rich, full, inspiring tone
- The passive Zero impact pickup provides gig-ready flexibility with natural, dynamic plugged-in tone
- Includes a durable, Hard Gig Bag
You can always rely on Yamaha to have a guide to offer – and the parlor guitar market is no different. Whether a high-end warship or a convenient travel guitar.
The CSF1M is an affordable electro-acoustic parlor guitar that is well on its way to becoming one of the most popular parlors on the market. Being part of the newly released CSF Series. Let’s perceive how?
Body & Neck
Without being particular it’s a very good-looking instrument with classic Yamaha style and having some choices that suggest it’s a step above some of the more budget parlors. With its naturally glossy finish or the more impressive Tobacco Brown Sunburst for a little extra vintage vibe. Either finish is completed with an attractive black and white body binding along with a simple abalone rosette. Apparently it looks so awesome.
The brand uses its parlor design, with a more full-bodied sound. They make use of a quality solid Sitka spruce on the top, featuring scalloped X-bracing, along with eliminating mahogany on the sides and back of the guitar. The build is classic Yamaha. The reduced parlor size and 23.6” scale length make it comfortable for smaller players and those wanting a more compact playing experience (newcomers, that’s for you chaps).
Moving up to the neck and you’ll find this is made from solid nato, with a 20-fret rosewood fretboard. For what is still a very easy accessible guitar, this neck is engaging to hold and operate, with a pleasant C-shaped profile and a semi-gloss glaze. The playability could serve from good fixings, but it’s not too bad right from the box.
Hardware
For an affordable midrange parlor guitar, the tools on the CSF1M are conventional, also it does present a few nice surprises. With no specified panel on the side bout, it’s expected to fully miss the electronics, which are tucked away in the soundhole. One thing that’s not directly visible when you pick up the instrument is that it’s an electro-acoustic.
It is a passive SRT Zero-Impact piezo pickup, which is a fine extension, although all sound-shaping must be done from the amp. The closed gear diecast chrome tuning machines are stable and specific, as one could expect from a Yamaha in this price range.
Also, it comes fitted with a good set of Elixir NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze Light strings – so a string change won’t be required for some time – as well as its stimulating case, which is an added appreciated bonus.
Sound
The CSF1M sounds lovely being a midrange parlor guitar. The blend of solid spruce and flaky mahogany moves for a warm and well-balanced tone attractively with good low-end for a small guitar. This is partly due to the slightly bigger bodice, which also helps with the unplugged projection. The sound through an amp is pretty good though, it’s a passive pickup, the output isn’t as punchy or loud as you may expect.
- Laminated spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides
- Quartersawn Scalloped X-Bracing
- 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with smaller dot inlays
- Open gear chrome tuners
If you’re having an outlook of guitars up to less than $500, the Fender is a parlor you should think of. If you’re on a budget, Fender did a surprisingly great job at composing a decent parlor guitar that’s great to perform on. Nonetheless, I should suggest that you should not exact high-quality character and sound production from this guitar, as it is a low-priced instrument.
Neck and Body
This instrument has a fitting sound and is a lot of fun to play! A lot of performers speak about how much they like the sunburst finish, as it adds a vintage look and tastes to the parlor guitar. Joined at the 14th fret, the neck (with a slightly smaller scale length of 24.75”) is made up of gloss-finished mahogany with a rosewood fretboard, which is based on a total of 20 vintage frets. This makes a smoother playing experience.
Hardware
On the Fender-branded headstock, you will find a set of sealed chrome tuners, which do a good job of keeping tuning in check, while the rosewood bridge guarantees establishment at the other end. The only downfall is to find that the nut and hull are made of plastic – unless, it is a good offering from Fender.
Blemish
You’re going to be purchasing a laminate wood guitar, which means that the tone quality isn’t going to be as good as a guitar that’s made out of solid wood. Yet, if you’re an opening guitarist, this isn’t going to make a big exception to you! The only main downside about this guitar is that it does not come with a case, so you will have to purchase a bag or a hard case to keep the guitar in separately.
Sound
There is a strong midrange, but the overall tone resides strong, focused and adaptable for so many styles of playing. The CP60S follows the trend of newer parlor guitars in rendering an exceptional tone that doesn’t fall into the ‘quiet and boxy’ description that many parlor guitars of yesteryear were marked with. Sure, the CP60S is not quite on the same level as a warship, but it surely packs a punch for such a small guitar.
Summing-Up
Overall, I would suggest that you should check out this guitar being an initial guitarist who is looking forward to trying out a parlor guitar. This is an amazing first step guitar that’s easy to follow and to play on; the Fender would also present a great relief for young children looking to play parlor acoustic guitar for the first time.
The iconic brand has fascinated us with the CP60S, which we consider is much better than the old CP-100 in multiple ways. The playability, the design and the tone all combine into a very appealing combination for rookies and intermediates – plus that’s before you factor in the very attractive price tag.
- Built With The Methods And Materials Of The ¸Golden Eraî Of The 30's & 40's - Solid Adirondack Spruce Top - Solid Mahogany Back & Sides - Ebony Fingerboard And Bridge - 2-Way Adjustable Truss Rod
- Hand-Fitted Dovetail Neck Joint - Extremely Dynamic Response, From Soft Picking To Hard Strumming - Glorious Full-Bodied Tone And Room-Filling Volume
- Body Dimensions: 16" X 4 23/32" - Top Wood: Solid Adirondack Spruce - Bracing: Hand-carved Scalloped X - Back/Sides Wood: Solid Mahogany - Body Binding: Black - Neck Woods: Mahogany
- Fingerboard: Ebony - Nut: 1 3/4"-wide Bone - Scale Length: 25 1/2" - Frets: 20 Nickel _ Silver - Inlays: M.O.P. Microdot - Bridge/Saddle: Ebony/Bone, 2 5/32" Spacing - Tuners: Chrome Vintage Open-Gear Gotoh
- Strings: Martin SP Phosphor Bronze .012"-.054" - Finish: Natural - Case: Hardshell Case Included - EASTMAN LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY!
Eastman is known for its premium guitars, and this acoustic parlor is no exception. Looking at the price for this Eastman parlor guitar may panic the bulk of infrequent players, still, don’t let the cost get you down. We’re continuing to plunge right into how this higher price is sustained, from the build quality to the spec, and what you can expect when it comes to the tone.
So what are we waiting for, Let’s get into it?
Build
Eastman has gone for a rich ebony fingerboard, along with a solid spruce top, hand-carved bracings, hard rosewood, mahogany neck, and a premium nickel hardware surface.
Analyzing the wood blend and hand-carved craftsmanship you can see how the price and time-per-build can easily skyrocket (which is why it can be quite challenging to find this specific guitar down at your local music store else like this.
This 24.9″ instrument has a high quality hand crafted build encompassing a mahogany neck with 19 frets and a solid rosewood body which makes up for the slightly high price tag.
Summing-Up
Hello, beginners or players! I’m sorry but this is a thing not recommended to you guys, or all the other chaps haven’t heavily invested in playing their acoustic guitars usually, merely because of the price. If you’re looking to settle on a premium parlor guitar that looks like a standard, traditional acoustic with an added material build, this is the one you’re after!
It also lacks electro-acoustic inclination, yet, pickups can be added for a hefty bounty. If you’re in the market for a premium parlor guitar, it’s certainly worth getting your hands on the E20P-SB.
- Round neckNickel-plated brass bodyMahogany neck25" scale lengthRosewood fingerboardAmpli-Sonic coneBiscuit bridge
- It has a round neck that's perfect for blues-based music such as Mississippi Delta blues, country blues or even ragtime blues
- The G9201 features a nickel-plated brass body with traditional-style F holes
- The heart of this richly resounding guitar is the Gretsch Ampli-Sonic resonator cone, hand-spun in Eastern Europe from nearly 99-percent pure aluminum for fantastic volume and sonic projection
- Gretsch is proud to take players on a musical journey through nearly a century of great Gretsch history by introducing its Roots Collection of acoustic instruments
If you’ve grounded on this examination then no doubt you are here because of this much hype of these guitar sites and buyers guides gushing about the G9201. With this being said, it certainly tops our best of parlor guitars list, and with good reason too.
This is a unique type of instrument that was originally designed to provide guitarists in the early 20th century with more sound when playing in a live setting. Now, resonators are cherished the career over, particularly by guitarists who support old school blues and bluegrass. And this is where the G9201 reaches in.
From its vogue and excellent build quality to its beautiful booming tone, this is truly an acoustic spectacle that you can’t blow out if you’re in the warehouse for a stripped-back bit of blues. Let’s take a broader look at what makes the G9201 so good!
Build
The body of the Gretsch is all brass, being a true resonator ensuring that volume fully travels across the body. The sound that originates from this fellow is passionately soulful, whilst maintaining the original sound that makes it an amazingly mid-range resonator guitar.
There are so many body diaphragms that work better than others, most notably on brass bodies that are built exactly for the resonating purpose. Cutting the long story short do we need to run after why a cone diaphragm is the most suitable type the Honey Dipper?
Body and neck
It’s known across blues circuits that brass bodies generally present a wonderful average ground between the more ‘jangly’ full metal bodies, and the more compressed sound of a regular wooden construct. The neck is amazingly slim, and the guitar, in general, looks a lot more troublesome than it is.
It’s a very nice surprise, as you can imagine that standing on stage with a heavy brass guitar for hours would start to be an issue! It’s like holding light yourself whereas making others feel heavy for you. The slender neck and light body also make the Honey Dipper incredible for amateurs who just want to dip straight into the world of the classic blues guitars.
Hardware
Moreover, let’s encounter it, if that’s what your favorite genre is and you’re continuous on starting with a resonator, then the Honey Dipper is a great spot to start. The hawk-eyed amongst you will have spotted the F-Holes at the top of the body, a fabulous addition that brings the classic shape into the 21st century, whilst skilfully remaining true to exactly what any guitarist would think of when picturing a brass resonator.
This advanced blend sits perfectly beneath the classic 30’s headstock, again a delightfully thin and slimline square headstock that was a common build addition on guitars of that era. The neck is made of Mahogany witha scale length of 635 mm and a slim nut width of 44mm with 19 Frets (jumbo) while the Body Build is an F-Hole Shape with Classic Bell Brass Construct. The Overall Length of Body is 479mm.
Generally, the Honey Dipper will come with 0.12 check strings. This simply allows the sound to be ‘thicker’, and the thin neck/body sequence requires a heavy string to ensure that tone is passed through, enough to be surprisingly clear as a result. As a true blues guitar, we’d recommend true-blues strings. Martin 0.12 gauge will get the job done absolutely (and also seem to be the common consent in the resonator identity).
Is this an electro-acoustic guitar?
No, but you will be surprised about the volume of this acoustic. You may more commonly see the Honey Dipper referred to as a ‘Delta Blues’, ‘Mississippi Blues’ or even a ‘Porch Blues’ guitar.
Summing-Up
An amazing resonator guitar and a handy one, perfect for hardcore followers of blues and players who want an acoustic that is there go-to blues guitar. Also fantastic for absorbing slide, and would work well as a stand-alone slide guitar. The G9201 is fairly valued, notably for its superior build quality. The sound is very loud, absolute for home use or on the road. Is right at home when completed with a slide and a bit of 12 bar blues. If you’re not a fan of classic blues, you may not fully appreciate the unique sound of the Honey Dipper.
The G9201 Honey Dipper is a real resonator, a classic model that combines modern characters, whilst managing a true delta tone and build quality. We’d recommend this as easily the best resonator guitar available today. From the price to the materials used, along with the ease of playability, it doesn’t get any better than the Honey Dipper. It’s obvious just by looking at it that this is for the blues players, though, if you’re just curious in playing chords it’s difficult not to fall in love with the warm tone of this guitar.
- Parlor Body
- Mahogany Neck
- Mahogany Back and Sides
- Spruce Top
- Black and White Multi Rosette
In the lightning-quick, high-gain electric guitar market, Ibanez may have a deserved reputation for their work at the same time Japanese brands make a popular acoustic guitar too – as the PN15 parlor is out to confirm. This compressed guitar sits comfortably as one of the more affordable models in the list of our best parlor guitars, so let’s perceive what the confusion is about.
Body & Neck
The body feels a little bigger than some of the other parlors we’ve highlighted. This isn’t certainly a good or bad thing but does offer a bigger prominence. The PN15 is made from flaky materials – spruce on the top, with the mahogany-like used for the tail and surfaces. The body is glazed with a high-gloss mature brownish sunburst finish, as well as a black and white soundhole rosette for a different characteristic. The neck is made up of Gloss-Finished mahogany.
Along with nandu (Indonesian wood, which is a popular material with Ibanez) for the fretboard, which houses a total of 18 frets. The nut width is 1.65” which is great for tweaking though it feels a little cramped in the hands for finger-picking. It is a mass-produced production model, in this price range.
Hardware
Ibanez in this regard needs to be justified for not offering extreme but they do touch with their contribution. While there is nothing high-end, this parlor comes with a set of Power bridge pins, which make string changes easier and keeps the strings tightly in a place. Along with that, the PN15 is furnished with a set of decent (but stock) chrome tuners, with an Ivorex II nut and saddle, which marginally improves tuning durability and defend.
Sound
With X bracing and the slightly larger body, this is one parlor that sounds, with a good prediction for the size and a surprisingly open tone – still a little midrange heavy, but one which is quite well stable and not especially boxy. This is a wallet-friendly parlor guitar so we didn’t expect it to set the world alight. It won’t compare to some of the mid-range offerings, still influences.
Summing-Up
The Ibanez PN15 is an outstanding choice for amateurs, songwriters or professionals who solely want a parlor guitar on hand for an inspiration strike, with a well-balanced tone, a quality build, and a very appealing price.
- Parlor Model
- Solid Cedar Top
- Amara Back & Sides w/ Spalted Mango wedge
- Natural Gloss Finish
- Fishman Sonitone Electronics
Tanglewood pleasantly surprised fans the world over with the TWJP. The actual build of the guitar is all made from the wood up to the unique neck and headstock, all point to the immense detail that Tanglewood has put into making.
Let’s take an accurate look at the sounds, pros, cons, and spec of the TWJP (also why we’re huge supporters of this budget blues guitar).
Build and Hardware
Your first thoughts are gonna say simply…wow while looking at this guitar. The body and neck are amazingly thin, though, for the era in which this guitar is based, it would be seen as larger than usual. Not that this will affect playing, and it is much smaller than a typical battleship or full-bodied acoustic.
Tanglewood has brought the parlor guitar into the 21st century by ensuring it is an electro-acoustic model. Not one to stick to traditional builds, Tanglewood has built this TWJP with a solid cedar top. Followers of classical guitars will understand that cedar is more commonly used on nylon string guitars, still, in this instance is important in keeping the weight and compact appeal of the guitar whilst ensuring that a full tone is affirmed.
The back of the guitar is the aforementioned mango mixture, wonderfully light wood that again is more generally seen on classical guitars. Tanglewood even goes as far as to add a mahogany binding in the place of more affordable materials, which concludes the body composition off and again speaks to the extent of detail that has gone into this build.
The top half of the body is very small and can throw consistent members who expect to rest on a bulkier top half of the body. This would take time to get used to it and followed with the slim neck can leave the guitar feeling rather strange in your hands. The tone is not as ‘full’ as larger guitars, which can be heard at the higher-end when plugged in… But this is exacted with a parlor guitar and a low-cost model should be adopted rather than shunned.
Summing-Up
This instrument is especially great for Beginners and fans of blues guitar who want low-cost enlightenment to the world of parlor guitars. Within this price, it has to be said that this guitar is worth every penny. Though it doesn’t compete with more upscale models, the overall quality is incredible for the price. The electro-acoustic feature is not prominent, but at this price that is to be expected. With a little tweaking and extension of more polished hardware, the TWJP E will come into its own.
Eko NXT
- Agathis top, back, and sides
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Slotted headstock with premium open tuners
The Eko NXT is, at a glimpse, a stunning acoustic, very clearly getting away from both classical guitars and old-school parlor models. Let’s get into the answers to all the questions popping up in your mind.
Body & Build
The body of the NXT is built from solid basswood, providing the tone a booming sound that many blues guitarists will value. It’s not as balanced as the more expensive resonators, but at such a low price it’s easy to see why Eko has gone for this particular element.
The rosewood body is matched with an Agathis top and sides, which upgrade the ‘more natural’ basswood and give the tone stimulating inference up to its needs. This guitar is built with alot of ingredients; The body is basswood while the back is made of Agathis and the neck is made of mahogany while the fret from Rosewood.
Summing-Up
The beautiful build, unique style and use of materials is certainly a spectacle to behold for the price, however, the sound just isn’t quite there about other low-cost models. Yet, we’re in the middle of the road with this guitar in terms of where we rate it, however, its Ideal for novices who want an acoustic that looks a little distinctive!
It’s still a great guitar for entrants who do not want to invest a large amount into a blues guitar, so if you’re looking for a parlor on a budget then don’t miss up the chance to get your hands on this one.
- Aged finish, Spruce Top
- Trembesi sides and back
- Mahogany V neck, Hard case
With a moderate cost, a wondrous build endowment, and an all-round retro aesthetic, it’s very hard not to love this parlor guitar contribution from the legendary producers over at Washburn. But, before you go jumping recklessly into securing this classic, it’s probably best to learn more about exactly why professionals around the world are ranting about the R314KK
Let’s get into it.
Build, Body and Hardware
You need to know that if you’re looking for a vintage guitar then this is an outstanding choice. The body shape fits quite, it’s crafted from a wonderfully unique Trembesi wood, which is a fascinating wood that many mid-range acoustic guitar manufacturers.
This is mostly down to its price, but also the astonishing range that can come from the wood without having to opt for a more valuable quality. The wood body is covered with a Trembesi back, along with a fresh spruce top, and a surprisingly thin mahogany neck (which is another sign of quality). The laminated wood gives the body a delightfully ‘aged’ look, with the lower half almost looking like a shadow of the top section. Despite the multiple wood blend, the guitar is light (4.5g) and remains true to the classic parlor guitars of the late 20th and early 21st century.
Finally, the headstock is also a love letter to the original parlor guitars, drilled with small cutaways which add to the overall classic look. Even the fretboard has been given extra attention, with triple-dot which shows that every single part of this build has been given an extra thought. Solely gleaming.
Summing-Up
A covenant, retro and well-built guitar goal for lovers of the parlor shape, for blues players, and for passengers who want a reliable acoustic to take on the road. Also great for acoustic players who are looking for an acoustic that is just a little denser. For this combination of wood, the two-tone build, and the aged styling, you would demand to pay much more. To roundup this display, it’s got to be a 5-star rating all round from us. The R314KK initially enquired about how much it was, and just found it was a lot more expensive than it is!
From challenging around and verifying that our love for this guitar is not just a prejudice, we can validate that many of the more ‘standard’ acoustic guitarists also consider this Washburn as a vintage go-to, based on the smaller sizing and blend.
- This full parlor guitar is part of our all mahogany Gypsy series which offers warm and inviting tone in three distinct profiles
- A surprisingly affordable price is paired with elegant features
- Features walnut stringers at the back, Luna's signature moon phase fret markers, and a subtle celtic-inspired rosette
- This acoustic is ideal for finger-style players who desire a powerful punch with an inviting midrange
Luna Guitars holds a space in their program for a variety of parlor designs to feed to those who love this popular style of apparatus. The mahogany Gypsy Muse Parlor is one of their most traditional contributions, emphasizing love and attention – not to mention the value – that regular reader would expect from Luna. Let’s take a friendlier look…
Body & Neck
Part of Luna’s all-mahogany, all-laminate Gypsy series, there is no wonder to find this 25.25” scale length parlor is made solely from mahogany, offering a warm look and tone to resemble. This is one of the more fascinating on this entire list which isn’t extraordinary for a Luna pattern. The most important detailing appears on both the neck – with Luna’s pearl ‘moon forms’ fret markers – as well as the Celtic Knot rosette, which is a unique piece across the entry-level Gypsy Series.
The cloth finish across the body and neck gives this guitar a complex air, as well as heightening the feeling of speed on the neck. This neck emphasizes a comfortable C shape with a conventional 1.69” nut width, along with a black hickory fretboard and 21 total frets (joined at the 14th fret).
Hardware
Being an all-out acoustic guitar, there is nothing to about electronics, although Luna has produced a similar spruce-topped parlor, which extends a built-in tuner. The mahogany version, which is slightly more affordable. Still, no big deal because the rest of the hardware is very good for the sub-$200 price tag.
You will find a set of sealed die-cast chrome tuners, as well as a urea nut, at the top of the guitar. At the other end, there’s a modern black walnut bridge along with a urea leather. The neck is also furnished with a dual-action support rod, for easy accent tweaks.
Sound
This contribution from Luna overwhelmed in terms of tone. Overall, it’s very pleasing and packed a powerful stroke for such a small guitar, with great midrange importance. This common characteristic is one that most blues and folk players will acknowledge. Keep in mind that the mahogany build offers a little more warmth in tone than the spruce version.
Summing-up
Chinese-made parlor guitar, you may not have been anticipating much, but we were powerfully influenced by Luna’s mahogany offering. It falls a little short in tonal depth connected to some of the higher-end solid-wood parlors, but overall it proves more than worth its price tag – as favors to be the case with most Luna devices.
Conclusion
The focused tone and the compact bodies of the parlor guitars may have been exclusively for smaller audiences in the past, but now some manufacturers have modernized them to give a wider range while retaining some of the original parlor features..
Perhaps your next instrument is hidden among the recently reviewed products We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! 🙂
