Whether you’re a seasoned musician or an aspiring pro, choosing the right guitar involves assessing your budget, current skill set, tonewood preference, and even where it’s manufactured. Many musicians prefer investing in a guitar made in the USA for their exceptional craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and attention to detail.
However, there are other options that could be more affordable while compromising some quality. This guide offers a closer look at some of the top guitar brands made in the USA and explores how they got started.
Why Should You Buy Guitars Made in the USA?
Guitars made in the USA are regarded as the gold standard for quality and craftsmanship. They sound amazing, look incredible, and are built to last. American guitar makers also enjoy a long-standing reputation for using only the best materials, building techniques, and handcrafted care, that all result in an unparalleled attention to detail. With the highest standards for quality construction, American-made guitars usually hold their value over time.
As a result, they often turn into collector’s items, which is not usually the case with a mass-manufactured model.
If you’re ready to buy American-made but aren’t sure where to start, here’s a round-up of guitar brands to consider for your next purchase.
Overall #1 Pick: Zager Guitars
Zager Guitars are individually handmade in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Denny Zager of the band Zager and Evans, which charted in the U.S. and U.K. in the late 1960s. The family-owned brand is known for its easy-to-play guitars, ranging from beginner to stage pros. A custom neck design, lower string pressure and height, and custom string spacing help you navigate the notes effortlessly. Zager’s guitars are also comfortable for beginners, those with smaller hands, and anyone with hand pain or arthritis.
Notable Zager Guitars: The Easy Play ZAD900 is among the most reputable acoustic guitars on the market and holds its own against Taylor, Martin, Gibson, Fender, and other big brands on the market. Its high-quality construction is good enough to pass down to your kids or keep playing for the long haul.
Depending on the specific model, an Easy Play ZAD900 runs from $1,995 to $2,600.
Zager Guitars sells directly to customers with a free, two-way shipping policy, making it easy to check out whether or not you enjoy the guitar.
Heritage Guitars
Heritage Guitars got its start in Kalamazoo, Michigan, during the spring of 1985. The company was founded by three former employees of the renowned Gibson Guitar factory. When Gibson packed up their Michigan shop and headed for Nashville, several employees stayed to carry on the legacy in Kalamazoo. Although they started making various instruments, including acoustics, today they’re known for their electric guitars and attention to detail. Their semi-hollow jazz boxes and solid body electronics put Heritage in a class of their own.
Notable Heritage Guitars: The popular Heritage Standard Collection H-535 features an all-maple center-block construction, a laminated top and back, solid sides, and a mahogany neck. With 22 jumbo frets and a 12″ radius rosewood fingerboard, this guitar retails for just under $3,000.
Collings Guitars
Collings Guitars got its start in 1973 as a one-person shop in Austin, Texas. Founder Bill Collings (who has since passed away) approached guitar-making with meticulous attention to detail and a relentless pursuit of perfection, resulting in some of the finest guitars in the world. Today, the company has grown to over 50 employees and produces high-end acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and ukuleles celebrated for their craftsmanship and playability.
Notable Collings Guitars: The Collings OM2H is a top-notch acoustic guitar handcrafted with the highest quality materials. It’s made with Sitka spruce, East Indian Rosewood, Honduran mahogany, and ebony with abalone short diamonds and squares. With a warm, rich sound, some would say its unmatched by other options on the market. But you’ll pay the price for perfection with a nearly $6,000 price tag.
Rickenbacker Guitars
Rickenbacker Guitars was founded in 1931 by Adolph Rickenbacker and George Beauchamp. The company produced the first ever electric guitar when it released the infamous “frying pan” model. Today, the team still makes electric guitars and basses out of their Santa Ana, California, factory, which are used by influential musicians around the world. Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, and Thom Yorke are just some of the artists who picked up this semi-hollow body electric guitar.
Notable Rickenbacker Guitars: The Rickenbacker 330 is arguably one of the most iconic electric guitars ever produced. It features a distinctive crunchy sound made iconic in the 1960s and 70s and a unique design that makes it a favorite among guitarists across rock, country, and jazz genres. This Rickenbacker retails for around $2,000.
Koentopp Guitars
Founded by Stephen Koentopp over 20 years ago, the namesake Koentopp Guitars creates guitars through its boutique company based in Chicago, Illinois. The brand is known for its innovative design, attention to detail, and exceptional craftsmanship. The company is unique in its approach to building its products to the customer’s specifications for a more customized, hands-on experience.
Notable Koentopp Guitars: Koentopp Guitars is known for its Sunflower Archtop model, high-quality materials, and design that creates a warm, rich sound. Depending on your chosen guitar, a used Koentopp archtop guitar can retail for as much as $6,000 to $13,000.
Gibson Guitars
Founded in 1902, Gibson Guitars rose to fame as one of the most iconic American guitar brands in the world, creating legendary models, including the Les Paul and the S.G. The brand is known for its exceptional craftsmanship, design, and tone, with 125 years of history. Currently, their guitars are made in Nashville, Memphis, and Bozeman.
Notable Gibson Guitars: The Gibson J-45 Studio Rosewood is part of the brand’s Generation Collection, all made in Bozeman, Montana. It features a comfortable ergonomic neck, solid wood construction, and finishes an L.R. Baggs electronics. It withstands a lengthy gig or practice session and can hold its own with just about any genre. The Gibson J-45 Studio Rosewood retails for $2,999.
What About Other Brands Like Fender and Martin?
Other big guitar brands, including Fender, Martin, and Taylor, also make premium guitar models in the USA. However, many of their lower-priced, budget-brand instruments are made in China, South Korea, or Indonesia. The attention to detail isn’t the same as with their higher-end guitars that are made stateside, but they still hold their own in the budget guitar category.
However, the point of their overseas production is cost-savings and to snag a larger market share. Unfortunately, it can take time to get the standards for production right, and problems do arise. There are many stories about subpar overseas manufacturers with quality control problems who tainted notable name brands.
You can argue that handmade guitars also have their share of problems. They’re meticulously handcrafted, but the type of wood sourced or the different styles of each luthier could make an impact on how they’re made. The upside to choosing a guitar made overseas, or that’s mass-produced, is getting an instrument made with the same consistent materials and standards over and over again on autopilot.
Unlike mass-manufactured models that use synthetic or blended materials, handmade guitar makers frequently face long delays in sourcing prized wood, sometimes needing permits to import exotic materials. As a result, the call for sustainable guitar-making practices has plagued many brands over the years.
If you only want a company that manufactures exclusively in the United States, you’ll need to stick with an option like Zager Guitars or Gibson. But If you’re open to guitar brands manufactured in multiple countries, you can still select one of their handmade models produced in the USA. Here are a few options to consider.
Fender American Acoustic Series Telecaster
Made in Corona, California, Fender’s line of American Acoustic Series Telecasters is a standout guitar combining both acoustic and electric features. This hybrid model includes a hollow body to create the acoustic sound you’re looking for but also features electric pickups to rock out on with an amplifier. A solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides gives the guitar a warm and balanced acoustic tone, combined with an innovative Fishman-designed Acoustic Engine and pickups.
When left unplugged, it doesn’t produce a very loud acoustic sound, but it shines with the pickups and electric tones Fender is known for. You can pick up Fender’s American Acoustic Telecaster for $2,000.
Martin D-X1E Koa
The Martin D-X1E Koa is part of Martin’s X Series, featuring high-pressure laminate (HPL) and other sustainable materials. Its top features Hawaiian Koa wood, known for creating a rich, warm sound, and a slim, low-oval neck shape that makes it comfortable to play for hours on end. This guitar is ideal for players who want a high-quality instrument that meets environmentally friendly standards. The Martin D-X1E Koa retails for $549.
Taylor American Dream AD17e
The Taylor American Dream AD17e is a recent addition to their American-made guitar line. It features instruments made with all-solid woods, including a mahogany top, back, and sides made from urban ash.
The results are a warm, balanced tone well-suited for a wide range of playing styles. The guitar also features a soft V-shaped neck that makes it easy to play for extended periods of time. It comes equipped with Taylor’s Expression System 2 electronics, providing clear and natural-sounding amplification when plugged in. The Taylor American Dream AD17e retails for $1,949.00.
Guild USA D-55
The Guild USA D-55 first debuted in 1968 as a special order model, but was so well received that it was added to their regular production line in 1974. The Smothers Brothers played this model in 1960, along with Walon Jennings, David Nail, and Billie Joe Armstrong. With a Sitka spruce top, solid Indian rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard, and bridge, the D-55 is designed for a resonant sound that endures. The Guild USA D-55 retails for $3,899.
Next Steps
Your guitar shouldn’t be priced based on name brand alone, but on how well it’s constructed, ease of playing, and return policy. Beyond getting a premium American-made guitar, make sure the instrument you choose suits your musical genre preferences and long-term goals. A handcrafted guitar that’s difficult to handle right out of the box and needs tweaks probably isn’t worth the expense or effort.
Meanwhile, a cheap overseas guitar may have the sound you want but is less likely to endure over the years than a handcrafted option. Whatever you choose, focus on refining your craft and getting a feel for which type of guitar suits you best to carry with you over your musical journey.