Dreadnought Acoustic Guitars

How do dreadnought guitars differ from standard acoustic guitars?

The dreadnought format is relatively large and was developed at the start of the 20th century by the Martin guitar company, who named it after an English battleship design. These guitars, which have a loud and punchy sound, are particularly good for strumming and flatpicking styles and enjoy immense popularity among singer/songwriters as well as guitarists in all manner of bands. Today, dreadnought guitars often feature a cutaway (an indentation in the upper bout of the body that allows improved access to the upper frets) and/or an integrated pickup system, and they also come in a vast selection of guitar sets that include important accessories are also available.

What dreadnought guitars are available?

Harley Benton offers a range of dreadnought guitars, with models like the Harley Benton D-120CE available with an onboard pickup system and in a range of finishes for around 90 euros, while sets including a gig bag and tuner (like the Harley Benton D-120CE TB Bundle) are available for around 120 euros. Renowned manufacturers like Fender also have dreadnought models in their ranges, with models like the (Fender CD-60 BK V3) at around 150 euros, while models with solid tops from brands like Fender and Harley Benton can be picked up for around 240 euros (e.g. the (Harley Benton Custom Line CLD-1048SCE NS and Fender CD-60SCE Nat WN, respectively). Professional-level instruments with particularly high-quality pickup systems from brands like Takamine are available from around 470 euros (e.g. the Takamine GD51CE-NAT), and a genuine Taylor can be had for about 850 euros (e.g. the Taylor 110ce-S Sapele), including a high-quality gig bag. Players who are looking for a genuine classic among the dreadnought guitars should consider options like the Gibson J-45 Standard and Hummingbird Standard, which start at around 2,800 euros. Both of these models are also available from Gibson's subsidiary Epiphone for a fraction of the price (the Epiphone J-45 AVS and Epiphone Hummingbird Studio FCB).