Acoustic Guitars
( in stock)
Sold1991 Martin 0-16 NY
This Martin 12 fret 0-16 NY plays great, sounds lovely and will not disappoint! It features a 1 7/8" width nut, a 25 1/4" scale length and a slotted headstock. This is a great guitar for folk and fingerstyles. It comes with a high quality, clean non-original hard shell case.
Sold2015 Gibson Hummingbird Vintage
This classic beauty plays great, has miles of Gibson tone and is in 99.5% excellent, near mint condition. It features a Sitka Spruce top and Mahogany back and sides. It has a 1.725" inch width nut (1 11/16"), 24.75" scale length, rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl parallelogram inlays. The original hard shell case is included.
Sold1950's Gibson L7
Here's a great older Gibson arch-top model that sounds great and has nice, low, playable action. It has a Spruce top and Maple sides and back. The Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard has split-parallelogram inlays. This L7 is dated to 1957 by Steve Ryder Instruments of Portland Maine but we're just calling it a "50's" since it looks like the serial number was removed a long time ago. There's a fair amount of wear on this guitar but it has tons of soul and a lot of good miles ahead of it! It comes with a non-orignal tweed hard shell case.
Sold1971 Martin D-35
This D-35 Dreadnought has a gorgeous well-broken in tone and plays like a dream. This guitar features a Sitka Spruce top and a gorgeous 3 piece East Indian Rosewood back. This one-owner instrument has been meticulously maintained over the past 50 years. It most recently was prepared for resale by the renowned DiBurro Guitars of Exeter, NH so it is ready for its next 100,000 miles. Just completed maintenance includes removing and re-gluing the bridge, gluing top some top cracks and professionally filling and smoothing the neck and buckle rash on the back and full body buff. This guitar is looking and playing good but the sound is what this is really about...great big, wide open classic Americana tone! It comes with a hard shell case.
SoldSeagull Entourage Autumn Burst CW QIT
Autumn is a time for change and the Seagull Entourage Series has undergone a beautiful change of its own with its new Autumn Burst finish! The Entourage Autumn Burst QIT also boasts other exciting new features, such as an eye-catching white binding, a redesigned pickguard, and a richer/shaded finish on the back and sides. It comes equipped with the Godin QIT system; ready to turn it up as you hit the stage and keep you in tune thanks to its built-in tuner.
SoldSanta Cruz OM African Blackwood
The tonewood combination on this OM is inspirational! Its Carpathian Spruce top is loud and responsive and African Blackwood is one of our favorite rosewoods for backs and sides with a complex tone that we can't get enough of. The tone is rounded out with the addition of Brazilian Rosewood for the bridge and fingerboard with a 1 3/4" width nut. Of course the Brazilian fingerboard feels great on your fingers too! Adirondack Spruce bracing attached with hot hide glue adds the finishing touch to the tone. This beauty also has some classy cosmetic touches like an abalone rosette inlay and tortoise body, neck and peghead binding. It comes with a hard shell case.
SoldSanta Cruz OM Grand African Blackwood
This custom Santa Cruz OM Grand model offers all the comfort and balance of an OM model but with a lot more lushness and power that will make you think "OMG" when you first experience it! We selected the perfect tonewoods to make this guitar look stunning and sound loud, full and clear. The back and sides are a master grade set of spectacular African Blackwood, one of our absolute favorite Rosewoods. The guitar is topped with Adirondack Spruce with Adi bracing attached with hot hide glue to enhance the clarity and dynamic range. This guitar offers the perfect balance of comfort, power and nuance.
SoldSeagull S6 Classic Black Acoustic/Electric
The S6 Series sees a cool new addition to its lineup with the S6 Classic Black A/E. You can expect great playability and sound like the rest of the S6 Series line, but with a look that will stop you in your tracks! The S6 Classic Black A/E will surely reel you in with its intense black semi-gloss top and blackwashed back and sides. Strum it for a sound that will resonate to your core, thanks to its vibrant solid cedar top and Wild Cherry body. Plug it in to experience another level of outstanding tone via the onboard Fishman Sonitone preamp system, as it amplifies the natural dynamic sound of your S6. The S6 Classic Black A/E is an acoustic that gives more for those who want more!
SoldGodin Etude
The Godin Etude is the most popular model in the La Patrie lineup. The Etude’s specifications match those of the Motif but with a full size body. Incredibly responsive thanks to the feather-light Custom Polished finish, this guitar features great dynamic range along with the harmonically rich sound that you usually find in a guitar several times the price.
Sold2016 Gibson Hummingbird Pro
This is a great sounding, gig ready, acoustic-electric guitar. It boasts a beautiful sunburst Sitka spruce top and Mahogany back and sides. The tone is big, detailed and bold and the action is low with a straight neck and plenty of room left on the saddle for adjustments in the future. This guitar is in excellent condition with only the slightest sign of playing and virtually no dings, dents, scratches, issues or signs of abuse. The original hard-shell case is included.
Sold2017 Michael Tulloch
You will get old school tone in spades from this interpretation of a classic model from Chelsea, Vermont luthier Michael Tulloch. This guitar is a real steal and has all the tone and vibe that one would expect from this size model. It features highly figured mahogany back and sides and a bear-claw sunburst spruce top. It has a big bold tone and a very playable old school neck. A pick-guard was added by the owner. It's in very good condition with just a few small dings, pick wear and minimal fret wear. It is gig-ready with an LR Baggs pick-up system installed. It comes with a deluxe hard shell case. This fine instrument is the luthier's tribute to and interpretation of a classic design and does not conform exactly to original model or current factory specs. Some Specs: 1 3/4" Nut Width 2 1/4" Bridge Spacing 25 1/2" Scale Length 4" Upper Bout Depth 4 5/8" Lower Bout Depth 4 lb 10 oz Weight
Sold2019 Taylor 714ce LTD
Capitalizing on the opportunity to play with new tonewood combinations for Taylor's limited edition guitars, this 2019 714ce LTD features a unique combination of Indian rosewood back and sides with a sinker redwood top. Indian rosewood is an all-star tonewood with a vibrant sonic personality that ranges from warm and responsive in the bass range to rich and shimmery on the treble end, with a scooped midrange that makes it an ideal wood choice for guitarists who sing while they play. Sinker redwood, though, might be even more alluring—sourced from sunk logs found in California riverbeds, this tonewood takes on a gorgeous striped red hue and a tone profile with serious attitude, often described as cedar on steroids. You’ll find much of cedar’s warmth and soft-touch response here, plus the added power and headroom that sinker redwood brings. This model is also outfitted with V-Class bracing for enhanced volume and sustain, which also helps pull out more of rosewood’s natural overtonal complexity. Artfully detailed with abalone inlays and koa body binding, this limited edition 714ce is truly a rare find, and includes ES2 electronics and a hardshell case.
SoldTaylor Builder's Edition 652ce sn1207020019
Joining the growing family of master-crafted Builder’s Edition guitars, this 652ce is a 12-string for a new generation of acoustic guitarist. Built with figured Big Leaf maple for the back and sides with a torrefied Sitka spruce top, this model’s shimmering, octave-rich tone benefits from maple’s clarity and focus, offering an expressive, easily-recorded sound that will inspire players to expand their sonic palette. V-Class bracing delivers a unique boost in the 12-string configuration, adding texture and tonal bloom as notes resonate with increased sustain and power, while the guitar takes on additional punch resulting from the reversed string orientation. Placing the fundamental string at the top of each pair adds warmth and body, and Taylor's new double-mounted string anchoring system provides cleaner intonation with each string crossing the saddle at the same point. Taylor's special roasting process draws a more aged-in, sweetened response from the torrefied spruce top, and the 12-fret setup brings the bridge closer to the center of the lower bout for stronger midrange presence and a slinkier, more relaxed feel for your fretting hand. This 652ce is appointed to deliver a playing experience that matches its robust tone, with chamfered body and fretboard edges, a smooth Curve Wing bridge, and beveled armrest and cutaway providing a truly fluid, intimate connection between player and instrument. Like many of its Builder’s Edition counterparts, this 12-string is finished in an edgburst-hued Silent Satin sheen that reduces incidental noise for clean recordings, along with Scepter inlays in shell and mother-of-pearl for an artful, eye-catching visual character. It ships with ES2 electronics in a deluxe Taylor hardshell case.
Sold2007 Santa Cruz H13 Custom
This is one lightweight, easy playing, super-sweet sounding guitar! The H-13 is one of our favorite styles from Santa Cruz with a comfortable size, great fret access and a bridge placed right in the sweet spot of the top for warm tone. The custom features on this 1 3/4" width nut,13 fret beauty include a figured mahogany back, an Adirondack Spruce top, Herringbone top border, zipper back strip, tortoise body and fingerboard binding, a solid VJ style peghead, and custom finish. This guitar shows some light signs of play and wear but has no issues or damage. The frets are in about 80-85% shape and have lots of life left in them. The original plush-lined hard-shell case is included.
Sold2007 Goodall RGCC Custom
Straight from Hawaii, this Grand Concert bent-custom cutaway has that Goodall wai kula sound! It plays great with a 25.5" scale and 1 3/4" nut width. The tone is brought to life with East Indian Rosewood and AAA Sitka Spruce. Custom features include Curly Koa body and heads tock binding, Ebony peg-head veneer, fretboard binding, bridge and fret board, bone nut, saddle, bridge and end pins, a satin finish neck and a clear pickguard. There's a high quality LR Baggs M80 pick-up installed so this guitar is even gig ready! The original Gotoh 510 tuners are in the case and a nice set of gold Grovers are installed. This guitar only shows slight signs of play, the clear pick-guard has served well. It has a great, big, warm sound and is sure to please. It comes with its original plush lined, deluxe hard shell case.
SoldTaylor 412ce-R
The solid rosewood/spruce 412ce-R features Taylor’s compact Grand Concert body shape, a shorter 24-7/8-inch scale length for extra fretting comfort, and a Venetian cutaway that offers greater access to the upper register. Rosewood’s full-spectrum tonal range features a splash of extra top-end sparkle, while the smaller body will accentuate crisp tonal detail, allowing the guitar to articulate well in a mix with other instruments. V-Class bracing has been added to enhance this model’s volume and sustain, adding power and presence to a guitar that performs across genres and situations. Taylor’s Expression System® 2 pickup delivers clear, natural-sounding amplified tone for gigging or recording. Aesthetic details include white binding, Renaissance fretboard inlays, a three-ring rosette, and a full-gloss body. The guitar ships in a Taylor deluxe hardshell case.
SoldSanta Cruz Custom OM Carpathian Spruce and Cocobolo
The Santa Cruz OM is one of the Holy Grails of the guitar world! This beautiful example features Cocobolo back and sides a premium Carpathian Spruce top along with Adirondack Spruce bracing attached with hot hide glue. Other nice touches include a 1929 style rosette, a Buttered Toast sunburst top and bone bridge and end pins. The 1 3/4" nut width makes this custom guitar a pleasure to play. It comes with its hard shell case. View the full size photos on Google Drive.
Sold2019 Bourgeois 00C 12-Fret Coupe
We love the 12 fret Coupe! They play easy and sound great! This one features an Aged Tone Sitka top and Indian Rosewood back and sides. The 1 3/4" nut and short scale make this play like a dream. Aged Tone Torrefied bracing just adds to the tonal goodness! This guitar is in excellent condition and comes with its original hard shell case.
Sold2016 Bourgeois OM Large Soundhole
This beautiful large sound-hole OM delivers tone in spades! It features an Aged Tone Adirondack Spruce top and Indian Rosewood back and sides. It has a 1 3/4" nut with 2 5/16" bridge spacing. Special features include AT finish, bracing, hide glue and a satin headstock. This guitar is gig-ready with an LR Baggs pick-up and in excellent condition and comes with a hard shell case.
Sold2020 Collings D2h A TS
An Adirondack Spruce top adorns this fine dreadnought from Collings. It is loaded with features to make it play, sound and look great including a great Nitro Tobacco Sunburst finish! It features new traditional specs and appointments and a small bridge plate. It was built to be lightweight and has animal glue construction. It features small herringbone binding and a wood rosette. It has a custom profile neck with rounded edges on the fingerboard with Traditional neck carve and 1 3/4" nut width. The special finish is a thin, all lacquered Darkburst vintage satin waging toner on the entire guitar. It has a 2 51/16" belly bridge and an ivoroid bridge and pins with black dots as well as Waverly nickel gears. This guitar is in excellent condition and comes with the much sought-after, lightweight, Collings Traditional case.
SoldBourgeois OM DB Signature Legacy Series AT Sitka Cocobolo
Here is a custom long scale OM that is hard to beat! We picked out the incredible woods for this guitar with Dana Bourgeois on a visit to his close-by shop. This guitar features a spectacular Bearclaw Figured Aged Tone Sitka top and highly figured Master Grade Cocobolo back and sides. It feels great with a roomy 1 3/4" nut width and 2 5/16“ string spacing at the bridge. Animal protein glue construction and Aged Tone bracing and body finish add to the tone of the guitar and Waverly Snakewood and gold tuners keep it in great tune. It is also gig ready with a Bourgeois installed LR Baggs Lyric pick-up system with a hidden volume control recessed in the sound hole. A hard shell case is included. View the full size photos on Google Drive.
SoldBourgeois Heirloom Series OMC Custom Italian Spruce AP Glue
This gorgeous Heirloom Series OMC Custom features a 1 3/4" nut with 2.2" string spacing at the bridge and a to make this guitar feel really great. It features a useful cutaway and has an Italian Spruce top and Indian Rosewood back and sides that give it a full clear tone. Appointments like the Abalone Squares and Diamonds fingerboard inlays and a Ziricote Headstock overlay lend this guitar an elegant look. This is one sweet custom guitar! It comes with a deluxe hard shell case.
SoldCollings OM3
This beautiful Collings Orchestra Model is appointed with a fully bound neck and peghead as well as an abalone rosette and gold Waverly tuners. Its modified v-neck is super comfortable to play and has a 1 ¾ nut width. The Pre-War scalloped X-bracing and nitrocellulose lacquer enhance the great sound of it’s East Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce tonewoods. A TKL hard shell case is included.
Acoustic Guitars for Sale at Northern Lights Music - Best Quality Brands
Discover top-notch boutique acoustic guitars at Northern Lights Music, featuring sought-after brands such as Santa Cruz Guitars, Bourgeois Guitars, and Collings Guitars. Whether you're searching for a brilliant Brazilian OM or a warm mahogany dreadnought, we have the perfect guitar for you. Can't find what you're looking for in our inventory? Our featured brands are custom shops that can build a guitar to match your imagination and budget. Looking for an affordable option or just starting out? We also offer high-quality, budget-friendly acoustic and electric guitars from Taylor Guitars, Seagull Guitars, and Yamaha Acoustic Guitars.
What is an Acoustic Guitar and its Characteristics
An acoustic guitar is a type of stringed instrument that uses a hollow body and a soundboard to produce sound, instead of relying on electronic amplification. The soundboard is usually made of wood, and the body can be crafted from wood or synthetic materials. Steel strings are typically used, but acoustic guitars can also be strung with nylon or other types of strings. Acoustic guitars can be played with a pick or fingers and are popular in various music genres, including folk, country, blues, and classical.
Reasons to Choose an Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic guitars have a lot to offer, attracting players for different reasons. The rich and warm sound that an acoustic guitar produces is often described as "full" or "rounded," and is appreciated by many players. The versatility of the instrument allows it to be played in a variety of styles and genres, such as folk, country, blues, and classical. The simplicity of an acoustic guitar is also appealing, as it does not require electronic amplification or other equipment. Furthermore, the portability of acoustic guitars makes them convenient for playing at home, with friends, or on the go.
History of the Acoustic Guitar
The acoustic guitar has a rich and diverse history that stretches back centuries. The modern acoustic guitar is derived from various stringed instruments developed in different parts of the world. The lute, one of the earliest known stringed instruments, was developed in ancient Egypt and was popular in Europe during the Middle Ages. The lute was a pear-shaped instrument with a long neck and a hollow body and was used to play melodies and accompaniments.
The guitar as we know it today is believed to have evolved from the lute, and it was first developed in Spain in the 15th century. Early guitars had four courses (pairs) of strings, which were tuned in fourths and were played with the fingers. They were used to play a wide range of music, including folk, popular, and classical. Over time, the guitar has undergone many changes and has been adapted to meet the needs of different musicians and musical styles. Today, the acoustic guitar is a popular instrument used in various music genres, including folk, country, blues, and classical.
Best Guitars for Beginners
There are many great options for beginner acoustic guitars, and the best one for you will depend on your budget, playing style, and preferences. A budget-friendly option for beginners is the Yamaha FG800, known for its excellent sound quality and playability. The Yamaha FG800 has a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, which give it a warm and full sound. For those who prefer a North American-made guitar, Taylor is a great step-up option. Try out a few different guitars to find the one that works best for you and your playing style.