Top 17 Best Parlor Guitars You’ll Wish You Knew About Sooner

Parlor guitars are the instrument of choice for fingerstyle guitarists all around the world, showing that beautiful things really come in tiny packets. A few unique applications for parlor guitars make them an indispensable element to any musician’s essential gear. You have come to the perfect place if you are still wondering which is the best parlor guitars for your needs. This article will provide you with all relevant details for your informed purchase to help you find out!

Best Parlor Guitars Comparison 2023

No	Name	Image	Best For	Rating	Details
1	Martin Guitar Standard Series Acoustic Guitars, Hand-Built Martin Guitars with Authentic Wood D-18		Best parlor guitars for the sound		VIEW PRODUCT
2	Journey Insturments Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar – RT660M Traveling Acoustic Guitar – Fixed-Neck Road Trip Acoustic Guitar – Heavy Duty Gig Bag (Black Matte)		Best parlor guitars for on-stage performances		VIEW PRODUCT
3	Cordoba C10 SP Classical, All-Solid Woods, Acoustic Nylon String Guitar, Luthier Series, with Polyfoam Case		Best parlor guitars for every guitarists		VIEW PRODUCT
4	Blueridge Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right Handed (BR-341)		Best parlor guitars for fingerpick style		VIEW PRODUCT
5	Martin Road Series D-10E Satin Sitka/Sapele		Best parlor guitars for the money		VIEW PRODUCT

** Below, you will find our detailed reviews of the Best Parlor Guitars, but you can also click these following links to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.

Top Best Parlor Guitars Reviews 2023

Martin Guitar Standard Series Acoustic Guitars

For our first product is this Standard Series Acoustic Guitars from the Martin brand. Martin Guitar is specialized in handmade guitars because they believe it is the best way to create a perfect tone.

 

The standard series guitars are best known for developing a vibrant warm sound. Martin Guitar’s Standard Series, handmade with hardware, time-testing styles and creative designs, offers traditional acoustic and acoustic-electric guitars that any guitarist would like to play.

 

The main changes in this parlor guitars include the ebony brackets and bridges (rather than rosewood), a beautiful beveled tortoiseshell and lovely picking guard, instead of a simple black one, a broader 1/3/4″ nut diameter, the new players’ output neck profile, open-gear tuners, decal headstock emblem instead of gold foil.

 

The Martin Guitar’s Standard Series parlor guitars are well-designed products that will endure in the hand of good care for decades. It is just an heirloom, but a working heritage.

Pros

• Superior sound
• Excellent play-ability
• Can add the electronics
• Exceptional spruce top quality

Cons

• Low in stock

Journey Instruments Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar

Next up, we have this parlor guitar from the Journey Instruments brand – the Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar. The RT660 RoadTrip Carbon Fiber is a baddie tour guitar with a detachable bolt-on-neck and premium-component carbon construction.

 

Journey Instrument’s parlor guitars are given a massive sound with a deep bass due to its asymmetric, larger Manzer Wedge style on a smaller 36″ frame and a 24.5″ scale. Barre Chords are the most relaxed guitar you’re playing with perfect access to the top frets! The asymmetrical style is light with armrest, bevel ribs and scoops down!

 

With the manufacturers’ translucent passive pickup and proprietary bag design, there is plenty of space to cover all your gear. This instrument is the perfect guitar for guitar players who want to play comfortably or minimize tension on their shoulders and joints.

Pros

• Easy neck removable system
• Comfortable compact size
• Good neck width

Cons

• The uneven spacing of strings on the bridge
• Fit and finish is not so hot

Cordoba C10 SP Classical

The Cordoba C10 Nylon is a famous parlor guitar from Cordoba’s brand – a classic guitar maker, which makes many players satisfied with their musical instruments. Cordoba is renowned for its classical music. The Cordoba C10 Nylon is made with nylon strings, making it a special one!

 

The C10 Nylon is an Indian rosewood on the sides and the back of the guitar, a sturdy wooden guitar that is the best part. Cordoba’s C10 is an excellent guitar to look at when looking for an inexpensive guitar with an amazingly pure sound.

 

Like the other classical guitar, the Cordoba C10 nylon string guitar does not have any electrical devices built in the player. But when you buy your guitar for expanded playability, there is a chance to install electronics.

Pros

• Worth the price
• Great built quality
• Excellent sound

Cons

• Neck too narrow to play
• Strings go over the edge

Blueridge Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar

The Blueridge Guitar 6 String Acoustic Guitar can easily be contrasted with guitars priced double or more with its substantial wood body and quality structure. It is fitted with a sturdy Sitka spruce top protected by moved X braces and powerful back and side mahogany – all these features are typically top dollar. And it’s not just about the details because the capital is getting more so it is just as impressive.

 

And those teaser parlor guitars have positive stuff to say about the Blueridge Guitar 6 String Acoustic Guitar. Its sleek, connecting soundhole ring and slotted tuning pegs structure complement its natural design and scored high points with its boutique guitar appeal. An Indian rosewood fingerboard with a diameter of 1 7/8″ wide nut and has a 24.75″ slender profile neck.

 

These are all features that make playability familiar yet relaxed. Check the Blueridge Guitar 6 String Acoustic Guitar if you are trying to get the most from your capital.

Pros

• Excellent quality, sound, and price
• Very comfortable and sturdy
• Outstanding lows
• Easy to fingerpick

Cons

• Low in stock
• Doesn’t come with a case

Martin D-10E Road Series Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Martin sound’s dreadnought is as famous as known, and the D-10E covers any classic box. While the sound has initially been a bit on the dull side, the more we play, the warmer and character it is, and the more tension you play, the better it will get.

 

The hand-rubbed neck of Martin’s Artist is a perfect ride, just as you would have thought, it’s a guitar you want to be struck heavy. And play it. It’s a comfortable ride, specifically with various chords, the strength and projecting spring from the guitar without ever getting a too roaring or unequaled feeling.

 

Even if it’s not as responsive as a machine, the onboard tuner ensures worth adjusting tunings, with a smooth, luminous display that is easy to see from any light. The tuning systems themselves are less imposing – they aren’t as sensitive as we like, and when the D-10E is placed on its mass induces a lot of dive in the stomach.

 

The Fishman MX-T mechanism inside the Martin’ parlor guitars offers thumbwheels in sound and. It provides perfectly acceptable and functional emulation of the guitar sound, with very little plasticity that can impact cheaper units.

Pros

• Worth the price
• Rich and warm tone
• Solid playable

Cons

• Low in stock
• Need to buy new strings and saddle to make it sounds acceptable

Fender Paramount PM-2 Acoustic Guitar

Fender’s PM-2 Deluxe Parlour, with a Sitka spruce top and East Indian rosewood backs and edges, is a beautifully contemporary acoustic style. The acoustical offers of Fender have not had the same historic effect as their electricity, but the PM-2 is as strong as almost any room I’ve played.

 

I quickly found the richness in the center, suitable for Blues and folk strummers. I could ease sharp lines and airy “faux grass” leaks through the neck and the ebony fretboard very quickly.

As simple as an on-board digital set-up is feasible, the Fishman built PM preamp. The bass and triple controls are mounted around a volume knob that is easy to switch. Over this, there is an illuminated panel for the tuner and phase control activation. The PM-2 does not strike the low-end punch, but it varies from similar-correctional guitars with bass cords’ precision.

Pros

• Outstanding building standard
• Fantastic comfort
• Playable neck and size

Cons

• Low in stock
• Some mild difficulties with intonation

LAVA ME 2 Carbon Fiber Guitar

Lava Me brand was released in 2017 and was one of the first carbon fiber molded injection-molded guitars. The new Me 2 currently lies in the center of its product range, providing the original with a new and updated look.

 

The Me 2, with sturdy construction and decent tone, is less eccentric than it would have been a few years earlier, though carbon fiber guitars are unlikely to replace their wood equivalents at any time soon. The Me 2 guitar has an oval soundhole, a brushed aluminum control, integrated backpiece. The analysis model was much more than just a sweetheart, even with its clothes finish.

 

Lava’s Me 2 offers a more profound and complete timbre than expected. The collar is improved to make it three times stiffer than before models by a steep carbon-fiber rod. The 18-pitch fingerboard has insufficient action throughout the pitch. The heelless neck of the guitar makes hitting the highest frets simple. The Super AirSonic top Me 2 has a 1,4 mm thickness and the same rigidity as ordinary carbon fiber but is 30% smaller.

 

The Lava Me 2 has a rugged, warm and full lower intermediate tone. It has a short attack and an apparent linear decline — light and solid bass notes, maximum and straightforward highs, close and robust bass notes. It is claimed that you don’t have to overwhelm the guitar to make the notes pop.

 

The tonal continuity is also accurate when you switch between low and high pitches. It does not display any of the crossover effects which differentiate some guitars from bass to treble.

Pros

• Various colors
• Broad-banded tone
• Doesn’t need an amp

Cons

• Sound quality is not good
• Undetectable delay effect
• Low-quality features

Yamaha CSF-TA Parlor Transacoustic Guitar

This up-market Yamaha style turns the brand into a larger guitar body with its outstanding building quality and sound. It has a sturdy skirt, mahogany body, nato neck, and fingerboard with rosewood.

 

Unplugged, the CSF-TA is instead midrange, but it catches certain sounds that can be heard in a concert or hated acoustics. The larger body makes the tone far more flexible than any other room. From stretching to fingerpicking and slide replay, you should use a CSF-TA.

 

In the type of onboard effects the parlor guitars also have a few other tricks to them. The reverb and choral sounds are combined and can be used without plugging in and inserting pedals.

 

This room provides reverb and chorus that mixes seamlessly with acoustic sound with an actuator built in the guitar despite automated emulation. The CSF-TA also features an on-board piezo and preamp if you’d like to play live. The on-board gives you the right, without skipping a beat, to lead one parlor guitar out of your house.

Pros

• The larger parlor body delivers a flexible sound
• The combined reverb and chorus sound real

Cons

• The back and sides are a little disappointing
• Piezo pickup does not offer much dynamics

Yamaha CSF3M VN All-Solid Parlor Size Acoustic Guitar

As many of Yamaha’s existing constructions, CSF3M features pounded bracing to create a “louder, richer acoustical sound,” but this is not the only specification feature that may be advantageous on paper.

 

Its body depth of 105mm is smaller than much of the portable competitors but maintains a comfy balance with the neck’s dimension at hand. And as we learn shortly, the harmony is also mirrored in the guitar’s tonal character.

 

Their acoustic combo with the amp EQ set flat shows the full and open sound of the CSF3M excellently. Here is no hint of a piezo ‘quack’ of plastic. Instead, its low-end quality gives it a more real electro-sound than you would expect from its unplugged acoustic tone.

 

It is assumed that the CSF3M goes in line with both the specifications and the feeling between a regular parlor and a lightweight portable traveler. The concept choices in neck type, the radius of the fingerboard, body depth and bandage add to an instrument with a fantastic projector and body end that distinguishes itself in a continually expanding market.

Pros

• Great design
• Full-body sound
• Awesome for plugged-in performances

Cons

• Low in stock
• May involve onboard monitoring of EQ level

Seagull S6 Original Acoustic Guitar

You do not believe you can find a valuable acoustic guitar if you do not have much money to spare. But the S6 lineup shows that such thoughts are incorrect, as seen in our Seagull S6 review.

 

Seagull has decided to create some excellent instruments for a line of affordable acoustic guitars. The original Seagull S6 sounds clear, vibrant and of build quality similar to the hundreds of dollars more high-end guitars.

 

Regardless of what guitar style you play, the S6 lineup promises everything for everyone. The S6 Slim’s narrow necks, the incorporated QIT pickups and smaller concert bands support guitarists of all styles.

Pros

• Great sound in the price range
• High-quality of built and materials

Cons

• Uncomfortable neck
• Plain appearance

Fender CP-140SE Parlor Acoustic-Electric Guitar

The Fender CP-140SE is a professional and beginner electric acoustic guitar. It has a pickup and preamp setup from Fishman Presys that simplifies everything for you.

 

For beginners, it’s a perfect guitar since the neck is made from Mahogany. The fretboard itself has rounded corners, making it easier to grip if your hands are smaller.

 

Another wonderful thing about the model is the well-crafted guitar case. It’s much more stunning than other case guitars that cost twice the price. That’s a pretty good job I’d say Fender did. The case’s straps are very durable and the deck strap fixed, making it a perfect alternative for those who want to take their guitar with them everywhere.

 

With all that being said, regardless of its compact scale, I would strongly recommend this guitar to newcomers. If you only start a smaller guitar, it will be incredibly useful to concentrate on playing rather than learning to play it. Compared to other guitars in this genre, it doesn’t charge that much, so I would say it pays off the cost.

Pros

• Compact size
• Include a guitar case
• Great for beginners

Cons

• Hard strings
• Poor craftsmanship

Gretsch Guitars G5024E Rancher Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Knowledge of whether it’s first heard or seen comes from the Gretsch G5024E ranch. The signature triangular soundhole preserves the original Rancher guitars of the ’50s and amplifies the still rich sound. Not only does the Venetian skin look lovely, but it also makes you the highest frets on the rosewood fretboard. Also, you have a rare and sleek range guard that indeed turns heads.

 

With the G5024E Rancher, you get Gretsch’s extra eye for quality. The solid spruce top is a luxury feature typically not seen at this prize on guitars, providing a vibrant, harmonious sound. The spruce top is supported by a scalloped X-bracing, which increases the projection and tonal harmony and decreases vibration damping.

 

And the bridge is made of rosewood with compensated saddles for perfect tuning. You may assume that the G5024E Rancher was terrified for life with additional treatment such as this.

Pros

• Amazing sound
• Worth the price

Cons

• Low in stock

Washburn WP11SNS Parlor Series Acoustic Guitar

The WP11SNS is based on Washburn prototypes used more than a hundred years ago. The mahogany offers a much more full-bodied, expressive tone and fretboard inlays for pearl dot. With a scale of 24.75,” it has a natural stain coating, heavy cedar top with a quarter-sawn, spruce strap, rosette abalone and regular rosewood bridge of Washburn.

 

The neck of the mahogany has a fingerboard of rosewood with an open tuner and 44mm nut. These requirements give the fingerpicking and musician writers a finely balanced sound. The transparency of the body is perfect for recording and microphone performance.

Pros

• Nice, bright tone
• Worth the price

Cons

• Low in stock

Journey Instruments Solid Mahogany Travel Guitar

The RT312B from Journey Instruments brand is a killer, powerful, Mahogany-top guitar with solid backgrounds and layered sides that offer the rich tone of a bigger, all-solid, but substantially stable guitar for various contexts.

 

A thinner, 36-inch frame and a 24.5 inch X scale make the asymmetrical wider Manzer Wedge © style a breeze and are super secure in shoulder and hand. The bar chords are a breeze. We have put in a cozy, smaller 36″ guitar with the sound and volume of an Orchestra Scale! Our proprietary bag style has plenty of room to cover all your equipment.

Pros

• Various color
• Great for travel
• Convenient to play

Cons

• Loose saddle
• Buzzing D string

Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar

The dreadnought cutaway close to where the neck meets the body helps the guitar player to finger higher in the fingerboard. This detail is widely used for the lead players but not for rhythm-guitar players (strumming chords in the background). For beginning guitarists, this function is not required – however, you will develop into it as your talent improves.

 

The Spruce top sound is high-quality. The guitar has a bright and clean sound, whether you strum, fingerpick or play lead. The timid form helps you to play near without crashing into the body. A feared form rarely loses a particular sound resonance, but not in this situation.

 

The mahogany sides look pretty, but don’t do anything to give a rich wood to the bass. The effect of strings is nice enough (how far the strings are off the fingerboard). You might like the motion to be a little lower if you’re a novice, but this should not be a concern if you stay with it.

Pros

• Easy to play
• Clear sound

Cons

• Loose saddle and nut
• Average pickup system

Fender CP-60S Solid Top Parlor Size Acoustic Guitar

The Fender CP-60S parlor’s value and sound are challenging for players looking for the first salon guitar. This small model has a full size and a solid spruce top, encouraging anyone from beginners to experienced players to get interested.

 

The sturdy sprout top pairs with laminated mahogany on both ends, giving the room guitar a vivid, straightforward sound, concentrating on the medium and the basics. The sturdy “X” bracing for solid wood improves support, strike and attack, especially for guitar players with a stripe and a fingerstyle.

 

The neck is also using laminated mahogany with rolling corners, making playing easy and smooth. The 20 frets allow you a broader range of expressive guitars with the scale of salon guitar.

 

The Fender CP-60S comes in a sunburst design that adds a distinctive look for a parlor guitar and a shiny appearance.

Pros

• Worth the price

• Full-length scale to play more notes

Cons

• Hardware and installation was bad
• The plastic nut does not offer a strong tone

Gretsch Guitars Jim Dandy Flat Top Acoustic Guitar

Gretsch is a manufacturer not heard about by many people; undoubtedly not as famous as Fender, Yamaha and Gibson. Because Gretsch isn’t as widely known as Fender or Yamaha, the quality of the instrument doesn’t differ!

 

The Jim Dandy is an excellent guitar for newbies with an impressive vintage sound, which you cannot find in laminate guitars. The Jim Dandy is a laminate parlor guitar. While some tonal traits are not very great to listen to, this guitar’s sound and tone are fantastic.

 

In mentioning Gretsch Jim Dandy, one of the largest complaints is how the finish starts to show green strips after a time of using and Jim Dandy has tried to resolve this issue in the last few years with a thick finish on top of the guitar.

 

In general, the Gretsch Jim Dandy is the parlor guitar you should be looking at if you’re seeking a parlor guitar that can withstand particular abuse and has a vintage voicing. On the other hand, many talk about how much they like the C form of their neck because it makes their necks very convenient.

 

Gretsch attempted to install a truss rod in this guitar, which is uncommon at this price point to meet on guitars. The guitar has many benefits, including antique body-style frets and fretboards, Pearloid dot inlays and warm tone vibrations. And the Jim Dandy doesn’t have an unbelievable volume performance as expected for any parlor guitars.

Pros

• Very cheap
• Great for beginners

Cons

• Not suitable for fingerpicking player
• Small and boxy sound

The Ultimate Guide To Choosing The Best Parlor Guitars

The word “parlor guitar” is used to cover a number of guitar body types today. But typically only if the parlor is much smaller is defined as such. The term “parlor” actually means reception rooms which traced back to ancient times. And since those close-packed guitars have been performed frequently in these compact rooms, they have been known as parlor guitars.

A convenient shape of the body with tone concentrated, these are the characteristics that make parlor guitars popular among all the guitar players worldwide. As a midrange key focus like parlor guitars, this is why various tour players and studio musicians see them as a “primary weapon” in live performing and produced tracks.

We suppose that you still don’t know how to choose the best parlor guitars for your needs and yet still thinking about all the possible choices above. Do not worry! With all the details below, you will find out the correct answer. Here are our recommendations before we all draw to a decision. We hope that through our instructions, you will personally choose the best parlor guitars for you.

Body Size

There is no specified size to define an authentic parlor guitar – or, at least, what is now labeled as parlor guitars – but guitars that have bouts somewhere around 13.5 inches or smaller than the 0 shapes of Martin Guitar are generally considered parlor guitars.

Therefore, an actual parlor guitar can better be described by its form. An original parlor guitar is smaller and has an elongated body than a concert size. The long form of the guitar is crafted directly by the manufacturers to give the miniature guitar some amplification.

However, many current parlor guitars may even find it even more advantageous to integrate microphones or pickup systems in the guitars to maximize the sound which was traditionally done on an elongated guitar shell.

The parlor guitars’ body style will subtly shift to model, so if you’re after a model influenced, look for the iconic parlor guitars.

Wood Materials

Make sure you’ve got a solid wood guitar like any acoustic instrument. In almost any case, a solid wood guitar sounds stronger than a laminate. Needless to say, when you are shopping from an online store, it’s straightforward to say whether or not the parlor guitar is a concrete wood instrument.

The “solid wood, or solid top, back or sides” requirements are specified, this is then a solidified wood instrument. But they are indeed made from laminate unless they claim it is solid wood in particular. The selected woods need to be superb tonewoods and preferably a sturdy body top to increased sound and projection.

Therefore, be alert, and always make sure you read very carefully the description of any product you are buying.

Guitar Neck

Neck Materials

To ensure that it is well picked, you can look for a trustworthy hardwood neck. For better results, a neck must be, in fact, very straight. Also, check for damages like cracks or rattling noise, and scan if there’s any distortion in the neck or the top.

Frets

15 to 16 frets on the necks are popular on parlor guitars, while 19- or 20-frets are mainly on acoustic guitars. The frets should be precise and elevated enough for intuitive play but not to ruin those smooth fingering styles. Ensure that all notes on the neck frets are soft and smooth.

Headstock/Peghead

You will come into some guitars’ headstocks that are different than those you’d usually find on a larger body guitar if you’re looking for parlor guitars. It is called slotted headstock: the strings fit into bars placed on the peghead in slots. There is still some discussion as to whether this has an effect on the instrument’s sound or not, but whether it does or not, it is not easily recognized.

Truss Rod

A truss rod is what keeps the parlor guitars’ neck straight by balancing the pull of the strings and natural gravitation in the wood material. The strain of the strings, as the loose of the truss rod, will curve the neck insignificantly. Likewise, by avoiding string tension, the truss rod straightens the neck when it is tightened. You should pick a flexible truss rod that can adjust to accommodate your playing operation.

Tone

Parlors have a distinctive sound due to their compact body. They prefer to concentrate on the midrange to have a tone of “boxy”. They also have bright, clear trebles, but a little less than larger guitars’ bass response. It’s because the narrower internal cavity of larger acoustic guitars avoids the massive, broader reverberations that send you boomy bass noises.

That makes parlor guitars perfect for playing styles such as blues and country music, or generally for fingerstyle. On the outside of playing in a live band setting, solo musicians are usually using parlor guitars to write songs that pop up in their heads. Parlors will also sound a bit unpredictable in a full band blend without a well-rounded tone of bass, mids, and trebles.

Your best parlor guitars are mighty if you want to practice traditional folk tunes, or solo Delta blues tracks (particularly with a slide). In the first half of the twentieth century, musicians use parlor guitars to produce a lot of music, which is why people often identify a “vintage” or “retro” feeling with their unique pitch.

If you want to play blues, folk, or just to jumble around, parlor guitars are a great choice because it can make you sound fantastic in no time to pick up one of those seats.

Optional Gadgets

Tuners

The tuning machine is crucial. The strings must be held in tension, though they extend over time and the neck wood is warm and relaxed so that they may need to be changed periodically. You want tuners with precise adjustments so you can change them with more significant precision tuning.

Metal Gears

Metal gears tend to pull the string closer and keep the string firm. Once they have been formed, a decent number of tuning heads can retain a very close timing and they won’t be radically modified without a bit of effort.

Here is a video for you to grab more information:

Conclusion: My Top Pick For Best Parlor Guitars

After all the items and valuable knowledge that we have listed earlier in this thread, we hope you will be able to pick the best parlor guitars to play the sound you want.

You should be sure to know at this stage which best parlor guitars are the must-have item to suit your own needs. If you’re still confused between tons of parlor guitars and their details, don’t freak out – we have you. All these tricky and long bits of information have been assembled into a board of top 5 of the best parlor guitars – for you only!

No	Name	Image	Best For	Rating	Details
1	Martin Guitar Standard Series Acoustic Guitars, Hand-Built Martin Guitars with Authentic Wood D-18		Best parlor guitars for the sound		VIEW PRODUCT
2	Journey Insturments Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar – RT660M Traveling Acoustic Guitar – Fixed-Neck Road Trip Acoustic Guitar – Heavy Duty Gig Bag (Black Matte)		Best parlor guitars for on-stage performances		VIEW PRODUCT
3	Cordoba C10 SP Classical, All-Solid Woods, Acoustic Nylon String Guitar, Luthier Series, with Polyfoam Case		Best parlor guitars for every guitarists		VIEW PRODUCT
4	Blueridge Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right Handed (BR-341)		Best parlor guitars for fingerpick style		VIEW PRODUCT
5	Martin Road Series D-10E Satin Sitka/Sapele		Best parlor guitars for the money		VIEW PRODUCT

Finally, we have shown our top 17 best parlor guitars in this area with a 100% commitment to pick out the best parlor guitars that will match you. Let us now hope that the usage and function of those best parlor guitars are explained. You just have to pick from our list the most intriguing and exciting recommendation!

• Don’t forget to share your thoughts about Best Parlor Guitars at the comment box below!