Best Rosewood Acoustic Guitars

If you’re chasing an acoustic guitar with rich lows, sparkling highs, and full-spectrum resonance, nothing delivers quite like rosewood. Whether you’re strumming chords, fingerpicking melodies, or recording layers in the studio, a rosewood acoustic guitar brings unmatched tonal depth and projection.

In this guide, we’ll highlight the best rosewood acoustic guitars across a range of price points—covering legendary classics, modern powerhouses, and budget-friendly gems that capture the magic of this iconic tonewood.

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Why Choose a Rosewood Acoustic Guitar?

Rosewood—especially Indian or Brazilian—has long been the gold standard for acoustic guitar back and sides. Here’s why:

• Deep bass response with clear, bell-like trebles

• Rich overtones and complex harmonic character

• Strong projection and sustain

• Visually stunning grain patterns and color variations

Perfect for dreadnoughts, concert-sized bodies, and fingerstyle guitars, rosewood guitars shine in everything from folk and bluegrass to jazz, blues, and modern fingerpicking.

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Best Rosewood Acoustic Guitars (2024 Top Picks)

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1. Martin D-28

Best Overall Rosewood Acoustic Guitar

The Martin D-28 is one of the most revered acoustic guitars ever made. Its combination of Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce gives it booming lows, clear highs, and the classic tone that has shaped generations of music.

Key Features:

• East Indian rosewood back and sides

• Solid Sitka spruce top

• Forward-shifted scalloped X-bracing

• Ebony fingerboard and bridge

• Made in Nazareth, Pennsylvania

Why It Stands Out:

• Iconic dreadnought tone

• Powerful projection and deep low-end presence

• Trusted by legends like Neil Young, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams

Best For: Professionals, serious players, and traditionalists

Price: ~$3,000

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2. Taylor 814ce

Best Premium Rosewood Acoustic for Fingerstyle and Performance

The Taylor 814ce is the company’s flagship Grand Auditorium model, featuring East Indian rosewood and Taylor’s modern design approach. Balanced and articulate, it’s especially suited to fingerstyle and dynamic strumming.

Key Features:

• Solid Indian rosewood back and sides

• Solid Sitka spruce top

• Taylor’s patented V-Class bracing

• Expression System 2 electronics

• Cutaway for upper fret access

Why It Stands Out:

• Excellent clarity and sustain

• Perfect for live gigs and studio recording

• Balanced across the tonal spectrum

Best For: Contemporary players, fingerstyle guitarists, and stage performers

Price: ~$3,500

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3. Yamaha A5R ARE

Best Value Rosewood Acoustic-Electric

The A5R delivers premium features at a mid-range price point. Yamaha’s A.R.E. wood treatment gives the top a vintage tone, while the rosewood back and sides provide depth and warmth.

Key Features:

• Solid Sitka spruce top with A.R.E. treatment

• Solid East Indian rosewood back and sides

• SRT2 pickup system with microphone modeling

• Mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard

• Made in Japan

Why It Stands Out:

• Boutique feel at a working-musician price

• Excellent plugged-in tone

• Built for stage, studio, or living room jams

Best For: Gigging musicians, singer-songwriters, and intermediate players

Price: ~$1,500

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4. Guild D-140CE

Best Affordable All-Solid Rosewood Dreadnought

The Guild D-140CE offers solid woods and powerful tone in a cutaway dreadnought format. It’s a great entry point into full rosewood tone without breaking $1K.

Key Features:

• Solid Sitka spruce top

• Solid rosewood back and sides

• Fishman Sonitone electronics

• Gloss polyurethane finish

• Cutaway design for easy access

Why It Stands Out:

• Big dreadnought voice with responsive highs

• Excellent value for all-solid construction

• Balanced EQ profile with plenty of warmth

Best For: Budget-conscious players wanting full rosewood tone

Price: ~$1,000

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5. Furch Vintage 2 D-SR

Best Boutique-Style Rosewood Acoustic

Furch, a Czech boutique guitar maker, delivers world-class craftsmanship and tone. The Vintage 2 D-SR pairs Indian rosewood with an aged spruce top and exceptional attention to detail.

Key Features:

• Solid Indian rosewood back and sides

• Solid Sitka spruce top

• Vintage hand-brushed finish

• Proprietary CNR neck reinforcement

• Tusq saddle and nut

Why It Stands Out:

• Rich, full-spectrum tone with incredible sustain

• Hand-built boutique quality

• Great alternative to higher-priced U.S. models

Best For: Tone purists, collectors, and fingerstyle players

Price: ~$2,500

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Comparison Table

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Tips for Choosing the Right Rosewood Acoustic

1. Body Style Matters

• Dreadnoughts = louder, fuller sound for strumming and vocal support

• Grand Auditorium/Concert = more balanced, great for fingerstyle or lighter playing

2. Solid vs. Laminate

• Solid rosewood offers deeper tone and improves with age

• Laminated rosewood is more affordable but lacks the same resonance and character

3. Top Wood Pairing

• Most rosewood guitars use Sitka spruce for a bright, responsive top

• Some use cedar or European spruce for a softer, more nuanced voice

4. Electronics or Not?

• Choose onboard pickups if you perform live or record direct

• Go purely acoustic for traditional tone and unplugged performance

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Final Thoughts

A great rosewood acoustic guitar delivers everything acoustic players love—depth, sparkle, volume, and sustain. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or an inspired beginner, there’s a rosewood model that fits your music, budget, and style.

Here’s the bottom line:

• Martin D-28 = Classic sound, legendary feel

• Taylor 814ce = Modern playability with timeless tone

• Yamaha A5R = Professional quality without boutique pricing

• Guild D-140CE = Budget-friendly, all-solid rosewood performance

• Furch D-SR = Boutique craftsmanship with boutique tone

Ready to find your voice? Pick the rosewood acoustic that speaks to your style—and let every chord bloom with bold, beautiful tone.