Best Acoustic Resonator Guitars of 2026

Nicole Kim Avatar
Nicole Kim
Last Updated: Jan 9, 2026

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Acoustic resonator guitars are a unique and distinct type of guitar that produce a distinct, metallic sound. These guitars are characterized by their cone-shaped resonator, which is made of metal and amplifies the sound produced by the strings. The result is a bright and powerful sound that is perfect for blues, bluegrass, and country music. While they may not be as popular as traditional acoustic guitars, acoustic resonator guitars are a favorite among musicians who want to add a unique sound to their music. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a beginner, an acoustic resonator guitar is a great addition to any collection.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Recording King RPH-R1-TS Guitar Cover #TOP 1
Recording King RPH-R1-TS Guitar
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Gretsch G9241 Alligator Mahogany Resonator Guitar Cover #TOP 2
Gretsch G9241 Alligator Mahogany Resonator Guitar
ftb score rating icon 9.7
Gretsch G9240 Alligator Resonator - 2-Color Sunburst Cover #TOP 3
Gretsch G9240 Alligator Resonator - 2-Color Sunburst
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Acoustic Resonator Guitars

#TOP 1

Recording King RPH-R1-TS Guitar

RPH-R1-TS
Tobacco Sunburst
Single 0
Recording King RPH-R1-TS Guitar Cover
Recording King RPH-R1-TS Dirty 30's Resonator Guitar

The Recording King Resonator Guitar features a classic single 0 body that provides a comfortable playing experience. Its spruce top enhances sound projection, ensuring your music resonates beautifully. The rosewood fretboard adds a smooth touch for easy playability, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced players. With a 9.5" resonator cone, this guitar delivers a bright and powerful tone that will captivate your audience. Each element is designed to elevate your performance, giving you the convenience and quality you need to express your musical style.

What We Like
Comfortable single 0 body
Enhanced sound projection
Smooth rosewood fretboard
Bright, powerful tone
#TOP 2

Gretsch G9241 Alligator Mahogany Resonator Guitar

Gretsch
2718015503
2-color Sunburst
Gretsch G9241 Alligator Mahogany Resonator Guitar Cover
Gretsch G9241 Mahogany Round Neck 6-String Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar (Right-Handed, 2-Color Sunburst)

The Gretsch G9241 Alligator Mahogany Round Neck Acoustic Electric Resonator Guitar features a Mahogany top and sides, a Padauk fingerboard, and an Eastern European hand-spun biscuit cone Fishman Electronics with a 2-color sunburst design. Its roundneck design makes it easy and comfortable for players to use. The resonator guitar produces a distinct and unique sound that is great for blues, country, and bluegrass music.

What We Like
Distinct and unique sound
Easy and comfortable to play with roundneck design
Comes with Fishman Electronics for acoustic electric option
#TOP 3

Gretsch G9240 Alligator Resonator - 2-Color Sunburst

Gretsch
2718013503
2-color Sunburst
Gretsch G9240 Alligator Resonator - 2-Color Sunburst Cover
Gretsch G9240 Alligator Mahogany Round Neck Resonator 6-String Guitar with Padauk Fingerboard (Right-Handed, 2-Color Sunburst)

The Gretsch G9240 Alligator Resonator is an acoustic roundneck guitar with a mahogany top and sides, featuring a padauk fingerboard and an Eastern European H-spun biscuit cone in a 2-color sunburst design. This guitar is perfect for players who want a unique sound and are looking for an instrument that can handle a wide range of playing styles.

What We Like
Unique design with a 2-color sunburst finish
Mahogany top and sides provide a warm, resonant tone
Padauk fingerboard offers a smooth playing experience
#TOP 4

Gretsch G9210 Square Neck Boxcar Mahogany Resonator Acoustic Guitar

Gretsch
2715023521
Natural
Gretsch G9210 Square Neck Boxcar Mahogany Resonator Acoustic Guitar Cover
Gretsch G9210 Boxcar Square-Neck Resonator Right Handed Guitar with Padauk Fingerboard and Ampli-Sonic Diaphragm (Natural, 6-String)

The Gretsch G9210 Square Neck Boxcar Mahogany Resonator Acoustic Guitar is an acoustic squareneck resonator guitar with a mahogany top, sides, neck, and padauk fingerboard. The guitar also features a hand-spun cone, which produces a unique and resonant sound. This guitar is perfect for those looking for a high-quality resonator guitar to add to their collection.

What We Like
Durable Mahogany construction
Hand-spun cone produces a unique and resonant sound
Padauk fingerboard adds to the guitar's aesthetic appeal
#TOP 5

NOYEEOENY 40-Inch Resonator Guitar

4950489065440
Sky Blue
NOYEEOENY 40-Inch Resonator Guitar Cover
40-Inch Resonator Guitar with Spruce Top & Sapele Body, Okoume Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard | Bronze Strings | Beginner guitar (Sky Blue)

The NOYEEOENY Resonator Guitar stands out with its three small resonator disks, which amplify the sound and produce a richer, louder tone. This feature is especially useful if you want your music to carry well without needing extra amplification. The guitar’s unique sound and playing style make it a great choice for exploring blues, country, or bluegrass music, giving you an authentic feel for these genres. Its distinct timbre adds character to your playing, helping you develop a signature sound. If you’re a beginner, this guitar offers a special way to learn and enjoy music with a classic twist.

What We Like
Loud, rich tone
Unique sound style
Ideal for blues and country
Distinctive playing experience
#TOP 6

Ortega Americana Series Resonator Guitar

RRG40CE-DBK
Distressed Black
Ortega Americana Series Resonator Guitar Cover
Ortega Guitars 6 String Americana Series Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar, Right, Distressed Black (RRG40CE-DBK)

The Ortega Resonator Guitar features a mahogany top with unique offset soundholes, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and sound projection. The distressed black satin finish adds a vintage charm that stands out on stage or in your living room. With its durable aluminum cone resonator, you can expect rich tones and improved volume, making it ideal for both solo performances and jam sessions. The comfortable mahogany neck ensures easy playability, allowing you to focus on your music without straining your hands.

What We Like
Stylish distressed black finish
Rich sound with aluminum resonator
Comfortable mahogany neck
Unique soundhole design
#TOP 7

Recording King RR-41-VS Rattlesnake Wood Body Resonator Guitar

RR-41-VS
Sunburst
Small
Recording King RR-41-VS Rattlesnake Wood Body Resonator Guitar Cover
Recording King RR-41-VS Rattlesnake Wood Body Resonator Guitar

The Recording King Rattlesnake Resonator Guitar is a high-quality acoustic resonator guitar that offers exceptional sound and playability. With its open pedestal style sound well, mahogany body, padauk fretboard, and biscuit bridge, this guitar delivers a rich and resonant tone. The open pedestal style sound well enhances the projection and volume, making it ideal for live performances or recording sessions. The mahogany body provides a warm and balanced sound, while the padauk fretboard offers smooth and comfortable playability. The biscuit bridge ensures excellent sustain and clarity. Whether you're a professional musician or just starting out, the Recording King Rattlesnake Resonator Guitar is a great choice for anyone looking for a versatile and reliable instrument.

What We Like
Exceptional sound
Rich and resonant tone
Warm and balanced sound
#TOP 8

Danelectro '59 Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar

DC59RTSB
Tobacco Sunburst
Danelectro '59 Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar Cover
Danelectro '59 Resonator Guitar - Tobacco Sunburst

The Danelectro '59 Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar in Tobacco Sunburst is a 59 DC Shorthorn shape hollow body with a scale length of 25 and 21 frets. It features a special design piezo in the cone along with a 56 Lipstick neck pickup. The electronics include controls for volume, tone, and pickup blend. The diamond plate cover enhances the tone and provides a much higher piezo output than most other piezo systems.

What We Like
Special design piezo in the cone for better sound
Blend pot allows for control of Lipstick or Piezo or both pickups at the center
Diamond plate cover enhances tone and provides higher piezo output
#TOP 9

Gretsch G9210 Boxcar Square-Neck Resonator Guitar - Natural

Gretsch
2715020521
Brown
Large
Gretsch G9210 Boxcar Square-Neck Resonator Guitar - Natural Cover
Gretsch G9210 Boxcar Square-Neck Resonator Guitar - Natural

The Gretsch G9210 Boxcar Square-Neck Resonator Guitar is a versatile instrument that is perfect for bluegrass and blues-based music. With its square neck design, it offers a comfortable playing experience for bluegrass enthusiasts. The mahogany body and neck, along with the 25" scale length, contribute to its rich and resonant sound. The rosewood fingerboard adds a touch of elegance to the guitar. One of the standout features of this guitar is the Gretsch Ampli-Sonic resonator cone, which is hand-spun in Eastern Europe from nearly 99-percent pure aluminum. This cone provides exceptional volume and sonic projection, making the G9210 Boxcar a great choice for both studio recordings and live performances.

What We Like
Versatile
Comfortable
Rich and resonant sound
#TOP 10

Yamaha L-Series Transacoustic Guitar

LL-TA BS
Brown Sunburst
Dreadnought
Yamaha L-Series Transacoustic Guitar Cover
Yamaha L-Series Transacoustic Guitar with Hard Gig Bag- Dreadnought, Brown Sunburst

The Yamaha L-Series Transacoustic Guitar is an acoustic-electric guitar that features an amazing sounding reverb/chorus built into the guitar, eliminating the need for external amplification or effects. It has a solid Engelmann Spruce top treated with A.R.E., a fingerboard radius of 15 3/4 inches, and a string spacing of 0.43 inches. The original jumbo body is made of solid rosewood back and sides, and the 5-ply neck has a high comfort traditional neck profile. It also has an SRT Zero Impact Passive Pickup.

What We Like
Eliminates the need for external amplification or effects
High-quality materials used in construction
Comfortable neck profile
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is a resonator guitar good for?

Resonator guitars are popularly used in bluegrass music and in blues. Traditionally, bluegrass players used square necked Dobro-style instruments played as a steel guitar while blues players favored round-necked National-style guitars, often played with a bottleneck.

2. What is the difference between a resonator and an acoustic guitar?

Where an acoustic guitar amplifies the vibrations of the strings through their contact with the wooden soundboard or top via the bridge, a resonator instead amplifies the strings through the use of one or more metal coils which are in contact with the underside of the bridge.

3. Are resonator guitars hard to play?

It is an easy instrument to learn Moreover, once you get started and master the basic techniques of the resonator guitar, then it will be much easier for you to transition to other stringed instruments, as well as experiment with many other genres of music.

Editor's Notes

During our acoustic resonator guitar research, we found 24 acoustic resonator guitar products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 4,811 customer reviews through our big data system to write the acoustic resonator guitars list. We found that most customers choose acoustic resonator guitars with an average price of $566.76.

The acoustic resonator guitars are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of acoustic resonator guitars, including Recording King, Gretsch, NOYEEOENY, Ortega Guitars, Danelectro. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 219 consumers with an average rating of 4.8.

Written by
Nicole Kim Avatar

Nicole Kim has been a music teacher and a private piano instructor for six years now. She is a very talented musician who plays piano to a high standard and won several awards in international piano competitions. Lately, she has been sharing her music expertise online, giving incredible tips on how to select the right musical instruments.