Best Acoustic Resonator Guitars of 2025

Nicole Kim Avatar
Nicole Kim
Last Updated: Jan 6, 2025

* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

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

Gretsch G9240 Alligator Resonator - 2-Color Sunburst Cover #TOP 1
Gretsch G9240 Alligator Resonator - 2-Color Sunburst
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
Recording King 6 String Resonator Guitar Cover #TOP 3
Recording King 6 String Resonator Guitar
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Acoustic Resonator Guitars

#TOP 1

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 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

Recording King 6 String Resonator Guitar

Recording King
RM-997-VG
Recording King 6 String Resonator Guitar Cover
Recording King 6 String Resonator Guitar, Right, Distressed Vintage Green (RM-997-VG)

The Recording King 6 String Resonator Guitar features a Bell Brass Body and European Recording King Handspun Resonator Cone that deliver a full and rich sound. Its Distressed Vintage Green color and Grover Open Gear Tuners provide an aesthetic appeal. This guitar is perfect for those who are looking for an Acoustic Resonator Guitar that captures the vintage vibe.

What We Like
Full and rich sound
Stylish Distressed Vintage Green color
Grover Open Gear Tuners for easy tuning
#TOP 4

Recording King RPH-R1-TS Guitar

Recording King
RPH-R1-TS
Tobacco Sunburst
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 5

Recording King Resonator Guitar RPH-R2-E-MBL

Recording King
RPH-R2-E-MBL
Wabash Blue
Recording King Resonator Guitar RPH-R2-E-MBL Cover
Recording King 6 String Resonator Guitar, Right, Wabash Blue (RPH-R2-E-MBL)

The Recording King Resonator Guitar is designed for those who appreciate rich sound and classic aesthetics. Its pedestal-style soundwell enhances resonance, making every note clearer and more vibrant. The spruce top adds durability while contributing to a warm and balanced tone. The biscuit bridge helps maintain string tension, ensuring consistent playability. Additionally, the hand-spun European cone elevates the guitar's sound quality, providing a unique character to your music. With these features, you can expect a great playing experience that supports both beginners and seasoned players alike.

What We Like
Rich sound quality
Durable spruce top
Consistent playability
Unique character
#TOP 6

Epiphone Dobro Hound Dog Resonator

DWHOUNDRN
Brown
Epiphone Dobro Hound Dog Resonator Cover
Epiphone Dobro Hound Dog Round Neck Resonator, Vintage Brown

The Epiphone Resonator Guitar features a sturdy maple body and a smooth mahogany neck, providing a solid foundation for your music. The ebony saddle on the bridge rests on a maple base, delivering a rich and warm sound that enhances your playing experience. Thanks to the innovative Dobro cone, your notes will resonate beautifully, ensuring projects well in any setting. Additionally, the Pau Ferro fingerboard offers a comfortable surface for your fingers, making it easier to play for extended periods. This combination of features makes the Epiphone Resonator Guitar a fantastic choice for musicians seeking quality and performance.

What We Like
Warm, rich tone
Comfortable fingerboard
Solid construction
Innovative resonance
#TOP 7

Recording King RPH-R2-E-MBK Guitar

Recording King
RPH-R2-E-MBK
Matte Black
Recording King RPH-R2-E-MBK Guitar Cover
Recording King 6 String Resonator Guitar, Right, Matte Black (RPH-R2-E-MBK)

The Recording King Resonator Guitar is designed for players seeking rich sound and exceptional quality. Its pedestal-style soundwell enhances resonance, allowing for a fuller tone that captivates your audience. The spruce top contributes to a bright, clear sound, making it ideal for various genres. With a biscuit bridge, you’ll enjoy improved sustain and intonation, ensuring your music sounds its best. Additionally, the hand-spun European Recording King cone provides a unique character and projection that stands out. These features come together to offer you a versatile instrument that elevates your playing experience.

What We Like
Rich, resonant sound
Bright, clear tones
Improved sustain
Unique character
#TOP 8

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 9

Regal RC-1 Polychrome Guitar

Regal
RC-1
Gray,Red,White
Regal RC-1 Polychrome Guitar Cover
Regal Duolian Resonator Polychrome Guitar RC-1

The Regal Polychrome Guitar is a stunning acoustic resonator guitar that combines vintage design with modern features. With its Duolian-style body and slim, comfortable neck, this guitar offers a great playing experience. The 9 1/2" spun resonator cone with biscuit bridge delivers a rich and resonant tone, perfect for blues, country, and slide guitar playing. The rosewood fingerboard with M.O.P. dot position markers provides excellent playability and precise fretting. The rock maple saddle and bone nut ensure optimal string vibration transfer, resulting in enhanced sustain and tone. The nickel-plated hardware, adjustable truss rod, and die-cast tuning machines offer easy tuning and stability. With its steel body and beautiful gun-metal gray polychrome finish, the Regal Polychrome Guitar is not only a joy to play but also a visually striking instrument.

What We Like
Beautiful polychrome finish
Rich and resonant tone
Comfortable slim neck
#TOP 10

Ortega Americana Series Resonator Guitar

Ortega Guitars
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
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 3,868 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 $544.21.

The acoustic resonator guitars are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of acoustic resonator guitars, including Gretsch, Recording King, Epiphone, Regal, Ortega Guitars. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 540 consumers with an average rating of 4.9.

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.