Dreadnought vs Concert: Which is a Better Acoustic Guitar Variant?

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Jodie Chiffey

Mellifluent Performer at Guitar Space

Jodie fell in love with the guitar at a young age, but has hit a lot of bumps in the road with her journey. She knows all of the frustrations that come with learning the instrument without any formal lessons. But, she pushed through all of those challenges and she’s now here to teach other people too. If you’re looking for advice that’ll stick with you for a lifetime, Jodie’s here to share everything she knows.

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When you search for top-rated acoustics guitars online, the Dreadnought vs. Concert comparison is something you’ll undoubtedly find.

Both Dreadnought and Concert are best-selling acoustic guitars, and the competition is neck and neck. In fact, the Dreadnought vs. Concert debate has been going on for years now. So, if you’re an acoustic guitar enthusiast who isn’t familiar with either of them, you’ll probably have a lot of questions.

Many acoustic guitar beginners often pick Dreadnought because it’s a more common size on the market available at different prices. That’s just because Dreadnought is a little louder than a small guitar in a majority of the cases.

And, because of this, a budget-friendly Dreadnought with an all-laminate body can sound great to the guitar newbies. So, if the volume is your only concern, a Dreadnought can be a good option. On the other hand, the volume of Concert is lower, but it is more comfortable to hold and play.

Over the past few months, we’ve received several queries about the difference between Dreadnought and Concert. Before we move to the in-depth comparison, we would like to applaud those of you who asked this question as it means you’re doing some excellent research on different types of guitars based on their sizes.

To help you select the best acoustic guitar out of the two options, our guitar experts performed thorough hands-on testing of both the products and read through thousands of reviews from existing customers to understand their experiences with both the guitar. Read on to know more about Dreadnought and Concert.

Main Differences Between Dreadnought vs Concert Guitars

The main differences between Dreadnought vs Concert Guitars are:

• Dreadnought guitars are better for strumming, whereas concert guitars are better for finger playing.
• Dreadnought guitars have a large and broader body, whereas Concert guitars have a smaller body and have less low end.
• Dreadnought guitars are loud and are ideal for playing in a band, whereas Concert guitars are quieter and are for solo playing.

Dreadnought vs Concert – All you need to know

Acoustic guitars are available in a variety of shapes and sizes; however, almost all manufacturers tend to categorize them into types based on design, size, and usage. Exact specifications and sizes can vary from manufacturer to manufacture, so there are no rules you can rely on.

While there are several other acoustic guitar styles such as Jumbo and Parlor, this comparison will focus on Dreadnought and Concert variations.

Dreadnought and Concert – An overview

Dreadnought

The Dreadnought variant was proposed and designed by C.F. Martin and Company in 1916. It is larger, bolder, and louder than small acoustic guitars that were played back then. You can sense the sturdiness in the name, which has been taken from HMS Dreadnought – a giant, contemporary gunship launched in 1906.

The Dreadnought quickly gained popularity among acoustic guitar players and is one of the most sought-after acoustic guitar variants on the market. It is commonly used for playing rock, country, blues, and bluegrass.

The Dreadnought is so loud and powerful that it is capable of competing with an electric band without any additional support. The appearance is a bit bigger to achieve sufficient projection. Along with punch and power, a Dreadnought usually produces sharp lows and mids for a comprehensive sound that forms gigantic chords and highs to bluegrass runs.

Classic examples of Dreadnought guitars

Martin D-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar | Guitar Center

The 184-year-old guitar maker has combined vintage appointments, including open gear tuners, an aged toner top, antique white accents, and a faux tortoise pickguard with a special neck profile to give D-28 enthusiasts a modern feel and comfortable playing experience.

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Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic-Electric Guitar | Guitar Center

Of Gibson's many famous designs, the Hummingbird Standard may be one of the most recognizable. The first square shoulder dreadnought Gibson ever produced, it has been turning heads since 1960.

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Best Budget Acoustic Guitar

Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

No matter what kind of music you want to play, from rock to alternative to country and more, the acoustic guitar is the centerpiece of songwriting for contemporary music. From playing along with your favorite songs to getting good enough to write your own, the FA-100 acoustic guitar is a solid choice to start on

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Oscar Schmidt OG2CE Dreadnought Acoustic Electric | Reverb

The Oscar Schmidt OG2CE acoustic electric guitar is a deep dreadnought with full acoustic resonance. It features the Barcus Berry Preamp with digital tuner built in. 

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Martin D-16GT Acoustic Guitar | Reverb

The Martin D-16GT dreadnought acoustic guitar is a blend of classic and modern, and a part of the 16 Series, which focuses on marrying updated specs.

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Washburn Harvest D7S, Acoustic Guitar | Amazon

Washburn Harvest 7 Series Dreadnought body acoustic with solid spruce top. A feature of the solid spruce top is that its tone will improve with age. The quality, tone and features of these acoustics is unmatched in this price range. 

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Read More:

• Gibson Hummingbird vs Dove

Concert

The Concert comes with a narrower body, deeper waste, and shoulders that are smaller than the lower body. Concert’s body style is completely different from that of Dreadnought. The compact size of Concert makes it ideal for fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing.

The waist of Concert is more pronounced, which leads to crisp overtones and a harmonically lighter delivery. When compared to Dreadnought, the bass presence of Concert is reduced, and it favors crispier highs and mids.

Classic examples of Concert guitars

Breedlove Solo Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar | Musician's Friend

You'll enjoy the warmth of red cedar and the bass emphasis of ovangkol that blend to produce warm note-for-note clarity and balanced sound. 

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Martin LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar | Guitar Center

While the Little Martin is Martin's smallest guitar, it is very big on tone, quality and versatility. It’s ideal for travel, student practice or for just playing around the house or campfire.

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Taylor 412ce V-Class Grand Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar | Guitar Center

Taylor's Grand Concert is slightly smaller that its Grand Auditorium and yields controlled overtones, so the sound won't occupy a lot of sonic space. Its intimate size makes it lap/couch-friendly, and a great fit for players who find smaller instruments more physically comfortable.

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Body style

Here’s a quick overview of the basic dimensions of Dreadnought and Concert:

As already mentioned above, Dreadnought has a deep body, broader waist, and a relatively narrower upper bout. It is typically marked by squarish shoulders and bottom. Therefore, it can be a little challenging for smaller people to hold a Dreadnought guitar comfortably. All in all, the body style of Dreadnought is iconic as it is larger and broader than all other types of acoustic guitars on the market.

The Concert is marked by a smaller body and is more comfortable to play due to its compact size. The shape of Concert resembles the shape of classical guitars, with well-defined curves.

Tone

The Dreadnought guitars are designed in a way that maximizes projection and volume. The curves are subtler, and it comes with a bold, complete, and deep tone that makes it perfect for finger playing as well as strumming.

The size and curves of Concert provide acoustic guitar players with a properly balanced mid-range tone with excellent clarity that makes Concert more versatile than all other types of acoustic guitars on the market.

Usage

Dreadnought guitars are suitable for singers and songwriters, or anyone who’s specifically looking for a complete sound with a powerful lower end.

Since the body of Concert is smaller and easier to handle than Dreadnought, it’s much more convenient to hold while playing, especially for guitar players who are younger and smaller. Due to its convenient body shape and versatility, concert guitars are popular for new beginner acoustic guitar players.

Pros and cons

Popular models

Now that you’ve understood the basic difference between Dreadnought and Concert acoustic guitars, let’s look at some top models belonging to each category.

Dreadnought

Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

General specifications:

Product overview:

If you’re looking for a Dreadnought acoustic guitar with great value and powerful sound, Fender FA-100 can be a good option. It is a rich-sounding Dreadnought guitar with ample resonance and a unique Fender headstock outline. The 20-fret fingerboard made of hardwood allows you to play the guitar smoothly with your fingers.

The full-size Dreadnought avatar provides a complete, vibrant tone that is suitable for all types of music. Other striking features of Fender FA-100 include a rosewood bridge with synthetic bone saddle, chrome hardware, and a frontward strap control with internal block support. The spruce wood construction is solid and can support hard strumming.

Fender FA-100 is suitable for both left-handed and right-handed guitar players.

Pros and cons: 

Oscar Schmidt OG2

General specifications:

Product overview

The OG2 is one of the finest acoustic guitar manufactured by Oscar Schmidt. It’s not an average acoustic guitar, it’s backed by experience and thorough testing before launching the product into the market.

The deep shape of the guitar provides excellent acoustic resonance and a variety of tones for experimentation. The body comes with a remarkable glossy finish adding life to the white body. The neck is made of high-quality mahogany.

The fingerboard made of rosewood is equipped with 20 frets and inlays made of white dots. OG2’s headstock comprises the manufacturer’s logo and 6 diecast turners with a chrome finish holding 6 strings.

When it comes to sound, OG2 is a marvel for its price. We compared it to different dreadnought acoustic guitars in the same range and did not notice any change in the results. OG2 can be a great pick for beginners. The instrument can be your best companion to get your acoustic guitar journey started.

Pros and cons

Martin D-16GT

General specifications

Product review

Martin D-16GT is a high-end Dreadnought guitar under $1500. It is a part of the Martin 16 Series. The guitar is designed in a way that makes it unique from its competitors in a similar price range. The classic Dreadnought shape defines elegance.

Unlike the other high-end Dreadnought guitars by Martin, D-16GT comes with minimal detailing such as a beautiful polished gloss finish, black Boltaron binding all over the body, and the lined herringbone emblem. The neck looks beautiful with a satin finish and slightly oval shape.

Martin has used environmental-friendly materials to manufacture D-16GT. The product is highly durable and sturdy. The fretboard made of Richlite comprises 20 frets with plain dot inlays. D-16GT’s sound is impressive and it delivers a booming low-end while strumming.

Even with such emphasized bass, the product remains articulate and warm throughout. All in all, Martin D-16GT features bold projection and is versatile.

Pros and cons

Concert

Breedlove SOLO Concert

General specifications

Product review

Breedlove is popular among acoustic guitar players for producing some of the most powerful acoustic guitars at affordable prices. The Solo Concert is an avant-garde acoustic guitar with some incredible power-enhancing features.

Breedlove Solo comes with a unique design that comprises a second sound hole added to provide guitarist an opportunity to hear what they’re audiences are hearing. In no way does the additional hole hamper the resonance or distort the sound. The overall set-up is excellent, and the craftsmanship is ace level.

Since Breedlove has used solid cedar and rosewood in the body, you’ll observe a darker tone with a woody and warm delivery. However, it’s properly defined across the highs and lows. Being a Concert guitar, it’s less powerful than Dreadnought acoustic guitars. So, if you want a more powerful sound, you’ll have to add an amp as and when you need.

Pros and cons

Oscar Schmidt OU5 Concert Ukelele

General specifications

Product review

OU5 is another budget-friendly, high-quality Concert acoustic guitar with a sturdy build. It is a popular 4-string or ukulele model under $200.

OU5’s design is eye-catching and comprises elegant detailing with minimal distractions. The cream borders of the guitar add protection and provide it with a classy look. The Concert-sized body is made of laminated Hawaiian Koa and glossy touch. The rosewood fretboard comprises 16 frets.

Overall, in terms of design and build, the guitar is solid.

When it comes to sound, OU5 offers a bright yet balanced tone, with enough crispiness and the symbolic ukulele jingle.

It’s not the loudest Concert guitar you’ll come across, but the projection is pretty decent. So, whether you’re an acoustic newbie, an intermediate, or expert, you’ll find OU5 extremely useful and comfortable to hold and play.

Pros and cons

Martin LX1 Little Martin

General specifications

Product review

Whether you’re an ace level guitar player with smaller hands or a parent looking for a good-quality Concert-sized acoustic guitar for your kid, the Little Martin is all you need. It is one of the best Concert guitars in terms of sound, quality, and feel. Moreover, it’s affordable.

As the name suggests, it is the smallest Martin guitar with a sturdy build and non-cutaway body. All in all, the Little Martin sounds great, looks good, and stays in tune.

Due to its compact size, the tone and projection do not match with the bold projection and great tone provided by Martin Dreadnought. Nevertheless, for small performances and practice sessions, Martin LX1 can be a suitable choice. It comes with a satisfying warmth and a balanced tone.

Pros and cons

Dreadnought vs. Concert – Which is Right for You?

Now that you know the differences between Dreadnought and Concert, you can pick the best option based on your requirement and usage. However, if you get into more details, you’ll also have choices between the solid top or laminate top, 6 or 4 strings, finishes, colors, cutaways, and no cutaways, and a lot more.

Hopefully, the products we’ve listed in the last section of the comparison guide will provide you with some ammunition to decide on the best Dreadnought or Concert guitar for your performance or practice sessions. Our personal favorites are Fender FA-100 and Oscar Schmidt OU5. Both products are value for money and versatile in their respective categories.

We hope you found our Dreadnought vs. Concert guide useful. If there are any more products that you would like us to compare, please let us know, and we’ll help you.

FAQs About Dreadnought vs Concert Acoustic Guitar

Question: What does a dreadnought guitar mean?

Answer: A dreadnought guitar is a design invented by C.F. Martin & Company and it features a bolder and much larger body than other guitars have, with also a richer and louder tone.

Question: Is a dreadnought guitar good for beginners?

Answer: Yes. The dreadnought guitar has a good shape for beginners to start with, and it is also very balanced guitar type with easy size and projection.

Question: Can I plug in my concert guitar to speakers?

Answer: Unfortunately, no. Even if you want to make a small concert at home, concert acoustic guitars do not have any electronics, so you cannot plug it in to speakers, unlike electrical guitars.

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