For acoustic guitar players, there has been a lot of interest lately in parlor guitars.  These extra small bodied guitars have a shorter scale, a wider nut (often 1 7/8″), a slotted headstock and are reminiscent of the guitars that were popular around the turn of the century (last century).  They are great for fingerstyle playing and acoustic blues.  They are also very comfortable to play on your lap.  But with the economy being what it is, you might not feel ready to plunk down $52,000 for a 1906 Martin 0-45.

To help you out, we have compiled a list of 2 excellent parlor guitars that won’t break the bank.

1.  Recording King ROS-626.  We have played this one a few times and are big fans.  While it is made in China, it is clear that there is a real attention to detail on this guitar.  It comes with a solid sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides.  It even has a nice white binding on the top and bottom.  We especially like the way the headstock is bare so that nobody will know what brand of guitar you are playing (not that there is anything wrong with playing a Recording King).  It even has a V-profile neck for those of you that like your necks a little more chunky.

2.  Blueridge BR-361.  From Blueridge (do you see a trend in these low priced guitars?) comes the BR-361.  Like the ROS-626, this one is all gloss with a sitka spruce top and is entirely made out of solid wood.  This one differs from the ROS-626 in that it has rosewood back and sides instead of mahogany (the company’s BR-341 model is for those of you that prefer mahogany).  The scale length on this one is only 24.6″ and we found it very playable.  With a bone nut and saddle standard, it is clear Blueridge didn’t cut corners to get this guitar in for under the magical $1,050 price point.

Either one of these guitars is an excellent choice for the fingerstyle blues guitarist who wants someting a little different at a reasonable price.