I just bought one this morning and it sounds great by itself or through the Mustang modeling amp. The $1200 price was at the top of my budget, so I'm happy with it. It gives me a lot of versatility and didn't break the bank.

I'm a gigging musician that was looking for a Swiss-army knife style guitar as my reliable Taylor was digging into my arm after three hours. I was excited when Fender introduced the Mexican version but right before I pulled the trigger, they lowered the price of the American version to $1600 for a short time in December 2021. That was a no brainer so I bought the American version. It's not perfect but for particular venues (outdoors mainly) it's pretty close. I also bought a Builder's Edition Taylor with a body contour that allows me to play it for hours but it was expensive and outdoor gigs near the ocean have me leaving it home and bringing the Fender. All in all the Fender is an excellent guitar, provides all the tones I need and can easily be played for hours.

I own a Mexican Acoustasonic Tele and bought it when they came out. I am a Worship Director and play acoustic guitar every week. I could play my Taylor, one of three Martins, an Alvarez Yairi, or any number of electircs I own, but every Sunday I go to the Tele Acoustasonic. Acoustic sounds only for me; and I only use the volume knob). I have it strung with acoustic strings and run through an acoustic pre-amp/DI. With the compressor, EQ, and reverb dialed in for this guitar, it just can't be beat on sound and playability. It's a rock solid instrument with a sound comparable to those several times its pricepoint. I watched your video because I am thinking of trading some stuff to get the American Acoustasonic Tele.

I bought the player tele acoustasonic the second I saw it coming out. I couldn’t justify the 2000 price tag for the American, so this was perfect for me. I’ve used it all year almost every weekend for my solo acoustic shows and it is FAN-TASTIC! I use an mx5 headrush straight to my pa and it sounds great. If it broke tonight I’d be at the store getting another one tomorrow. They are making a jazz master player acoustasonic and I’ll be the first in line for that. Highly recommended it if you are a solo artist.

Well, I just read through 55 comments and a lot of distain, if not overt anger, seems to be out there towards these Acoustasonic Fenders. I have a Strat and every time I plop it onto my lap, I just grin from ear to ear. It is light, comfortable to hold, and has a lovely unamplified tone, quiet but rich with dark mahogany overtones. And with a Fender Mustang GTX50, I easily get loads of modeled tones that fit well with rock, blues, jazz, and fingerpicking. Here’s a funny note, some players long for an acoustic with a 9.5” radius neck that feels like an electric. This is the opposite with a 12” radius that feels like an acoustic. It’s a crossover, crossing over the other way. No shame in that. Especially if you are used to the feel of an acoustic. So, if it gives you some odd pleasure, feel free to make fun of me and my quirky guitar. But, like Chris, I’m all for quirky, and for the right player out there, it’s a gas.

I bought one of these when they first hit the market in late 2021- I actually love the sunburst I chose. I'm an acoustic-first player with 5 Taylors and a Bourgeois and I was admittedly enamored with the idea of having that electric versatility within the same guitar. It doesn't have a full-throated electric sound but it's adequate. I'm not a professional musician so I haven't yet found where it fits in my portfolio...It is incredibly comfortable to play and the construction is indistinguishable (IMO) from the American counterpart. That said, for someone who often plays for an audience of only my ears in my living room, the tone is just a bit hollow. However, After viewing this I have been motivated to pull this out of my guitar cabinet today and take it for a spin.

You hit the nail on the head for me. It's too expensive. If this was at the $800 price point, I'd have been all over it. Make me a deal, and I'm in.

I have a Player and love it. I prefer the 9v battery and the smaller number of sound options, and I don't think I would have paid for an American Acoustasonic. It still looks a little weird to me in the mirror, but it is the most comfortable and lightweight guitar I own, so I think I can adjust to the appearance.

I think the best point he made was near the end when he said that it simply might be a case of market saturation. Everybody who wanted one bought one. Happens with a lot of products, especially niche market items like this guitar. Remember the AMC Pacer? it sold well when it first came out but sales fell off considerably after that. Everybody who wanted one bought one, there weren't any repeat buyers.

Very good presentation. I am going to investigate into this guitar. I do like what you have shown me. Thank you Alamo Music.

I came to the same decision as you did, Being that it came out in the first week or so, of the pandemic. This did not help at all, most were concerned how they were going to afford to feed themselves. Let alone buy new equipment. The fact that it drew out 3 years not just the first year. I was one of the guys that purchased one of the Accoustasonics, mine is also blond w/ mahogany body, I just love this guitar, Ive owned many guitars and this was my first electric, not one with a pick-up also. I still love it, thanks for the great work you guys do on your you-tube channel. Have a great week Chris, stay safe and be careful.

These guitars look amazing but I've never heard a tone coming out of them that made me even consider spending $2k or even $1k for one.

I have not tried an acoustasonic, but once I held the Gretsch 2655t, Jr model so it's a little bit smaller, and felt how much easier it was to play for me and that I can play it for longer periods of time I decided that I already have the guitar that I want to spend the rest of my life with.

I just started playing guitar - and just bought one of these. Loving the heck out of it so far!

A nice presentation and I might add, very well spoken too!

I bought one today looks pretty cool to me . Thanks for the review.

I like your style of reviews. Very authentic.

I didn't know that Fender came out with a Player version of the Acoustic! So, I agree with Chris that it's a combination of 1.) It slipped under most people's radar due to the pandemic. 2.) The relatively narrow $800 price difference and I think a big reason is the three-way switch on the player version versus the five way switch on the American version was a mistake on fenders part, because although the three position switch offers a lot of versatility, I think a lot of players want the full versatility of the five-way switch for only $800 more so that they can get the maximum versatility from these amazing instruments. Thanks for the video Chris I love your videos!

Howdy Chris🖐🏼😃; I picked up one of these about a month ago as a last minute replacement for my 2013 Martin HD28 (it was starting to rain and tho it was an indoor gig, I didn't really want to get it out in the moisture...) Took my new Telecoustic and my little Fishman Loudbox Mini to the gig; no time to test it out at the store (walked into the store, saw it on the wall, bought it and walked out), so I was depending on Fender's rep as a quality instrument. Long story short, it played and sounded like a million bucks at the gig, got compliments from the pickers in the room, and that was even before I realized that I'd bought an MIM 'Player'. Don't know what could be functionally different between it and a US model, so I consider it a pretty economical purchase (not to mention that it paid for itself at the gig!) I'll give it a thumbs-up👍

Good points, Chris. I guess from Fender’s pt of view this is not so much a problem. Sell more of the more up-market, high margin version = Win/ win. (In a traditional brand-building perspective ..) I like the style, considering it.

Hey there from Austria! I just bought the American version the day it came out and I‘m happy with all the features it has. As mentioned before the body sensor is to me more than a gimmick, it gives sometimes the missing warmth on stage. As a gigging guitarist I also like the variaty of sounds cause each stage/PA sounds different. It would be so great if Fender gives us the chance to update and fine tune the sounds by USB firmware tweaking. 😊 As a backup the Mexican could be an option but I totally agree that it is pricely placed to high compared to the bigger sister.

I wanted a JazzMaster, but couldn't justify the price. I jumped on the Player (black) when it was announced. It is very well made, plays great, the 3 way switch is easier to use, the 9v battery is a better design and it still comes with that terrific case. Yes, it could be less expensive. Yes, it could have better colors in my opinion. I love mine. I play every week in our Worship band with another acoustic player and it can fit into any sonic area that I want to use.

For me it came down to the body pickup in the American version which IMO provides a more natural acoustic sound, along with the additional blending options.

I just bought a black one. It arrives in two days. I'm glad to see in your video here that the acoustic sound doesn't sound bad. I am planning on using it to make a video, and don't have a good place to record an acoustic guitar with a mic at the moment, so I'm hoping that it will work for my purpose. And I think it will. I didn't know that this existed until I was looking around, and found a Christmas deal on one. I guess I'll let you know how it works out. Cheers!

Something you just said in passing helped me understand these Acoustisonic guitars. I hadn’t realized the electric sounds included modeling of the overdrive and amp/speaker. So I questioned how useful they could be… thinking if it were plugged into a PA the electric side would sound bad and visa versa for the acoustic side. Might be worth another look. Although the one in the shop by me is set up so poorly it isn’t playable.

Don’t mind the look of all of them. My fav is the Telecaster! The only thing I do not like on them is the acoustic type bridges. I’d love to see a 6 Saddle metal plate bridge with the same type of electronics.

I’ve got mine since 2 months now,and after playing a few gigs with it,i really love the guitar...

I always LOVED the look of the aoustasonic telly. especially the sound hole

I originally bought the strat version, wasn’t that happy with it and decided to take a punt on the player tele and I have to say I much prefer it. It’s slightly heavier while still being light which I find more reassuring but also the sounds included are far more usable. There’s absolutely no reason why you need to have 6-8 acoustic models. You’re probably going to find one or two that you like and stick with them. The two included in the player (position 3) cover everything. The lo-fi position two sounds are incredibly badly marketed. Really they are the raw piezo sound like on the original stratacoustics with or without overdrive and are really really useful for solos and don’t sound lo fi at all. Having the eq or whatever wizardry they use to model a dread or parlour guitar isn’t appropriate for every gig or pedal/amp situation and having the untreated sound as an option is a real bonus. Far more useful than another rake of models you’ll never use. The electric options in position one are exactly the same. So a no brainier there. The one thing I ran into with all three acoustasonics I have played (tele, strat and player tele) is a problem with the screws inside coming loose and causing buzzing and distortion leading me to sending the strat back for a refund. That’s something fender need to get on top of double quick. The one thing I miss vs the USA model is the body sensor pickup. That was the main reason I went with the USA first but found when I gigged with the guitar it wasn’t something that made me sound better in the context of the band. I would love it in my player tele but turns it it wasn’t a deal breaker. If I want that more natural sound I reach for my anthem equipped real acoustic.

I love mine - LOVE it. I have a buddy who has one each of the American Acoustasonics. They are great. Mine is wonderful, lower priced, sounds amazing, the 9v battery does not quit and - ehhh... - I'm fine with two fewer noodling settings. As a gigging musician, I usually will only make one or two adjustments. I have a row of Teles, Strats, Les Paul. But this is starting to take the place of my trusty Breedlove in a live situation.

I love the versatility. Really attracted to it. I think it might suit my needs and interests well. I think I have been put off by issues like what amplification maximizes the range of options on this guitar? Do I have to invest in a new amp as well? Having that versatility and unique sound, knowing me, it would take me a good while to really explore before finding my sweet spots .....or not...:( Doubly confusing needing to learn both Player and American models to see what it is I would be missing with the player, or with the American, if I really need to spend the extra money for options i would rarely or ever use. Thanks to this video I am a little closer to looking into it.

I own the twin of the MIM tele Acoustasonic that you are playing. It does exactly what I purchased it for! Awesome instrument!

I’m over here in Australia. I think you’ve nailed it. Well done 👍 🇦🇺

Hey Chris... Love your channel. I suspect that the majority of guitar players are traditionalists, and are somewhat skeptical about hybrid guitars. I, for one, prefer to modify my sound (be it acoustic or electric) with outboard gear, as there is a plethora of fantastic pedals, processors, and modeling amps out there that enable a guitarist to do so. Granted, having the ability to modify one’s sound directly with a hybrid guitar such as the Fender Acoustisonic may seem compelling at first, however I think that the novelty of this may wear off rather quickly. One could argue that, currently, outboard gear would give a guitarist as much or more versatility than onboard modeling technology. More importantly, it’s likely that in 10 years or so, a hybrid instrument like the Acoustisonic will be somewhat obsolete due to advancing technology, and the cost of replacing failed components (like the internal circuit board) will equal or exceed the used value of the instrument. One needs to look no further than the keyboard synthesizer industry to realize this fact. Proprietary components, no standardization of parts, non-user serviceability, no long term product support, and a paucity of service centers and/or technicians willing or able to repair these instruments. It’s called planned obsolescence. One of the great thing about guitars (acoustic and electric) has always been that none of the aforementioned points holds true. Until now, that is... Do you need a new nut and saddle for your 1939 Martin acoustic ? No problem. Bone, Tusq...? You got it. Do you want to replace the pickups and machine heads on your 1980 Ibanez solid body electric ? The options are practically endless. And with a little knowledge, you can do these things yourself. These attributes are what people have always loved about guitars. Good luck replacing the internal circuit board on a Fender Acoustisonic if and when it fails in 10-20 years. It’s doubtful that you’ll be able to obtain one from Fender at that time. If you are able to obtain one on the internet, what do you think the repair cost will be in comparison to the used value of the instrument ? I’d be leery about buying a hybrid guitar.

Looking to try one thanks for the info.

Great review!

I have one and love it. I’m using a katana mk|| 100w amp. I can gently finger pick in a band and not be drowned out by lead guitars

First off: I love the candid and inquiring nature of this video! So refreshing! Now come (lengthy) remarks by me as a normally acoustic-only performer who has bought BOTH tele versions of this guitar, and no longer owns either version (and no, it‘s not because I didn‘t love a lot about them, but in the end, details count….). First bought the American version, as a first-minute adopter here in Germany. Cost me a lot, but I was willing to pay it because I wanted to add a bit of electric (or electric-like) sound to my acoustic set and still have the opportunity to play acoustically (or acoustic-like). This was intended to help me cover my wide range of covers in a more authentic way, but without having to look like an all-out electric player (or to have the limitations of an electric-only guitar). At first, I loved the American Tele version, also for its superb playability all the way up the neck. Sure beat my acoustics on that count! But after a few months and the birth of my twin boys (at the age of 60, folks!), I ended up playing guitar a lot less and decided to reduce my guitar park considerably. Was still hanging on to the Fender, though, even though I was not always happy with the often rather „sharp“ digital modeling of the acoustics it fakes, plus the sometimes too percussive (compressed) attack on fingerpicking with no picks. Still loved it somehow….until I heard about the cheaper Mexican version coming up. Was immediately interested, thinking I could maybe sell my American one and still have a halfway decent Acoustasonic for occasional use. After watching countless YT reviews and sound samples, I concluded that the modeling of the stripped-down version actually pleased me more than that of the original! Sounded a bit warmer and less brittle to me on the acoustic models, and less muddy and boring on the electric models. So I ordered one to try, and it was great in almost every way. Felt like the original, looked great, had the modeling sounds I actually preferred, and I actually preferred the new (and fewer) switching options. One big thing led me to return it, though, after only 2 days: Neck squeak! Apparently the wood used on the neck is less dense than on the American version, which had a bit of neck squeak (pickup sound), but by far not as much. This really got on my nerves, since sliding chords up and down the neck called way too much attention to the sliding, and less to the chords. After returning it, I also (finally) sold my American version for more than the price of the Mexican one, just to free up space and cash for my babies, and gigging wasn‘t happening anyhow (as you pointed out). Incidentally also sold off several other guitars of mine, and downsizing sure feels good! ;-) Now flirting with the new Jazzmaster version, since it seems to have an even better „acoustic“ sound than the Tele, but I just can‘t warm up to the shape…. Back to your observations: I think you‘re right about the pandemic having been a major reason, and also market saturation by early adopters like me. The slice of the market interested in making compromises in sound in exchange for the Fender‘s versatility is probably rather small, and simply got met by the company‘s initial offerings. But there is another very big thing that Fender has totally missed the boat on!!! Instead of just releasing various new body shapes with different pickup and modeling combinations (all a good thing, of course) or making cheaper versions, they also need to innovate (!) the guitar to make it appeal to a much wider (!) audience, well beyond niche players/buyers like myself! How? Easy: Instead of force-feeding buyers with models that are permanently baked into the firmware, let them choose other models (also online) for loading and using as they please!!!! Fender is trying to sell a „versatile“ guitar to folks, and to win buyers from both camps (electric and acoustic), but not sincerely trying to offer the kind of tonal versatility possible in this day in and age. By making the firmware tweakable, they’d totally woo the market!!! Guess that option would only work on the American models, though, since only they have USB ports - but then again, I suppose those are only hardwired for charging and can’t be multipurposed. How silly of Fender! They missed the point when first releasing these guitars, and still haven‘t chosen to innovate on any of the successors. Oh, and one more thing: Give players a tone knob, too! So, that‘s my two (or fifty) cents.

I was really excited about the Acoustatonic Player Tele until I got my hands on one at a local Guitar Center. First it was very light. Almost felt like a toy. Then the action was higher than Willie Nelson as they say. Finally, the sound unplugged was horrible. I'm still going to buy one. Probably this week.

I was very tempted to get one of these to begin with. In the end though, while I quite liked the acoustic sounds, I was really unconvinced by the electric sounds. All you’re getting is a pretty thin sounding Tele bridge pickup, and to that end you may as well get a decent Tele instead. That said, I can still see the appeal of this guitar and who it might cater to more. But I certainly wouldn’t say there’s nothing wrong with it.

Thinks for the review. I played one at my local store (not the BigBox one) and bought it.

I have one and love it! If you pick one up and play it unplugged in a store it will not sound great. BUT - if you plug it in to a decent acoustic amp or PA and you can actually play well, them you will love it. 😍. Now let’s talk about all the acoustic guitars that sound crap when you plug them in… and my god there are a lot of those around. 😱

That was a great, informative, commentary on a cool instrument. I think, at a $1000.00 price point, these guitars would sell. Even if they had to "cheapen" the tuners, pots, switches a little to hit the right cost of production to do it.

My biggest problem with the player is that it doesn't have the body sensing pickup and that is really important to me. (I also prefer the jazzmaster shape) I would consider buying it if it had that feature.

I didn’t even know that there was a player version of these until a few days ago. They have not been advertised at all here in Australia that I know of.

STRING VOLUME BALANCE ISSUE IN PREAMP/PICKUP - I picked one up right away as I wanted the more expensive model, but couldn't justify the price. I brought the first one back due to a pickup balance issue. The high E string had little to no volume (compared to the other 5 strings) unless you hit it real hard. There was no balance issue with the under saddle system. My second one initially sounded better in the same aspect, but after a year, I am noticing the same issue with the pickup volume of the High E string. It's feels like the preamp is not compressing the high E string like it does the other 5 strings? I love how the guitar plays and looks. It is my couch guitar and I have no interest in using it on stage, so I am going to keep it. I am curious to know if others have noticed this issue with the pickup only setting on their Acoustasonic Player Teles?

Great video Chris! I love mine. I'm sure there was a lot of the same misconception when Telecasters, Les Pauls and Stratocaster came out. It almost too simple when something like this comes out and people overthink it, without just trying one to see if it's a good fot for them. If the shoe fits...

This video basically informed me that there even WAS a player Acoustasonic. I was looking at the American ones before I ended up getting a strat, but I also think that the price difference is an impact, if I’m saving for a 1,200 guitar, I could wait a little longer and get the better features one for 2K.

I think you hit the nail on the head as far as the price and the difference in the sounds available for $1200.

I think you’re right about the release being during the pandemic. Given that it’s a different type of guitar, I think I’d want to try one in a guitar shop before buying whereas something like a Telecaster which is a more known quantity I’d feel more comfortable ordering online. $1200 is quite a lot for a guitar that you might not be sure if it’s for you or not

I think Esp Ltd Arc6 Or Tl6 is a better option. I have a Arc6 and modified it, I installed a pair of Lp Humbuckers on it, made a separate output for it. Now I have a hybrid guitar with two outputs (one from piezo another from humbucker pickups). The tone is really great.

thanks chris , i looked around , and found a used listed one . but itrs new . artic white , $$ 499.00 . on reverb .they also had butterscoch. ther are clearing old stock . wont last long . i am still buying a sg , from blake. after the new year . again thanks , love your show

Great video. I am a leftie and there is 1 (one) type\finish available in the Acoustasonic range - simply not enough Fender.

The American ones are now easily obtained at what the player series was priced at. I picked up the US tele acoustasonic today for half of the original price brand new. It goes to show these were over priced and the market responded. I'm happy with my 1k purchase of the US version and see the players ones selling for 600 or so now.

In Australia the price difference is substantial, from my local store they have the MIMs priced at $1760 vs the MIAs at $3200, not sure the MIAs are worth paying almost double the price. I will have to go play both and see.

I love my American acoustasonic tele. All 5 switch positions are useful. The internal battery is a much better than a 9v battery. Just add a USB charger to your rig and charge it on the stand. It's ideal for a looping because of it's versatility.

I'm intrigued by this guitar. I've owned (and loved) a handful of MIM Fender guitars, my Vintera 50s tele being my favorite. It's the perfect mix of quailty and value. But the

Just bought this guitar. Really like it but when I plug it in with my overdrive pedal for electric sound, I'm getting some feedback. Any advice? Thanks. Don't think they have a feedback buster for it. Love the acoustic version. My tinline teley did do that with this pedal... Boss,-25 look forward to your thoughts

I use it through a PA sounds great. Got mine on Reverb for 529.00 Used. When I got it I was shocked on the sounds tone are better when hearing in person.

Your op-ed is right on the "money". With the slight price increase for the next step up more versatile model. In my personal playing, it would see minimal stage use. That being said, I'll wait for the Squire version

Just snagged that same ButterScotch Blonde Player Telecaster for $500 in Mint condition on Reverb. I chose the Player model for the 9 Volt

I saw online DEF Leappard was playing an acoustasonic live.

I bought the MIM 3-way switch version because I simply didn't need/want 6 or 7 different acoustic body style guitars when I'm playing live. All I needed was an acoustic A/B, and blended A/B and an electric A/B to add dimension to my live sound. The player acoustasonic tele does it for me.

I own this model and am very happy with the purchase. Versatile instrument

I bought a used tele player acoustasonic. It started out as a try, then I went back to my local shop to try it again. After the third time I had to buy it. Now I’m in the market for the Jazzmaster version but I’m torn between American or Player. I’d love to stretch for the full blown version. I’m not a performer, just an enthusiast. But find my self playing the tele a good portion of the time, despite many guitars in my arsenal. My daughter gives me all kinds of crap because she thinks it’s ugly, yet has no problem “borrowing” it for hours on end. It’s a keeper for me.

Great review Chris. I have not played one of these and not to be superficial, doubt if I will primarily due to the visual design. It is just a weird combination of design elements. The offset top finish needs to go away and the sound hole looks kind of Fischer Price.

I had one. Its well made and very well set up and comfortable to play. My problem was that it didn't seem to emulate an acoustic well enough. The blend between the two acoustic settings doesn't do justice to either of the acoustic sounds. I have 000 Martin and J-45 Gibson which are the two ends of the spectrum this is supposed to emulate. Not even close. The best acoustic sound to me was about half way blended. The only sound which was close was on the tele pickup set to a gain position, but again not too impressive. Mine whether played through an acoustic or electric amp didn't have the gain sound of the one in the video. I couldn't bond with it and it had to be sold. Better off having a good acoustic (eg Martin) and a fairly good tele. (Anything reasonably good not necessarily Fender). Another small point - the gig bag is really good, however it is too big for the guitar which slides around inside it - shame, and the hardcase available is very expensive.

I have been looking for a couch guitar for practice. Is the Mexico version good for it? The price is just a bit more expensive than the yamaha silent guitar.

Probably due to the pandemic and out of control inflation. I really like the Fender Player Acoustasonic Telecaster. Might get myself one for my birthday next month. Lots of hate for this guitar already posted. Oh well, haters gotta hate.

I am not a professional guitarist but I am very happy with the Mexican Accoustasonic and having to watch my purse I specifically chose the cheaper one. Very pleased with it. My guitar teacher also played on it and thinks it is great.

Bought the mexi jazz, love it. I like the overdriven humbucker. I tune mine down 1step, fun guitar.

I know a gigging musician who likes to travel light. He also is very particular about his sound, especially his acoustic guitar. He has one of these and uses it situationaliy and seems pleased with the results.. I find them interesting but have no need.

I picked up one and was pleasantly surprised how light and comfortable it was , but I am left handed and did not actually play it, Are they left handed consumer friendly?

It's the price, I got a Blacktop Strat MiM in 2011 new for around 500 and I love it and play it often. It was the best guitar I could afford at the time and it was the best one at that price pt. If the MiM prices have gone up that much in the last 11 years means I cannot afford that line anymore either. I would pay 5 or 600 for even this lower quality example. I have never been well off enough to get any instrument over 500 dollars, and I knew I would never own an Am Strat, but it was OK cause Mexico had my back. Now, 1200 is way out of my league for this even though I would love to have one.

My understanding is that the percussive pickup for the top is not available on the Player version. I don't like having to plug it in to get an acoustic sound.

Has Fender laid-off staff? If so, why? I've got an Ultra Plus on order and the ETA is late Spring. What's going on? Has the amazing success of the PRS Silver Sky SE had an impact maybe?

They launched a player Jazzmaster like 6 months ago. That is the model I have been wanting and just found out about it. Needless to say I ordered one but there are absolutely no reviews on the player series Jazzmaster anywhere

Just picked up a MX one - on sale for $999. I find it ugly to be sure, but for a couch player who can’t decide between an electric or acoustic- it’s a great tool. Great video.

I never see these out in the wild, so where are they being used?

I tell you what I purchased the FMT Tele made in Mexico and it kicks but over my other American made Tele’s. The carved body and flame Maple top alone make it the best bargain on a Tele out there. I paid $799 for it pre pandemic I believe they’re about 1K now but still a great buy.

This is a great video. I purchased two new guitars since this was released, both acoustic, and this was never on my radar. I tried the Taylor T5, but I didn't buy it because I didn't like how it sounded acoustically. The prices I'm seeing on these are about $900 for the Mexican version and $1,800 for the American version, but that's without setup. My primary complaint is that they are ugly, and the secondary complaint is that they look like toys. That doesn't explain why the American version is selling well, though, does it? I think I have your answer, though. Being someone who was actively looking for and buying guitars since this guitar was released, your video is the first time I have ever heard of its existence. I was aware of the American version, though I never played it (I had ruled it out due to its looks). I had no idea that they made a cheaper Mexican version, and I definitely would have considered for one of my purchases had I known. (not the other one...I knew exactly what i wanted from that one). The pandemic might have had a lot to do with that, but that seems like the elephant in the room to me. A lack of marketing is likely why this isn't selling well. A secondary thought is that I have had extremely bad luck with Fender guitars made in Mexico.

I am not in the market for this type of guitar. But if I were, I surely would NOT like one with a rechargeable built in battery, for fear of it crapping out on me in the middle of a performance. One of the things that I like about my Yamaha Transacoustic guitar is that it takes 2 x AA batteries, which are easily obtainable and can be swopped over in seconds. I have the same thought about the Mexican variant of this Fender.

I have a black one, bought it as soon as it was released . The reason I chose the cheaper option is I play a lot of low pay gigs. And stopped gigging with expensive guitars long ago. I once had a very expensive guitars finish marred by an inebriated audience member. Lesson learned no expensive guitars on stage! The acoustasonic Telecaster gives me acoustic sounds without worrying about feedback. It is currently the most expensive guitar I gig with. I try to stay under 1k, luckily there are a lot of options.

Very good breakdown of the features and comparison to the other model. IMO they are both overpriced and that is hurting the sales, (I think they should make them overseas and price the models at $8 & 12 hundred) but for someone who wants to "travel light" to gigs, I can see the appeal, at whatever cost. I'm going to need more than one guitar in any case, so I would just as soon take the gear that will 'actually' make me happy with my presentation.

I love this Guitar. I've had it almost a year.

I’m about to take the plunge on an acoustasonic for 2024. As a gigging musician this will really serve my needs to add some tonal versatility to an acoustic duo. An eq pedal, reverb and a PA and I’ll be good to go. Admittedly I am considering the American version because if I’m going to get one, I may as well just stick it on finance and get the full range of tones.

I have 12 high end guitars including the white version of this and what I call it’s sister, a Nashville Player Plus, bought the same week.. The Nashville is amazing, so is my Jem, and the Strats. Etc etc… by FAR the guitar I play every single day and hate the most to leave at the house is THIS ONE! The Player Acoustasonic is such an excellent playing and feeling guitar . The acoustic sounds are great, even the middle position ( lo-fi) is amazing , especially with the gain rolled half way up. And obviously the Tele positions are both killer. The thing with this guitar is that it inspires you to write and to play, and to get better at playing because you’re playing leads on an acoustic! I can run it through an Acoustasonic amp, and even throw on a TS-9 just for shits and giggles, and it’s the most fun to play by FAR. Or, I can run it through a tube amp and crank the gain and hit all the pinch harmonics I want. I cannot beg you enough to do yourself the biggest favor you ever did as a guitarist and get one of these! The percussiveness that you can get when you play it with gain is just awesome. I could go on and on, if you’re serious about guitar and you want one with endless creative potential, this is the one. Period.

1 year after this video I didn't know these existed and from talking to others it seems most people don't. This is a very cool guitar, I was just talking to someone the other day and we suggested Fender should bring out an Acoustasonic with only these three positions. Hehe, Fender already did. 🤣

I own an early Godin Acousticaster and have always scratched my head why so many folks discounted their existence. The initial wave of Acoustasonic and the success of them in North America surprised me. Maybe a little bemused and bitter that Fender got more instant recognition on this front then Godin. I have no idea why the more gig worker priced version Tele didn't sell. IMO, this is a buskers perfect instrument, though the price might still be higher then the market will bear.

With all the pedals and modelers today, do you really need a shallow sound hole to get an acoustic sound out of an electric any more? Could not sound any worse.

It seems like any time Fender or Gibson go outside the box- it's usually met with skepticism and disdain for a certain period of time. I'm surprised that Fender has committed a lot of capital into a dedicated facility in Ensenada for this. I just don't think they are going to sell well right now. But, wait a few years after their discontinued and let's see what happens. Personally, as a person that doesn't play a lot of acoustic- this is a very good option. I use it for my home recording- but optimally anyone that does small gigs, busks, etc. should find value in something like this. Maybe Fender should work on endorsing some street musicians and marketing it towards them. As far as it sounding bad- I think a lot of people don't get it. It sounds pretty damn convincing as an acoustic, and it has the potential to sound great on the electric side as well. I especially think the lo-fi setting is pretty cool- and with the help of a few effects you can make it sound however you want. There are a lot of clever musicians that are going to find ways of taking advantage of what it can do. That's why I love it when guitar companies come out with something different, it tends to lead to new ideas in music.

I hearby promise I will watch every second of any video you make about acoustasonics. I own one too and its polarizing me thought i vehemetly defend it...

At $800 bucks I might bite, and opt for one. At $1,200, and just a casual player, I'm not sure I would go that high with it. To me, while I recognize these guitars have their place, I never viewed them as primary band instruments, but something to accompany the primary stuff, and maybe do a song or two with them in your sets. That said, I detected a bit of Gibson-ish sounds there similar to their solid body that you can see Travis Tritt playing with on Tube. So it's a cool instrument with options, but look at what's coming. The competition with these things will keep increasing, and everyone will be looking for that next best more realistic, more featured instrument. They already have effects in them, loopers, it's amazing, and will just get more interesting as they progress.

Really glad to see they made a Player model, but I think you’re right - the killer for the Player is that it’s still priced too high (and too close to the American made models, with more features and re-sale value). I’d guess Fender would have to price the Player around $899 in order to swing calculus in its direction - but maybe they’re just as happy to upsell people

best crossover guitar i do a single act and its excellent with looper or other pedals as i can play more leads and more rock songs than on my gibson full body guitar . it also delivers a great accoustic sound through every system i got mine used (mint ) for $800 well worth it i will try it on my next cruise ship gig in feb

Slower sales due to the pandemic is an idea with some merit. A big fan of "hybrid" guitars, I have a 12-year-old Ovation Tangent that fills that same role (mostly, I think, because its preamp is better than most Ovation models), and I have a Parker P-44, with piezo pickups that also do a good job of approximating acoustic sounds. I bought the Tangent new, the P-44 used, for about the same price. Both the Tele and the Strat Fender Acoustasonics have features I like, but both are too pricey for me to consider them seriously.

I recently purchased a new Player Acoustasonic. I liked it until the rearward switch position (noisless) developed an intermittant short. It will work sometimes, and then no sound. But the other two positions still work. I have had it at two repair shops and no one can figure it out. It's under warranty, but there are no authorized repair shops any closer than a ful day's drive from where I live. I am really sorry that I bought it!

I think it got overshadowed by the sound, looks and the reputation for quality found in the Godin and the T5. My perception is that the Fender is cheap and cartoonish in style but I’ve flirted with considering one cuz I’m intrigued by these hybrid guitars. It’s starting out in 3rd place based on initial perception. I will compare it to the Godin and the T5. I agree that the price point should be at $800. Thanks for another great video!

I like to play my acoustic electric with no Amp at home. How does it sound unplugged?

I bought one almost a month ago and I'm not overly impressed and may return it before the 30 day window is up. Whether plugged into an amp or audio interface going into my PC, I can barely tell the difference between the switch positions and I definitely don't have that distinct acoustic to electric sound you and other people have show in demo videos. Are you going through any effects pedals, or is that the guitar straight into a clean amp with no overdrive? Also the action seems high to me and in my opinion it could have been set up better. Also I paid the full $1199 for mine and I just noticed online that the price dropped $150 everywhere they're sold and they're down to $1049. Maybe they're getting desperate to sell them and they're currently not moving? I got the shadowburst color I actually like the looks of it, but I don't think it's worth over $1000. If it played and sounded a little better then possibly yes, but not as it is now. If I don't return it, I'm definitely asking for a $150 refund to match the lower price that apparently happened shortly after I bought mine.