As seen in
Guitar Girl Magazine Issue 16 – Summer 2021
Acoustic Amplified!
This is the hybrid guitar we’ve all been waiting for, and it’s no surprise the Fender name is attached! A slim-bodied guitar that plays like an electric, the Acoustasonic Jazzmaster is somewhat of an anomaly — one that manufacturers have been trying to create for years now with little success. This just may be “the one” that blows the doors off and really becomes the frontrunner of the hybrid guitar market.
The Jazzmaster body shape has now joined the Telecaster and Stratocaster models in the American Acoustasonic line of guitars. The iconic offset body style that launched in 1959 brings a slightly larger body than the Tele and Strat, adding additional tones.
With its polyester satin matte finish, the mahogany body feels so nice and smooth. Paired with the mahogany neck in a satin urethane finish, this instrument is truly a dream to play. I was highly impressed with its voicings and fast Modern Deep “C” neck (the carved-out heel mimics an electric fretboard and gives you easy access to those higher frets). It is really easy to glide into when you start playing, and this series is primed to target the ever-expanding looping generation. It can handle percussive beats while sounding like an acoustic for the rhythm parts. Throw on a boost or change the pickup position to wail some solos over your loops.
The pickup switch configuration gives you a plethora of sonic options: warm and natural tones ranging from a mahogany jumbo acoustic sound to an electric fat distortion. This guitar actually has its own distortion, and it sounds incredibly smooth and balanced. There are so many different variations and options you have to shape your tone, and it goes from one extreme to another. Thanks to the three pickups Fender has installed, it makes it possible to do all kinds of variations and to shape it more with the “Blend” knob. Between the new Tim Shaw-designed Acoustasonic Shawbucker, Fishman under-saddle Transducer, and the Fishman Enhancer, you can come up with ten different body styles and tonewood combinations.
The Acoustasonic Jazzmaster is not only versatile in its construction, but you have many options externally. It can put up with rugged road use as well as temperature fluctuations, it stays in tune well, and since it’s slimmer and lighter, transportation is convenient and easy. It sounds great plugged in direct for recording and through a PA system, but it also has a different feel when plugged into an amp. Adding pedals to the mix gives you even more tonal options. It performs well in live applications and doesn’t produce feedback. It also takes a capo very well. Keep in mind this guitar is meant to be plugged in, as this is not a “campfire” guitar. Once you do so, the possibilities are endless.
I love guitars that are forward-thinking and spark creativity. The Acoustasonic is a great guitar if you are looking for an all-in-one, if you are just starting out, or if you would rather have just one guitar instead of two. This isn’t just another piece of gear. This is a tool that provides massive amounts of versatility for any kind of musician, and it is undoubtedly a game-changer for guitarists.
For more information and full specifications, visit fender.com/acoustasonic/en.
Price: $1,999.99
