In recent years, is hard to think of a more radical guitar design from a mainstream manufacturer than the Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster. Launched in 2019, it blew minds with a hybrid build that felt like an electric and yet delivered a range of acoustic guitar tones and gave us the capability to blend them.
The American Acoustasonic Tele presented a new frontier for the acoustic electric guitarbut it – and the Acoustasonic Stratocaster and Jazzmaster that followed – were not cheap dates by any stretch. The Player Series Acoustasonic Telecaster changes all that.
Inaugurating the expansion of Fender’s Ensenada, Mexico, factory, the Mexican-built Acoustasonic presents the distinctive fully hollow Telecaster, complete with tuned “waterfall” soundhole, with streamlined electrics making for a considerably streamlined retail price, yet still offering the adventurous player a wide range of hybrid tones.
The Player Series Acoustasonic Tele has a three-way voice selector switch as opposed to the US model’s five-way switch. The Player Series Telecaster also debuts the patented Stringed Instrument Resonance System (SIRS), that was developed especially for this model.
Its Acoustic Engine was designed by Fender and Fishman, with Fender’s noiseless Modern N4 single-coil handling electric tones, and Fishman’s under-saddle transducer processing the acoustic tones.
In sum, you’ve got six core tones to play with, and the all-important Blend knob to combine electric and acoustic voicings for something completely different.
With a mahogany body and solid Sitka spruce top, it certainly looks the part, and arrives in Brushed Black, Butterscotch Blonde, Shadow Burst, and Arctic White finishes.
Elsewhere, there is some player-friendly contouring to accommodate the forearm and a sculpted neck heel to enhance upper-fret access, plus the same Deep C neck profile that you will find on the American Professional II Series electrics.
One 9V batter should provide the Acoustic Engine with over 20 hours of playing time – more than enough for open-mic night.
Priced £1,049 / $1,199, the Player Series Acoustasonic Telecaster is available now. See Fender for more details.
