Fender rolls out new Acoustasonic Player Telecaster
New Mexican-made model launched
Fender Acoustasonic Player Telecaster · Source: Fender
Fender Acoustasonic Player Telecaster · Source: Fender
Fender’s new Mexican-made Acoustasonic Player Telecaster comes with a more streamlined set of features and at a cheaper price point. Originally released back in 2019, the Acoustasonic series was hugely popular, but priced too high for some. So if you were looking for those Acoustasonic tones, but on a budget, this new model may be worth checking out.
Fender Acoustasonic Player Telecaster
The new made-in-Mexico Fender Acoustasonic Player Telecaster models come in four colours: Brushed Black, Butterscotch Blonde, Shadow Burst, and Arctic White. They follow the basic formula of the US-made models, but come with a streamlined feature set, so you miss out on a couple of hardware options. This means these Mexican-made models have two pickups, rather than three. These include a piezo and an electric Noiseless N4, devised with Fishman, and should give a hum-free performance.
Fender Acoustasonic Player Telecaster in Brushed Black · Source: Fender
A Budget Blend?
You get six voices that are supposedly the “best of” acoustic and electric voicings, powered by the Acoustic Engine. The Blend Knob gives you the ability to, well, blend between electric and acoustic tones.
- Position 1: Clean & Fat Telecaster
- Position 2: Lo-Fi Clean & Crunch
- Position 3: Small Body & Dreadnought Acoustic
The Fender Acoustasonic Player Telecaster now runs from a 9V battery! · Source: Fender
9V Battery Powered
The construction of these new models is essentially the same as the USA version. The guitar has a hollow Telecaster-shaped body, with a comfortable forearm contour and scalloped heel. Other features include the patented Stringed Instrument Resonance System, or SIRS for short, a mahogany neck, and a rosewood fingerboard and bridge.
Plus, now they run from a standard 9V battery, which gives you around 22 hours of playing time. The US version uses a rechargeable battery and USB charging system instead. The standard battery could be a better system for many players, as you can carry a spare battery in your gig bag.
These could be big sellers for Fender. Due to the cut-down electronics/pickups, and being made in Mexico, you save around £400-500 compared to a US-built model. So it’s not a bad saving, and it offers most of what the original USA Acoustasonic Telecaster has to offer. Check out the official demo video below to hear these new Mexican-made versions in action.
More Information on Fender
Fender Acoustasonic Player Telecaster Video
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This series has done incredibly well since it was first announced at Winter NAMM in 2019. The nay-sayers insisted it was unwanted and too expensive, and would flop. In the real world, it blew away even Fender’s expectations for it, hence the new production line and an expanded model offering each year since. Glad to see they have now introduced a cheaper version for those who want it. And quite amusing to see those same comments underneath the new videos this week: “unwanted”, “overpriced”, “flop”. Plus, even more examples of that other favourite doom-monger comment “why not just buy an electric and an acoustic?!” which fundamentally fails to understand the very obvious point of this product: a guitar for people who want those things in a single package. People like me and the tens of thousands of others who’ve bought one since early 2019.
I think the issue is the ambitious official RRP of the US-made model. A price that has been slashed by Fender dealers worldwide to sell stock. I have played a few and they are okay, but not exactly groundbreaking. I think Fender’s price point on these is the sticking point for a lot of guitarists.
Dealers didn’t have a problem clearing stock. Indeed, they had a problem getting enough stock in to meet orders. Andertons UK had a three month waiting list at one point (I speak from experience), and Lee said in a YT video last year that it’s the best-selling new guitar launch he’s seen in 20 years. Peach once told me they couldn’t get any from Fender UK for a while. Corona and treble production capacity to meet demand, after receiving more orders for the Tele in three days at NAMM than they expected to get in the first year at global retail.
The price point on anything is a sticking point for some. Nothing justifies a Les Paul Standard costing about 300 more than an Acoustasonic, but you don’t hear constant whining about Gibson’s pricing strategy. And anyway, look at Reverb’s list of best selling acoustics this year. The Acoustasonic Tele is #3. That’s right, the “overpriced guitar no-one wants or will pay for” is the third best-selling acoustic this year, according to a major industry player. Nearly three years after it was released. Looks like people want it and will pay for it. (The Jazzmaster version is #8, the Stratocaster version at #15. The highest placed Gibson is #9 – the J45.) And remember, most guitars sold on Reverb are new, by dealers. Last time I typed “acoustasonic” into Reverb I got over 30 results – and only two were used.
*Fender had to build a new line in Corona and treble production capacity …
A different story to the Fender dealers I have spoken with then. I have a friend that was offered a substantial discount when he enquired about buying one last year, as the store he bought from had excess stock. Suspect, some dealers may well sell more than others, but having worked in this industry, I would still say they are fairly overpriced for what you get.