New Fender Guitar Models For Sale (2024 Update)

1 month review with guitar being setup professionally: Great pickups and tone and overall good sounding guitar after a proper setup, gorgeous nitro finish and paintjob. Relic effects are beautiful. The nitro finish feels thin enough for you to eventually make your own marks from repeated playing – a perfect way to tell a story and give the guitar character. Worn in neck feels amazing to play and not sticky to touch. Worth noting that the Pure Vintage 59 pickups on these don't have a reverse-wound middle pick, so there will be hum including positions 2 and 4. If you are easily annoyed with single coil hum, these pickups might not be for you. Also worth noting that these pickups do sound a bit warmer than a stock Fender Player pickups. These respond so MUCH better to high gain type of playing, all while still sounding amazing on low-gain and clean playing. Despite the pros, there are still some areas are lacking and needs improvement. The guitar had razor sharp frets along the binding that could easily cut you, meanwhile I have a $700 MIM fender player didn't have this problem straight out of the box. It's crazy to think that $700 guitar went through better QA than a $1200 guitar, but whatever, the frets are bound to be polished and worked on anyway with your initial setup regardless. CME's shipping page policies say "Every guitar gets a full inspection, as well as basic setup." Guitar came with an inspection card that had overall playability specs checked but some of it was questionable. The guitar was not playable at all out of the box despite letting it acclimate for over a day before opening BUT that is a given considering it spent time in a delivery truck trunk in freezing winter. However, it was a bit bogus how they even checked off volume output when the pickups were NOWEHERE near the appropriate height out of the box and there was BARELY any audible output on the treble side of the guitar. I highly doubt weather and temperature fluctuation will make the pickup screws spin by themselves to the degree at which the pickups came out of the box. Secondly, the tremolo springs at the back also weren't ******* in the appropriate depth for a either a floating or flushed trem setup – it was just sort of in the middle of the cavity. Weather fluctuation from their shop and may have affected string tension, but I also don't think it would make the claw springs in the back unscrew themselves to the degree the guitar came. Makes me wonder how thorough the inspection was. These might not matter as much to some especially those who will get their new guitars setup anyway, but it's good to note that you may still need to budget for a setup if you aren't doing it yourself. Although there could've been improvements on Fender and CME's part that I don't think could be blamed on external factors such as weather and climate fluctuations, overall, I would still 100% recommend this guitar, and it's a gem. The guitar played well after a proper setup, so I'm happy with it now. The price may be too expensive for some considering it's not made in USA, but it must be considered that this is the cheapest proper nitro-finish guitar you will currently find. The next best thing are Fender custom shop, so this guitar is perfect for those looking to enjoy vintage style paint/nitro body finish, and vintage specs without paying custom shop prices. The appearances are just a plus, since they sound and play amazing after a proper set up.Carlos T.

I've been playing for a little while, I rehearse with my band once/twice a week so my guitars definitely get played quite a bit, I've preferred Stratocasters from an early age. The shape is legendary and the tone is versatile. I own Chinese, Japanese, U.S. and Mexican Strats. This one is very comparable to my American Professional Stratocaster, the neck profile, the weight and intonation. Electronics are great, single coils produce a sweet twangy clean tone and the humbucker roars really nice with the right amount of gain/distortion. Makes it a very comfortable instrument that plays as easy as mantequilla on a hot tortilla. Only issue, (hence the 'almost comparable to MIA strats comment in the headline) are the frets… They are a little bit on the sharp side, I'm guessing it comes down to a player's preference? A competent luthier can dress the fret ends and make this one a real player/main axe. Other than the sharp frets, everything else is pretty solid and straight, the vatos down in Ensenada MX do great work producing these!Benjamin

So my story goes like this, I flew into Portland Oregon for work and immediately drove from the airport to Guitar Center. Upon walking in, someone was shredding on a guitar and it went on for a good 10 minutes. The guitar he was playing was the Candy Red Burst Fender Stratocaster Player Series. After he was done, I grabbed it and saw why he played it so long. It felt just solid in the hands. The strings, fret board and neck were silky smooth; Super easy to glide up and down with no fret buzz. The pickups are all Fender Player Stratocaster series which I have had no issue with and perform great out of the box. Also, just holding the guitar is a treat in the hands. It's a beautiful guitar. The Candy Red Burst has a very high functioning coat that gives a deep black fade anyway you turn it. It also fit my bill for something to remember Oregon by since the guitar is a deep Rose Red and Portland is know as the City of Roses.The Pau Ferro fingerboard is also eye candy as it has black veins that run through the grain matching the black hardware of the guitar. Other then that, I have had this guitar for 5 months as of this review and absolutely love it. The guitar holds its tune very well I enjoy playing it every time. Wait, you still reading this? Go get one already!Allan

I got this guitar on September 14th, 2021, and have had some minor issues with it. When I receive this guitar, it was perfect. Not a single case of fret buzz, the nut was perfect, and it was an all around great guitar. However, after about a month. I realized the tuners were a bit out of wack. I would be a bit flat, and turn the tuning peg over and over and over, only to not tighten the string at all. Then when I finally did one last turn, I'd be sharp by a whole note! Whatever, just replace the tuners. I had been putting that off. The next issue was a bit weird. I play really hard, and over time, the bridge pins were starting to get loose, and eventually a whole screw came out, and I had to take the guitar to a tech. I know this is probably user error, but still. I eventually just decided to turn it into a Jonny Greenwood tele, with lace sensors, a kill switch, and all. And let me tell you, this guitar is perfect now. The neck is (and always was) exactly what I was looking for. It's a bit thinner that my Squier Affinity Strat, but I like a thinner neck. Bottom line, I would recommend this guitar if your okay with getting new tuners. No one else I know has had problem with the bridge, so consider that. (P.S. I forgot to say that the stock pickups are amazing! I almost just kept them, they sound really good)Cory

As a Fender guy, I can’t recommend the Nashville Deluxe Tele more. It pairs perfectly with my American Pro Strat with Shawbuckers. Pros -The flat, 12” fretboard radius is very comfortable -The noiseless pups offer signature Fender tone with humbucker level noise -Locking tuners are a great feature to come stock on this model -The block saddles offer an immense amount of sustain -The guitar was ready to play out of the box. I lowered the action a bit to personal preference but it played great from the time I pulled it from the box Ultimately, this feels like a premium Telecaster and wouldn’t be able to tell the difference from this compared to an American model. The tone and playability is on the same level. Kudos to AMS for quick shipping and flexible payment plans. As a gear head, this was surprisingly my first time ordering from this site as I generally order from other dealers out of habit. AMS has won a new customer over with quality service and availability.Jason S.

I’m age 67 and retired. I have played acoustic guitars since age 10 and had absolutely no experience with electric guitars. Got bored over the winter and decided I wanted an electric. Since I’ve become used to good high end guitars I wanted good quality without over spending. Color is a personal thing…I chose the white. It’s very good looking. Back to the important stuff. It took a while but I am enjoying this tele immensely. I got online and looked at basic adjustments and tweaked the action and intonation a little. It’s just simply easy and fun to play and the quality overall is really good. Simply no complaints or regrets. I do play with friends but we are an acoustic group. This tele is just for my personal enjoyment. I chose the Fender Champion 40 amp for a starter and it served it’s purpose well. Since I know I will stick with this guitar I do want to upgrade to a tube amp to bring out more of what this guitar can sound like. Keep in mind that I am new to electrics, but my 5 star rating is based on not just what I’ve mentioned but the exceptional value that I think this guitar is.Barry in Ohio

It is an awesome guitar and I absolutely love some of the premium features like the locking tuners. Pickups sound great. Guitar had a small chip on the nut and was delivered with a broken string and some scuff marks along the bottom of the guitar. I will definitely need to do a setup on the guitar.Chris

PMT service is fantastic, ordered it on a Sunday had it buy the Wednesday that week. Unpacked it gave it a quick tune and of I went started playing. This is my first fender and what can I say it's a lovely looking guitar, well finished and sounds great . There is a lot of variation you can get from switching between the different pickups which I love.John O.

The guitar came in faster than expected. The service at Sam Ash was excellent, and the salesman was very helpful with putting my order together. After unboxing, I looked the guitar over closely before plugging to my amp. The fit and finish was flawless. The neck relief, string action, and pickup height were spot on. Then I plugged in and cranked up. This guitar comes with Player Strat pickups, and Player Strat neck. And it flat out Rocks. Everyone says the Korean guitars are so good for the money. But these Mexican made Fenders are every bit as good. Personally, I'd rather have a guitar made in the American continent than one made in Asia. Good job Fender. And Kudos to Sam Ash.michael

I do have two complaints about this guitar. Everything from the bridge and the neck seems crunched together I think they needed to add more room, but maybe this is how they get some of the great tones from the guitar. The second is that the volume nob is in the way I hit it all the time or I have to play really close to the neck. I can fit it this issue of my turning the nob by putting foam under it so it does not turn so easy. But the nib will still be in the way. Other then these 2 things I love this guitar. I was worried about the Flyod Rose Special but it has been fine so far not going out of tune or anything. But I will upgrade later just my preference. The neck is flat and plays really fast. The frets are great and mine was done really will no sharpness ends at all. The electronics seem really good no issues so far. All in all a great filling, great sounding and fun to play guitar.BOBO

If you blindfolded me and handed me this guitar, I would have guessed that I was playing one of my six Ibanez RG model shred guitars. And that's a big compliment coming from a long-time player and fan of Ibanez axes. I got it in Ice Blue and it's absolutely beautiful. The HM Strat actually feels a little bit lighter than my RGs. The neck is smooth, thin, flat, and plays very fast. The frets are smooth and you don't feel them at all when you slide your hand up and down the neck. The FR Special trem feels a lot like the better trem systems from Ibanez, and the strings stay in tune. The bridge humbucker sounds very good and doesn't get too muddy on high gain amp settings, although I'll probably swap it out for a DiMarzio Evo2 or Tone Zone in the future. Likewise I'll also swap out the single coil pups for rails/minihumbucker style pups since I have no use for single coil pups when playing metal. The build quality of this axe is fantastic and I have no complaints. Overall this is an awesome guitar for shredding, and if you upgrade the pickups like I mentioned you'll have a "true" heavy metal guitar. I haven't been able to put it down since I bought it a month ago and my Ibanez RGs are actually starting to gather a little dust lol. This HM Strat is so awesome that now I'm thinking of getting the pink one.Speedster

This guitar feels and plays great! I own the original version of this guitar from the 80s. It has a special feel to it, very addicting and effortless to play. When this came out I pre-ordered immediately due to nostalgic love for my original and had to have it. BUT I was prepared to send it back if it didn't live up to my expectations from the original. I knew i was keeping it within 5 minutes of playing it. The fret board is the most dark and rich and smooth rosewood fret board I have ever seen. Very nice surprise, almost mistakable for ebony. The unfinished satin neck is as smooth and quick in the hand as butter. The stock pickups are surprisingly good actually. I was prepared to swap them out with bareknuckle pickups if i wasn't satisfied with the tone plugged in (i'm talking about high gain tube amp tones here specifically). The bridge humbucker actually sounds fantastic through my Mesa Dual Rectifier, so good I see no reason to replace it with my preferred bareknuckle pickup. The two single coils produce excellent clean tones, but are a little week for high gain leads. The problem with this guitar is the floyd rose special. It's a shame they didn't include an original floyd rose. I will be swapping the floyd rose special with an original right away. It feels cheap, and you can tell by the unplugged tone that the tone is lacking a bit due to the floyd rose specials zinc tone block. Though this could be upgraded more economically by upgrading the floyd rose special's tone block with a readily available brass block, string saddles, and the tremolo arm. So if you are willing to upgrade the tremolo, the guitar gets a 5 star rating from me, but with the stock tremolo, 4 stars. Oh and I never write reviews, this guitar is something special.Jake

Love the satin finish and the rosewood fretboard was beautiful once I put enough oil onto it. *really dry. Fretwork was rough at best, my MIMs and Squires were better out of the box. The fret edges caught my hand on both sides plus I could see scratches on the frets 7 – 12, really rough on bends. The action was high, but neck relief was good. I'll change the strings soon and file/roll the fret ends as well as deeply polish the frets. Plays nicely and I can see this becoming one of my top three to pull down from the hanger and play. While the setup was sub-par, the electronics were well done – great pups and pots.Aarron

I have the Honeyburst telecaster, The feel of the set up right out of the box is great!! The neck pickup, nice and warm the bridge is not too hot but hot enough to get the growl when in overdrive. This guitar needs no pickup changes. The middle position still gives the tele sweetness of the twang. The neck feels awesome, It comes with a fender gig bag but I would suggest getting a hSC for the baby shes definitely a keeper. Great guitar!!!spider59504

While I don’t play line a legend, this guitar could be played by one. I have always enjoyed the sound achieved by players while they were utilizing a Tele. I usually play on an old classical guitar. I have grown used to that neck shape so I usually find the shape of the standard Tele neck to feel unfamiliar to my hand. The neck on this guitar feels wider and flatter so more like a classical to me. I’m not saying it is a classical style neck just wider and flatter feeling to me. I was not sure about buying it because I’ve played other Tele’s and was not sold on how the neck felt to me, they sound great but didn’t feel right. I got this one well because “Jimmy Page “ so even if I didn’t like the neck who cares again “Jimmy Page “ so whatever. Then I played this guitar and I was like .”this guitar is magical!!”. I had never played a Tele that felt like it just wanted to be played like this one does. I cannot recommend this guitar enough. It is expensive but worth every penny. Take advantage of the no interest payment plan I did and am glad I did.WillieBWillie

Just started using this in rehearsals and recorded some new songs with it. Killer tone and everything you'd expect from a Jimmy Page model. Fun to play under the lights with the reflective materials, and strikingly great to look at. I only took off one star in the rating for some improvements I made in the action, and replace the bridge with Graph Tech bridge to allow for less friction and more steady tuning. Love it.Gregmedia123

Loving this guitar, already used it tracking on two of my new songs. If you want that authentic early Zep or Ybirds tone, plug this in and crank it up. If you're a snappy picker Americana kind of player, it works for that too. The only thing I can say wrong is that the guitar wasn't strung properly went I got it, it's a through the body setup and the strings were just put through the bridge plate. Restrung it properly and away we went. Maybe American Musical should send me a free set of strings!Gregmedia123

what a great bass! It's beautiful, light, and sonically versatile. the different pickup modes have 3 radically different tones which makes this bass right for lots of situations. I've seen some reviews that mentioned so issues with some fret roughness but mine showed up in perfect condition. I couldn't be happier with the bass. I also want to mention the customer service. I used the chat feature to confirm whether this bass came with a bag or case. the agent let me know that it does not but pointed me to the bundle that includes the bag and they set me up with a price I could not pass up. once I completed the purchase the item was shipped within 90 minutes. Other music stores I've done business with are not nearly as responsive. CME killed itShaun M.

This is a great short scale bass. It is a quality instrument. The finish is excellent. Playability straight out of the box was very good. Nicely set up.I love the pick-ups and the ability to blend the two with their individual volume controls. Great range of tones available. It looks good too ! Highly recommended. The only gripe is that at this price it should come in a hard case and not a bag !Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Really good guitar for nirvana type music. Only issue is that you need to set it up for it to be playable but once it's set up it's a great instrument. Pickups are pretty articulate but not to bright either just perfectly balanced. If you get one I recommend to lock the bridge down to improve its tuning stability and sustain. Note it DOES NOT sound like a kc style mustang, it has its own sort of sound to it. Fretboard is pretty nice same with the low radius which I prefer. Overall it's one of my favorite guitars I've ever bought and I cannot recommend it enough if you play grunge and nirvana music.Preston

Having a couple guitars I was curious about the short scale. Came across a Mustang P90 in surf green with maple fret in the open box section. Awesome deal , guitar is a joy to play. Sounds great clean or with overdrive. What an fantastic bang for the buck fun. Fun to play blues , metal , punk thrash…etc Cannot say enough good things about this guitar.Michael P

Overall: I can't believe there aren't any reviews of this guitar yet!I have the Burgundy Mist version of this with the pao ferro fretboard which, sadly, zZounds no longer carries. It's pretty, really pretty, and it exudes a seriously vintage vibe. (I saw an antique Burgundy Mist Chevrolet last week and I immediately thought of my feisty little Fender.)The hardware; bridge & tuners, is your standard MiM Fender quality. They're more than up to the task. The Strat-style bridge makes this an easy guitar to keep in tune. (I once had a 1978 Mustang and keeping it in tune was a nightmare that not even Edgar Allen Poe or H.P. Lovecraft could imagine.)The MP-90 pickups are capable of so much that it I could fill a whole page trying to accurately describe them. They are beefy enough to really drive a good tube amp. (My main amps are a Marshall DSL1 and Vox AC4-C112.) On a clean setting the neck pickup on its' own isn't particularly impressive, kinda dark, but the middle and bridge positions are really versatile if you tweak the volume and tone controls.With distortion, in my case a Boss MD-2 Mega Distortion (it's more of a gargantuan fuzz than a distortion pedal), all three positions sings with a tone that would make Leslie West smile broadly.I'm not a big guy (5'9", 150 lbs) so the small offset body and short scale neck are really comfortable.There is only one real drawback to this marvelous axe but it's something that shouldn't for even a second dissuade anyone from adding this guitar to their guitarsenal, and that's the pickup selector switch. It's junk. It cuts out and is rather staticky (is that a word?). It's a cheap piece of junk but it usually works so I can deal with it. (And you can as well.) I'll eventually replace it but there's no need to right now.My particular specimen had a truly beautifully grained pao ferro fretboard, with the frets being smooth and very well dressed. I love a big monstrous tone and this little wonder genuinely delivers.(Fender's prices have gone up since I bought mine but this particular axe is an absolute joy to play and for the price is still a true bargain. It loves, LOVES, full six-string power chords so if you're in a Mountain tribute band then you'll find a lot to like in this guitar.)I am first and foremost a "Telecaster guy" but I love pulling out this little dude and blasting away like Han Solo in a cantina full of Greedos.I've gone on for far too long here but it's only because I really, really like this guitar.[In my 'stars' rating I give this guy five stars in the 'manufacturer support' column because I own a bunch of Fenders and have never had a problem.]Mark

Flawlessly made, I cannot find a single imperfection. Light weight, great tone, especially with gain. I really like the in-between position when the pickups are in series (I think, whichever links them together). Neck pickup is always snappy and has that great "hollow" sound, never flabby. Huge neck, so beware. I find the neck a workout, but in a good way. I can't be lazy with this neck. I really like the ultra slick finish on the neck and the fretwork is perfect. I chose a guitar that came in at 8 pounds, with a top that is fabulous. Japanese made Fenders are every bit as good as those made in California, maybe even better than that run of the mill USA stuff, and this guitar is an example of that. I wish the neck were tinted to match the body, instead of raw maple, as it would be more aesthetically pleasing. I wish a guitar that retails for $1500 came with a case as well. Those are my only two complaints and the reason it received 4 instead of 5 stars. Other than that, this is possibly the best Tele I have ever owned. Highly recommended.Mike

Thank you Fender and Ritchie Kotzen for working to make this magical guitar. Never thought I would enjoy a Tele as much as this one. I have several really nice guitars, Les Pauls, Stratocasters, custom build, Gretsch but this one is hard to put down. Just Amazing Build quality, sound, the Neck feels great – not too big at all – just solid. The Frets are nicely set up. It may be the best feeling neck on all my Guitars. My 1964 Gretsch Corvette also has a thick neck and it easy to play. The ash body and flame maple are beautiful. I normally wouldn't go for Gold Hardware but it looks classy. The Chopper T Bridge pickup screams crunchy tones and the Twang King neck pickup is like having a second axe with a flip of a switch. Playing through a Tony Iommi signature pedal into a Blues Jr. created " That Sound " i was searching for. Sounds even better through a full stack MarshallJohn

Overall: I purchased an American elite Tele and was not happy with the neck profile and overall quality of the instrument. zZounds made it easy and exchanged it for a Kotzen Tele per my request. Pros: The fit and finish of this guitar is second to none. I wasn’t a fan of the gold hardware in the pictures but after receiving it, I was surprised how tastefully it was accented on the instrument. Just wouldn’t be the same without the gold… just the truth… The fretwork was spot on, and the inlays would have pushed an American version to a much higher price point. The body contours have spoiled me and the binding is perfect. Call Fenders custom shop if you want the options the Kotzen Tele has and expect to pay 3 grand + for it as well. Neck: I’ve read that people are hesitant because of the neck profile. For me (coming from an American Deluxe model that I love) it really isn’t something I think about when playing. Yes… when you first get it, it does look like a massive chuck of wood, but after playing it now for a month, my AD Tele feels odd. I actually prefer the neck on the Kotzen now. It’s fast and feels like it improves my playing. I personally love it and couldn’t imagine it having anything different. Sure it’s bigger than a 9.5… but not so big that it hinders playability in any way. Bridge: It’s a different version of the bridge on my AD Tele but it seems to be designed thicker and better made. And…It doesn’t scratch as easily from the wayward pinky finger. And yes… all my Teles have little marks on the bridge plate. PUPs: Wow! Not yo daddies fiddle. These pups are astounding! The series switch (after repaired) gave this pig a sound that eliminated probably two pedals on my board. Get one you’ll see what I’m talking about. The neck pup was really unique as well. Turn the volume pot down and it comes alive. Personal opinion: This guitar is just a better all around guitar than the American Deluxe and Elite Telecasters. Which is why we don’t see many Japanese made Fenders in the states. My belief is that it would hurt the market for the American Standard and Elite series. Cons: *Just being extremely picky for you all. The “tone” pot/switch (series/parallel) was loose when I received the guitar. When I opened the control panel it had a wire that was disconnected killing the output on the bridge pup. Most likely from when I turned the knob multiple times and it not being tightened down adequately. (Thus breaking the solder on the switch) I took it to an authorized Fender repair tech and it was easily fixed. But… it was something on a brand new guitar that I felt shouldn’t have happened. *Note: I loved the guitar so I decided to get it repaired rather than sending it back. Cost… 15.00 strings, 30.00 service fee. No case! 1500.00 guitars in my mind should come with a case. Not zZounds' fault but Fender's! I would recommend buying a quality hard shell case. After you receive this guitar you’ll be glad you did. It’s not something to just lean in a corner or stuff in a gigbag. As I said… it’s just a very attractive guitar that deserves care. Fender started putting 9s on stock instruments. Insert mad face…The strings were most likely on the guitar for a very long time because they sounded terrible. So I would recommend putting on your flavor of strings, a quick truss rod adjustment (if you’re going up in gauge) and an intonation and action setup. Don’t know if the guitar originally coming from Japan had something to do with the setup or lack thereof, but it was whacked! Could have drove a truck under the strings! Last but not least… I had to shield the Pickguard. It had a slight static buzz that would drive a normally sane man into a raging frenzy. Again… cheap, and easily corrected. The wiring is not very long making inside repairs/adjustments a little tricky. And… as like every Tele I’ve owned… the jack is terrible. 6.00 from all parts. Overall I love this guitar and really enjoy playing it! I would buy another in a second if something happened to mine. It’s on the heavy side but I prefer guitars I can feel. Hope this helps.Matthew

I just got a grey aerodyne SSH strat. I've never gelled with a fender before. After playing my first gig with this thing I'm so impressed. The neck is amazing. Looks are a amazing. The weight is perfect. That top contouring is so comfortable. The controls… I thought I would want to swap the metal knobs out for traditional plastic knobs because they were smooth, however I had no issues making adjustments to the volume and tone mid song… and they look amazing. The knobs are staying. The pickups. wow. just wow. The traditional strat sounds are here, but they offer more to my ears. More aggression when I needed it. The neck and middle pickups worked perfectly with that bridge humbucker. Switching to the bridge for leads was so satisfying. The sound guy came over after we finished and complimented my tone. He asked me what pedals I was using, and was surprised when I told him I just used delay and reverb. Everything else was the amp and adjusting the controls. These pickups… even when I roll off the tone they somehow still retain clarity. The right kind of clarity. I've played other strats, even American strats (but never custom shop), and these aerodyne pickups are in a league of their own. Bottom line… I've never bought a guitar and wanted to immediately go out and buy another if the same guitar "just in case" something happens to the first one. This guitar is THAT good.Sam

Everything they said about this guitar in the reviews is correct. Quality product and great pick ups. Like the colour, sound and feel.Will M.

1 month review with guitar being setup professionally: Great pickups and tone and overall good sounding guitar after a proper setup, gorgeous nitro finish and paintjob. Relic effects are beautiful. The nitro finish feels thin enough for you to eventually make your own marks from repeated playing – a perfect way to tell a story and give the guitar character. Worn in neck feels amazing to play and not sticky to touch. Worth noting that the Pure Vintage 59 pickups on these don't have a reverse-wound middle pick, so there will be hum including positions 2 and 4. If you are easily annoyed with single coil hum, these pickups might not be for you. Also worth noting that these pickups do sound a bit warmer than a stock Fender Player pickups. These respond so MUCH better to high gain type of playing, all while still sounding amazing on low-gain and clean playing. Despite the pros, there are still some areas are lacking and needs improvement. The guitar had razor sharp frets along the binding that could easily cut you, meanwhile I have a $700 MIM fender player didn't have this problem straight out of the box. It's crazy to think that $700 guitar went through better QA than a $1200 guitar, but whatever, the frets are bound to be polished and worked on anyway with your initial setup regardless. CME's shipping page policies say "Every guitar gets a full inspection, as well as basic setup." Guitar came with an inspection card that had overall playability specs checked but some of it was questionable. The guitar was not playable at all out of the box despite letting it acclimate for over a day before opening BUT that is a given considering it spent time in a delivery truck trunk in freezing winter. However, it was a bit bogus how they even checked off volume output when the pickups were NOWEHERE near the appropriate height out of the box and there was BARELY any audible output on the treble side of the guitar. I highly doubt weather and temperature fluctuation will make the pickup screws spin by themselves to the degree at which the pickups came out of the box. Secondly, the tremolo springs at the back also weren't ******* in the appropriate depth for a either a floating or flushed trem setup – it was just sort of in the middle of the cavity. Weather fluctuation from their shop and may have affected string tension, but I also don't think it would make the claw springs in the back unscrew themselves to the degree the guitar came. Makes me wonder how thorough the inspection was. These might not matter as much to some especially those who will get their new guitars setup anyway, but it's good to note that you may still need to budget for a setup if you aren't doing it yourself. Although there could've been improvements on Fender and CME's part that I don't think could be blamed on external factors such as weather and climate fluctuations, overall, I would still 100% recommend this guitar, and it's a gem. The guitar played well after a proper setup, so I'm happy with it now. The price may be too expensive for some considering it's not made in USA, but it must be considered that this is the cheapest proper nitro-finish guitar you will currently find. The next best thing are Fender custom shop, so this guitar is perfect for those looking to enjoy vintage style paint/nitro body finish, and vintage specs without paying custom shop prices. The appearances are just a plus, since they sound and play amazing after a proper set up.Carlos T.

I've been playing for a little while, I rehearse with my band once/twice a week so my guitars definitely get played quite a bit, I've preferred Stratocasters from an early age. The shape is legendary and the tone is versatile. I own Chinese, Japanese, U.S. and Mexican Strats. This one is very comparable to my American Professional Stratocaster, the neck profile, the weight and intonation. Electronics are great, single coils produce a sweet twangy clean tone and the humbucker roars really nice with the right amount of gain/distortion. Makes it a very comfortable instrument that plays as easy as mantequilla on a hot tortilla. Only issue, (hence the 'almost comparable to MIA strats comment in the headline) are the frets… They are a little bit on the sharp side, I'm guessing it comes down to a player's preference? A competent luthier can dress the fret ends and make this one a real player/main axe. Other than the sharp frets, everything else is pretty solid and straight, the vatos down in Ensenada MX do great work producing these!Benjamin

So my story goes like this, I flew into Portland Oregon for work and immediately drove from the airport to Guitar Center. Upon walking in, someone was shredding on a guitar and it went on for a good 10 minutes. The guitar he was playing was the Candy Red Burst Fender Stratocaster Player Series. After he was done, I grabbed it and saw why he played it so long. It felt just solid in the hands. The strings, fret board and neck were silky smooth; Super easy to glide up and down with no fret buzz. The pickups are all Fender Player Stratocaster series which I have had no issue with and perform great out of the box. Also, just holding the guitar is a treat in the hands. It's a beautiful guitar. The Candy Red Burst has a very high functioning coat that gives a deep black fade anyway you turn it. It also fit my bill for something to remember Oregon by since the guitar is a deep Rose Red and Portland is know as the City of Roses.The Pau Ferro fingerboard is also eye candy as it has black veins that run through the grain matching the black hardware of the guitar. Other then that, I have had this guitar for 5 months as of this review and absolutely love it. The guitar holds its tune very well I enjoy playing it every time. Wait, you still reading this? Go get one already!Allan

One look at the maverick dorado and you wanna play it. Its quirky body to its oversized teardrop headstock is either lovely or doctor Frankenstein did the brown acid. But sonically it delivers across the spectrum of styles with versatile amplification. Ive said this about several guitars; so let me say this about the compromise debate. Good amp vs good guitar; BOTH!!! You need both and though it can be hard in life; you need both to achieve success. Plays like a Fender; growls like a Gibson. I dig a bigsby. Just my personal preference. You dont have to search for the arm. It just waits where you leave it; waiting for the adrenaline and energy your playing creates and then adding its precise feeling to your thoughts. Its lacquer finish takes some special care but so does your middle son. I love this guitar and it will be pried from my cold dead hands. Comes with a god awful lime green hardcase that was the result of an earlier fender teams thoughts that the public wanted lime green amplifiers. They did not. You will be noticed carrying this case. But with this guitar in your hands; people will want to hear what you have to say. Thats all I have to say for now. Words do not do justice to this object dart.hedgehu_22

This is the first Acoustic/electric that I have owned that I actually love playing. The action is great even with the large gauge acoustic strings on it. Comes with a very nice gig-bag/case. I love the way the neck and back of the guitar looks. I also love the Strat 5-way switch that selects the degree and type of acoustic sound. The only downside with this guitar is the cover that serves as a cover for the electronics and pick guard. It looks cheap, more like a decal than a cover. I think Fender can do better on this detail for the price of the guitar. However, if you can get past that then it is a fine playing and sounding guitar. I have owned several Acoustic and Acoustic/Electric guitars. The action on even high-priced acoustics was so terrible I just ended up selling them. I also do not like the large back ends of most acoustic and acoustic electric guitars, but this guitar is small and easy to play. I would give it an A-.Bill

The research I did on trying to learn more about this instrument via general internet, YouTube, assorted standard Music Company's like Sam Ash; Sweetwater; Guitar Center; Alamo; and other assorted Music Guitar critics provided a good array of opinions and product test results that produced a positive majority with impressive perspectives for the instrument I purchased. The Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Acoustic-Electric Guitar Cocobolo I purchased from Sam Ash was not a disappointment. Aside from the 10 different options of Guitar unique sounds it provides from Acoustic and Electric mixes. The one-of-a-kind Cocobolo wood identifies a further fingerprint in supporting its own private one-of-a-kind signature sound with relationship to the Cocobolo wood unique to it alone. That just blows me away with how special the sound of specialty signature sound it produces with the ten different built in technical sounds the Fender Guitar company developed with this special edition. I feel overwhelmed in learning to continue how to play this guitar. It allows me so many more possibilities with playing soft country to hard rock a really strong guitar enjoyment experience.Guitar Enthusiast

Overall, I am very happy with this guitar. It exudes classic Fender looks and tone. The quality and craftsmanship are decent for the price point. I have a US Tele and, after putting some TLC into this player strat, it feels and plays almost as good as the Tele. I would give it five stars if it were not for fretwork that was needed. Body – The finish and surf pearl color are gorgeous. The wood grain is barely visible (raised) so I would not say the finish is flawless, but the grain is very subtle and adds character in my opinion. The routed cavities for the electronics (top) and the tremolo springs (back) are precisely cut and clean. The electronics cavity was even finished with black paint. Neck – The finish and appearance are great. However, all 22 frets had sprouted; some as much as 1/32". I can't say this is a craftsmanship issue as the frets were probably fine when it was assembled. It must have been a very high humidity environment, though. Nevertheless, after painstakingly filing and redressing all 44 fret ends it feels good. The frets themselves were well seated and leveled. The 3rd and 11th frets were a few thousands of an inch high, but not enough to cause any buzzing issues. The frets were well rounded and polished. Hardware – The tuners are just okay. One of them feels a little rough turning, and they seem to have a low turning ratio making it very touchy to dial in perfect pitch. The 2-point fulcrum tremolo bridge seems like a better design than the traditional (six screw) bridges, but I did not test it. I prefer to block them for more stable tuning, which worked great with this bridge. I have upgraded electronics I had planned to install in this guitar, but the stock pickups aren't bad. They are very quiet and have good tone – there is no rush to replace them. Setup was a breeze. Truss rod adjustment was smooth, nut slots were to spec, and intonation was perfect. The action needed adjustment since I blocked the tremolo, but that was easy.Dave S.

Was really pleased with this guitar right out of the box. Little to no set up required. Plays great but may be difficult for novices. The hollow body makes it necessary to have skills a novice may not have. The sound and electronics are great. A little heavy but otherwise solid insrument.Dave

Well built short scale bass; very cool that it has a high F on the first string, my '75 Fender Mustang only goes up to D. This bass is more of a thumper axe that plays well with fingers or pick; feels similar to a Precision bass neck. It is not much for slapping and snapping but I'm starting to find the sweet spot to do that in a pinch. I've been using the natural finish model regularly for about three months and get a lot of positive comments and questions about it. The Starcaster is a heavy bass so if weight is an issue you had better look elsewhere; if you like easy to play short scale thumpers this would be an excellent choice.jzbassguitar

The Starcaster is quite good quality although the original set-up from the factory was fair at best. The intonation had to be adjusted and set correctly. Now corrected it is a fun bass to play and has a nice warm vintage tone. I use a vintage Traynor Bassmaster (1966) Tube Amp YB1-A with a Yamaha 12" bass driver cabinet. Sure gets the old 100 year old windows a rattlin'! For the money its not only a good quality instrument but a piece of artwork, especially in the Cherry Sunburst!G the Bassmaster

Feels lovely to play – the single pickup is very versatile and is great for rock through to blues and clean almost acoustic sound. I've got a number of Tele's and this is a wonderful addition. The finish is stunning and setup out of the box is excellent. Hard to put it down.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Great guitar. Nice fast neck with great tone. Great to dirty tones and still a nice warmth when playing clean. The P90 offers something different to all the telecasters I have previously owned and can safely say I haven't owned a guitar like it beforeDavid P.

First, I love P-90s, so I'm a bit biased. This rig sounds great and keeps its heritage Telecaster "spank". Amazing through a Plexi. Wasn't sure at first about only one pickup, but it's helped my skills in crafting tone with just the volume and tone knobs. On the downside, the red finish is kind of drab, not what one would expect from a color named "Fiesta"… given the choice, I would go back and get the natural burst. The guitar arrived with a pretty serious case of fret-sprout, but MF cheerfully exchanged it. I would also expect a one-thousand-buck guitar to come with a hard-shell case, not a gig bag. Still, it sounds and plays great and that's really all that matters.Alexander

First impression is that this is a quality instrument, it feels very solid and well-crafted. No sharp fret ends or any other flaws (except for a fair amount of debris under the pickguard). It's hard to beat the classic combination of Alder, Maple and Rosewood for a sound that rings out loudly unplugged. I debated between the Vintera, Squier CV and the Performer models because these are the current vibrato-equipped Mustangs – in the end, the new and improved vibrato sold me on the Performer. I bought the Vintage White (butter-colored) and it weighs 7.7 lbs – I've seen this model as low in weight as 7.1 lbs. If the Sonic blue had competition stripes, that would have been my favorite. Out of the box, the setup was perfect (though I did put in a Stew Mac .25 neck shim to raise the bridge some – action-wise, it didn't need the shim, but helps with the trem action), and the urethane off-gassing potent. The Mustang, being on back-order for so long (I waited 3 months from order date), was probably just assembled when I received it on 12/7/21 (August and October '21 production dates are seen in the photo of neck pocket and neck heel). Besides being the only US production-run Mustang, it has the aforementioned revised vibrato – which is super smooth and stays in tune very well. [I did put on a set of locking tuners I had on hand, but I'm sure the stock ones are fine, too.] The obvious welcome revision is the nylon arm sleeve that replaces the screw-in type; it holds the arm in place at any angle. As well, the Performer body has a new rectangular rout, and larger spring routing, under under the tremolo (so, not interchangeable with a vintage unit or guitar without modification) – accommodating a metal plate that reinforces the fulcrum point of the two spring-tethered vibrato posts. This plate is attached with 3 larger screws on the face of the vibrato, giving it a slightly different look from the vintage Mustang vibrato/tremolo.The Fender script is also gone, maybe giving the initial appearance of a plain, cheaper import trem unit? Once removed from the body, the new vibrato feels heavy and substantial. The electronics are interesting – the spirit of the Mustang tone-control quirkiness lives on in the new Performer series Mustang. As a pickup set, they're well-matched and mine register 8k ohms for the neck pickup and 8.5k ohms for the bridge. Unlike a typical tone control that makes the guitar sound increasingly bassy as you roll off the treble, the Greasebucket circuit makes the pickups sound fuller as you roll the tone back – you're not losing the top-end until the very end of the tone range, like on 2. On 10, with the treble all the way up, the sound is very thin (maybe a substitute for the out-of-phase position found on a traditional Mustang?), and can be harsh if the volume knob is also all the way up – rolling the volume back to 8 will clean up the pick-ups. String attack is pronounced with the Yosemite set. The guitar sounds best with the tone rolled back 3/4's of the way, especially the bridge, imo – that's unusual and it gives the pickups a unique character and full sound, or not, depending how you set the tone circuit – from thinner to fuller is really the tonal range of the control set. Therefore, you might not get the immediate sonic versatility of a Strat or Tele (or, vintage-wired Mustang), but you do get cool sound-shaping controls that function differently compared to a normally wired guitar. As well, the Mustang has a more compact and intimate playing area, and with the very responsive vibrato that stays in tune, it's a lot of fun to play. The modern neck with its c-shape, 9.5" radius, medium jumbo frets and satin finish – will be easy to play for lots of different styles of music. String tension is pretty elastic, but still I'm fine with the 9's it comes with (it's what I normally use) as they work well with the spring setting of the trem – mine is set for the least amount of spring tension from the factory. I would imagine as you go up in string gauge you would want to take off the vibrato unit and move the spring position up 1 or 2 spots on the post. **I appreciate the included – made in Vietnam, embroidered Fender logo – light-duty – deluxe gig bag. There aren't a lot of short-scale case options out there and it fits this guitar perfectly, though not a super lot of protection. In the end, Fender has reimagined many aspects of the Mustang: upgraded vibrato; new electronics; medium-jumbo frets; satin finish neck. And, as an American made instrument it retains the traditional Rosewood fretboard, another plus (mine was dry and needed conditioning – to be expected from the fret install process and clean-up). I'm very pleased with this US produced guitar and the way it sounds, plays, feels – and looks!Jon

I was looking for an American-made Mustang and came across the American Performer series. I purchased the antique white version. It's more of a buttercream yellow than white. I was really surprised by the quality because I'd only previously played MIM models that weren't always great. The tremolo tail piece is different than the Strat and Jazzmaster systems. It's very sensitive and has incredible range. I see why some like to block it up because it bends at the slightest touch, but it works very well and stays in tune for the most part. Sound is great, both clean and crunch – it's very versatile. It's also very light and manageable. It's becoming one of my favorite guitars and I have an American Pro Jazzmaster, a MIM Tele, MIK Esquire, and a Gibson 335. My only quality gripe is the frets are a bit rough on the edges. I like the jumbos, but seems like they need a bit more smoothing over. Other than that the setup was great out of the box, tuners are great, and I like the greasebucket tone.Rojo

instrument looks and feels great. Neck, frets and body are gorgeous. However the finish elsewhere is not so good. Some tailpiece screws were only halfway in! The springs on the vibrato keep falling off the posts necessitating constant complete removal of the unit to re-attach them. This means loosening all the strings which are now knackered after about the fifth attempt to make it all work. The action is diabolical with frets buzzing on E A and D strings below the 12th fret. Adjusting the bridge means once again loosening strings and messing with the vibrato, which then drops it’s springs… The frustration level is very, very high. Looks lovely but couldn’t really recommend one unless you can afford a professional setup on top of the asking price.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

It was very cheap. I got it for my 1 year old son and he loved it. He learned how to play every Slipknot song in one day and could shred pretty good. Its not the best quality, but it's great considering how cheap it is.james

I sold all of my limbs and organs to buy this guitar. I think it's arrived, although I can't see it without my eyes. It has a decent sound, but it's just not for me, so I gave it to my grandma.Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdo

I've been fasting and praying for years, waiting with the patience of a saint (no pun intended), that this axe would go on clearance. And would you believe it? God has answered my prayers! I immediately placed my order and even payed the extra for 1 day shipping. Figured for once in my life, I'd splurge for expediency. I wanted it fast so that I could play it for Wednesday night service last week. I chose Wednesday night service because it's usually a smaller crowd. I wanted to make sure it was a worthy instrument before wielding it on packed Sunday morning gathering. After the first strum, (ironically it was an open G), nothing will never be the same again here at our church. I felt fiery, electric bolts of energy rush through my wrist, into my hands, and subsequently my fingers. The Spirit was moving to say the least. Sinners began to repent. Droves of backsliders began streaming through the doors. All kinds of people were baptized in the spiritual fire that this guitar produced. I can only imagine that this is the closest thing the the Day of Pentecost since the Day of Pentecost. Please refer to Acts chapter 2, verse 3 in your King James Bible if you need a reference point. Suddenly, after only one song, the pastor told me that he was resigning his position and wanted me to "lead the flock" from now on. Needless to say I accepted his offer. Who am I to argue with a man of God? Unfortunately, I won't be able to play this guitar anymore because of my new pastoral responsibilities. I've decided to burn it as a sacrifice to God to show how dedicated and faithful I am to my new calling. God bless you all! And please feel free to join us for Sunday service. Even if music may not be as great as it once was in days past.Byron