In March last year, Fender completed the triumvirate of its electric-acoustic hybrid Acoustasonic range by unveiling the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster, which enticed many players with its offset looks and modern feature sets, but deterred some with its $1,999 price tag.
Later, the Big F aimed to make its innovative design more accessible to the masses, slashing the price for a streamlined-yet-impressive Acoustasonic Player Telecaster – a model that hinted towards the possibility of even more affordable Acoustasonics down the line.
Now, the company has expanded its Acoustasonic Player range with a new take on the popular American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster, which rings in at $800 cheaper than its US-made forebear.
Available in four fresh finishes – Two-Color Sunburst, Shell Pink, Antique Olive and Ice Blue – the Acoustasonic Player Jazzmaster looks identical to the original model, but features a streamlined spec sheet that warrants its cheaper price tag.
Such specs take their cues from the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster, with the offset model favoring a three-way Voice Selector switch over the more versatile five-way alternative of the American Acoustasonic.
This is a result of the slimmed-down pickup department, which has been reduced from three to two units. Specifically, the guitar features the Tim Shaw-designed Fender Acoustasonic Shawbucker – which was new and exclusive to the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster – and a Fishman Under-Saddle Transducer.
Other controls include the line-standard Blend Knob, which seeks to take the six-string from clean to driven tones in the space of a single knob swivel, as well as a Master Volume parameter.
Naturally, the absence of the third Internal Body Sensor pickup takes away some of the tonal flexibility of the original Jazzmaster, but what the model lacks in sonic options it makes up for with its build and price.
At its core, the Acoustasonic Player Jazzmaster features a mahogany Modified Jazzmaster body, which flashes a solid Sitka spruce top and polyester satin matte finish.
Elsewhere, the modern Deep C-profile mahogany neck is fitted with a 12”-radius rosewood fingerboard, which in turn is adorned with 22 frets, a GraphTech TUSQ nut and white dot inlays.
Like the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster, Fender’s hybrid offset will be made in the company’s dedicated Acoustasonic space within its Ensenada, Mexico, factory, and is priced at $1,199.
Now we have Player editions of both the Acoustasonic Jazzmaster and Telecaster, we'd wager its just a matter of time before we see the arrival of the Acoustasonic Player Stratocaster – a very enticing prospect indeed.
And, according to Andy Mooney, it might not be too long before even more affordable Acoustasonics arrive that break the sub-$1,000 barrier, with the Fender CEO hinting we might see a stripped-down, entry-level range of Acoustasonics being manufactured in Southeast Asia.
For more information about the latest Acoustasonic Player model in the meantime, head over to Fender.
