Say Fender and most people picture a Stratocaster, not an acoustic. Yet the company has built them since the King series in 1963, pairing those familiar headstocks with solid tonewoods and Fishman electronics gigging players genuinely lean on.
That history is also the snag, because a sub-$200 starter dreadnought and an all-solid California model both wear the same logo, right up to the boundary-pushing Acoustasonic. So your pick really hangs on budget, body size, and whether you ever plan to plug in.
We dug through the current range, comparing tonewoods and pickups, and ranked the eight worth buying. Whether you want pure value, a fingerpicking parlor, or a small-scale beginner guitar, there’s a brand pick here for it.
The chart below sorts them out first.
Quick Comparison Chart
| # | Product | Our Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Fender CD-60S Solid Top Dreadnought | ★★★★★ | Check Price |
| 2 |  |
Fender Redondo Classic Acoustic-Electric | ★★★★★ | Check Price |
| 3 |  |
Fender Paramount PM-2 Parlor | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 4 |  |
Fender FA-125CE Dreadnought Cutaway | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 5 |  |
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 6 |  |
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 7 |  |
Fender FA-15 3/4 Scale Steel String | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 8 |  |
Fender Classic Design Dreadnought Bundle | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
From Campfire Staples to the Acoustasonic
The range is wider than Fender’s acoustic reputation suggests: the all-solid Redondo Classic, a true parlor in the Paramount PM-2, and the American Acoustasonic Stratocaster blurring the acoustic-electric line entirely with five voice pairs.
Tim Armstrong’s Hellcat remains the personality pick, a solid mahogany concert body with punk credentials, while the CD-60S keeps doing quiet workhorse duty at the top.
1. Fender CD-60S Solid Top Dreadnought
Fender CD-60S Solid Top Dreadnought
Solid spruce top dreadnought with mahogany back and sides, rolled fingerboard edges, and beginner-friendly playability out of the box.
Pros
- Solid spruce top delivers strong projection and tone
- Mahogany back and sides add warmth and depth
- Easy-play neck with rolled fingerboard edges
- Dual-action truss rod allows precise setup adjustments
Cons
- No onboard pickup for plugging in
- Big dreadnought body suits larger players best
The CD-60S is the easiest Fender acoustic to recommend to almost anyone. Its solid spruce top, rather than the laminate found on cheaper rivals, is the headline feature and delivers genuine projection and a bold, well-balanced dreadnought voice.
Mahogany back and sides round out the low end with warmth, while the easy-play neck and rolled fingerboard edges keep your fretting hand relaxed through long sessions. The ready-to-play bundle adds a hard case, tuner, strap, picks, and an instructional DVD, so beginners can start the day it lands.
Also worth a look is our Yamaha FG800 vs Fender CD-60S comparison.
2. Fender Redondo Classic Acoustic-Electric
Fender Redondo Classic Acoustic-Electric
All-solid California series guitar with a Fender-exclusive Redondo body, Fishman electronics, and a slim-taper C neck.
Pros
- Solid spruce top with solid mahogany back and sides
- Fender-exclusive Fishman pickup and preamp built in
- Slim-taper C neck plays fast and comfortable
- Striking aged cognac burst finish with gig bag
Cons
- Costs more than most Fender acoustics
- Slope-shoulder shape is a love-it-or-not look
Step up to the California series and the Redondo Classic answers with all-solid construction: a solid spruce top over solid mahogany back and sides, a step beyond the CD-60S. The Fender-exclusive Redondo body shape sits about dreadnought-sized but with a slope shoulder and its own distinctive curve, and the built-in Fishman pickup and preamp make it genuinely stage-ready straight out of the gig bag.
A slim-taper C-shaped mahogany neck and pau ferro fingerboard give it a fast, almost electric feel that players crossing over from a Strat will appreciate.
3. Fender Paramount PM-2 Parlor
Fender Paramount PM-2 Parlor
All-solid parlor acoustic-electric with a mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, Fishman preamp, and included hard case.
Pros
- Compact parlor body is ideal for fingerpicking
- Mahogany neck with smooth ebony fingerboard
- Fishman-designed preamp for clean plugged-in tone
- Ships with a protective hard case
Cons
- Lacks the low-end punch of a dreadnought
- May need a setup to lower the action
The Paramount PM-2 is the connoisseur’s pick of the bunch, an all-solid deluxe parlor built for players who live in the fingerstyle and blues world. The compact parlor body trades a dreadnought’s low-end punch for tight, articulate clarity that suits open-string lines and intricate picking.
A mahogany neck with a smooth ebony fingerboard makes fast runs effortless, and the Fishman-designed preamp keeps the tone honest when you plug in. It ships with a quality hard case, which softens the higher asking price.
4. Fender FA-125CE Dreadnought Cutaway
Fender FA-125CE Dreadnought Cutaway
Affordable dreadnought cutaway acoustic-electric with a laminate spruce top, C-shaped neck, and Fishman electronics.
Pros
- Cutaway gives easy access to the upper frets
- Fishman electronics for solid amplified tone
- C-shaped neck offers comfortable playability
- One of the cheapest ways into a Fender acoustic
Cons
- Laminate top limits tonal richness
- No case or accessories included
When you’re starting out and tight on budget, the FA-125CE is one of the cheapest ways into a real Fender acoustic-electric. The single-cutaway dreadnought body frees up the upper frets, and onboard Fishman electronics mean you can plug into an amp or PA without buying a pickup later.
A laminate spruce top keeps the price low, so it won’t match the solid-top models for tonal richness, but the C-shaped neck is comfortable and the whole package is built to take the knocks of a first guitar.
5. Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat
Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat
Signature concert-size acoustic-electric with a solid mahogany top, maple neck, and Fishman electronics in black.
Pros
- Solid mahogany top gives a warm, woody voice
- Comfortable concert-size body for any genre
- Built-in Fishman electronics for the stage
- Distinctive Hellcat styling stands out
Cons
- A bit heavy compared to similar concert guitars
- Signature looks won't suit every player
The Tim Armstrong Hellcat is a signature concert-size acoustic-electric with real character. Its solid mahogany top, rather than the usual spruce, gives the guitar a warmer, woodier voice that folk, rock, and pop players gravitate toward, and the comfortable concert body works across genres.
Built-in Fishman electronics handle the stage, and a maple neck with a walnut fingerboard rounds out the spec. It runs a touch heavy and the Hellcat styling is unapologetically distinctive, but that’s exactly the point for fans of the Rancid frontman’s design.
6. Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster
Cutting-edge acoustic-electric with a three-pickup system, five voice pairs, and a Modern Deep C mahogany neck.
Pros
- Blends acoustic and electric voices in one guitar
- Three-pickup configuration with five voice pairs
- Lightweight, contoured Strat-style body
- Modern Deep C mahogany neck plays fast
Cons
- Premium price puts it well above the field
- Not a true unplugged acoustic for purists
The Acoustasonic Stratocaster is the wild card, an acoustic-electric that looks and feels like a Strat but hides a serious acoustic engine. A three-pickup system, an under-saddle piezo, an internal body sensor, and an N4 magnetic, feeds five curated voice pairs that blend acoustic and electric tones on the fly.
The lightweight, contoured body and Modern Deep C mahogany neck make it the most comfortable guitar here to play for hours. It’s by far the most expensive pick and purists won’t mistake it for a traditional unplugged acoustic, but nothing else offers this much sonic range.
7. Fender FA-15 3/4 Scale Steel String
Fender FA-15 3/4 Scale Steel String
Three-quarter scale steel-string acoustic with all-laminate construction, a nato set-neck, and an included gig bag.
Pros
- Small 3/4 scale fits kids and smaller hands
- All-laminate build shrugs off knocks
- Nato set-neck for a lively feel
- Comes with a gig bag for travel
Cons
- Laminate body limits tone and volume
- Tuning stability could be better
For a child’s first guitar or a traveler who wants something tiny, the FA-15 3/4 makes sense. The three-quarter scale and small body fit younger players and smaller hands, making it far easier to pick up and actually play than a full-size dreadnought.
All-laminate construction means it shrugs off the inevitable bumps, and a nato set-neck gives it a surprisingly lively feel for the price. The laminate body naturally caps how loud and rich it gets, and the tuners are basic, but a gig bag is included to get a beginner moving.
8. Fender Classic Design Dreadnought Bundle
Fender Classic Design Dreadnought Bundle
Entry dreadnought bundle with a solid spruce top, scalloped X-bracing, mahogany back, and a full starter accessory set.
Pros
- Solid spruce top with scalloped bracing underneath
- Mahogany back and sides add warmth
- Rolled fretboard edges give a played-in feel
- Bundle adds gig bag, tuner, strap, and picks
Cons
- Sound can feel thin next to pricier Fenders
- No onboard electronics for gigging
This entry-level bundle is all about getting a complete starter kit into a new player’s hands for as little as possible. The dreadnought pairs a solid spruce top with scalloped X-bracing and mahogany back and sides, and the easy-play neck with rolled fingerboard edges feels broken-in from the first chord.
Where it gives ground is voice: it can sound a little thin next to the pricier Fenders, and there are no onboard electronics for gigging. But the box also includes a gig bag, clip-on tuner, strap, extra strings, picks, and an instructional DVD, which is hard to argue with at this price.
Final Thoughts
If you want one Fender acoustic that does almost everything well, the Fender CD-60S Solid Top Dreadnought is the pick. A solid spruce top at this price is rare, the mahogany back and sides keep the tone warm and full, and the ready-to-play bundle means a beginner is strumming the same afternoon it arrives.
It’s the guitar we’d hand to most people without a second thought.
Players with more to spend should look hard at the all-solid Redondo Classic for a stage-ready California-series instrument, or the Paramount PM-2 if fingerstyle and blues are your home. Both step up to solid tonewoods and built-in Fishman electronics that earn their keep when you plug in.
On a tight budget, the FA-125CE delivers a cutaway and onboard electronics for very little, while the FA-15 3/4 is the right call for a child or smaller player. Whatever your level and budget, remember that price doesn’t always mean better tone, so do your homework, and if you want one more option, check out our Fender CD-140SCE review.
