Fender 0970713003 Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Fender Redondo Player acoustic-electric guitar provides an affordable, quality option for players looking to add an acoustic-electric to their collection. Part of Fender's Player series, the Redondo Player features a classic dreadnought body shape made from laminated mahogany topped with laminated spruce for a full, balanced tone. It comes equipped with a Fishman preamp and pickup system that accurately captures the guitar's natural acoustic sound when plugging into an amplifier or PA system. While not a high-end acoustic, the Redondo Player punches above its weight class, offering impressive playability and versatile electronics in an attractive, road-worthy package. This makes it an excellent choice for gigging musicians or developing players looking to upgrade from a beginner acoustic. In this review, we'll take a close look at the specs, sound quality, playability and overall value offered by the Fender Redondo Player acoustic-electric.

Body Style and Design

The Fender Redondo Player features a grand auditorium body shape with a slim taper neck profile. This comfortable and versatile design works well for playing seated or standing.

The grand auditorium style provides a balanced and articulate tone, with great projection and dynamics. It's a mid-sized body shape, not as deep as a dreadnought but with more internal air space than a concert or parlor size. This allows for strong low-end, punchy mids, and clear treble notes.

The Redondo Player has a slim C-shaped neck that sits nicely in the hand. It has a smooth satin finish on the back for fast playing. The slim taper makes it easy to grip and perform chords and runs up and down the neck. The comfortable neck profile and smoothly finished back help reduce hand fatigue during long practice or gigging sessions.

Overall, the grand auditorium body style and slim taper neck give the Redondo Player excellent comfort, playability, and versatility for a wide range of musical genres and playing situations. Seated or standing, this acoustic-electric guitar feels great in the hands.

The Fender Redondo Player acoustic-electric guitar (model Fender 144502515) delivers classic Fender tone and playability in a versatile and affordable package. This grand auditorium body style works equally well for rhythm and lead playing. The slim neck profile provides hours of comfortable playing time. An easy-to-use onboard preamp with tuner makes plugging in a breeze at gigs or band practice. The Redondo Player's smooth finish, comfortable feel, and Fender sound quality make this an excellent choice as an all-purpose acoustic-electric guitar.

This mid-priced acoustic-electric model brings many high-end features, such as the comfortable neck profile, Fishman electronics, and solid spruce top. The laminated mahogany back and sides provide great tone while keeping costs down. The slim neck allows easy fretting for both chords and solos. The cutaway body style allows access to upper frets. Together, these design choices make the Redondo Player accessible for beginners yet versatile enough for lifelong playing.

The Fishman Presys preamp and pickup system provides plug-and-play functionality with clear amplified tone. The built-in tuner makes on-stage tuning quick and easy. No extra gear needed to plug this acoustic-electric into an amplifier or PA system. The Fishman electronics capture the crisp attack and balanced tone of the all-solid wood body. From the practice room to the stage, the Redondo Player sounds great plugged in.

All in all, the Fender Redondo Player combines excellent acoustic sound, comfortable feel, and stage-ready amplified performance. This versatile grand auditorium model works well for a wide range of musical styles. The smooth neck and quality electronics make this acoustic-electric accessible for beginners and lifelong players alike. Check out the Fender Redondo Player (model Fender 144502515) for an affordable Fender acoustic with professional features.

Tonewoods

The Fender Redondo Player features solid tonewoods that give it a balanced, rich sound. The top is made from solid Sitka spruce, which helps produce a bright, detailed tone. Sitka spruce is a popular choice for acoustic guitar tops thanks to its resonant properties.

The back and sides are made from solid mahogany, which lends warmth and sweetness to the Redondo Player's voice. Mahogany is a tonewood that emphasizes the midrange, and adds richness and depth to the guitar's sound. Together with the spruce top, the mahogany back and sides create a very balanced acoustic tone.

The combination of spruce and mahogany makes the Redondo Player versatile for playing different musical genres. It has the crispness for strumming, but enough low-end to handle fingerpicking. Overall, the solid spruce and mahogany tonewoods give this guitar a full, well-rounded sound.

When choosing an acoustic guitar, it's important to consider the tonewoods used. Different woods produce different tonal characteristics that can either complement or fight against each other. The Redondo Player's spruce and mahogany combination creates a guitar that's tonally balanced. The spruce provides brightness and clarity, while the mahogany offers warmth and fullness. This allows the Redondo Player to sound great in any musical situation.

In addition to the solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, the Redondo Player also features a mahogany neck. Mahogany is a popular choice for necks because it has a strong, stable grain pattern. The mahogany neck allows for smooth playability up and down the fretboard. It also contributes to the overall warm, organic tone of the Redondo Player. The all-mahogany body construction results in great resonance and natural acoustic sustain.

The bridge and fretboard are both made from rosewood, which is known for its richness and complex overtones. Rosewood adds some sparkle and definition to the Redondo Player's tone. The wood choices for the bridge and fretboard pair nicely with the spruce and mahogany body. Everything works together to create a balanced and versatile acoustic guitar.

When shopping for an acoustic guitar, pay close attention to the specific tonewoods used. The woods of the top, back, sides, neck, bridge and fretboard all factor into the ultimate acoustic tone. The Redondo Player uses classic tonewoods that give it a versatile sound across different playing styles and genres. If you're looking for a quality, affordable acoustic-electric guitar, check out the Fender 374580506 Redondo Player.

Neck and Fretboard

The Fender Redondo Player features a maple neck and a 20-fret rosewood fretboard. The maple neck provides stability and sustain while the rosewood fretboard offers a smooth playing feel.

Maple is a hardwood that gives the neck strength and rigidity. It has a bright, snappy tone that adds clarity and presence to the guitar's sound. The sleek maple neck allows for comfortable, fast playing up and down the neck.

The fretboard is rosewood, which complements the bright maple neck nicely with its warmer, smoother sound. Rosewood has a rich resonance that enhances the guitar's acoustic properties. The 20 medium jumbo frets are comfortable and optimized for bending strings. Overall, the maple neck and rosewood fretboard combine to offer a fast, smooth playing experience.

Electronics

The Fender Redondo Player features Fishman's Sonitone preamp system, which is designed to produce a balanced and natural acoustic tone. The preamp has easy-to-use tone and volume controls, allowing you to shape your amplified sound with just a few tweaks. There is also a built-in tuner, making it easy to keep the Redondo in tune without needing any external tuning devices.

The Sonitone preamp utilizes Fishman's Sonicore pickup, which combines an under-saddle transducer with a soundhole microphone. This combination allows you to get both the bright, direct attack from the saddle pickup and the warm, full body from the mic. The result is an balanced, detailed amplified tone.

The preamp is powered by a 9V battery housed in a compartment on the side of the upper bout. A low battery light on the preamp lets you know when it's time to change it out. Overall, the Fishman electronics provide the Redondo Player with excellent plugged-in performance for gigs or practice.

Hardware

The Fender Redondo Player features quality hardware that enhances its playability and sound. It has sealed chrome die-cast tuning machines that do an excellent job of keeping the guitar in tune. The tuners are smooth and precise.

The Redondo Player is equipped with a synthetic bone nut and compensated saddle for improved intonation. It has a chrome Stratocaster-style hardtail bridge that provides solid stability and resonance. The bridge transfers string vibration efficiently for optimal energy transfer and sustain. Its six individual saddles allow for precise intonation adjustments.

Overall, the hardware on the Redondo Player is well-made and contributes to its impressive performance as an acoustic-electric guitar. The quality tuners and bridge give it the stability and resonance you want.

Sound and Playability

The Fender Redondo Player has a well-balanced tone that works well for a variety of musical genres. The combination of the solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides produces warm lows, clear mids, and crisp highs.

The guitar is very comfortable and easy to play thanks to the slim "Modern C"-shaped mahogany neck, shorter 25.3" scale length, and smooth satin finish on the back of the neck. The neck width is 1.69" at the nut which provides ample room for fretting chords and single notes.

The action is set low from the factory which makes chording and lead playing very comfortable without buzzing. The jumbo frets are finished smoothly allowing for effortless and fast fretting and string bending. Overall, the playability of the Redondo Player is excellent right out of the box.

Pros

The Fender Redondo acoustic-electric guitar has many admirable qualities that make it a great option for players looking for a stage-ready acoustic.

• The solid mahogany top produces a balanced, clear tone that projects well. The mahogany is nicely paired with sapele back and sides, resulting in warmth and sweetness.

• The Fishman electronics sound natural and amplify the guitar's voice very well. The undersaddle pickup combined with the preamp EQ delivers excellent amplified tone.

• The slimmer "Modern C" neck profile offers easy playability and comfort. The back of the neck has a satin finish that feels great against your hand during longer playing sessions.

• The cutaway body style allows easy access to higher frets, expanding the guitar's versatility and playability up the neck.

• Hardware and appointments like the chrome tuners and synthetic bone nut and saddle are quality components that enhance the guitar's sound and performance.

Overall, the materials, electronics, and comfortable body style of the Fender Redondo help it punch above its price class. It's an impressive acoustic-electric guitar that sounds amazing plugged in or unplugged.

Cons

The Fender Redondo Player does have a few drawbacks.

• The electronics are decent but could be improved, especially at this price point. The preamp doesn't have a tuner or many tonal options. Upgrading to a better preamp could make a big difference in the plugged-in sound.

• It's at the higher end of the price range for acoustic-electrics in this category. Players who are on a tight budget may want to consider cheaper models first before investing in the Redondo Player.

• The finish and hardware are good but not exceptional. Some players may expect higher end appointments for the price.

• It's not the most resonant or acoustic sounding unplugged. Players who want maximum acoustic projection when not plugged in may prefer other options.

• The wider fretboard nut width won't appeal to all players. Those with smaller hands may find it uncomfortable to play.

Overall the Fender Redondo Player is a quality acoustic-electric with nice specs and playability. But the price tag may make it less appealing for some players, unless the design, comfort and Fishman electronics are most important to them. Upgrading key components could help it punch above its price range.

Conclusion

The Fender Redondo Player is a well-made acoustic-electric guitar that delivers the quality you expect from Fender. It features a classic dreadnought body style with attractive binding and rosette around the top. The combination of solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides produces balanced warm tones. The slim C-shaped neck and rolled fingerboard edges make playing very comfortable.

The Fishman electronics sound natural and give you flexibility for plugging in. Hardware is solid with die-cast chrome tuners and a synthetic bone nut and saddle. While not a budget guitar, the Redondo Player offers very good value with Fender's excellent build quality and Fishman electronics at this price point. For players looking for a great all-around acoustic-electric, the Redondo Player is an excellent choice with the classic Fender vibe.