Fender 0970710121 Acoustic Guitar: Full Review

Fender is one of the most well-known and iconic brands in the guitar world. They rose to fame in the 1950s and 60s with their revolutionary electric guitars like the Stratocaster and Telecaster. While Fender may be best known for their electric guitars, they also produce high quality acoustic guitars.

Fender acoustics range from affordable, entry-level models to premium, finely crafted instruments. Their acoustic lineup includes traditional dreadnought and orchestra-style acoustics as well as mini and parlor-sized acoustics for more intimate playing. Fender aims to capture their classic electric guitar vibe and tone in their acoustic models. Most Fenders feature solid wood construction and comfortable neck profiles derived from their famous electric necks. With decades of guitar-making experience under their belt, Fender acoustics represent quality, reliability and great sound.

Overview

The Fender Redondo Mini is a compact, lightweight acoustic guitar model designed for travel and practice. As the name suggests, it's a mini or "parlor" sized acoustic, with a total length of just 35.6". The smaller body shape makes it an easy guitar to handle and transport.

The Redondo Mini has a classic Fender headstock paired with a mahogany neck and 20-fret rosewood fingerboard. The back and sides are mahogany, while the top is solid spruce - a combination that produces balanced tone across the tonal spectrum.

Other features include a bone nut and saddle, gloss finish, and chrome hardware. The mini jumbo frets contribute to comfortable playability. Overall, the Redondo Mini delivers an impressive acoustic sound in a portable size.

For those looking for an even more compact travel acoustic guitar, the Vangoa VGE12-2 is worth considering. With a concert-style body and total length of just 34", it's one of the smallest full-scale acoustic guitars on the market. The VGE12-2 has a spruce top with mahogany back and sides, producing a balanced acoustic tone. The neck has a 12-fret slot headstock for a total of 18 frets on the rosewood fingerboard. Chrome tuners and strings made by Savarez contribute to great playability and sound. Weighing just 3.3 lbs, the Vangoa VGE12-2 is easy to carry around and store in its included gig bag. Its compact size makes it ideal for travel and practice. While not as versatile as larger bodied acoustics, the VGE12-2 packs impressive volume and tone into the smallest package possible.

The Fender Redondo Mini and Vangoa VGE12-2 demonstrate the range of portable acoustic guitar options for musicians on the go. The Redondo Mini offers a comfortable balance of size, playability and balanced tone. For those wanting the ultimate compact acoustic, the Vangoa VGE12-2 squeezes full acoustic sound into a body you can take anywhere. Either of these models would make a great portable practice and travel companion.

When choosing a mini acoustic, consider your own needs in terms of size, comfort, tone and versatility. The Redondo Mini offers a great middle ground, while the Vangoa VGE12-2 pushes the limits of how small an acoustic guitar can get while retaining impressive playability and sound. Whichever you choose, you'll have a quality portable acoustic perfect for travel, practice and making music on the go.

Body & Neck

The Fender Redondo Mini is a small-bodied acoustic guitar, perfect for travel or smaller players. It features a compact concert-style cutaway body made from mahogany back and sides with a solid Sitka spruce top. This tonewood combination produces a balanced, articulate tone with nice bass response despite the smaller body size.

The neck has a "Modern C" profile that is comfortable and easy to play. It is made from mahogany with a walnut fingerboard. The nut width measures 1.75 inches, providing ample room for fingerstyle playing while still playable for smaller hands. The shorter 24.75 inch scale length reduces string tension, making it an approachable instrument for beginners too.

Overall the Redondo Mini's body size and neck width make it a versatile choice for players of all levels who need portability without sacrificing full, rich tone. The all-mahogany body and neck give it a warm, balanced sound you can rely on. For those looking for an affordable acoustic with a slightly larger body size, check out the Ibanez GRX70QATBB. This model features a Grand Concert body shape with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The neck is also mahogany for a balanced and warm tone.

The GRX70QATBB has a comfortable, slim mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard and dot inlays. The nut width is 1.69 inches, making it very playable for most hand sizes. It has a 25.6 inch scale length and comes equipped with an Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp and tuner for amplified performance. The onboard electronics have tone shaping controls for added versatility.

This Ibanez model produces a rich low end with nice projection and sustain. The mahogany body contributes to a balanced tone while the spruce top provides articulation and volume. The slim neck promotes great playability up and down the fretboard. Overall an excellent choice for an affordable acoustic electric with bigger body dimensions and onboard electronics.

Whether you prefer the travel-friendly size of the Fender Redondo Mini or the fuller body and electronics of the Ibanez GRX70QATBB, you can find high quality acoustic guitars with great tone and playability to match your needs and budget. Check out both models to decide which will best suit your playing style and goals.

Sound & Tone

The Redondo Mini has a well-balanced tone that projects nicely for a small-bodied guitar. The all-mahogany construction gives it a warm, rounded sound with pleasant sustain and resonance. Though mini acoustics can sometimes sound boxy, the Redondo Mini has enough body depth to produce fuller low end and prevent thinness. The midrange is focused yet smooth, while the treble has just enough brightness without getting harsh.

Overall, the guitar has a versatile voice that works well for fingerstyle playing and accommodates various musical genres. While it doesn't have the booming bass of a jumbo dreadnought, the Redondo Mini's intimate size makes up for that with balanced tone and easy playability. The mahogany build gives it a pleasing warmth that's great for blues, jazz, country and more. Thanks to the comfortable neck and slim body, this mini guitar is easy to hold and strum for long periods without fatiguing.

Playability & Feel

The Fender Redondo Mini acoustic guitar has a slim C-shaped neck profile that is comfortable and easy to play. The satin finish on the back of the neck allows for smooth gliding up and down the fretboard.

The action on this guitar is set low from the factory, making it quite playable right out of the box. The low action facilitates easy fretting without excessive pressure. The slim frets also enhance playability.

The nut width on the Redondo Mini measures 1.6875" (43mm), giving you enough room for chord shapes and fingerstyle playing without feeling too cramped. This nut width is on the narrower side, allowing those with smaller hands to easily play it.

The Indian laurel fretboard has a 9.5" radius, which provides a good compromise between feeling curved and flat. This allows for comfortable chording while still permitting easy bending of strings. The fretwork from the factory is nicely done with smooth, rounded fret ends.

Overall, the playability and feel of the Fender Redondo Mini make it a pleasure to play. The comfortable neck profile, smooth satin finish, low action, and quality fretwork come together to create an acoustic guitar that feels great in your hands.

Hardware

The Fender Redondo Mini acoustic guitar comes equipped with quality hardware to provide stable tuning and a bright, resonant tone.

The guitar has vintage-style nickel tuning machines with pearloid buttons. These open-gear tuners help keep the guitar in tune well and are an attractive accent on the headstock. They have a classic look while remaining fully modern and functional.

It features a nubone nut and saddle, both engineered for precise intonation. The nut guides the strings smoothly as their vibrations travel from the headstock down the neck. The saddle transfers these vibrations to the bridge to project outwards. Both are made of dense nubone to withstand string tension and promote accurate tuning.

The bridge itself is also notable - it's a rosewood pinned bridge with compensated saddle. This allows for more precise intonation, as the saddle has offsets to correctly position each individual string. The solid rosewood adds a bit of warmth to the guitar's overall voice.

It comes fitted with light-gauge phosphor bronze acoustic strings. These add brightness and clarity to the guitar's tone. The phosphor bronze material brings out the high end and chiming overtones.

Craftsmanship

The Fender Redondo Mini acoustic guitar demonstrates excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail throughout its design and construction. The all-mahogany body and neck feature smoothly finished surfaces free of blemishes. The body bindings and rosette inlays exhibit clean, crisp edges.

The satin finish on the neck allows for a smooth, comfortable feel during playing. The fret ends are carefully finished for a seamless transition along the neck. The nut and bridge are cut and positioned precisely for proper intonation up and down the neck.

The hardware is firmly secured in place including the tuners, bridge pins, and end pin. The fretwork appears evenly done with all notes ringing out clearly. Overall the Redondo Mini shows off Fender's quality craftsmanship and dedication to building instruments that not only look good, but also play and sound their best.

Pros & Cons

The Fender Redondo Mini acoustic guitar has several noteworthy pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• Compact, travel-friendly size makes it highly portable
• Warm, balanced tone that punches above its weight
• Quality all-mahogany construction
• Easy playability with low action and slim neck
• Attractive vintage styling and finishes
• Affordable price from a top guitar brand

Cons

• Small body doesn't produce very loud acoustic volume
• Limited projection and sustain due to smaller size
• electronics not included if wanting to amplify
• Minimal ornamentation or decorative appointments
• Not as tonally complex as a full-size acoustic

Overall, the Redondo Mini offers an impressive mix of portability and playability in an affordable, small-body acoustic. The warm sound and smooth feel make it a great grab-and-go companion, although it lacks the power and intricate voice of larger guitars. The compact design is the biggest distinguisher, making this an excellent portable practice tool if volume isn't a priority.

Alternatives

The Fender Redondo Mini is a great option for those looking for a travel-friendly mini acoustic, but there are some other comparable models to consider as well:

Yamaha JR1

The Yamaha JR1 is another 3/4 scale mini acoustic that delivers impressive volume and tone for its size. It has a spruce top and meranti back and sides. The JR1 has a slightly wider nut width than the Redondo Mini, making it a little more playable for those with larger hands. The sound is balanced and clear.

Martin LX1 Little Martin

This lightweight little Martin acoustic packs a punch way beyond its size. The LX1 has a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. It produces a bright and focused tone. The playability is also very good for a small-bodied acoustic. The Little Martin comes in at a higher price point than the Fender, but delivers that acclaimed Martin sound and build quality.

Taylor Baby Taylor BT1

Taylor's 3/4 scale Baby Taylor is another popular choice for travel and smaller players. It boasts Taylor's signature bright, balanced sound in a compact size. The top is solid spruce and the back and sides are layered walnut. The neck is smooth and comfortable. It's an excellent mini acoustic overall, but comes at about twice the cost of the Fender Redondo.

Conclusion

The Fender Redondo Mini is a great choice for a travel-sized acoustic guitar that doesn't compromise much on tone or playability. Its smaller body size makes it very portable and easy to play, while still producing a surprisingly full and resonant sound.

The mini jumbo body shape helps project the tone so it doesn't sound overly small or thin like some travel acoustics. It has a nice balanced tone across the frequency range, with good bass response thanks to the mahogany back and sides. The spruce top gives it clarity and articulation in the mids and highs as well.

While the smaller scale length does make the playing feel a bit different than a full-size guitar, the smooth satin neck and low action allow for comfortable playability. The hardware is high quality, staying in tune nicely even with heavy playing.

For those looking for a great acoustic to take on the road, the Redondo Mini is an excellent choice. While the tone may not have the absolute richness and projection of a jumbo-sized guitar, it gets surprisingly close, especially for the size. The easy playability also makes it great for practice and casual playing. Overall an impressive little acoustic worthy of consideration.