Fender CC-60S AUS-0970150422-COMBO-DLX Acoustic Guitar: Full Review

The Fender CC-60S is an acoustic-electric guitar model from Fender's California Series. This concert-style guitar features a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, producing a balanced and articulate tone.

The CC-60S has a cutaway body shape, allowing easy access to the higher frets. It comes equipped with a Fishman pickup and preamp system, providing plug-and-play capabilities for live performances or recording. This is an excellent entry-level acoustic-electric for players looking for Fender's signature sound and style in an affordable package.

Overall, the CC-60S delivers warm, resonant tones expected of a concert-style acoustic, with the added versatility of built-in electronics for amplification. It provides great quality and playability at a reasonable price point, appealing to beginning and intermediate level players.

Body & Neck

The Fender CC-60S Concert acoustic guitar features a solid spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides. This combination of tonewoods produces a balanced and well-rounded tone.

The spruce top is known for its crisp, bright tone and good projection. It's a common choice for the soundboard on acoustic guitars. Mahogany, on the other hand, has a darker, warmer sound that complements the brightness of the spruce. Together they create an acoustic guitar well-suited for various styles, from strumming chords to fingerpicking melodies.

The mahogany neck has a smooth satin finish for comfort during extended playing sessions. It joins the body at the 14th fret in a comfortable dreadnought cutaway shape that allows easy access to the higher frets. The 25.3" scale length and nut width of 1.69" are standard measurements for a full-size dreadnought. Overall, the neck and body specs make this an accessible guitar for most players.

The combination of spruce and mahogany is a tried-and-true formula for acoustic guitars seeking a balanced and versatile tone. Many famous models over the years have utilized this mix of tonewoods, from Martin Dreadnoughts to Gibson Jumbos. The CC-60S follows this tradition, aiming to deliver an acoustic guitar suitable for multiple styles and skill levels. While not as fancy looking as more expensive models, it focuses on nailing the fundamentals.

For players interested in a similar spruce and mahogany acoustic guitar, but want something more compact and travel-friendly, check out the Yamaha SLG200N NT. This model packs traditional acoustic sound into a 3/4 size nylon-string body with a passive piezo pickup. The smaller body size makes it great for travel while the nylon strings offer a smooth playing feel.

The Yamaha SLG200N NT features all-laminate construction with spruce on top and nato (similar to mahogany) on back and sides. Despite the laminates, it produces a balanced tone comparable to a full-size steel-string dreadnought. The passive piezo pickup allows for plugging into an amplifier or PA system. So it works well for amplified performances or recording scenarios.

Overall, the Yamaha SLG200N NT is an excellent alternative for players seeking a great-sounding compact acoustic with a smooth nylon-string playing feel. The spruce and nato construction aims to deliver a balanced tone akin to a larger mahogany and spruce steel-string dreadnought. But in a much more portable package perfect for travel and practice. Definitely worth checking out for acoustic guitarists needing a smaller option without sacrificing full-size sound.

Sound & Tone

The Fender CC-60S concert acoustic guitar produces a bright, balanced tone that projects well. The solid spruce top contributes to the clarity and resonance in the treble and mid range. There's enough bass from the mahogany back and sides to provide warmth and fullness without muddying the sound. It's an ideal guitar for fingerpicking and strumming chords. The tone is well-suited to a wide variety of musical genres from folk to rock and everything in between. Both lead lines and rhythm parts come through with richness and definition. The guitar has impressive sustain too. Overall the CC-60S delivers a vibrant, melodic tone.

The Ibanez GA5TCE acoustic-electric guitar Ibanez GA5TCE is another great option for those seeking a balanced and versatile acoustic guitar tone. It produces a rich low end, articulate mids, and shimmering highs. The solid Engelmann spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide an excellent tonal foundation. There's plenty of warmth balanced with bright overtones. It excels at both fingerstyle playing and strumming. The guitar projects well when playing live thanks to the onboard Fishman Sonicore pickup and preamp system. The tone comes through the PA mix nicely without feedback issues. Whether amplified or unplugged, the GA5TCE can handle many musical genres. It's a great choice for singer-songwriters and solo instrumentalists. The balanced and nuanced tone allows the guitar to sit nicely in an ensemble mix or complement a vocalist. It's a tonally versatile instrument suitable for home recording and live performance.

Playability

The Fender CC-60S concert acoustic has excellent playability right out of the box. The action on this guitar is set very well from the factory, with comfortable string heights that make chords and single notes easy to fret without buzzing.

The mahogany neck has a smooth satin finish that allows for fast, fluid playing. The neck shape is Fender's "Easy-to-Play" slim C profile, ideal for players with smaller hands who want comfortable fretting hand movement up and down the neck.

The 20-fret rosewood fingerboard has a modern 9.5" radius which adds to the smooth feel, allowing for easy chord changes and solos up high on the neck. The medium jumbo frets are nicely finished, providing a positive feel under your fingers without any sharp edges.

Overall, the Fender CC-60S offers outstanding playability right out of the box, with comfortable action, fast neck, and quality components that come together to make this guitar a joy to play.

Hardware

The Fender CC-60S comes equipped with quality hardware that enhances its playability and functionality. It has die-cast tuning machines with pearl buttons, providing precise and smooth tuning stability. The tuners keep the guitar in tune well and make it easy to tune up quickly.

The bridge is a synthetic bone saddle with a compensated design that improves intonation across the fretboard. It has a modern and sleek look that matches the aesthetic of the guitar body and headstock. The bridge transfers string vibrations efficiently for optimal resonance and sustain.

Overall, the hardware components on the CC-60S are thoughtfully designed and well-made. The tuners and bridge offer reliable performance for a lifetime of playing.

Electronics

The Fender CC-60S comes equipped with a Fishman Sonitone preamp system, which helps provide rich, full-sounding amplified tone. This preamp system utilizes an undersaddle pickup that captures the guitar's natural acoustic sound.

The Fishman preamp has simple, intuitive controls with volume, tone, and phase switches, allowing you to easily shape your amplified tone. The volume control lets you adjust the output level, while the tone control provides some basic EQ shaping to add more bass or treble response. The phase switch helps eliminate feedback when using the guitar live or with amplification.

Overall, the Fishman preamp gives the Fender CC-60S very natural amplified tone and makes it stage-ready for live performances. The undersaddle pickup doesn't interfere with the guitar's inherent acoustic resonance either. It's a simple but very effective preamp system that enhances this guitar's versatility.

Comfort & Feel

The Fender CC-60S Concert acoustic guitar has a very comfortable and playable feel thanks to its well-balanced body and sleek neck design.

At just over 18 lbs, it has a nice lightweight feel that makes it easy to play for extended periods without fatiguing the player's shoulders or back. The body shape is well-balanced and contours nicely against the player's body.

The neck has a slim "Modern C" profile that allows for very smooth and comfortable fretting hand movement up and down the neck. It feels fast and slick and makes complex chords and lead lines easy to play. The satin finish on the back of the neck enhances the slick, speedy feel.

The fingerboard radius is a tight 9.5", which allows for low, fast action and easy bending without fretting out. This further enhances the overall comfort and playability.

While not the absolute lightest acoustic guitar, the CC-60S strikes a great balance of being lightweight enough for stage and studio use, while still having enough body mass for volume and sustain. The comfort-focused design makes this a great choice for players looking for an affordable, gig-ready acoustic.

Pros

The Fender CC-60S concert acoustic guitar has several notable advantages that make it a great option for players looking for an affordable, high-quality instrument.

• Quality Materials: The CC-60S features a solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a mahogany neck. These tonewoods are known for their balanced sound, good projection, and articulation. The materials seem durable and can withstand the rigors of frequent playing.

• Balanced Tone: This Fender produces a warm, balanced tone that works well for various styles, from strumming chords to fingerpicking melodies. The mahogany body provides some midrange punch while the solid spruce top offers brightness and volume. There's good tonal balance across the lows, mids, and highs.

Cons

• Electronics could be better. The Fender CC-60S comes equipped with a Fishman Presys preamp system with a built-in tuner, which provides decent enough plugged-in sound and makes for easy amplification. However, the electronics and preamp are fairly basic and may leave more advanced players wanting more control and tonal shaping options. The preamp doesn't offer any EQ or tone adjustment.

• High action. Out of the box, the action on the CC-60S is set quite high. This can make playing difficult for beginners or those with smaller hands. Lowering the action via a professional setup helps improve playability, but adds to the cost. The guitar's bracing and construction don't allow for extremely low action either.

Conclusion

The Fender CC-60S Concert is an excellent entry-level acoustic guitar that punches above its weight. It features a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides that produce a balanced, rich tone. The slim neck and low action make it very playable and comfortable for beginners.

Overall, the CC-60S provides great value for money. While it doesn't have the projection or finesse of more expensive models, it holds its own for a sub-$300 acoustic. It's a versatile, reliable choice for everything from practice to performing.

The CC-60S compares well to similarly priced acoustics like the Yamaha FG800 and Epiphone DR-100. It has better electronics and hardware than the Yamaha, and a more balanced tone than the bass-heavy Epiphone. The Fender name also carries more prestige and resale value.

In summary, the CC-60S is an excellent choice for aspiring guitarists who want a quality acoustic without breaking the bank. Its impressive specs and tone rival more expensive models, cementing its reputation as one of the best beginner acoustics available today.