Fender FA-125 Acoustic Guitar: Full Review

The Fender FA-125 acoustic guitar is an affordable, entry-level instrument aimed at beginner players or those looking for a solid second guitar option. Part of Fender's FA series of acoustics, the FA-125 features a dreadnought body shape made from laminated spruce and mahogany. This combination produces a balanced and articulate tone, while the small body depth provides comfort and playability for smaller players. The FA-125 comes strung with Fender Duratec 80/20 bronze strings for brightness and clarity. With its classic styling and Fender name, the FA-125 offers an appealing first acoustic for new musicians. Its combination of quality construction, comfortable feel, and resonant sound make it a reliable choice. While not a high-end instrument, the FA-125 provides beginners with a well-crafted acoustic for learning on.

Body Style and Design

The Fender FA-125 acoustic guitar features the classic dreadnought body shape that provides full and vibrant tone. This is one of the most popular and versatile body styles for acoustic guitars. The larger body produces greater volume and bass response.

The top is made of laminated spruce which is a common and affordable tonewood choice. Laminated woods consist of multiple thin layers glued together. While laminate doesn't sound as rich as solid wood, it makes the instrument more durable and resistant to cracks and warping. The spruce top provides brightness and articulation.

Overall the FA-125 has a traditional and familiar body style with laminated woods that keep costs down while still delivering Fender's signature tone. The large dreadnought body projects loud and clear with balanced warmth and brightness.

Another popular acoustic guitar with a dreadnought body is the D'Angelico DAPLSOMAGDCP. This guitar features a solid Sitka spruce top paired with mahogany back and sides. The combination produces a balanced and nuanced tone. The solid woods allow for more resonance and sustain compared to laminates. The dreadnought body provides volume and projection to let the warm mahogany tones shine through. An elegant mother of pearl rosette and chrome die-cast tuners add premium details.

While the Fender FA-125 uses laminated woods to meet a lower price point, the D'Angelico DAPLSOMAGDCP shows off the rich potential of all-solid woods in a dreadnought design. The larger body style paired with solid Sitka and mahogany creates full lows, sparkling highs, and excellent projection. This makes the DAPLSOMAGDCP an ideal guitar for vocal accompaniment, ensemble playing, and solo performers who need their acoustic guitar to fill a room with balanced and nuanced tone.

The dreadnought continues to be a popular acoustic guitar body style for good reason. Models like the Fender FA-125 and D'Angelico DAPLSOMAGDCP demonstrate the versatility of the larger dreadnought body. While the Fender uses laminated woods to meet a lower price point, the D'Angelico shows off premium all-solid wood construction for discerning players. Either way, the dreadnought body's wide waist and shoulders produce booming bass, shimmering trebles, and excellent projection perfect for both band performances and solo gigs.

Neck and Fretboard

The FA-125 features a Nato neck which provides stability and rigidity while remaining lightweight. Nato is known for its clear, balanced tone which allows the solid spruce top to really sing.

The fretboard is made of rosewood which adds warmth and resonance to the overall tone. Rosewood is a popular fretboard material on acoustic guitars for its smooth feel and ability to balance out the bright tones of the spruce top.

This guitar has a standard 20 fret neck which gives players flexibility for solos and higher note runs. The wider nut width of 1.69 inches provides comfortable room for fingerpicking and complex chords. Overall the neck has a modern C-shaped profile that fits nicely in the player's hand.

The neck is attached to the body with a dovetail joint which provides excellent stability and allows the neck to resonate with the top wood. This type of joint has been used for centuries on violins and other acoustic instruments because of its strength.

The fretwork on the FA-125 is very good for an entry-level model. The medium jumbo frets are smoothly finished with no sharp edges. They provide a comfortable playing feel across the rosewood fingerboard. The nut and saddle are both made from synthetic bone which transfers vibrations efficiently.

Overall the neck design allows comfortable access to the full 20 frets while providing a solid platform for the player's left hand. It has a modern feel that most guitarists will find familiar and easy to adapt to. The smooth finish makes it easy to move up and down the neck quickly during faster solos and riffs.

The C-shaped neck profile is a good compromise between the slim fast-play necks and the thicker old-school necks. It provides a substantial feel in the hand while still allowing easy access to the higher frets. This guitar strikes a very good balance of vintage and contemporary design elements.

For more information on other entry-level Fender acoustic guitars, check out the Fender 0972213260. This is another great option in Fender's beginner acoustic series with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides.

Hardware

The Fender FA-125 features quality hardware that enhances its playability and tuning stability. It has chrome die-cast tuning machines, which provide smooth and accurate tuning. Many beginner acoustics will have cheaper plastic tuning pegs, but the chrome machines on the FA-125 work much better and feel more solid when turning.

Another key piece of hardware is the compensated saddle. This is a specialized saddle that improves the guitar's intonation across the fretboard. With a non-compensated saddle, the guitar may go out of tune further up the neck. But the compensated saddle on the FA-125 helps maintain proper intonation and tuning stability. This allows more accurate tuning and improves the overall musicality of the instrument. The compensated saddle is a nice feature not always found on entry-level acoustics.

Overall, the hardware upgrades on the FA-125 like the quality chrome tuning machines and compensated saddle enhance the playability and keep this guitar in tune. These details help the FA-125 perform beyond its price point.

Pickups and Electronics

The Fender FA-125 does not have any pickups since it is an acoustic guitar. It features passive electronics with an under-saddle piezo pickup, which allows you to plug the guitar into an amplifier or PA system. The piezo pickup captures the guitar's natural acoustic sound.

The passive electronics are simple but get the job done. There is a single volume knob to control the output level. While you don't get the more advanced features of higher-end acoustic-electric guitars, the electronics provide the ability to amplify the FA-125 for live performances or recording while retaining its inherent acoustic tone and resonance. This makes the FA-125 a good option if you want to occasionally amplify your acoustic guitar sound on a budget.

Sound and Tone

The FA-125 produces a balanced, warm tone that works well for a variety of musical styles. The spruce top provides good clarity and articulation in the highs and mids, while the mahogany back and sides add some richness and depth to the low end. This guitar is very responsive and resonant, resulting in excellent sustain and projection.

The sound is well-balanced across the tonal spectrum, with clear but not overly bright treble, strong mids, and full lows. It's a very versatile acoustic tone that can handle strumming chords or flatpicking melodies equally well. Fingerstyle players will appreciate the dynamic range and harmonic complexity.

Overall, the warm yet clear and balanced tone of the FA-125 makes it a great choice for anything from folk and country to indie rock or pop. It has enough crisp highs to cut through a mix, but still maintains a pleasing roundedness and warmth. The guitar is voiced to be an ideal accompaniment tool for vocals and other instruments.

Playability

The Fender FA-125 acoustic guitar is designed with playability in mind, making it a great choice for beginner and intermediate players. The action on this guitar is set quite low, which reduces tension on the strings and makes pressing down the strings easier on your fingers. Many budget acoustics have very high action that can make them difficult and uncomfortable to play, but that's not an issue with the FA-125.

The neck has a comfortable "C"-shaped profile that fits nicely in your hand. It's not overly thick or chunky. The width of the nut is 1.6875 inches, which is a common width on many acoustic guitars. This allows room for your fingers but isn't too wide for players with smaller hands. The smooth satin finish on the back of the neck also increases playing comfort.

Overall, the FA-125 is one of the most beginner friendly and playable acoustic guitars in its price range. The low action and comfortable neck make it easy to press down chords and notes without excessive finger soreness. Many inexpensive acoustic guitars have playability issues, but Fender got most things right with the FA-125. It's an excellent choice for new players looking for an acoustic guitar that's enjoyable to play right out of the box.

Pros

The Fender FA-125 acoustic guitar has several pros that make it an appealing choice for beginner and intermediate players.

• Quality Materials: The FA-125 features a laminated spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, and a mahogany neck. While not solid wood, these materials are durable and provide good sound at this price point. The guitar feels solidly constructed overall.

• Good Sound: Despite the laminate woods, the FA-125 produces pleasant bright tones with good bass response thanks to its spruce top. It offers balanced sound across the tonal spectrum. The guitar projects well without feedback.

• Easy Playability: The FA-125's slim neck with smooth satin finish allows for comfortable playing. The action is set low and adjustable. The wider nut width provides roomy fingering for beginners. Overall, the guitar plays easily right out of the box.

Cons

The Fender FA-125 is certainly not lacking in providing a great playing and sounding acoustic guitar, especially at its accessible price point. However, there are some cons to be aware of for more advanced players:

• Lacks advanced features - As an entry-level model, the FA-125 does not come equipped with more high-end features like advanced electronics, cutaway body designs, or premium tonewoods. It's a no-frills, straightforward acoustic.

• Minimal ornamentation - The FA-125 has a very simple and unembellished aesthetic. Those wanting a more ornate acoustic with fancy inlays, binding, or gloss finishes should look elsewhere in Fender's product lineup.

• Basic hardware - The hardware, tuners, nut, and saddle are decent but basic. Serious players may want to upgrade these components down the road.

• Limited tone shaping - You're getting that signature bright, crisp Fender tone, but there's not much room for tweaking the EQ or tones beyond basic control knobs.

• May lack projection - Some choose acoustic-electrics for their enhanced projection and volume when amplified. The FA-125's smaller dreadnought body produces nice volume acoustically, but it's not as booming when plugged in.

So while the FA-125 nails the core fundamentals well, it does lack some of the more advanced appointments and versatility you'd find in higher-end acoustics. For an affordable, well-playing instrument for beginners though, it's tough to beat.

Conclusion

The Fender FA-125 acoustic guitar represents a great beginner model with high value for the price. This is an ideal first guitar for new players, with its comfortable design and approachable price. While it may lack some bells and whistles found on more expensive models, the FA-125 delivers on the fundamentals.

Its classic dreadnought body provides a balanced and full-bodied tone. The laminated spruce top and basswood back and sides make for a lightweight and resonant instrument. The C-shaped neck and rosewood fretboard create smooth playability even for novice players.

Considering its budget-friendly cost, the hardware and electronics hold up well. The chrome tuners keep the guitar in tune, while the Fishman preamp gives you the option to plug in. You can expect warm and mellow acoustic tones from this Fender.

The FA-125 punches above its weight class, giving beginners a high-quality instrument to learn on. While it may eventually be outgrown by advancing guitarists, it's tough to find an acoustic with better value for the money. For newbies looking to buy their first guitar, the Fender FA-125 is easy to recommend.