The Fender FA-15 is an affordable, entry-level acoustic guitar designed for beginner players. Part of Fender's iconic brand, the FA-15 offers new guitarists a chance to start their musical journey with a trusted instrument.

This dreadnought guitar features a laminated spruce top with scalloped X bracing for projection and sustain. The back and sides are made of laminated mahogany, a warm sounding tonewood. The neck is also mahogany with a 20-fret rosewood fretboard and a dual-action truss rod for adjustability.

With its comfortable body shape, low action and narrow neck, the FA-15 is designed for easy playability. While not the most finely crafted instrument, it provides decent tone and playability at a very accessible price point. The FA-15 is a great choice for new players looking for their first real acoustic guitar without breaking the bank.

Construction and Hardware

The Fender FA-15 dreadnought acoustic guitar features a laminated spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, and a mahogany neck.

The spruce top is known for providing brightness, clarity, and responsiveness. Although this is a laminated spruce rather than solid spruce, it still offers enhanced high-end tones and articulation. The lamination provides stability and durability while retaining spruce's characteristic lively sound.

The mahogany back and sides offer a balanced tonal character, emphasizing warm, round lows and smooth mids. Mahogany pairs nicely with the spruce top to create a versatile and full-bodied tone.

The mahogany neck provides stability, sustain and a smooth feel. Its C-shaped profile is comfortable for most playing styles. The satin finish allows smooth playability up and down the neck.

Overall, the combination of spruce, mahogany, and mahogany delivers an acoustic guitar well-suited for playing diverse musical genres and techniques. The laminated woods make this an affordable option for beginners seeking classic acoustic guitar tones. Another quality entry-level acoustic guitar to consider is the Monoprice 610370. It features a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides, providing balanced and articulate tones. The slim neck with adjustable truss rod makes it comfortable to play. It comes with a gig bag for protection. At around $100, it's an excellent value for a beginner's first acoustic. While the Fender offers recognizable branding, the Monoprice competes well on construction, sound quality, and playability at a budget price point. Both are great options for an aspiring guitarist ready to buy their first acoustic.

Sound and Tone

The FA-15 produces a balanced, warm tone that works well for many different playing styles and genres. The mahogany top contributes to a mellow bass and rich mids, while the spruce X-bracing helps generate a clear, balanced treble.

This is an excellent all-purpose acoustic guitar for playing chords, fingerpicking, and strumming. The warmth is especially nice for blues, classic rock, folk and country styles. It handles light to medium strumming without distorting or muddying up.

However, the FA-15 does lack some projection and volume. It's suitable for practice and jamming with friends, but may not be loud enough to cut through a mix at louder gigs. The tone is more focused on the player than projecting outwards. Those needing more volume for live performances may want to consider a guitar with a larger body or different bracing pattern.

If you're looking for an acoustic guitar with more volume and projection for live playing, check out the Ibanez GRG7221WH. This guitar features a grand concert body shape made from solid mahogany, resulting in a robust, full-bodied tone. The scalloped X-bracing contributes to its volume and sustain. It has a bright, articulate tone that can cut through a mix when playing live. The mahogany body also adds some warmth and bass response. Overall, the Ibanez GRG7221WH offers the projection, clarity and balanced tone needed for live gigs.

The FA-15 and Ibanez GRG7221WH cater to different needs. The FA-15 has a focused, nuanced tone perfect for practice and recording. Its smooth warmth works well for mellow styles. The Ibanez has more power and bite to compete with drums and amps in a live setting. Consider your own playing style and needs when choosing between these quality, yet distinct sounding acoustics.

When shopping for an acoustic guitar, identifying your needs is crucial. Those wanting a guitar primarily for practice and home recording may favor a more balanced, mid-range focused tone like the FA-15. The warmth and articulation suit mellower styles. But guitarists who play live regularly should consider options with more projection and punch like the Ibanez GRG7221WH. Its robust construction and bright response allow it to be heard alongside amplified instruments.

The materials used in an acoustic guitar's construction greatly impact its sound. Solid wood tops like mahogany or spruce contribute to volume and sustain. While laminate tops can sound great, solid wood projects better acoustically. The bracing pattern underneath also affects projection and tone. Scalloped or forward shifted bracing can boost volume for live playing. Neck and fretboard wood choices influence an acoustic's response as well.

When evaluating acoustic guitars, pay attention to body shapes and sizes too. In general, larger bodies equate to louder volumes. Auditorium and dreadnought sizes project well live, while concert and parlor shapes offer more balanced, focused tones. Your playing style preferences should inform your ideal body shape. Jumbo acoustics excel for aggressive strumming, while smaller guitars accommodate fingerpicking.

An acoustic's construction informs its sound and volume. While no guitar perfectly suits all scenarios, identifying your needs helps narrow the options. Solid wood choices like mahogany or spruce, scalloped bracing, and larger body sizes all contribute to projection for live playing. But laminate tops and smaller shapes provide balanced tone for practice or mellower styles. Consider your priorities and playing approach when choosing an acoustic. Let your needs guide you toward clear, robust tone for gigs or nuanced warmth for home playing.

Playability

The Fender FA-15 acoustic guitar features a low action and comfortable neck that makes it an ideal choice for beginners. The action refers to the height of the strings off the fretboard, and a low action enables easier fretting and chord formation. Many budget acoustics have uncomfortably high action that causes fatigue, but the FA-15's low action reduces hand strain.

The FA-15's neck is crafted from nato wood. It has a "C"-shaped profile that fits nicely in the hand. The neck isn't too thick or too thin, hitting a sweet spot that most players will find comfortable. The smooth satin neck finish also allows for speedy fingering up and down the neck. Overall, the beginner-friendly neck design will help newer players build skills without fighting the instrument.

Between the low action and comfortable neck, the Fender FA-15 rates highly on playability. The easy fretting reduces unwanted buzzing notes, enabling beginners to sound musical right away. While more advanced players may find the action too low, it's ideal for helping beginners learn and stay motivated.

Electronics

The Fender FA-15 features a simple onboard preamp and tuner to help amplify and shape your sound. The preamp uses a basic single-band EQ and volume dial to boost the guitar's output and allow for additional tonal shaping. While fairly rudimentary, the preamp gives you some additional control over your acoustic tone when plugging into an external amp or PA system.

The onboard tuner on the FA-15 is a handy inclusion, making it easy to tune up the guitar before playing. It utilizes a simple LED display that lets you quickly check if each string is in tune. Many beginner players find the tuner helpful for developing fundamental guitar skills. While the electronics are pretty barebones, the preamp and tuner offer useful functionality for a starter acoustic-electric guitar.

Pros

The Fender FA-15 acoustic guitar has several excellent features that make it a great choice for beginner and intermediate players.

Warm, Balanced Tone

The FA-15 produces a warm, balanced tone that works well for a variety of musical styles. The laminated spruce top and laminated mahogany back and sides provide a balanced sound across the tonal spectrum - neither too bright or too bassy. The tone is clear and resonant, with enough projection for practice and jam sessions.

Comfortable Neck

The nato neck has a comfortable "C"-shaped profile that fits nicely in the hand. The 25.3" scale length is ideal for beginners learning chords and scales. The fingerboard edges are smoothly rolled for comfort. Overall, the neck feels great and allows for easy, low-fatigue practice sessions.

Onboard Electronics

The FA-15 comes equipped with a Fishman Sonitone preamp system. It features a built-in tuner, volume control, tone control, and phase switch. This allows you to plug into an amplifier or PA system for amplified performances. The electronics reproduce the guitar's natural tone nicely. The preamp is easy to use and reliable.

Cons

The Fender FA-15 has a few drawbacks that are worth considering before purchasing.

• The smaller body size and laminated wood construction mean it lacks projection. It doesn't have the same full, booming sound you'd expect from a dreadnought or jumbo acoustic. The volume and resonance are decent for personal practice or playing for a small crowd, but it won't hold up as well for busking or live performance.

• Related to the laminated woods, the tone isn't as rich, warm, and nuanced compared to all-solid wood guitars. The bass notes in particular won't have as much depth or character. This may disappoint more seasoned players looking for complex harmonics and responsive strings.

• While the neck is comfortable and playable, it's also wider than some acoustic-electric guitars, which may take some getting used to for players with smaller hands. Those with larger hands likely won't have an issue.

Who is it for?

The Fender FA-15 acoustic guitar is an excellent choice for beginner guitarists or intermediate players looking for an affordable, quality practice instrument. With its comfortable neck, slim fretboard, and reduced body size, the FA-15 is designed to be playable and enjoyable for new guitarists getting started on acoustic.

The smaller concert-style body produces a focused, balanced tone that still has enough projection for practice and jam sessions, without being overpowering. This makes it a great fit for younger students or smaller-framed players who find a dreadnought or jumbo acoustic too large and boomy. The smooth neck and low action facilitate easy fretting and barre chords.

More advanced guitarists can appreciate the FA-15 as an inexpensive guitar for practice, travel or as a backup. While not as rich sounding as more expensive models, the FA-15 provides good Fender tone and playability that makes daily practice enjoyable. The compact size is perfect for tossing in the car for lessons or gigs. Overall, the FA-15 hits a sweet spot of quality and affordability for new and intermediate level players.

Alternatives

The Fender FA-15 is a great beginner acoustic guitar, but there are a few other models that are also excellent options for new players. Two popular alternatives worth considering are the Yamaha FG800 and the Epiphone DR-100.

Yamaha FG800

The Yamaha FG800 is one of the best-selling acoustic guitars and a long time favorite for beginners. It has a solid Sitka spruce top with laminate mahogany back and sides. The matte finish and wood construction produce a balanced, mellow tone that's perfect for all styles of playing. The FG800 plays smoothly up and down the neck and has wider string spacing, making it comfortable for beginners' hands. An affordable price point around $200 makes this a great first guitar.

Epiphone DR-100

Epiphone's DR-100 has an all-laminate body construction that creates bright, projecting tone. The slim neck profile and shorter 24.75" scale length reduce tension, making the DR-100 very playable for new guitarists. It comes equipped with premium components like a Select spruce top, mahogany body, and rosewood fingerboard. The DR-100 delivers classic dreadnought sound in an easy playing package. It costs around $120, providing even more value for beginners.

Conclusion

The Fender FA-15 is a well-rounded entry-level acoustic guitar that is best suited for practice and beginning players. While it may not have the tone and projection of a more expensive instrument, it delivers solid playability and sound quality considering its affordable price point.

The smaller concert-style body provides a comfortable playing feel that lends itself well to prolonged practice sessions. The laminated spruce top and mahogany back and sides produce a balanced, if unspectacular, acoustic tone. While not incredibly rich or complex, the sound is more than adequate for informal jam sessions or home use.

The hardware and electronics are basic but functional. The sealed chrome tuners hold tune reliably, and the Fishman preamp gives you some useful tone shaping control. Intonation and playability are quite good right out of the box, especially for a budget model.

Overall, the Fender FA-15 is an excellent choice as a first guitar or backup instrument. The quality and performance make it a great value in its price range. While more advanced players would likely want to upgrade before too long, this guitar has everything a beginning student needs to start learning on an acoustic.