Fender Acoustasonic

[c7spheres]

Was checking these out on Youtube and the World Wide Web : )

- They seem pretty useful to me and was thinking of getting one, but the more I looked into them the more I didn't want one. They sound pretty good though, but some of the tech inside just scares me off.

- First thing I noticed was the price. $2k. No thanks. I can think of a lot of other stuff for that.

- Second thing I noticed is Fender just giving me bad vibes again. They patented the sound hole itself, as if a rounded edge on a sound hole is a big invention. Well, apparently it is because they got a patent pending out of it. They call it a sound hole with a "waterfall" design, meaning rounded edges. It just leaves a bad vibe on me. Oh, well, my problem, not anyone else's.

- The third thing that was the deal breaker for me was when I saw the PCB inside the cavity. That's a deal breaker. No thanks, want nothing to do with it. Not because it's a PCB, but because it's built-in obsolescence. This is a computer in the shape of a guitar, not a guitar. - That thing is scary looking and I don't want a paperweight when it breaks. Like every company, I'll bet when the PCB breaks there will be no support for it, because the parts and PCB's will no longer be available. How convenient.
- There's a 2 year warranty on it so that's pretty good, but not $2k good. It's a guitar that's meant to last 2 years. I normally don't think this way, but with computer stuff it's the way to think about it.
- Ths is the same reason I never went with a Variax.

- To bad, they seem very useful and sound pretty good. I wonder how they sound with a normal piezo and no insane PCB thing inside. Just regular replacable parts and such. Probably still pretty good I imagine, so if the price ever comes down on them I might check them out for that reason.

- This isn't a rant about Fender's Acoustasonic. I actually think it seems pretty cool and still entertain the idea of getting one someday.

Here's Trogly's video of demo of it. Seems pretty cool other than that PCB.The PCB is around 11:10 in the video.

 

[budda]

I'm sure Godin has something like this?

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

I'm sure Godin has something like this?

This. I would chose Godin every time. They make excellent guitars.

 

[Andromalia]

Although I'd like to experiment with one, I don't want to experiment with one 2K€ badly.

 

[SpaceDock]

I have been watching for a used one, I would feel good around 1200 for one of these.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

-It's Fender's take on the Taylor T5 concept.

-If for whatever reason you're hung up on Fender, try out a T5.

-They start at different ends of the spectrum (Fender being solid body based, Taylor being acoustic based), but the end result is similar.

 

[diagrammatiks]

T5. Just buy a t5

 

[xzacx]

I never wanted or even ever thought about T5s, and then one day I played one. I still didn’t want one or think about them after that, but was really impressed with how nice it was and how well it played.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I never wanted or even ever thought about T5s, and then one day I played one. I still didn’t want one or think about them after that, but was really impressed with how nice it was and how well it played.

Taylors are no joke.

 

[Hollowway]

I agree about the built in obsolescence. One of the reasons I like guitars is that they never go obsolete. The same can't be said for computers, keyboards, etc. I think this guitar would work for people that have a lot of use for it right now. I'd be down to get one if I were a touring or recording musician and would play this a lot right now. But you're right - it's risky expecting it to work the same in 10 years.

 

[spudmunkey]

Is the PCB, though, not just a piezo preamp? Couldn't you replace it with something else down the road, as long as the piezo pickups themselves still work?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

The fear of the electronics here is way overblown. This isn't some weird niche digital preamp from the 90's.

 

[diagrammatiks]

not all pcbs are bad.


then again guitarists act like a push pull coil split is a deal breaker feature on a guitar.

any significantly incomprehensible technology is indistinguishable from witchcraft.

 

[ChrispyFinch]

Local shop has one, its very nice, feels nice to play and hold. sounds good to my ears. but 2k is hilarious, definitely paying for the r&d imo.
I'd make a great bar gig guitar though.

 

[A-Branger]

Local shop has one, its very nice, feels nice to play and hold. sounds good to my ears. but 2k is hilarious, definitely paying for the r&d imo.
I'd make a great bar gig guitar though.

and every bar gig soft rock player is laughing at your 2k metal pointy 7 string

I have seen bar gig warriors playing those rock cry covers all with a 2k or more acoustic guitar. For me is ridiculous to pay that much for an acoustic, but thats becasue its not my target. And they would laugh at my multiscale X shaped guitar

This acustasonic are the perfect tool for those bar/wedding/corporate giging players.

also I dont see the problem with the electronics. Your highschool calculator is still working today, same as your 20yr old pedalboard

the price its bit excesive for waht I would use the guitar for. But I ahve played some and they feel great. Not too fond on the finishes tho. The exotic wood limited run its beautifu tho, but way too far expensive. Also this only works as tele IMO, the strat shape is a nope.

I dealy I could find a damaged/broken one, so you can rip the electronics appart and use them on a project

 

[Sean777]

For what its worth, I have had the Strat version for 4 months now... sold a Taylor and Faith acoustic a few weeks after I got it... replaces them for me.
The sound is amazing, I use it, teach with it etc and never had an issue with it. Yes its pricey, but I dont worry about the cost of my gear, if I enjoy using it, its worth it.

 

[kisielk]

I don't know why people are freaking out about PCBs. People still play and repair synthesizers manufactured in the 1960s.

 

[c7spheres]

I don't know why people are freaking out about PCBs. People still play and repair synthesizers manufactured in the 1960s.

It's because those were built better and were actually servicable. Alot of things nowadays are surface mount and most tech won't work on them and a lot of the components are hard to source as well. Getting stuff like this repaired out of warranty can be difficult or impossible sometimes. They don't make them like they use to. Back to freaking out now : )

 

[kisielk]

Lots of people are doing SMT repair, it's not that hard. Techs that won't work with it are just stuck in the past and haven't upgraded their skills. Component identification can be tricky sometimes, agreed, but it's not impossible. The DIY electronics world is huge nowadays and still rapidly growing, so personally unless the electronics are something super exotic or custom I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[c7spheres]

Lots of people are doing SMT repair, it's not that hard. Techs that won't work with it are just stuck in the past and haven't upgraded their skills. Component identification can be tricky sometimes, agreed, but it's not impossible. The DIY electronics world is huge nowadays and still rapidly growing, so personally unless the electronics are something super exotic or custom I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I doubt anyone I know would touch the board inside this guitar. I doubt Fender would touch it.