I started playing guitar when I was in 7th grade. I started on a small, $30 guitar from Walmart, and little did know where that decision would take me. Now I have been playing guitar on stages for 7+ years, with some crowds being the thousands. I have played many different types of guitars. In my experience, however, I have never played a guitar like Fender’s new American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster. If you’re looking for a versatile, cutting-edge guitar that is unlike most others, look no further than this Jazzmaster.
Fender released its original Jazzmaster back in the 1950’s, and since then it has become a staple in the guitar industry. Now, Fender is looking to spice things up by releasing this extremely unique guitar in order to test the limits of a guitar’s sonic capabilities. One of the craziest things about Fender’s newest Acoustasonic Jazzmaster is that it has the characteristics of both an acoustic and an electric guitar. This makes for an extremely unique and versatile guitar. For starters, it has the neck, strings, mini soundhole, and body feel of a wooden acoustic guitar. But, it has the smooth playability of an electric guitar, as well as the body shape of a Jazzmaster.
The guitar comes with three pickups and a 5-way switch, like a Jazzmaster. It also comes with two knobs: a volume and modulation knob. The modulation knob and the 5-way switch are the keys to the magic behind this guitar. The different combinations of these two features allow the guitar to sound like an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar, even when plugged straight into a direct box without any effects.
I was blown away by the different sounds this guitar was able to make. There are several different tonal combinations you can create from within the guitar itself. Looking for an acoustic sound? This guitar can provide. Looking for a cleaner electric sound? This guitar has that too. Are you looking for an electric sound with more distortion? Yes, this unique guitar can do that, too, without any pedals or even an amp! However, this guitar also sounds great when using an amp. As I mentioned, I am not a gearhead, but I hooked this guitar up with the Fender Blues Junior amp and was blown away by how good it sounded without any pedals! The different tonal capabilities were on full display, and they sounded great! I was itching to try it out on stage and see how it sounded with a full band.
Because of the guitar’s vast tonal capabilities, versatility, and overall quality, this guitar is an expensive investment for the average guitar player. In addition, since it’s not a traditional guitar, there would be a learning curve for more experienced guitarists to learn how to best use the guitar. It’s not a traditional electric, and while its acoustic sound is somewhat accurate, it still might take some experimenting with amps and pedals to get the sound you’d be used to. However, for someone looking for a cutting-edge guitar, this is a great option. In addition, purchasing this guitar could also potentially save the money of buying two guitars due to its dual capabilities.
Overall, this impressive guitar is unique and extremely versatile, and my understanding of guitars has been forever changed. Sharing stage time with this guitar is nothing short of an awesome experience, and I can’t wait for the next chance I get to use it for a gig.
