Introduction
Fender has a long history of crafting classic electric guitars, but the brand has also made its mark in the acoustic world. The California Series, launched in the early 2000s, aimed to blend traditional acoustic craftsmanship with Fender’s signature style and spirit of innovation. This forward-thinking approach resulted in fresh, contemporary body shapes while maintaining that unmistakable Fender tone and playability.
The Newporter Player is one of the latest additions to the California Series. It features an exclusive, eye-catching shape with soft cutaways and a slim vintage-style headstock. This modern take on a classic dreadnought is still identifiably Fender but delivers an updated aesthetic.
As part of Fender’s Player Series, the Newporter Player offers great value by including high-quality appointments like solid wood tops, upgraded electronics, and premium hardware. All this provides an accessible way for players to enjoy the California style and sound, without breaking the bank. The Newporter Player aims to embody Fender’s spirit of creativity and innovation in an acoustic package that looks to the future while respecting the past.
Construction and Hardware
The Fender Newporter Player features a solid Engelmann spruce top paired with laminated mahogany back and sides. This combination produces a balanced and articulate tone, with the spruce providing brightness and projection while the mahogany adds warmth and depth.
The guitar has a slim C-shaped mahogany neck with a satin finish for smooth playability. The fingerboard is made from walnut, which complements the warm, earthy tone of the mahogany neck. The 25.3" scale length and 20 fret fingerboard make the Newporter Player comfortable for both rhythm and lead playing.
One of the key features of the Newporter Player is the built-in Fishman Presys Blend pickup system. This combines an undersaddle piezo pickup with a built-in preamp, giving you natural amplified tone and easy plug-and-play functionality. The volume knob, 3-band EQ, and tuner allow you to shape your amplified tone with ease.
Overall, the Newporter Player is constructed using quality tonewoods and hardware that produce great acoustic resonance while also giving stage-ready amplified performance right out of the box. The spruce and mahogany body paired with the Fishman electronics make this a versatile and gig-ready acoustic-electric.
Sound Quality
The Fender Newporter Player delivers a balanced, full-bodied tone when played unplugged. The solid spruce top enhances the guitar’s natural projection and clarity, allowing the crisp highs and rich lows to shine through. The spruce provides a nice acoustic resonance while still keeping the Newporter’s tone focused and defined.
When plugging in, the built-in Fishman electronics do an excellent job of accurately capturing the Newporter Player’s organic acoustic sound. The undersaddle pickup combined with Fishman’s preamp technology reproduces the guitar’s warm low-end, sparkling highs, and balanced midrange. The Newporter retains its clear, balanced tone whether amplified on stage or playing an unmic’d coffee shop gig.
The Fishman preamp also gives you some nice tone shaping abilities. The onboard EQ lets you dial in more brilliance, add low-end punch, or find that sweet spot right in the mids. There’s also chorus and reverb effects to thicken up your amplified tone. The preamp’s tuner is handy as well for quick on-the-fly tuning. Overall the Newporter Player gives acoustic players a versatile tonal palette when plugging in while still retaining the guitar’s natural acoustic essence.
Playability and Feel
The Fender Newporter Player features a slim-taper C-shaped mahogany neck profile with a smooth satin finish that allows for easy and comfortable fretting across the fingerboard. Despite its full-size dreadnought body shape, the guitar itself is relatively lightweight at around 4 lbs, making it easy to play for extended periods without fatigue.
The slim neck profile and narrow 1-11/16" nut width provide a nice balance of comfortable fretting while still providing room for intricate fingerstyle playing. The smooth satin finish on the back of the mahogany neck allows for fast up and down movements when soloing or quickly changing chords. The Newporter Player’s cutaway body style also provides excellent access to the upper frets, allowing players to easily reach notes in the higher register.
Overall, the Fender Newporter Player offers great playability and feel for a wide range of playing styles thanks to its comfortable neck shape, lightweight construction, and cutaway body design. The smooth satin neck in particular makes it easy to play for long practice or gigging sessions without hand fatigue. While not as fast as a shredder-style electric guitar neck, the Newporter provides a great middle ground for acoustic playing styles.
Aesthetic Appeal
The Fender Newporter Player comes in several attractive color options that allow you to express your personal style. Some of the most popular finishes include:
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Champagne – A light cream finish with a vintage vibe. Pairs nicely with the mahogany and spruce tones.
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Ice Blue Satin – A cool, calming blue with a smooth satin feel. Really makes the spruce and binding pop.
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Candy Apple Red – A vibrant crimson red in glossy finish. As bold as a classic muscle car.
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Olive Satin – An earthy green with an understated satin look. Complements the natural wood hues.
No matter which color you choose, the iconic Fender headstock is sure to grab attention. The vintage-inspired Fender logo calls back to the brand’s roots in a classy way.
The Newporter Player’s body binding and rosette add an extra touch of elegance. The crisp white binding provides separation from the top and back colors. The concentric rings of the rosette ornament the soundhole with style.
The Newporter and Fender fretboard inlays also enhance the visual flair. The unique shapes catch the light and showcase master craftsmanship. Altogether, the Newporter Player achieves a perfect blend of modern and vintage aesthetic.
Fender Newporter Player vs Other Models
The Fender Newporter Player stands apart from other acoustic guitars in Fender’s lineup thanks to its distinct body shape, tone, and features.
Compared to a similar model like the Fender Redondo Player, the Newporter has a more rounded, offset body shape. It also utilizes a solid spruce top rather than laminate, which helps provide better resonance and projection. The Newporter produces a balanced, warm tone perfect for fingerstyle playing.
The Redondo Player and other Fender acoustics like the Malibu or CD-60S have traditional dreadnought or concert body styles. They offer a brighter, punchier tone suited for strumming chords. The Newporter’s smooth midrange and articulate bass make it more ideal for intricate playing.
Some unique appointments set the Newporter Player apart as well. It has an elegant walnut fingerboard and slim C-shaped neck for comfort. Visually, the Newporter stands out with its offset f-hole and body binding.
Overall, the Newporter Player is best matched for fingerpickers and solo artists who want an inspiring instrument. The Redondo or Malibu may be better options for vocalists or rhythm players who need to cut through a mix. With its distinctive look and voice, the Newporter fills its own niche in Fender’s acoustic catalog.
Value
The Fender Newporter Player offers excellent value for the price. This acoustic-electric currently retails for around $399 USD brand new. For an all-solid wood guitar with built-in electronics from a respected brand like Fender, this is a very fair asking price.
The Newporter Player is priced similarly to other entry-level acoustic-electrics like the Yamaha FGX800C and Epiphone AJ-220SCE, which both have laminate back and sides. The solid spruce top on the Newporter gives it better resonance and volume potential than these models. The Fishman electronics are also higher quality than the simpler systems on the Yamaha and Epiphone.
Considering the Newporter’s comfortable playability from the slim C-shaped neck, great acoustic tone from the solid spruce top, and quality electronics, it provides fantastic value at this price point. The satin finish, unique body shape, and elegant appointments like the inlays and binding give it a more premium look and feel as well.
Overall, the Fender Newporter Player punches well above its weight class. For under $400, it’s hard to find another acoustic-electric that matches its quality and features. This makes the Newporter an excellent choice for gigging musicians on a budget or intermediate players looking to upgrade without breaking the bank.
Ideal Player Profile
The Fender Newporter Player acoustic-electric guitar is well-suited for certain types of players and musical styles. With its balanced tone and smooth playability, this guitar works best for intermediate players who have developed some skill but still consider themselves advancing guitarists.
While beginners may find the Newporter Player playable, the slim neck profile and lack of high-end appointments like solid wood construction make it better matched for a guitarist with a bit more experience. The cutaway body shape provides nice access to upper frets, ideal for intermediate players ready to expand their fretting range.
For music genres, the Newporter Player’s versatile sound makes it a great fit for pop, rock, country, folk, and blues. The guitar projects well when strummed, which suits rhythm playing in a band mix or solo singer-songwriter needs. The spruce and mahogany body produce a balanced tone across the frequency range, allowing you to craft melodies with definition.
The Newporter Player likely won’t have the refined tone sought by advanced bluegrass flatpickers or fingerstyle players. The lack of all-solid wood construction holds it back for certain traditional styles. However, the Fishman pickup system allows amplification for small to mid-sized gigs if needed.
Overall, intermediate guitarists who play popular music styles and want a stage-ready workhorse acoustic-electric will find the Newporter Player hits the sweet spot. It provides upgrades over a beginner guitar without the expense of premium all-solid wood models aimed at experts. This makes it a practical choice for advancing players who need amplified sound.
Pros and Cons
Pros
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Provides great value for the price – high quality solid spruce top and mahogany back/sides at an affordable cost
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Versatile, balanced tone that works well for various playing styles – full-bodied when unplugged and clear when plugged in
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Easy playability with comfortable neck profile and low action
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Attractive modern body shape available in several appealing finish options
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Quality electronics that accurately capture the guitar’s natural acoustic sound
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Lightweight and comfortable for extended playing sessions
Cons
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Laminated back and sides, not solid wood like more expensive models
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Only one pickup option, limited tone-shaping controls
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May not have as complex tones as a high-end acoustic guitar
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No option for left-handed models currently
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No hard case included
Let me know if you would like me to expand on any of the pros/cons or modify the formatting.
Conclusion
The Fender Newporter Player acoustic-electric guitar provides exceptional value in its price range, offering solid build quality, great playability, and versatile plugged-in and unplugged tones. Its unique modern Fender body shape gives it aesthetic appeal, while the slim neck profile and cutaway design make it comfortable and easy to play.
Overall, the Newporter Player is an excellent choice for gigging musicians who want the iconic Fender look and reliability for under $500. It’s also a very playable and tonally versatile option for beginner and intermediate players. The Newporter is best suited for pop, rock, country, folk, worship, and other styles that benefit from its balanced tone and smooth playability.
For those interested in the Newporter Player, I recommend checking out reviews from The Acoustic Letter and Acoustic Guitar Magazine on YouTube. They provide detailed demonstrations that reveal even more about this impressive acoustic-electric guitar from Fender. Let me know if you have any other questions!