Introduction
The Fender Paramount PM-3 Deluxe Triple O acoustic-electric guitar offers a premium all-solid wood build with elegant appointments, versatile electronics, and the legendary Fender name. This mahogany beauty produces warm, balanced tones perfect for a wide range of musical styles.
The Paramount series was launched in 2015 as Fender’s flagship acoustic line, combining classic styling with modern playability. Fender drew inspiration from historic American acoustic guitars, aiming to honor that legacy while pushing their acoustic offerings into new territory. The Paramount name pays homage to the famous Paramount banjos of the 1930s.
Body & Neck Construction
The Fender Paramount PM-3 Deluxe Triple O features an all-solid mahogany construction, giving it a beautifully warm and resonant tone. Mahogany is a popular tonewood for acoustic guitars, known for its rich low end, sweet mids, and clear treble notes.
The PM-3 has a compact yet comfortable triple-O body shape, with a total body depth of 4-1/8" and a nut width of 1-3/4". This provides excellent comfort and playability for a wide range of players. The reduced body size prevents the guitar from being too bass-heavy or boomy while still offering balanced tone.
The mahogany neck has a comfortable "Modern C" profile that feels great in the hand. It’s not overly chunky but substantial enough for solid grip and stability. The neck width tapers slightly from nut to heel, increasing playability as you move up the fretboard. The ebony fingerboard is smooth and fast. Overall the neck promotes effortless chord changes and lead playing.
Sound & Tone
The Paramount PM-3 Deluxe produces a rich, warm acoustic tone thanks to its all-solid mahogany construction. Mahogany is known for its strong midrange focus and velvety smooth sound. Compared to the bright punchiness of spruce/rosewood guitars, the PM-3 has a mellower, darker voice that excels at cleaner playing.
When strummed, the mahogany top and back resonate beautifully to produce full, lush chords. Notes ring out with sustain during fingerpicking passages. There’s a pleasing natural reverb that comes through thanks to the solid wood construction. The Triple O body provides enough projection to fill a room without being too boomy.
This mahogany flavor pairs nicely with singer-songwriter styles, folk, country, blues, and jazz. The fat low end brings out the richness in vocal accompaniment. The pronounced mids cut through a mix nicely. The PM-3 isn’t as well suited to aggressive strumming but shines when played with dynamics. Overall, it’s a versatile guitar that caters to many genres.
Electronics & Features
The Paramount PM-3 Deluxe is equipped with a Fishman PM preamp system, providing excellent plugged-in tone and useful controls for shaping your amplified sound. The preamp captures the natural acoustic resonance beautifully, with controls for volume, bass, midrange, treble, and brilliance.
One particularly handy feature is the built-in tuner, which can be easily accessed with a button right on the preamp. The tuner is fast, accurate, and makes tuning on stage a breeze. No more clip-on tuners or tuning pedals needed!
Beyond the preamp, the PM-3 Deluxe has other premium appointments that contribute to its high-end look and feel. This includes a bone nut and saddle which many players feel enhances resonance and clarity. The chrome tuning machines are also solid and smooth. Overall the hardware and components on the PM-3 Deluxe are robust and built to last.
Aesthetics & Finish
The Fender Paramount PM-3 Deluxe Triple O features an elegant all-natural satin finish that beautifully showcases the guitar’s solid mahogany construction. Unlike many acoustic guitars that utilize glossy finishes, the PM-3 Deluxe has a smooth satin finish that gives the mahogany a refined, understated look.
The natural finish has a slightly amber hue that allows the wood grain to shine through attractively. Over time, this finish will age gracefully, developing a unique patina and "relic" factor that many players find appealing. Fender also offers the PM-3 Deluxe in a few different gloss finishes like sunburst for those looking for a flashier aesthetic.
The all-mahogany body and neck are bound with multi-ply binding that provides an attractive appointment. There is also a detailed rosette around the soundhole featuring Fender’s classic checkerboard pattern. The rosette and body binding add a touch of elegance that elevates the PM-3 Deluxe’s refined style.
Other premium aesthetic details include the bone nut and saddle, open-gear tuners with butterbean knobs, and several choices of pickguard material such as tortoiseshell. Overall, the PM-3 Deluxe Triple O has a timeless natural beauty accentuated by its meticulous attention to detail.
Playability & Feel
The PM-3 Deluxe features a comfortable and playable mahogany neck with a slim "Modern C" profile. The neck has a smooth satin finish that allows for fast, fluid lead playing.
The action on the PM-3 Deluxe is set up low and fast right out of the box, perfect for intricate fingerstyle work. Fret buzz is minimal and the action height can be easily adjusted to suit your preferences. The nut width of 1 11/16" provides ample room for fingering chords without feeling too cramped.
The fretwork on the PM-3 Deluxe is excellent, with smoothly finished medium jumbo frets. The fret ends are carefully rounded over for maximum playability. There are no sharp fret edges to irritate your hands during long practice or gigging sessions.
Overall, the PM-3 Deluxe offers superb playability and feel. The slim neck profile is comfortable to hold and allows easy access to the higher frets. The low action facilitates complex lead lines while still avoiding undesirable string buzz. This is a very playable acoustic-electric guitar suitable for diverse styles of music.
Price & Value
The Fender Paramount PM-3 Deluxe has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,299.99, though street prices are typically around $999. This positions it firmly in the premium price tier for acoustic-electric guitars.
At this price point, the PM-3 Deluxe faces stiff competition from other leading acoustic brands like Taylor, Martin, and Gibson. However, Fender has packed the PM-3 Deluxe with high-end features to justify its premium pricing.
The all-solid mahogany construction is a key selling point, as solid wood guitars command a higher price than laminate models. Mahogany is also a tonewood that is rarer and more expensive than spruce or rosewood.
Beyond the woods, the PM-3 Deluxe comes equipped with a top-notch Fishman Presys Blend pickup and preamp system. The Fishman electronics accurately capture the guitar’s natural acoustic tone and allow for shaping the EQ. This is a professional-grade pickup system found on guitars double the PM-3’s price.
Other premium appointments like the bone nut and saddle, ebony fingerboard, and gold hardware add to the feeling of luxury. Attention to detail is evident throughout, from the intricate rosette and binding to the smooth fret ends.
Considering the exceptional craftsmanship, premium solid wood construction, and top-tier electronics, the PM-3 Deluxe offers good value for money. While not cheap, it delivers features and quality on par with more expensive models. The premium pricing is justified for serious players seeking a lifetime acoustic guitar.
Fender PM-3 Standard vs Deluxe
The Fender Paramount PM-3 comes in both a Standard and Deluxe model. While they share many similarities, there are some key differences guitarists should be aware of when deciding between the two.
The most noticeable difference lies in the construction. The PM-3 Deluxe features an all-solid mahogany body, while the Standard has a mahogany top with laminated mahogany back and sides. All-solid wood construction generally provides better resonance, projection, and overall tone. However, the PM-3 Standard still produces a balanced, warm mahogany sound despite the laminate back and sides.
Electronics also set the two models apart. The PM-3 Deluxe is equipped with a Fishman PM preamp system, which offers more advanced tone shaping capabilities. It provides volume and tone controls, a built-in tuner, and a phase switch to help combat feedback at high volumes. The Standard model has a simpler preamp system with just volume and tone controls.
So for guitarists wanting the best possible construction and electronics, the PM-3 Deluxe is certainly worth the extra investment. Those with smaller budgets can still enjoy great mahogany tone with the Standard model. Either way, the Paramount PM-3 range offers exceptional value for solid wood acoustic-electrics.
Verdict & Conclusion
The Fender Paramount PM-3 Deluxe is an excellent premium all-solid acoustic-electric that excels in nearly every category. Its all-mahogany body produces warm, balanced tones with plenty of richness, resonance, and projection. The sound is very versatile for both fingerstyle and strumming across various genres.
Some key pros of the PM-3 Deluxe include:
- Superb build quality with an all-solid wood body
- Rich, warm mahogany tones with great resonance
- Fishman electronics accurately capture the acoustic tone
- Neck shape is comfortable and very playable
- Natural finish nicely shows off the wood grain
In terms of downsides, there aren’t many. The price tag is quite high, though justified by the premium appointments. The mahogany tone may be too dark for some players who prefer brighter sound. Setup out of the box could be improved on some examples.
Overall though, the PM-3 Deluxe Triple O offers fantastic value as a premium solid wood acoustic-electric. It’s perfect for intermediates and professionals, especially fingerstyle players who will appreciate the dynamic range. The mahogany warmth suits blues, jazz, country and folk very well. It’s also a great option for stage and studio thanks to the Fishman pickup and tuner.
The final verdict is the PM-3 Deluxe deserves its reputation as one of the best acoustic-electrics in its price range. Fender nailed the tone, playability and aesthetics on this guitar. It comes highly recommended for players seeking a rich, organic acoustic tone coupled with stage-ready electronics.
Related Products
When considering the Fender Paramount PM-3 Deluxe, it’s worth looking at some other models in Fender’s acoustic lineup as well as useful accessories that complement this guitar.
Other Fender Acoustics
The Fender California Series offers a range of affordable, quality acoustic guitars like the Redondo and Malibu models. These feature solid spruce tops with mahogany or nato back and sides, giving you crisp, balanced tones. The California series provides great value for those on a budget.
At the higher end, the Fender American Acoustasonic Series incorporates innovative electronics and bracing systems. Models like the American Acoustasonic Telecaster have a spruce top with mahogany back and sides paired with Fishman under-saddle pickup and preamp. You get classic acoustic tones blended with electric versatility.
Useful Accessories
A quality hardshell case is highly recommended to protect your investment when transporting and storing the guitar. Fender’s Paramount hardshell case features plush lining and keeps your instrument safe on the road.
For amplification, the Fender Acoustasonic 40 Acoustic Guitar Amplifier delivers 40 watts of crisp, detailed sound perfect for acoustic-electric guitars. It has two channels, built-in effects, and XLR/quarter-inch inputs.
To keep your guitar sounding its best, investing in a humidifier helps maintain optimal humidity levels and prevent cracking. The D’Addario Humidipak or Planet Waves Guitar Humidifier are great options that fit easily in your case.
A capo like the Kyser Quick-Change capo allows you to quickly transpose chording and expand the guitar’s range. It’s an essential tool for any guitarist.
With the right supporting gear, you can get the most out of your playing experience with the Fender Paramount PM-3 Deluxe. Considering these complementary products helps build a comprehensive setup.