Introduction
The Fender Redondo Classic acoustic-electric guitar represents a premium offering within Fender’s California Series lineup of acoustic guitars. First introduced in 2019, the Redondo Classic quickly became a favorite among discerning players looking for top-notch craftsmanship and tone in an accessible package.
Fender has a long history of producing high quality acoustic guitars, dating back to their original acoustic models in the 1960s. The Redondo Classic pays homage to this legacy while incorporating modern enhancements like the Fishman electronics system. It’s designed to appeal to experienced acoustic players, working musicians, and recording artists who appreciate premium tonewoods and appointments.
As part of the California Series, the Redondo Classic is crafted in Fender’s California workshop using unique body shapes and tonewood combinations. This guitar takes Fender’s classic dreadnought design and modifies it with a slope-shouldered cutaway for enhanced playability and comfort. The solid wood construction and Fishman electronics make the Redondo Classic equally suited for the stage and studio. It provides the richness of a vintage acoustic tone with the flexibility to plug in and shape your sound.
Body Shape and Design
The Fender Redondo Classic features a distinctive slope-shouldered dreadnought body shape that provides its own unique tonal qualities and visual flair. This contemporary body style melds attributes from both traditional dreadnought and orchestra model acoustics.
The sloped shoulders create an ergonomic contour that is comfortable for long playing sessions. It also allows easy access to the upper frets, aided by the cutaway design. Visually, the Redondo Classic’s body has a refined, elegant look while still retaining the robust depth and presence expected from a dreadnought.
The larger lower bout and sloped shoulders generate a balanced, articulate tone with clear note definition even when strummed hard. The Redondo Classic’s dreadnought-scale body produces impressive volume and projection suited for live performances. The slope-shouldered cutaway tweaks the traditional dreadnought voice for added richness, warmth, and sustain.
Overall, the Redondo Classic’s unique body shape blends the power of a dreadnought with the refined elegance of an orchestra model. This provides the versatile tonal palette that has become a hallmark of Fender’s California Series acoustic guitars.
Tonewoods
The Redondo Classic features premium tonewoods selected for their exceptional acoustic properties and balanced tone. The top is made from solid Sitka spruce, which is prized for its strong, clear and bright voice. Sitka spruce is known for its resonant highs and excellent projection.
The back and sides are solid mahogany, which adds warmth, emphasis on the midrange, and overall balanced tone. Mahogany is a versatile tonewood that complements the crisp articulation of the spruce top. The combination of spruce and mahogany creates a guitar with complex overtones, long sustain, and an organic sound.
Spruce is the traditional choice for acoustic guitar tops as it has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Its low density allows the top to vibrate freely, resulting in louder volume and sensitivity to playing dynamics. Mahogany is a popular choice for backs and sides, providing a beautiful look and balanced tone. The all-solid-wood construction allows the Redondo Classic to sing with exceptional resonance and character.
Fretboard and Neck
The Fender Redondo Classic features a pau ferro fretboard, which is an excellent choice for an acoustic guitar at this price point. Pau ferro is known for its bright, crisp tone that really brings out the clarity and articulation. It’s also an extremely durable and dense wood that can stand up to years of playing without wear.
The fretboard has a 25.3" scale length, a 1.6875" nut width, and narrow tall frets. This combination allows for comfortable and fast playing across the entire fretboard. The neck has a "Modern C" profile that provides a slim, easy-to-play feel. It’s ideal for chord work and lead playing alike.
Overall, the pau ferro fretboard and Modern C neck offer an excellent playing experience. The tone is lively and resonant, while still feeling fast and comfortable. Players who value clarity in their chords and leads will appreciate the characteristics of the pau ferro fretboard. It’s a key component that allows this guitar to excel as a versatile, gig-ready acoustic.
Finish Options
The Fender Redondo Classic comes in several beautiful and unique finish options that let you customize the look of this classic acoustic-electric. Some of the available finishes include:
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Aged Cognac Burst – This warm, vintage-style sunburst finish features a brown center that fades into amber edges. It has an aged look that gives the Redondo Classic a refined, played-in feel. The aged cognac and amber hues pop nicely against the solid spruce top.
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Cosmic Turquoise – As the name suggests, this lively finish is a bright turquoise hue with metallic flecks that look like stars in a night sky. It’s eye-catching and modern. The cosmic turquoise pops against the natural solid mahogany back and sides.
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Aged Cherry Burst – Another faded vintage-style finish, this time with a deep red center that fades to black edges. The aged cherry is a rich, nuanced take on a classic cherry sunburst. It pairs nicely with the mahogany back and sides.
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Jetty Black – For players who want a more understated look, the Jetty Black finish is a solid, non-flashy black. The ebony-like hue gives the Redondo Classic a sleek, refined vibe.
The colors and finishes available on the Redondo Classic make this classic slope-shouldered dreadnought design feel fresh and modern. Whether you like vintage-inspired sunbursts, something bright and eye-catching, or a more muted black, there’s a finish option to suit your personal style.
Appointments
The Fender Redondo Classic features several high-end appointments that add to its aesthetic appeal and enhance the playing experience.
The body binding helps protect the edges and gives it a more refined look. There are single-ply binding strips along the top and back edges. The fretboard edges have a bound look as well thanks to the fretboard inlay that traces the perimeter.
The rosette inlay around the soundhole has an intricate vine motif, with concentric rings in alternating colors of black, white, and abalone. This attractive inlay provides a decorative touch.
The headstock has Fender’s classic shape and houses a set of die-cast chrome sealed tuning machines. The Fender logo is printed across the headstock face in a bold black font along with a smaller "Redondo Classic" designation. The gloss finish and chrome tuners complement the upscale vibe.
Overall the appointments showcase attention to detail while providing both aesthetic and functional value. These extra touches help the Redondo Classic standout in the looks department.
Electronics
The Fender Redondo Classic features a Fender-exclusive Fishman pickup and preamp system, designed to faithfully amplify the natural acoustic tone of the guitar. This system utilizes an under-saddle transducer and soundhole mounted preamp with easy-to-use tone and volume controls.
The preamp provides a built-in tuner, phase switch to cut feedback, shape control to adjust EQ, and blend control to balance between the pickup and microphone. There is also a volume control and tuner mute switch. The Fishman preamp has a very natural and transparent sound when amplifying the guitar, without excessive coloring of the tone.
The under-saddle pickup allows for even amplification across all six strings, capturing the guitar’s organic resonance and projection. The soundhole mounted preamp includes a small internal microphone, which combines with the pickup signal to produce a balanced amplified tone. Overall, the Fishman electronics package is seamlessly integrated into the Redondo Classic, providing excellent acoustic amplification and flexibility for live performances or recording scenarios.
Playability
The Fender Redondo Classic acoustic-electric guitar offers excellent playability and a comfortable playing feel. The slope-shouldered dreadnought body shape is nicely contoured and balanced, providing a natural fit against the body. The guitar has a medium profile neck that should accommodate most playing styles. It feels smooth and fast in the hand.
When playing the Redondo Classic unplugged, it has impressive projection and volume. The solid spruce top resonates loudly, with the mahogany back and sides adding warmth and depth. Notes ring out with sustain. The guitar is very responsive to different playing dynamics – you can hear the variation in tone when playing softly versus digging in harder.
The cutaway design provides easy access to upper frets for lead playing and soloing. The action is set medium-low from the factory, making it comfortable for chords and single note runs. The pau ferro fretboard feels smooth under the fingers. Overall the Redondo Classic offers an enjoyable playing experience whether jamming acoustically or using it on stage plugged in.
Comparable Fender Acoustic Models
The Redondo Classic stands apart from other acoustic guitars in Fender’s lineup, both in terms of build quality and tonal characteristics. Here’s how it compares to some other notable Fender acoustic models:
Fender Redondo Player
The Redondo Player is the more affordable version of the Redondo model. It features a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides, but lacks some of the premium appointments of the Classic like binding and electronics. The Player has a thinner finish and slightly brighter tone. It’s best suited for beginner to intermediate players.
Fender California Series
Within the California Series, the Redondo Classic is most comparable to the higher-end Newporter and Malibu models. All three share the same slope-shouldered dreadnought body shape. The Newporter has a solid spruce top while the Malibu has solid mahogany, so the Redondo splits the difference with solid spruce and mahogany. The Redondo stands out in this line with its cutaway design.
Fender Dreadnought Acoustics
Models like the CD-60S and CD-140S are Fender’s take on a traditional dreadnought acoustic. They have a deeper body and square shoulders compared to the Redondo’s slimmer slope-shouldered shape. The dreadnoughts produce more low-end punch. The Redondo aims for balanced warm tone and clarity.
Pros & Cons
Key Strengths
- Rich and resonant acoustic tone from the solid spruce top and mahogany back/sides
- Fishman electronics provide excellent amplified tone and EQ control
- Sloped shoulders improve comfort and playability
- Quality appointments like binding, pearl inlays, sealed tuners
- Premium build quality and attention to detail
- Versatile for both stage and studio use
Potential Drawbacks
- Higher price tag than other comparably spec’d acoustics
- Limited color options may not appeal to all players
- Not as affordable as Fender’s classic dreadnought models
- Niche appeal compared to general workhorse acoustics
- Electronics may be more than beginners need