V I
T A L S T A T S
STRUM AS YOU ARE
Fender American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster
Rtba / fender.com
Fender has invented the acoustic/electric hybrid guitar again… but this one might actually have some street cred ● Tweak scene When Fender launched its latest generation of hybrid guitars in 2019, it adopted a radical new approach: making them good. The use of advanced digital modelling meant the American Acoustasonic Tele and Strat really could sound like a whole range of different acoustic guitar types at the flick of a pickup switch. But of course, the cool kids wouldn’t touch them because Teles and Strats are for dentists… and so here, with some sonic refinements, comes a version based on that icon of scuzzy alt-rock, the Jazzmaster. ● Marquee boon As before, there are three pickups (a piezo, a percussive ‘body sensor’ and a normal magnetic type, this time a humbucker) and digital models of 10 guitars, accessed via a five-way switch and a knob for blending between pairs. But the Jazzmaster’s slightly bigger body makes it better for unplugged strumming, and there are some new voices – including one that sounds like a standard electric plugged into a cranked-up Marshall. In a world with live gigs (just imagine!), you’ll be able to plug this thing straight into the PA and sound like everyone from Joni Mitchell to Idles. ● Screen age riot This instrument was always going to be divisive: it’s not a real acoustic, it’s not a real Jazzmaster, etc. But Fender really upped the stakes by sending pre-launch guitars out to loads of influencers and apparently not asking for them back. Cue a flood of over-excited YouTube ‘reviews’ at precisely 2pm on press embargo day… followed by a flood of forum rants bemoaning the death of objectivity. But we’ve tried this guitar and it’s great… and you know you can still trust Stuff, right?
16
There are five colour options for the top, from a natural wood finish to a vibrant blue print.
