Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Pack, Natural

Great guitar for beginners (definitely me) although I had 6 years of formal lessons as a child into my teenage years and even played some bluegrass gigs with my teacher. But at 51 years old my Conn classical guitar wasn't giving me the sounds I remembered. My wife the internet guru investigated what I was telling her I thought I needed. She came up with the Fender FA 100 Dreadnought for a lot less $$ than I expected but I am thoroughly happy with the guitar. I play it daily and it meets my every challenge with ease and precision. Often covering my little missed notes. I was recently surprised with a Fender Strat and start out every session on the Acoustic due to the ease of playing. Fender definitely has a gem with this guitar!!

2 star shipping

It wasn't shipped in original box which was suspicious. No added padding, cardboard inserts, or bubble wrap in rectangular shipping box. Guitar was simply slipped into a somewhat form-fitted soft plasticy shipping bag. Guitar is beautiful but the Lacquer on back of guitar was chipped and damaged. Blame it on shipping. I needed it urgently as a gift and so points for speedy shipping. I did not return it because the person I gifted it to was too excited to care about the cracked lacquer.

Dayton HS - Buy Fender, Buy SamAsh!

Let me start by saying this - I will never go anywhere else for our guitar needs other than SamAsh Music.The reason? I work at a Title I school just south of Cincinnati in a little town called Dayton, Kentucky. When disaster struck and our guitars were damaged due to a heating issue in the building, SamAsh stepped up and saved the day!They gave us a GREAT deal on brand new FA-115 Dreadnaught Guitar Packs. We were able to purchase an entire class set, and it wouldn't have been possible without their generosity! These guitars are significantly better than the recent Honer brands we were using. The attack of the notes is crisp, the resonance is fantastic, and its incredibly easy and smooth to maneuver on. My students were ecstatic when they came back from Winter ... MoreLet me start by saying this - I will never go anywhere else for our guitar needs other than SamAsh Music.The reason? I work at a Title I school just south of Cincinnati in a little town called Dayton, Kentucky. When disaster struck and our guitars were damaged due to a heating issue in the building, SamAsh stepped up and saved the day!They gave us a GREAT deal on brand new FA-115 Dreadnaught Guitar Packs. We were able to purchase an entire class set, and it wouldn't have been possible without their generosity! These guitars are significantly better than the recent Honer brands we were using. The attack of the notes is crisp, the resonance is fantastic, and its incredibly easy and smooth to maneuver on. My students were ecstatic when they came back from Winter break!Thank you Fender, and thank you SamAsh music for making many young musicians happy, and eager to play the guitar!

Good entry-level instrument

This Fender (Chinese-made, of course) has amazing sustain and a lovely voice. While it's built of plywood and shows typical Chinese lack of craftsmanship, it remains a pleasure to play. I live in Metro Nashville and several veteran Nashville guitarists have played it, each commenting enthusiastically how easy it is to play. Not sure how long it will last as the top was hastily drilled for the string pegs resulting in one or more plys tearing away but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Additionally, I'll replace the nut with a piece of bone as the cheap plastic used for the nut and saddle is about as soft as butter. Not sure the guitar is worth the expenditure but the sweet way that it plays makes we want to "heal it up."

Good value for learning

It's made in [*], so not the best construction but if Fender is willing to put its name on it then it should be able to at least keep up with a First Act guitar you can get at Toys R Us or Target etc. Change out the strings ASAP and you'll be much happier.Out of the box, it plays like any other student model. It's comfortable, light, good action height on mine. There's spots where the finish wasn't applied fully (small areas, about the size of a thumbtack hole) and the tuners feel cheap. Glue spots everywhere, and the frets aren't dressed so you'll have to wear the sharpness down over extensive playing. Not bad projection for the budget materials used, it's definitely a grab 'n go beater guitar so it does have its uses --- for me, it's something to keep in the ... MoreIt's made in [*], so not the best construction but if Fender is willing to put its name on it then it should be able to at least keep up with a First Act guitar you can get at Toys R Us or Target etc. Change out the strings ASAP and you'll be much happier.Out of the box, it plays like any other student model. It's comfortable, light, good action height on mine. There's spots where the finish wasn't applied fully (small areas, about the size of a thumbtack hole) and the tuners feel cheap. Glue spots everywhere, and the frets aren't dressed so you'll have to wear the sharpness down over extensive playing. Not bad projection for the budget materials used, it's definitely a grab 'n go beater guitar so it does have its uses --- for me, it's something to keep in the living room and play whenever the urge hits. More seasoned players will pass this one up, but as I haven't played on a regular basis in over 4 years, I figure this guitar will make me work to get those chops back. Remember, it's the poor artist that blames his tools!

Nice Beginer Guitar

Ordered this guitar for my son as a first guitar. When it arrived I was a little disappointed by the black color of the back and sides. The front is natural and I hoped the back would be brown or burgundy to better match the front. But that's no big deal really. Immediately took off the dead strings that came with it and did some filing on the sharp frets, replaced the saddle and adjusted the truss rod for better action and playability. Put on some light strings and tuned up. This guitar sounds good, better than some solid tops I've heard. The fretboard is easy and fast. The construction is light and will ding up easily but overall this is a perfect first guitar and much better than the junk they sell in the box stores. Though it's their cheapest model it is still a ... MoreOrdered this guitar for my son as a first guitar. When it arrived I was a little disappointed by the black color of the back and sides. The front is natural and I hoped the back would be brown or burgundy to better match the front. But that's no big deal really. Immediately took off the dead strings that came with it and did some filing on the sharp frets, replaced the saddle and adjusted the truss rod for better action and playability. Put on some light strings and tuned up. This guitar sounds good, better than some solid tops I've heard. The fretboard is easy and fast. The construction is light and will ding up easily but overall this is a perfect first guitar and much better than the junk they sell in the box stores. Though it's their cheapest model it is still a Fender and you can trust this brand. Very good guitar for the price. And it comes with a gig bag.

Sounds Great! Has what you need!

This guitar is great. I upgraded my rogue starter guitar and this one sounds so much better. They gave me extra strings and a case. The strings are much closer to the fret and there is a notable quality difference from the previous starter guitar that I got. I think this is well worth it! Sam Ash was also great. They did a really good job and I am glad I purchased from them. They happen to give me extra picks!

Suits me perfectly, love it

I haven't played guitar in decades, and even back then I was a very casual player, so I figured this would be a good re-starter. So far, so good. It's a lot of fun, seems great quality for the price. How could I go wrong with a Fender, right? Very nice tone, tunes with my iPhone Fender tuning app, and I'm confident will get me playing some simple tunes once I get my calluses back! Absolutely happy with this instrument. Price and delivery were excellent too.

Very Underrated Product !

I just got mine today from a retailer I'm sure everyone on here is familiar with . I rarely do mail order when it comes to buying guitars only because I prefer to test them out in person before plopping down any of my cash . I had gotten a Yamaha F-335 last week but returned it because it just wasn't for me. I'm a Fender guy at heart and since I'm on a low budget , decided to try one of these out. For the price, this is one heck of a deal . So what if it's a laminate and is made overseas ? This guitar has a lot of tone and volume to it , which is a huge plus in my book when it comes to Acoustic Guitars . Plus it comes with a gig bag, so how can you complain about that for this price , especially when it's coming from Fender ? I did however, have to do some ... MoreI just got mine today from a retailer I'm sure everyone on here is familiar with . I rarely do mail order when it comes to buying guitars only because I prefer to test them out in person before plopping down any of my cash . I had gotten a Yamaha F-335 last week but returned it because it just wasn't for me. I'm a Fender guy at heart and since I'm on a low budget , decided to try one of these out. For the price, this is one heck of a deal . So what if it's a laminate and is made overseas ? This guitar has a lot of tone and volume to it , which is a huge plus in my book when it comes to Acoustic Guitars . Plus it comes with a gig bag, so how can you complain about that for this price , especially when it's coming from Fender ? I did however, have to do some adjustments when I got home with it and those included , adjusting the truss rod, cleaning the fretboard , tightening up the tuners, and sanding down the bridge saddle just a hair . Once I completed all of those tasks , I put on a new set of Martin SP's 12-54 and she was ready to go. I play in a Acoustic duo and I don't think I would have any problem gigging with this guitar , none at all. Sounds great , looks good, well made . What more could you ask for ?

sounds great for the price!!!

i got some gold automotive pinstripe and cut it lengthwise and put just one of the stripes around the body to simulate bindings and it really improved the looks. I know it sounds kind of funky but it turned out really well. the gig bag has a little to be desired although it serves the purpose. the material was a little twisted when it was sewn together so it doesn't lie straight when the guitar is in it. I decided to live with it as opposed to going through the trouble to send it back.