5 Alternatives to the Fender Acoustasonic

[@dijjidog]

for guitars cheaper than the ones listed here in the 2000s fender had two guitars called the telecoustic and stratocoustic out, the telecoustic being more bright and precussive with the stratocoustic being more warm, they even released some deluxe versions with telecaster style pickups. They can be bought used from around $200-$600.

[@FastRedPonyCar]

The singer for my old band played a T5 and it's such a great instrument. Built incredibly well, lots of different sounds with the pickup configuration and played like a great electric guitar. Honestly, I think any of these would be great choices. I've got a Martin GPC-GT and am starting to pick up a lot more acoustic gigs and I feel like something a bit more comfortable that plays a little faster may be in my near future. the T5Z is at the top of my list but that PRS looks REALLY tempting too. I've never played an acoustisonic and it always for some reason, came across as a gimmick but I'd love to be proven wrong because I dig the way the strat version looks.

[@johnrichardson1796]

Good options but as others have mentioned the Crafter SAT for me is thee best option for the price, mine cost £500 a few years ago, I've done hundreds of gigs and it's been amazing 🎸

[@brianfrank8661]

choices choices, it all boils down to what you need and what you're willing to put up with. I've been chasing this dream for awhile and here's my long road so far. started off with an ovation double neck playing rhythm on the 12 and slide on the 6 tuned to open e..horrible..very difficult guitar to play and didn't realize that I needed two amps to get it to sound right when switching. I bought a line 6 Variax acoustic and had acoustic guitar and dobro models but the very fragile piezo pickups would quit working, sometimes I had a 6 string sometimes a no string but most often a 4 or 5 string. I built a guard to keep my palm off the bridge and tried not to bend notes but to no avail turns out the acoustic guitar strings are too heavy and electric guitar strings don't sound right so I moved onto a line 6 Variax les Paul, lighter strings no pick up issues, also no dobro but now I had electric and acoustic right? not with only 1 amp and I would prefer to bring 2 guitars rather than 2 amps. besides that you're still not switching mid song when playing solo and it didn't feel right to me to fingerpick like it does on an acoustic guitar. I bought a Godin a6 ultra, real nice guitar, 2 outputs, still need a second amp or the pa and a guitar amp, this could have worked for me except that I was doing mostly showcasing and open mic nights and the sound man would not like the extra work if he even understood what I needed which led to longer set up time, audience boredom and a shorter set.in desperation I bought an epiphone st coupe(a smaller version of the gibson Chet Atkins guitar) hoping I could use a stomp box to get some electric tones but of course that didn't work soooo, i just got a fender acoustasonic player jazz master . still working with it. using a beat buddy drum machine and a boss me 80 and a vocal harmonizer all running through a Bose portable sound system. who knows, this may be it, maybe not, time will tell, but I can get a decent(not great) acoustic guitar sound and a decent(not great) electric sound all through a toggle on the guitar and a stomp box. this system sets up and tears down quickly and sounds good enough. I have never tried the tz5 that may be next if this set up doesn't work out. good luck with your personal path to the perfect guitar. you will still need a good electric for rocking and a dreadnaught for unplugged backyard jams. best bet is to learn to settle for good enough or hire roadies to lug around all your equipment.

[@kevinguerrier8431]

My #1 guitar is a Taylor T5z, #2 PRS se hollowbody II piezo. I’ve tried both Godin and Acoustasonic and did not care for them. Just my personal preference.

[@robertclaud2101]

I play a Godin A6 Ultra and I really enjoy this guitar. I play through a Fender acoustic amp and I get really good actions from the piezo pickup. The blend with humbucker pickup gives it a unique sound that I like. I use a Vox Silkdrive pedal to dirty up the humbucker on some songs that works very well.

[@edreid9009]

Thanks for the post Very useful.i use the mexican Nashville Telecaster as my hybrid and I love it's feel .it should definitely be in the top 5

[@paulhendershott667]

I got the PRS Hollowbody II Piezo and the Godin xtsa Koa Extreme and I have to say that I really like the PRS better. I love KOA top on the Godin, but the sound the PRS puts out with just the Piezo or Piezo and and a little bridge can almost recreate my Martin D-1 acoustic sound. Bravo!

[@slawsonscot]

One that nobody seems to mention is the Crafter SA and SAT guitars - I bought one in 2008 and it's been an absolute gem. Made in Korea, with Mahogany back and sides, maple top, LR Baggs under saddle and Kent Armstrong Lipstick in the neck. It's been one of my go-to's for years, and if the house was on fire, of all my guitars I'd grab it once I had sorted the wife, kids and dog :)

[@JeanGillesTouraine]

Still have regrets not grabbing one when they were 450€ back then. Looked for one recently, and they're around 850 now, that's crazy

[@guitarsingerx]

I play a Crafter SA and sounds the best above my Godin A6 and Taylor T5z !

[@slawsonscot]

@@guitarsingerx they're so underrated - I think if they re-released them on the back of the Acoustasonic they would probably sell really quite well.

[@guitarsingerx]

@slawson9421 you are so right. I had a small issue with my preamp and even though they were in Korea, their customer service was 1st class!!!

[@slawsonscot]

@@guitarsingerx that's great to hear - how did you contact them, as I would love to have that information filed away somewhere just in case!

[@sordel5866]

Line 6 Variax: very convincing electric models and some excellent acoustic models as well (including banjo & dobro). Since they're solid-body feedback is not an issue on acoustic tones. Downside? They're heavy and to get the most out of the acoustic tones you'll probably need some sort of DI box.

[@pjmuck]

One other I can think of is the ESP LTD EC-1000. My main everything guitar is a Godin LGXSA, which can't be beat for versatility. Not only is it a full 2 PUP LP style electric guitar, but it has an on board piezo bridge with an on board 3 band acoustic EQ AND a 13 pin Roland output, which can be used with any of Roland's midi guitar synths (GR 55, GR33), including their GP10, which has dozens of convincing modeled acoustics, giving you virtually any sound you can think of. Want to go cheaper? Just add a Roland GK3 PUP to your favorite guitar, then pick up the Boss GP-10 for your acoustic sounds, all for under $500 if you buy used. Others have mentioned the Line 6 Variax. You could buy the cheapest model (Variax 500) used for under $500, and even add a GK3 PUP to that if you wanted to go further.

[@minkahl1644]

GREAT TIPS

[@fredjaeger690]

If you’ve got GAS, go for it, but there are acoustic guitar modeling pedals that do the job well. I have a Valeton 200 and it has plenty of acoustic emulators: dreadnaught, parlor, humming bird, classical, etc. sounds excellent, and at $184 it kicks ass. And when I switch out of acoustic MODE my PRS DGT is already in my hands and ripping it up.

[@mutiara75]

I used to have the Michael Kelly Hybrid Special but sold it and upgraded the Taylor T5z. No regrets. With the right pedal / amp settings, the Taylor can sound really good on the electric side. Feel-wise, the Taylor is like a hollowbody Les Paul.

[@PsyJaye]

I have a M Kelly Tele which has turned down my enthusiasm for these great looking guitars.. but who has money to sling American.. ?

[@bennettmichaels4309]

Godin A6 Ultra all the way !!

[@gerimayawhyte154]

I was hoping that the Carvin AC-275 would be on this list. A lot of these options seem like they'll end up being the same price as an acoustasonic after you do all the upgrades to get it up to snuff.

[@stringsattached67]

I have 4 hybrid guitars a carvin DC 400 a mm majesty the fender acoustic Sonic and the Michael Kelly hybrid special and I honestly play the Michael Kelly hybrid special more often than the others when I'm needing electric and acoustic . I had the sand down the saddle to lower the action and tweak the pickup heights now it's great.

[@UncleDanBand64]

I bought the Acoustasonic Telecaster this week and played my first gig with it last night. I plugged it straight into the Bose. The sound was awesome. Tones from acoustic to growly Telecaster coming out. I play in a power trio. Guitar, Bass and Drums. It was an outdoor show. To me that is the ultimate test. It passed with flying colors. I would give the acoustic sound A+ and the clean and dirty Tele tones an A. I will probably never play my electric again. I played it with 10 gauge strings. Just Earnie Ball regular slinkys. 10-46. It is a beast of a guitar. There were several guitar players at the gig and they all remarked that it sounded great. Hey, it is pricy but, not needing an amp or stomp boxes....is priceless👍

[@hoffguitars479]

I’m glad it works well for you! I’m gearing up to make a part 2 of this video so I’m glad you had a good experience to share.

[@HumbleHeartMinistry]

Shooting with Uncle Dan - Was it the American or Mexican Acoustasonic Telecaster?

[@UncleDanBand64]

@@HumbleHeartMinistry It was the American. I bought it about a week or two before the player version was announced. That being said, no regrets. The American is better because of the options. 10 sounds vs 6. The Mexican player does not have the body sensor which is middle position on the American with the tone knob dimed. I have no idea why that is not the only acoustic setting because it blows the other acoustic sounds away. The clean and dirty Tele are also great. The blend position between acoustic and Tele also very useful. Just roll up the tone for solos. That being said the acoustic sounds without the body sensor are as good as anything else. Martin, Taylor, Seagull. It is just the dimed center position on the American at least through a Bose are head and shoulders above any other acoustic electric ever made. A Martin D28 on a condenser mic might beat it but, that is about all. I don't do much studio work these days but, if I did...I would just carry this guitar. No amp, no effects maybe an OD pedal if I needed higher gain. The onboard OD will only push her to SRV territory so, if you need more gain than that you need outboard OD or Distortion. Hope that helps.

[@HumbleHeartMinistry]

@@UncleDanBand64 Thank you!

[@slawsonscot]

Did you put Electric strings on it? I shifted over to Ernie Bally Primo Slinkys from acoustic strings and haven't looked back. Much more comfortable to play across the whole neck, and the sound hasn't diminished to my ear. I play through a mic'd up Katana into a PA and it's been a great, comfortable instrument for extended playing.

[@darrylday30]

I’ve got a 2008 Ibanez Montage. It’s a small body piezo acoustic with a magnetic pickup and onboard effects. Although, like the T5, high gain sounds cause uncontrollable feedback, the saddle pickup, small humbucker and onboard eq, notch filters, reverb, overdrive and chorus make for a swiss army knife guitar. Not bad if you find one that still works. The unplugged sound is full and loud compared to an acoustisonic but quiet compared to a regular acoustic. Very nice for practice. Plugged in gives the typical meh plastic piezo acoustic tone with excellent feedback resistance in average country rock 4 piece stage volume. The electric tones are meh due to the limited onboard amp speaker sim tech available ten years ago but plugged into a decent amp the sound really comes alive. It has a separate output for the mag pickup should you choose to process electric and acoustic sounds separately. Ideal setup would be a tube amp or modeller for the electric sound and a direct box/IR loader to perk up the acoustic sound. If I’m only playing a couple of tunes on guitar (I’m primarily a keyboard player) I’ll just plug in direct and play. It gets the job done but you’ll miss your outboard gear. Used $500ish. Watch out for a belly bridge. Very common. I had to put a $30 bridge doctor in mine to fix it. B-band electronics are out of business so you’re stuck with Chinese resellers for undersaddle pickup replacement (B-band pickups have a limited lifespan). Still, a good guitar if you can find one where everything still works. I’ve recently pulled mine off the wall. Even with an old weak acoustic pickup the guitar still makes some unique and beautiful sounds. I put light electric strings on it and got usable acoustic/electric sounds. I got a Beatles ish Casino sound out of it using a Vox AC15 that really turned my crank. It’s comfortable to play, easy to set up (FAST neck adjustment system works great), versatile and really nice to look at. If the electronics die, I’ll just put in passive pick ups and keep using it. I think I actually want the electronics to die so I can try a Schatten passive acoustic pickup and a dog ear P90 for electric tones.

[@imahoggergal]

I have the Michael Kelly Hybrid and the Taylor T5z. I never touch the Taylor anymore.

[@timdueysen7011]

Good Video! Name the guitar models in the video description and put some links as well pls. THX

[@volodyakondratyuk2356]

Thank you. I really liked how you laid out your preword and review. Wery pleasant to listen.

[@Clearview68]

I have both the PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo, and the Godin A6 Ultra. I use both for acoustic gigs and they both sound great. I use electric strings on the PRS and acoustic strings on the Godin, best of both worlds. My only wish is that they would add a tone/eq control on the PRS piezo pickup. This would make it easier to match sound when switching between the 2 guitars at a gig.

[@TheFalkingFive]

add the godin xtsa - u get midi possibilities, humbucker and piezo - most versatile guitar...

[@JunkBondTrader]

"go grab a coffee or tea or something like that" **grabs my crack pipe**

[@nnapsR]

i have two , the tele and the jag and cannot dial in either to get a good sound in a small room, it is much better if it is louder but in a small room my 250 dollar orangewood outsines it, both are for sale but that is just me

[@mike23639]

I have the Michael Kelly Hybrid Special. My favorite by far.

[@stringsattached67]

Mine too ! Once they are set up right they're untouchable.

[@frantiseksvaral7400]

I have Cort Parkwood H4. Not very well known guitar, but it is great.

[@hoffguitars479]

Dude those are really cool! I wish they where easier to get ahold of.

[@HRBPS23]

Add the Ibanez montage and the Crafter SA to the list. Cheers

[@ElbertTreble]

I want a les Paul hybrid guitar. If that is possible. Yes a part 2.

[@hoffguitars479]

It is definitely possible! I have a few options for this particular idea.

[@globalnova]

Les Paul ultras have piezo.

[@thislisa]

The Harley Benton Hybrid Steel is a copy of the Taylor.

[@CamMineo]

Yamaha silent guitar steel string!

[@giutubospatubo1546]

Trun down the background music volume please. It´s a little annoying. cheers and thanks for the video

[@bradcrosson9641]

Thanks for the vid. I've been comparing the Acoustasonic strat or jazzmaster. I aam glad I am aware of the alternatives now. Looks like the channel is still young. Got yourself a new fan brother.

[@hoffguitars479]

Thanks for the support!

[@peterdadswell7998]

You said that the Acoustasonic is the best and yet you have not played the Godin Ultra. It's an awesome acoustic and the electric side is also great.

[@clarkster98]

Vester do one as well ??

[@ramkalaskar007]

Would have been nice if you had played them and then provided your review

[@PsyJaye]

I was sold on the American Acoustasonic but the price stole myenthusiasm.. I would love to see a Deep Dive into alternative sounds at an affordable price.. It is totally difficult to pay for equipment by gigging which makes this seem more like a Friggin Hobby.. Hobby..ugh I don't even like a Hobby Horse after that Strangle Hold on my Music.. I am so Fortunate that my Wife is a Singer and needs me to play or these discussions would neverhappen..Rock On in Peace..

[@frantiseksvaral7400]

Godin has more guitars with piezo. I got Cort Parkwood H4, Peavey Exp Custom, both guitars has solid piezos A6 is good at being piezo guitars, but not so convinced to be a good electric guitar

[@gregburke7131]

Harley Benton ST-Acoustic ?

[@hardyharhar9375]

I was very interested in this review, but the background music was far too loud. I watched as much as I could, but that was less than a minute.

[@hoffguitars479]

Yeah I’m still working I’m my editing skills.

[@jacobbockover1628]

Yeah I looked at them and thought oh will never have one if those. Im more really look I g for a very thin acoustic. I have the michael kelly hybrid special

[@greg238h]

Good Unbiased Review!....(You can not get the best of both worlds in one guitar).......I want a hybrid for traveling

[@thevineyardbandmaconga3425]

Dean makes a hollow body with a piezo starting at 999....but I’ve seen it on sale at musicians friend for 650...never played it but looks nice...I have the prs....plays great(has a slight buzz) sounds good through my Mesa boogie Rossete.....but when I run it through my audio box the prs sounds real thin and just not a good acoustic tone....I’m considering trading in for the acoustasonic and wish I could find a Taylor to play....or a godin to try out as well....I mainly want a great acoustic sound with the action of an electric....the tele scares me bc I’ve heard of many many problems....the prs is solid and great quality....but I’m not 100% satisfied....not sure if I ever will be....maybe I should just get a top dollar acoustic guitar...

[@harleyrider8084]

Having had a number of Taylor and Martin guitars and owning an a6 ultra.......A hybrid guitar is not a substitute for a great electric or acoustic guitar. It is a great in-between guitar that does both well. If you're looking for a hybrid guitar that sounds as good as an electric guitar or a quality acoustic guitar, you may be disappointed. That being said, the A6 is an awesome and versatile guitar with a double input that allows you to play out of an acoustic amp and an electric amp at the same time.

[@timelwell7002]

The Godin A6 Ultra guitars have been around for many years now. In theory, they ought to be right up my street - but in practice, I for one have never been very impressed with the tone. The PRS Hollow Body, on the other hand, is a really good guitar IMO. But it is substantially different from the Fender Acoustasonic range, both in design and tonally. Then you have the Taylor T5z. I'm sure this is a good guitar, but TBH it doesn't inspire me. A friend of mine had one, and for sure it was a good guitar, but was somehow lacking any soul. The tone was intrinsically overly bright, so the treble always had to be dailed back - a LOT. In any case, the T5 doesn't do what the Acoustasonics do - namely to give the more subtle and nuanced acoustic guitar tones. Whilst the various Acoustasonics and the PRS Hollowbody are all genuinely hollow body guitars, I feel that because they are so different tonally, in an ideal world you'd own both, rather than thinking that you only need the one. I haven't tried the Schecter as yet, but a chambered body with a large centre-block is highly unlikely to be able to resonate as a hollow body guitar does. I would see this as being more akin to a Fender Telecaster Slimline, with some chambering in the body. Or possibly like an Epiphone 339, albeit better built. My hope is to buy either a Mexican made Acoustasonic Tele, or one of the newer Fender Highway series. And I would swap out the piezo undersaddle pickup (which I hate with a passion) for a far better sounding K & K contact pickup. Then, if I have any money to spare later on, I would like to buy the PRS Hollow body.

[@raymondballard7659]

Tom Anderson Crowdster….very expensive, but awesome!

[@hoffguitars479]

I’ll church those out. Thanks!

[@willieG333]

Taylor t5z custom koa is $3,100.

[@justinaskins2156]

I played an acoustasonic in a store and it felt and sounded good so I bought one.....then found out about other hybrids

[@hoffguitars479]

Congrats! They are amazing guitars!

[@bz1994]

So you don’t know Godin guitars 🎸dude you got to try still not cheap you’ll need pedals and maybe midi sound huh but you’ll have endless sound possibilities

[@Bossanovawitcha]

Goh-Dan.. build some amazing rigs

[@Buddhabellie]

Thanks. The information is very good to have.

[@harleyrider8084]

Just wondering how the author could state that the acoustasonic is the best hybrid guitar out there when he hasn't tried all of the other guitars in his video. He states that he knows nothing about the Godin (pronounced Go-dan) A6 as he does not understand how it works and has never played it before. So, is his comparison valid????? hmmmmmmmmm...........The acousatonic may very well be the best option but it is certainly not the most asthetically pleasing guitar to my eye

[@vassosserghiousr5488]

Godin has been making these types of guitars since the late 80s

[@acthompson9983]

Have to disagree, the T5 is still the king.

[@hoffguitars479]

I’m ok with disagreement I do love the Taylor even though I don’t own one. They are fantastic to play!

[@rutiger6901]

IYV Guitars IJGAP 300 offset version and ITAP 200 telecaster version. Both acoustasonic. Reviews on the tube. They're cheapest of all and therefore the only A-sonics I am interested in. But I'm in Canada. I'm more likely to see my hair start growing again than to ever score one of these IYV's.

[@HRBPS23]

The fender acoustasonic is POOP. It’s way overpriced, just because it says fender the price goes up.

[@jackcoleman7262]

Agreed it is pricey, I bought mine second hand as In my opinion its very expensive but is also my dream guitar. Its light, sounds good unplugged or plugged in and feels somewhat like an electric.

[@c7114]

It's expensive sure, but I love mine for its great range of sounds, versatility and ease of play. Perfect for gigs where your set involves songs that need different sounds but you don't want to take more than one guitar.

[@mitzijohnston5015]

Agree that it’s POOP, but I still want it

[@hoffguitars479]

In my opinion that is exactly what it was made for. Fender has owned a lot of acoustic companies and sold millions of electric guitars so there’s no way they actually thought it would be the best of both worlds, just the best option for certain scenarios!

[@zakry3323]

It's pronounced Go-Dan

[@fugalibrana]

Alternative to Acoustasonic: Go with a luthier. End of the story.

[@hoffguitars479]

True. I actually just finished building mine about a month and a half ago!

[@fugalibrana]

@@hoffguitars479 excellent!! Maybe we could trade opinions and knowledge... I've repaired and built guitars since 1999. I liked so much this Acoustasonic concept, so I decided to replicate it. Until now I've made a JS, Tele, Strato and Jazzmaster with the same style. Maybe I will cover more models in the future.

[@hoffguitars479]

Awesome! I’m not a great builder but I enjoy it. I learned a lot from @crimsonguitars on KZbin!

[@tarkanyilmaz6905]

Acoustasonic has big issues. I sent back the first one, the second one was the same. American or Mexican has the same problem. High e is not amplified enough therefore you cant hear it at all. Again high e string gives out inharmonic noisy notes like a cat miaowing. Sent them back. Unbelievable who is testing these guitars? Unfbelievable. What a waste of time that was

[@plantpoweredmuscle]

First! :)

[@guitardude4700]

Hated the acoustisonic

[@richiebohr5421]

You missed the very obvious Variax.

[@hoffguitars479]

I didn’t even know about it! Thanks!

[@co7013]

Maybe next time turn your music off when you are making a video. Very distracting and annoying.

[@vector011]

Bad reverb on your voice and awful music in background.