Introducing the Highway Series, Fender's Newest Acoustic-Electric Hybrids

Fender is continuing to innovate in the acoustic-electric hybrid space with the new models in the Highway Series. Both the Parlor and Dreadnought are durable for the road, outfitted with a Fishman pickup that will sound great on any stage, and still comfortable enough for the couch. Read more on Reverb: shorturl.at/bcvzX

[@MattLawhonMusic]

I wasn’t sure how I felt about these types of guitars. Then I went to an open mic where this girl was playing one. The style and tone of the sound fit her original music and vocal so well, it was just right. There really are options out there for anyone, what a special time to be a musician. These intrigue me, I will definitely have to try one out.

[@officialWWM]

Yep, that is the player these are designed for! I use one for my solo stuff, it’s just so much more robust and less clumsy to play on stage than a full sized acoustic. Sounds great plugged in too.

[@aphotosyntheticworld]

I personally have a stellar Martin GC MMV if I ever want an amazing acoustic sound and I have a slew of electric guitars and when the acoustasonic came out my eyes lit up because I knew it would be the perfect open mic guitar. Had it for about a year now and it has been a reliable as it gets when it comes to being a very comfortable and playable gigging guitar that can give me versatility when it comes to my song selection and looping. None of these are great at being a primary instrument but they absolutely serve a specific purpose very well. It's a fantastic home studio tool as well because for at least simple demoing and some background tracks it is a reliable acoustic sound in a pinch if you don't want to have to worry about throwing a mic on an acoustic to lay down a track in a pinch. On top of all that they're great lap guitars for practicing without making as much noise.

[@thebreakfastmenu]

It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for them

[@markclark7885]

😂 cotton

[@seal-nowweretalking6753]

I think it looks and sounds more importantly …AMAZING 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾

[@kevinbirge2130]

These sound great to me. I think one of these would be just what I need.

[@StuartHorsman]

Bought mahogany parlour and absolutely love it. So comfortable and easy to play and the sound is great.

[@yamayari8351]

@stuartHorsman would you say the action or height of the strings off the fret board are more like an electric guitar? or still acoustic feel? i have a bad left hand and at times my hand gets stiff playing bar chords. Thank you.

[@StuartHorsman]

@@yamayari8351still acoustic feel for sure

[@im58woody]

I played the spruce top dreadnaught, the mahogany dread, and the mahogany parlor today at a local shop. The action was set way too high on all of them. But that’s an easy fix. Acoustically they’re louder than I expected them to be. Plugged in they’re pretty darn convincing and sound warm to my ears. The tone knob sounds best wide open. Anything less sounds too thin. All of them are extremely comfortable to sit with…even the dread. I think they would be a great option for me to use with the praise team in church because of the light weight and body contouring. I’m hoping that Fender has plans to produce these in a sunburst finish and/or some color options. I would like to see black, the dark maroon burst color that they use on the Jazzmaster Acoustasonic, or perhaps a darker stain for the mahogany top with a black burst edge treatment. Come on Fender, give us some more options! I’m a buyer waiting.

[@officialWWM]

I have the Mexican Acoustasonic and I play it every single day, even though I have multiple other guitars to choose from. It’s just so much fun to play. It’s the perfect songwriting tool and I use it to teach students. I definitely have better sounding acoustics and electrics but when I need that, I pick one of those up. I’m going to get the dreadnought version of this because I think it will be the perfect guitar for solo acoustic gigs. Easy to play and hold and it sounds good enough but it looks right!

[@officialWWM]

I have an Acoustasonic but I’ll still buy one of these, I think they are cool!

[@jordambee]

How quiet is the pickup? Is it as quiet as a Piezo or is there white noise when turning it up?

[@BopKitBill]

Can you slap tap thump & drum on the body?

[@niuog]

Seems the best feature is the thin body. A big plus. Sounds ok, plays like an electric, win win

[@martinodelazzari6373]

I was looking for something similar. I play almost exclusively plugged I think a thin body guitar with some serious IR preloaded should be a great option for me

[@45zapatero]

Why the room mic. I would have liked to hear the sound of the pu alone also.

[@kevinwnek594]

what case works for this?

[@joejohnson8966]

10:08 to the end is lovely

[@d.adonis4547]

Would be nice if there was the option to get a traditional headstock

[@mattwright2964]

I want to love these but can't stand the sound. Quite frustrating. Its a personal thing music.

[@kevinwnek594]

Is the action like the action of an electric guitar?

[@barneyboyle6933]

According to a random commenter in this video the action is quite high

[@JTB--]

I played one in a Guitar Center. The Action is ok. You can adjust the Truss Rod and the back of the neck to get a more electric feel

[@danvitale923]

I set the action super low, still playing perfectly…feels like playing a strat … very comfortable to play

[@Jojopal333]

I have a Parlor coming from Sweetwater. Don’t ask me why. I think the plugged in tone sounds like the old expression system from Taylor which grated on my ears. So why in the world would I spend 1000+ on this? Experimental purposes. If it’s comfortable and a joy to play can I using comp, IR’s, eq’s get it to sound like a mic’d good acoustic? If plugged it blows me away I may keep it for years. If it doesn’t meet the sonic challenges back to Sweetwater it will go.

[@quinnhill8581]

Update?

[@StratsRUs]

12 String, Please !

[@mrsnapple5827]

Line and mic 😉

[@ebikes2xs159]

This type of guitar upsets the acoustic purest people although I don't know why. It's in its own class and is not pretending to be something it's not. Perfect for me; singing and playing through a 2 channel acoustic amp. Not a lot of bleed over like a booming acoustic guitar into the vocal mic. Thats a big plus. I think Fender pulled off something that's been tried many times but never accomplished.

[@Pjwildemusic]

Neck dive city

[@daveboydmusic744]

Spruce Dread on it's way to ME

[@ryanseanmusicandlove]

If you make a cut away model, don't change the headstock! Gibson will sue you...😂

[@ryangunwitch-black]

This is Fender quietly admitting that they're never going to be able to produce a decent acoustic guitar. I love my Strats and Tele but...

[@JimmyBmusic1]

The paramount series are very good, and at one time they made a guitar from Ensenada. It was prob the best sounding acoustic I’ve ever heard, very hard to find,

[@stevebernard221]

Your audio quality is great in the vid when compared to others demonstrations! However, guitars are not that great. Wished Fender would put their money into making better actual acoustics. What they have is okay but they could have left this idea in the garbage and put their resources into acoustic guitars that acoustic players want to play...

[@ericnpeterson]

lol these will sell out

[@stevebernard221]

@@ericnpeterson 😆😆😆 without a doubt!

[@CharlesWillisBonsai]

Fender is still trying so hard to push these weird electric acoustics. Its an expensive solution to a problem that doesnt exist.

[@JTB--]

There is a market for these Hybrid's though with gigging musicians. And especially aimed at guitarists who mostly play electric guitars

[@ryangunwitch-black]

Praise and worship. 😂

[@opidonorman8833]

​@@ryangunwitch-blackyeah

[@spacekarma4]

Godins and the Taylor t5's have been around forever and sound great. Both have built in eq as well and they are much more versatile tools for musicians in my opinion. I am not sure who these are for, but they look great

[@opidonorman8833]

@@spacekarma4 they must be for live music and direct recording mostly

[@JohannesLabusch]

What a surprise. The "Reverb" dude's thumb is up. I wonder why. These things are going to get resold faster than you can say buyer's regret.

[@JTB--]

You obviously never played one

[@JohannesLabusch]

Obviously. And obviously, my comment was snark. But in all honesty, I can't understand how you can hear this and say "That's what I want to sound like." Well, enjoy. @@JTB--

[@JTB--]

@@JohannesLabusch I played the Dreadnought one in a GC last week and was shocked how loud it was. It wasn't bad at all if you are mainly an electric player and want the thinline body and electric feeling/playing type neck. I'd get the Highway Series guitars over the gimmicky Acoustasonic guitars every day and twice on Sunday

[@emmobrien]

This is just an ad lol

[@29396]

every gear demo is

[@brianeversole3849]

Lets stop beating this horse already? Its long dead.

[@WhyTheHorseface]

Just doesn’t look right with that headstock.

[@drdoom8793]

While I agree, Fender actually uses that headstock on a fair few of their acoustic models, so it's not exactly new for this model

[@SuperEdge67]

I want to like these but they sound as though they have zero sustain.

[@Achisachis73]

Overpriced

[@janjablonsky]

Basically, this is just a mediocre acoustic-electric guitar that sounds fine when plugged in and overly bright when played unplugged.

[@belo1971]

I juts tried one in a guitar shop and you should try one before criticizing. It sound quite warm unplugged and plugged it sounds superb in a good acoustic amp or sono. I have a Taylor acoustic and want to buy one for my concert for sure 😉

[@generalx-ray7833]

Wow that sounds horrible damn lol

[@DeanWatkins]

Dude, i want to like this guitar. From the description and the engineering aspect, I am expecting something exceptional. Except, it sounds like hot trash. Like a toy. Or something that is EQ'd all wrong. It simply does not sound like a guitar. Who was in the board room when they played the prototypes and voted to tool up and mass produce them? I thought Ovations sounded terrible. Fender said, "Hold my beer..." Apologies, Fender. Not a fan of this one.

[@JimmyBmusic1]

Action is too high on all of them. All of them

[@JimmyBmusic1]

Does anybody play with your fingers every review is a guy strumming acoustic guitar with a pic you’re not even supposed to strum acoustic guitars with a pig supposed to use your fingers

[@DennisVernier]

Suppose to do what you want. Pick or no pick.