Description
Review of the Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Bundle with Fender Play, Gig Bag, Tuner, Strings, Strap and Picks
This is a Fender FA-115 full size dreadnought acoustic in natural, sold through Austin Bazaar as a bundle with Fender Play online lesson access, a gig bag, a tuner, spare strings, a strap, picks and an instructional DVD. The guitar has a laminated spruce top with X bracing, a rosewood bridge with a compensated synthetic bone saddle and a 20 fret fingerboard. It sits in the beginner starter kits and acoustic guitars categories.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- A tuner is included in the bundle. This is the accessory a beginner needs from the first minute, and it is the one most commonly missing from competing Fender bundles at this level.
- X bracing is specified. X bracing is the standard internal pattern for steel string acoustics, spreading string tension across the top so it can carry steel strings without distorting, and it also shapes how the top resonates.
- A compensated synthetic bone saddle. Compensated means the saddle is shaped so each string’s break point sits at the correct distance for accurate intonation, which is why chords stay in tune up the neck rather than only in open position. Synthetic bone is harder and transfers vibration better than the plastic used on cheaper guitars.
- A 25.3 inch scale is actually published. That is a slightly shorter scale than the most common acoustic measurement, which lowers string tension a little and makes fretting marginally easier, and knowing the figure means replacement strings can be ordered confidently.
- A rosewood bridge. Rosewood is dense and hard, so it transfers string energy into the top efficiently rather than absorbing it.
- Fender Play lesson access is bundled. Structured lessons matter more than any hardware feature in the first year.
Cons
- The spec table lists a maple neck, which the description never supports. The manufacturer text names the top, bracing, bridge, saddle, fingerboard and hardware but says nothing about the neck wood. The maple entry is unsupported by the rest of the listing.
- The fingerboard wood is stated only in the spec table. Laurel appears in the structured data while the description mentions only a 20 fret fingerboard with dot inlays and names no wood at all.
- The body wood entries disagree. The spec table gives basswood for the back, wood and laminated for the body, and spruce for the top. Whether the back and sides are basswood or another species is not settled anywhere in the listing.
- The stated weight of 9.83 pounds is the shipped bundle. A dreadnought acoustic weighs a good deal less than that, and the figure includes the bag, tuner and accessories, so it gives no indication of the instrument’s own weight.
- The Fender Play access has no stated duration. The listing does not say how long the subscription runs, what tier it covers or what device is required.
- The instructional material is supplied on DVD. A DVD requires a disc drive or player, which many households no longer have.
Detailed Product Description
The top is laminated spruce. Spruce is the standard soundboard wood because it is stiff for its weight and responds readily to string energy, giving a clear attack and strong projection. Laminating it, which means bonding thin layers rather than using a single solid piece, makes the top stiffer and quieter than solid spruce and stops it opening up over years of playing, but it also makes the guitar far more tolerant of humidity swings. The guide on solid top versus laminate acoustic guitars covers that trade properly.
The dreadnought body is the large squared shoulder shape that moves the most air of any common acoustic outline, which is why it dominates strummed folk, country and bluegrass playing. It is the loudest common acoustic shape unplugged.
The scale length is 25.3 inches, slightly shorter than the 25.5 inch measurement used on many acoustics. The practical effect is marginally lower string tension at the same pitch, which makes bending and fretting a fraction easier. The fingerboard carries 20 frets with dot inlays.
The bridge is rosewood with a compensated synthetic bone saddle, and the hardware is chrome. Compensation on the saddle is the detail that separates a guitar that plays in tune from one that only plays in tune in open position.
What Comes with the Product
The listing states the bundle includes the guitar, Fender Play online lesson access, a gig bag, a tuner, a spare set of strings, a strap, picks and an Austin Bazaar instructional DVD.
Not included and not mentioned: a capo, a stand, a string winder, a cleaning cloth and a hard case. The gig bag is described without a padding specification, so buyers who carry the guitar regularly should not assume impact protection. There is no amplifier and none is required, since the FA-115 has no documented electronics. The tuner type is not specified.
Who It Suits
This fits an adult or teenager wanting a first full size acoustic from an established brand with the accessories and structured lessons covered in one purchase. The included tuner and lesson access are what distinguish it from the many bundles that omit both.
It does not suit a child, since a full size dreadnought is a large body to hold and a 25.3 inch scale is a long reach for small hands. It does not suit anyone who needs to plug into a PA, since no electronics are documented. Comparable Fender bundles include the Fender FA series dreadnought bundle, which omits the tuner, the Fender FA-125 and the Fender CD-60 dreadnought.
How to Maintain
Wipe the strings after each session. Bronze acoustic strings dull mostly from skin oils rather than playing wear, and a short wipe roughly doubles their useful life.
Store the guitar in the supplied bag rather than leaning it against furniture, and keep it away from radiators and sunny windows. A laminated top tolerates humidity better than solid wood, but the neck and bridge still respond, and the action will shift over the seasons.
Watch the string height at the twelfth fret over the first few months while the guitar settles under string tension. If it will sit unplayed for months, slacken the strings a little to reduce sustained load on the top. The guide on how to tune a guitar is worth reading alongside the supplied tuner, since a tuner tells a player when a string is right but not why it keeps drifting.
Tips and Recommendations
Start the Fender Play access on the day the guitar arrives rather than saving it, since the listing gives no duration and an unused subscription period is wasted.
Expect to retune several times a day for the first fortnight while a new set stretches, then far less often. Leave the spare set sealed until the originals sound dull. A capo is the most useful missing accessory, because it lets a beginner play in different keys using the chord shapes already learned rather than attempting barre chords too early. If the strings feel stiff, a lighter gauge set reduces effort without any change to the guitar.
Product FAQ
What is the scale length?
25.3 inches, which is slightly shorter than the 25.5 inch measurement common on other acoustics and results in marginally lower string tension.
Is the top solid or laminated?
Laminated. The listing states a laminated spruce top with X bracing.
What is the neck made of?
The spec table says maple, but the manufacturer description never names a neck wood, so nothing in the listing corroborates that entry.
Is a tuner included?
Yes. The bundle includes a tuner alongside the gig bag, strap, spare strings, picks, Fender Play access and an instructional DVD.
