Description
Review of the Fender CD-60S Solid Top Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Left Handed, Bundle
The Fender CD-60S left handed is a full size dreadnought acoustic with a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, sold here as a bundle with a gig bag, tuner, strap, spare strings, picks and an instructional DVD. It is one of the few genuinely left handed acoustics available at a beginner price rather than a special order.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- A solid spruce top. This is the single most important specification on an acoustic guitar. A solid top vibrates as one piece rather than as glued layers, which gives more volume and a richer voice, and it continues to improve over years of playing. Most guitars in this bracket are laminated.
- Scalloped X bracing, where the braces under the top are shaved down in the middle. That lets the top flex more freely, which adds volume and low end response compared with straight bracing.
- Rolled fingerboard edges. The edge of the neck is eased rather than left square, so the hand slides along it without catching. It is a detail normally found on far more expensive instruments and it makes a new guitar feel played in.
- A genuinely left handed instrument rather than a right handed guitar restrung, so the bracing, the saddle compensation and the controls are all the correct way round.
- The string set is fully specified: Fender Dura-Tone 880L coated 80/20 bronze, .012 to .052 gauge. Coated strings resist corrosion for far longer than uncoated ones, and knowing the exact gauge makes replacing them straightforward.
Cons
- The spec table gives the body material as “Engineered Wood” while the manufacturer description says a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. Solid and engineered are opposites, and the solid top is the main reason to buy this model, so the contradiction matters more here than on most listings.
- The colour field has been filled with “Bundle w/ Gig Bag” rather than a finish. The Amazon title says natural, but the actual colour is not recorded in the specification.
- The dimensions of 43.5 by 7 by 19 inches put the body depth at seven inches. A dreadnought is around four inches deep, so this describes the shipping carton.
- No nut width is published, which is a meaningful omission on a dreadnought where the difference between a 1.69 inch and a 1.75 inch nut changes how comfortable chording feels.
- A dreadnought is a large body, around four inches deep and sixteen across, and it is not the easiest shape for a smaller framed player to reach around.
Detailed Product Description
The top is solid spruce with scalloped X bracing. Spruce is the standard soundboard timber because it is stiff for its weight, and solid construction means a single piece of wood rather than thin layers glued together. The practical result is a louder, more responsive guitar that opens up as the wood settles over months and years. The difference is set out in the guide to solid top versus laminate acoustic guitars.
The back and sides are mahogany, which is denser than the linden and basswood found at lower prices and gives a warmer midrange that balances the spruce top’s brightness. The neck is also mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard, and the scale length is 25.3 inches, near the standard long scale, so string sets are easy to source.
The rolled fingerboard edges deserve attention. On most guitars the fingerboard is left with a square edge, which feels sharp under the palm and takes years of playing to wear smooth. Fender eases these at the factory, and the effect on how a new instrument feels is out of proportion to the cost of doing it.
The strings are coated 80/20 bronze at .012 to .052, a light gauge set. Coating adds a thin polymer layer that keeps skin oil out of the windings, so the strings stay bright for considerably longer than uncoated ones. They feel slightly slicker under the fingers, which some players prefer and others do not. How gauge affects tension and feel is covered in the guide to guitar string gauge.
What Comes with the Product
- The left handed CD-60S dreadnought acoustic guitar
- A gig bag
- A tuner
- A shoulder strap
- A spare set of strings
- Picks
- An instructional DVD
Not included: a hard case, a capo, a guitar stand or a string winder. The listing does not state whether the tuner ships with a battery.
Who It Suits
This suits a left handed beginner or returning player who wants an instrument that will still be worth owning in five years rather than a stepping stone. The solid top is what separates it from almost everything else at this level, and buying left handed from a mainstream brand avoids the usual choice between a restrung right handed guitar and a long wait for a special order. What to look for when buying left handed is covered in the guide to left handed guitars for beginners.
It suits less well a child or a smaller framed player, since a full dreadnought is a large body to reach around. It also suits less well anyone who needs to plug in, because no pickup or preamp is fitted. Comparable instruments include the Fender CD-60S solid mahogany dreadnought, the Fender CD-60S all mahogany and the Vangoa left handed acoustic kit. The full range sits in left handed guitars and acoustic guitars.
How to Maintain
Wipe the strings after every session even though they are coated. Coating slows corrosion, it does not prevent the build up of grime under the windings.
Keep the guitar away from radiators and out of hot cars. A solid top is more responsive than a laminate and also more sensitive to dry heat, which shrinks the wood and can crack it.
Tips and Recommendations
Stay with the .012 to .052 gauge the guitar was set up for, or expect a setup after changing. Moving to a heavier or lighter set alters the neck relief and the action.
Give the instrument time. A solid top sounds noticeably different after a year of regular playing, which is not true of the laminated guitars it competes against on price.
Product FAQ
Is the top solid?
The manufacturer says solid spruce with scalloped X bracing. The spec table separately records the body material as engineered wood, which contradicts that, and the description is the more credible source.
What colour is it?
The Amazon title says natural. The spec table’s colour field has been filled with the bundle description instead of a finish.
Is it a genuinely left handed guitar?
Yes. It is built left handed rather than being a right handed instrument with the strings reversed.
