When it comes to the list of entry-level acoustic guitars, there is one name that almost anyone would know: Fender. They have carved out a range of acoustic guitars for beginners, including their FA series. For casual or beginner-level players, they can look into the reliable backup of models like FA-115, FA-125, and FA-135CE. All these guitars do look similar in appearance, but all of them serve different purposes and cater to different audiences. We present a comparison review of these 3 guitar models – you will know in detail about their technical specifications, tonal characteristics, and playability.

1. Build Quality and Materials

The FA-115 is the base point for many acoustic guitar players – it’s a dreadnought guitar with a spruce top with laminated basswood back & sides. The tonewood is the most optimal choice, it offers crisp, articulate tone and wide dynamic range. As for the basswood, it offers soft balanced sound. The neck is of the nato with a glossy finish and walnut fingerboard.

The FA-125 is an upgrade on the FA-115, with a laminated spruce top and laminated mahogany back and sides. Mahogany offers the warmer, darker tonal effect compared to the basswood. With this material construct, the FA-125 gets a fuller midrange and richness during chord-based playing. The neck is still of nato but the design is slim and smooth, offering players faster transition.

Lastly is the FA-135CE – a piece that introduces a cutaway body and onboard electronics. It has that laminated spruce top with laminated basswood sides and back. The most prominent change in this guitar is in its body shape, it has a concert-style body. Its smaller that the dreadnaught style but is comfortable to hold. This comfortability makes it appealing for those young players with smaller hands.

2. Sound and Tonal Characteristics

The FA-115 is the classic dreadnought with strong volume and projection. The spruce top adds to the clarity and brightness whereas the basswood sides and back dampen the low-end power. This has a balanced tone but doesn’t have complexity or sustain problem in high-end guitars. This makes them ideal form learning chords, general practice, and strumming.

The FA-125 has the mahogany which gives it depth and warmth for the sound. The spruce offers top-grade clarity whereas the midrange feels more pronounced. It’s perfect for players who want a bit of body in their tone during solo or vocal performance.

The FA-135CE loses the volume of the dreadnought for soft, articulate voice. The small body shape focuses on mids & highs for fingerpicking passages. It doesn’t have the boom, instead offers low-end tonal focus, making it an ideal for unplugged session and solo performers.

3. Playability and Comfort

The FA-115 has a full-sized dreadnought body with a chunky neck profile. This makes it feel big and a bit hard to handle for beginners.  Still, that walnut fingerboard is smooth, and the action is set low for comfortable fretting. This is what makes it a solid guitar for practicing or for those who wish to develop finger strength. The FA-125 has simple ergonomic improvements that are more polished. The neck is slim, which makes transitions and barre chords easier. The smoother, glossy finish makes the thumb movement across the back of the neck easier.

The FA-135CCE offers a shift in the playability. Its concert body is lighter and easier to hold for small-handed players. The cutaway gives access to the higher frets, which is perfect for solos and upper-register playing style. Its neck profile is comfortable with onboard electronics and built-in tuners.

4. Electronics and Extras

Both the FA-115 and FA-125 models are completely acoustic, meaning they have no pickups and preamps. They are perfect for home practice, traditional acoustic settings, and unplugged jam sessions. The FA-135CE models have a Fishman pickup and preamp with its built-in tuner and tone controls. This offers a big advantage to the performer or anyone who needs to plug in with an audio interface for recording or live performance.

5. Durability and Finish

All three of these models have glossy finishes that offer protection against scratches and moisture damage. However, their laminated woods are less resonant and are known to suffer from delamination with time. Still, for the price they come, this construction is well worth it, featuring tight joints and reliable tuning machines. The only difference is in FA-135CE, its electronics have a bit more complexity to them, like any other electric-acoustic guitar.

6. Pricing and Value

The prices for these 3 models vary a bit by the seller or the region where they are sold. Still, the FA-115 is the most affordable of the three. The FA-125 has a bit higher price compared to the FA-115, as it offers better tonewoods. As for the FA-135CE, it has the highest price of the three due to its stylish cutaway body and Fishman electronics.

Final Thoughts

This comparison of Fender FA-115 vs FA-125 vs FA-135CE offers the technical and working information of this FA series. The choice of selecting one for your needs comes down to you. If you are just starting, you can benefit from the FA-115. For a need of slightly richer tone, the FA-125 is the right option. For those of you who are thinking of recordings, jam sessions, and small gigs, the FA-135CE is the clear winner.