At the previous edition of Winter NAMM, Fender introduced its affordable California series of acoustics

In a wide-ranging interview with Rolling Stone, Fender CEO Andy Mooney revealed that the brand is planning to release a line of high-end, American-made acoustic guitars.
Mooney summarised the line-up: “We’ve always been strong in $1,000-or-below acoustic guitars, but we’ve never really had American-made acoustic guitars of the levels that artists would feel really good about playing onstage”.

The new acoustic guitars will likely hover around the $2,000 mark, Mooney suggests. That premium segment, according to industry reports, is currently the biggest driver of growth for acoustic guitars. “People who might have bought an entry-level acoustic are now committing to it and want to trade up,” the CEO said.

The acoustics are the culmination of a two-year R&D project. And Phil Collen is already a fan of them, Mooney let on. The Def Leppard guitarist tried a prototype of the guitar while he was at a Fender factory working on his signature Charvel guitar. Impressed, he had asked to use it at a concert taking place that very night – a request that Fender understandably had to turn down.