Stylish yet affordable, Fender California Series offers that west coast surfer vibe to their acoustic range. Based on the Villager model from the 60s, this modern-day recreation has great playability, a sleek black look with gold pickguard, and the unmistakeable bell-like 12-string tone.
12-String Guitar
This model is a 12-string guitar. 12-string guitars have 6 pairs of strings, with the lower 3 usually tuned in pairs of octaves and the upper 3 pairs are tuned to the same note as each other. The result is a natural chorus effect that sounds like two guitars playing at once. With a 12-string you get a rich, full sound, with an incredible bell-like ring that'll instantly reinvigorate your playing.
Body and Neck
The Villager uses Fender's own "Newporter" body shape, a mid-sized body that comfortable to play. This body shape has a versatile and balanced sound that sounds great in any genre and can handle strumming and fingerpicking alike. The body itself is made from laminated ovangkol with a solid Sitka spruce top for a resonant and balanced tone.
The neck is made from mahogany and features a satin finish allowing your hand to run smoothly up and down the neck. The neck shape is a slim taper "C" profile that fits comfortably in the hand and accommodates a wide range of players and styles. A walnut fingerboard tops off the neck providing a smooth and natural-feeling playing surface.
Built-In Electronics
For playing gigs or for easy recording, the Villager comes with a built-in Fishman pickup/preamp system. The preamp features an onboard tuner, as well as volume, bass, and treble controls for shaping your tone. With the built-in electronics in the Villager, you can take it straight out the box and jump right into performing live or recording.
Specifications
Body
- Body Back: Laminated Ovangkol
- Body Sides: Laminated Ovangkol
- Body Top: Solid Spruce
- Body Finish: Gloss
- Body Shape: Dreadnought Cutaway
- Body Binding: Multiple
- Bracing: Quartersawn Scalloped "X"
- Rosette: CD Series Pearloid
Neck
- Neck Material: Mahogany
- Neck Binding: 1-Ply Black
- Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
- Neck Shape: Fender® 'Easy-to-Play' shape with rolled fretboard edges
- Scale Length: 25.3" (643 mm)
- Fingerboard Material: Walnut
- Fingerboard Radius: 12" (305 mm)
- Number of Frets: 20
- Fret Size: Vintage
- Nut Material: Graph Tech® NuBone™
- Nut Width: 1.77" (45 mm)
- Position Inlays: 3mm Pearloid Dot
- Truss Rod: Dual-Action
Electronics
- Controls: Volume, Bass, Treble, Integrated Electronic Tuner with On/Off Switch, Low Battery Indicator Light
- Special Electronics: Fishman® CD Preamp
Hardware
- Bridge: Walnut
- Bridge Pins: White with Black Dots
- Hardware Finish: Chrome
- Tuning Machines: Chrome Die-Cast
- Pickguard: 1-Ply Tortoiseshell
Miscellaneous
- Strings: Fender® Dura-Tone® 880L Coated 80/20 (.012-.052 Gauge)
Accessories
- Case/Gig Bag: Hardshell Case