Fender California Deluxe Monterey E, Honey Sunburst

Fender California Deluxe Monterey E, Honey Sunburst

The Fender California Deluxe Monterey E in Honey Sunburst is a beautifully sorted acoustic-electric for players who want the comfort and balance of a smaller-bodied guitar without sacrificing projection, stage-readiness or that unmistakable bit of Fender attitude. With a solid Sitka spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, scalloped X-bracing and Fishman CD-1 electronics, it's equally at home being strummed on the sofa, fingerpicked during a writing session or plugged straight into a PA for the gig.

The Monterey Orchestra/Auditorium-style body is a particularly appealing choice for players who find larger dreadnoughts a little cumbersome. Its more manageable dimensions sit naturally against the body and produce a focused, articulate response that suits fingerstyle, chord work and singer-songwriter accompaniment beautifully. Basically, plenty of acoustic guitar without feeling like you're trying to hug a wardrobe.

Tone starts with a solid Sitka spruce top, prized for its combination of clarity, responsiveness and dynamic range. Fender pairs that with laminated mahogany back and sides, adding warmth and body to the guitar's overall character. Underneath, scalloped X-bracing helps the top respond freely, resulting in a balanced acoustic voice with plenty of definition.

Playability has received plenty of attention too. The mahogany neck uses a slim "C" profile with a smooth satin urethane finish, while the walnut fingerboard has a comfortable 12" radius and 20 vintage-style frets. Add the familiar 25.5" Fender scale length, and you've got a guitar that feels reassuringly familiar under the fingers whether you're moving over from electric guitar or already spend most of your time on acoustics.

The 42.86mm Micarta nut keeps the string spacing approachable for chords and general-purpose playing, while a Micarta saddle and Fender's Modern Viking bridge help provide consistent string-to-string transfer. Sealed die-cast split-shaft tuning machines offer accurate adjustment while also making string changes pleasingly straightforward.

When it's time to plug in, the Fishman CD-1 preamp system makes the Monterey E genuinely stage-ready. You get onboard Volume, Bass and Treble controls, along with a Phase control for helping manage feedback and an integrated tuner for those vital thirty seconds before the set when everyone suddenly remembers tuning exists.

Visually, the Honey Sunburst gloss finish is an absolute cracker. Tortoiseshell binding and matching 1-ply tortoiseshell pickguard bring some old-school acoustic character, while the pearloid rosette, chrome hardware and Fender's distinctive Mustang-style six-in-line headstock ensure nobody is going to mistake this for another anonymous acoustic.

The guitar comes strung with .011–.052 phosphor bronze strings, offering a comfortable balance between easy playability and a full acoustic response. A dual-action truss rod provides plenty of adjustment for future setups, while the combination of traditional acoustic construction and Fender design touches gives the California Deluxe Monterey E its own personality.

For players searching for a Fender acoustic-electric guitar in Ireland, the California Deluxe Monterey E is a particularly strong option for songwriting, home playing, recording and live performance. It's comfortable, versatile and properly equipped for amplification without turning the guitar into a control panel with strings attached.

And that Honey Sunburst finish really is dangerously handsome. You may initially claim you bought it for the solid spruce top and Fishman electronics. Nobody has to know.

Features

• Fender California Deluxe Monterey E acoustic-electric guitar

• Honey Sunburst gloss finish

• Comfortable Monterey Orchestra/Auditorium-style body

• Solid Sitka spruce top

• Laminated mahogany back and sides

• Scalloped X-bracing

• Mahogany neck with slim "C" profile

• Smooth satin urethane neck finish

• Walnut fingerboard

• 12" / 305mm fingerboard radius

• 20 vintage-style frets

• 25.5" / 648mm scale length

• 42.86mm / 1.6875" Micarta nut

• Micarta saddle

• Modern Viking bridge

• Fishman CD-1 onboard electronics

• Volume, Bass and Treble controls

• Integrated tuner and Phase control

• Sealed die-cast split-shaft tuning machines

• Tortoiseshell binding and 1-ply tortoiseshell pickguard

• Pearloid soundhole rosette

• Chrome hardware

• Phosphor bronze .011–.052 strings

• Dual-action truss rod

• Right-handed configuration