Fender CF-140SCE Folk naturel

I have been learning guitar on 2 nylon string classical guitars for nearly a year (self taught) and the Fender CF-140SCE is my first steel string acoustic guitar. I mostly play fingerstyle and wanted a cutaway guitar for easy access to the higher frets. I also don't gig or play to an audience so didn't need a big dreadnought guitar, instead preferring something a little smaller.



I tried about 6 other acoustics before buying the solid top natural finish Fender CF-140SCE and here are my thoughts having played it for nearly 2 months.



First impressions:



Delivery and packaging - It arrived on the expected delivery date, was packaged well and arrived undamaged. The guitar came packaged in a box by Fender but there was second outer cardboard box with protective packing that contained the first box. Full marks for delivery and packaging.



Finish - It has a smooth and shiny finish and the lacquer gives it a glossy look but not overly glossy. I inspected the body carefully and the build quality was very good. Looking inside the body, some traces of excess glue can be seen but not much. No smell of glue by the sound hole. The frets and fretboard are clean with no rough edges. No complaints here.



Accessories - It came with an allen key to adjust the truss rod, instructions on how to adjust the truss rod, a spare Nubone saddle and bridge pin and 9V battery for the preamp/tuner. There are no instructions for the preamp/tuner so you'd have to find this online.



Sound - The guitar plays with a bright tone with the stock Fender strings. The high end is clear and sharp with good sustain and the low end is ok but would like it more if it had more volume. Overall the volume is adequate for this size of guitar but noticeably less than a dreadnought. I only play it unplugged. I tried it plugged in and I found it sounded pretty similar to the unplugged sound but did not try it on high volume so can't comment on that.



Playability and action - I prefer low action playing fingerstyle and would say the action is a bit high for me and would have preferred it came setup with lower action. No fret buzz. The action is 2.5mm / 0.5mm for 6th & 1st strings at the 14th fret. The neck is C shaped and is easier to play than compared with the thicker D shaped necks on my classical guitars.



Reliability and durability - It feels relatively heavy compared to a classical guitar but not so heavy that I would strain playing standing up. The strap buttons seem solid. I only play at home so can't comment on how durable it is being carried around.

It stays in tune for weeks+ (playing on average an hour a day). I'd be surprised if many guitars sold now go out of tune quickly - even one of my very cheap classical guitars stays in tune for weeks.



Overall I like my Fender CF-140SCE but would like it more if it had lower action to make it more playable and if it was louder (particularly the low end)