J
Jason Birchmeier
Fender FA-115 Acoustic Guitar

Fender FA-115 acoustic guitar is an ideal entry-level instrument for beginners, along the lines of Fender FA-100, an earlier version of the same guitar that was discontinued. Fender FA-115 is a step up from Squier models like SA-150 or SA-100 -- easier to play, stays in tune better, more stable bridge -- but not quite on the level of Fender CD-60S, which features a solid top. The laminated top of the FA-115 leaves something to be desired from the standpoint of sound quality, but for beginners who aren't sure that guitar is the instrument for them, the price point is affordable. There are less expensive generic guitars out there, to be sure, but you're not likely to learn the instrument if you practice on a cheap instrument that sounds terrible and is hard to play because the action is too high and the strings never stay in tune. For a little more money than what you'd pay for a generic guitar, you can get a Fender FA-115 with proven Fender quality and then graduate to a higher-quality model like Fender CD-60S. Available in a few different color finishes besides natural, this particular bundle includes everything you need to start playing right out of the box, including hard case, tuner, strap, strings, and picks. A less expensive version of the same bundle is available with gig bag rather than hard case.