If you’re wondering if Fender Malibu Player is a good guitar or not, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right review! In today’s article, we’re going to take a very close look on that model to see if it’s worth it. Undoubtedly, it’s a very popular guitar, but is actually better than other guitars at this price level?
The truth is that Fender Malibu Player offers a great quality. This guitar looks and sounds absolutely fantastic. It can be efficiently used by both amateur and more advanced guitarists.
Let’s dive deeper with research to find out what exactly makes the Malibu Player so good. Firstly, we’ll start with the specs and then we’ll move on to the video review and the sound demo. We will also investigate if this model has any flaws that you should watch out for.
Hopefully, today’s guide will help you to understand if Fender Malibu Player is the right fit for you and your style of playing.
Specs & Pricing
Fender Malibu Player is a very popular acoustic-electric guitar suitable for both beginner and more advanced guitar players. The Malibu model is a third acoustic model from the California Series – the other ones include Fender Newporter and Fender Redondo.
The guitar features a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. This selection of woods guarantees a really nice, bright and resonant sound. As a result, the Malibu Player offers a lot of versatility when it comes to tone, so it can be used in a lot of different music genres.
It is also worth mentioning that Fender equipped this guitar with a really good Fishman preamp that allows you to easily use that guitar on stage. This is an absolute game-changer, because it gives you the ability to control your volume and tone. In addition, there’s a built-in tuner, which is also really important.
What’s important, the Malibu Player is available in a few really cool colors such as Midnight Satin, Arctic Gold, Aqua Splash, Natural, Sunburst and Shell Pink. Surely, anyone will be able to find their favorite color version!
When it comes pricing, it’s totally affordable. Although it’s not the cheapest acoustic-electric guitar on the market, it offers a really high quality. In my opinion, it can easily compete with acoustic-electric guitars that are even more expensive. That being said, this guitar is definitely worth the money.
Here’s the video review and sound demo – feel free to check it out.
Who Is It For?
Fender Malibu Player is an ideal acoustic-electric guitar for both beginner and more intermediate players. Whether you’re looking for a high quality guitar to practice with or if you want to play gigs, this model will be an excellent choice.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s also a very versatile guitar. As a result, it can be used in a lot of different styles of music. So whether you’re into blues, country, rock or indie, you should definitely appreciate the tone of that guitar. It works perfectly for both strumming and fingerstyle playing.
I have no hesitation in recommending the Fender Malibu Player to any guitar player who’s looking for a great mid-level acoustic guitar that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars. This guitar sounds great, looks fantastic and it’s not overly expensive – who needs anything else?
Disadvantages Of Fender Malibu Player
Although Fender Malibu Player is a generally a great acoustic-electric guitar, it may not be ideal for everyone. There is a few things that you should consider before you decide to get it for your own.
Firstly, the Malibu model is a bit smaller than the Newporter and Redondo guitars. This is not necessarily a disadvantage, but if you’re looking for a full-size acoustic guitar, you should stick to these two other models instead of the Malibu. On the other hand, a bit smaller size means that it’s easier to carry around and it’s better for guitarists with smaller hands and shorter fingers.
In addition, the Malibu Player doesn’t have a cutaway. Again, it’s not necessarily a disadvantage, but if you like playing on the higher frets, it may not be the best option for you. If that’s the case, then you should probably check out the Newporter and Redondo guitars, because both of them have a cutaway.
Overall, it’s really difficult to find any major flaws of the Fender Malibu Player. Some guitars from the California Series may require a bit of adjusting in the beginning to make them more comfortable and playable, but most of the time they sound awesome straight from the box.
Lastly, the Malibu Player may sound even better once you change the original strings. This is not necessary, but using light gauge strings may significantly improve the overall comfortability and playability.
Are There Any Alternatives?
If you don’t like the look or the sound of the Fender Malibu Player, don’t worry – there’s a lot of alternative options out there! Still, it all depends on what you’re looking for and what’s your budget.
Here’s a few other great acoustic-electric guitars that you can check out.
| Fender Newporter Player | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Fender Redondo Player | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Fender CD-60SCE | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Fender FA-235E | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Yamaha FGX800C | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
Fender Newporter Player
Fender Newporter Player is an another great guitar from the California Series. Similarly as the Malibu Player, it looks and sound absolutely fantastic. The guitar has a cutaway, so it allows you to easily access the higher frets.
Is it better than the Malibu? Well, it depends on your own preferences. The Newporter is a bit larger, so it’s naturally more resonant.
I wrote a separate article about that model, so if you’re interested in reading more, feel free to check it out. Otherwise, you can also check out the sound demo below. It sounds fantastic too!
Fender Redondo Player
Fender Redondo Player is an another excellent acoustic-electric guitar suitable for both beginner and more intermediate players. It offers a bit different body shape than the Malibu and Newporter – it’s a bit more classic.
Just like all guitars from the California Series, it looks and sounds absolutely fantastic. It’s a great alternative for any guitarist who’s looking for an affordable and great-looking guitar with a cutaway.
I also wrote a separate article about that model, so if you’re interested in checking it out, feel free to have a look here. Otherwise, you can also check out the video review below.
Here’s the sound demo. Sounds great, right?
Fender CD-60SCE
Fender CD-60SCE is an another excellent acoustic-guitar made by this legendary manufacturer. In comparison with the guitars from California Series, it’s a bit cheaper. Still, it doesn’t mean that it’s worse.
As you can see on the picture above, the guitar doesn’t have the same headstock as the Malibu Player. Perhaps it doesn’t look as cool as previous guitars mentioned above, but it’s still a really good guitar.
I’m sure that a lot of guitarists are going to love that model. Considering its price, it’s definitely one of the best acoustic-electric guitars available on the market right now.
Here’s the sound demo.
Fender FA-235E
Fender FA-235E is an another popular and affordable acoustic-electric guitar manufactured by Fender. This is actually one of the cheapest guitars of this type made by this guitar brand. It proves that a good guitar doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars.
I think that the FA-235E will be a really good alternative for guitarists who don’t have the budget for any of the guitars from California Series. It looks and sounds fantastic and considering its price, it’s definitely worth it.
Here’s the sound demo – feel free to check it out below.
Yamaha FGX800C
Yamaha FGX800C is one of the most popular and most affordable acoustic-electric guitars available on the market. I think that it’s a perfect alternative for guitarists who are searching for a classic design and a really high quality.
Considering its price, it’s definitely one of the best acoustic-electric guitars out there. The guitar features a solid spruce top with nato back and sides. As a result, it offers a bright, rich and resonant tone.
To be honest, I have always been a fan of Yamaha guitars. They really care about the quality of their products. That’s why I highly recommend checking it out if you’re searching for a bit cheaper alternative.
Here’s the sound demo.
FAQ
Where is Fender Malibu Player made?
Fender Malibu Player is manufactured in China.
Where can I find more information about Fender’s California Series guitars?
If you’d like to learn more about the California Series by Fender, you should definitely check out the article on their official website.
Are Fender acoustic guitars good?
Yes, Fender acoustic guitars are really good and inexpensive! Although their models aren’t the best guitars in the world, considering their relatively low price and high quality, they’re totally worth it.
Summary
As you can see, Fender Malibu Player is a really interesting acoustic-electric guitar. I have no hesitation in recommending this model to any guitarist who’s looking for a high quality instrument suitable for playing live gigs. I’m sure that a lot of guitar players will agree with my opinion on that model!
What do you think about the Malibu Player? Would you add it to your own collection of acoustic guitars? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for checking out today’s review, hopefully it was helpful. If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
