New Gear: Fender Paramount PM 3 Acoustic Guitar

new guitars and amplifiers that offer a wide array of quality and features, Fender has made significant strides in appealing to discerning acoustic musicians. In the case of this new, limited-edition Paramount PM-3, the overall visual aesthetic—from the chocolate-hued Indian rosewood back and sides to the grained Adirondack top to the slim headstock and checkerboard purfling and rosette—is striking. This is a side of Fender acoustics I haven’t seen before. I’m more accustomed to bulky dreadnought-sized guitars, with Stratocaster-like headstocks, than this 000-sized guitar with a slim, traditionally shaped headstock. This top-of-the-line PM-3 includes features aimed toward a more refined, fingerpicking-based audience. Beyond the use of woods that give a nod to fancy Martins, Gibsons, and even boutique guitars, the Paramount PM-3 Limited Edition Rosewood also includes elegant and understated appointments—like mother-of-pearl inlays, open-geared tuners, and bone nut, saddle, and bridge pins—and onboard electronics for stage and recording needs.