Versatile by Design: Episode 2. American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster Blend Knob

Since the launch of the American Acoustasonic Series, players have been wildly impressed by the different acoustic and electric sounds you can easily shift between without missing a beat.

And one of the most impactful innovations that makes this magic happen is the Blend Knob, a revolutionary piece of technology that seamlessly melds the tones of multiple instruments into one.

Upon first touch, Henri Cash of Los Angeles-based rock outfit Starcrawler knew the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster’s versatility was intriguing.

“It’s not something that I would normally pick up or go to a guitar store and say, ‘I want to play that,’” he noted. “But after I played it, I really liked it.”

Just like the previous American Acoustasonic Telecaster and Stratocaster models, the Jazzmaster represents a giant leap forward in what’s capable from a guitar, a charge Fender has led for decades.

“One of the dangers of being Fender is that people assume they know who we are as a brand and what our products are,” said Fender Chief Engineer (and all-around pickup guru) Tim Shaw. “(They) pigeonhole us by essentially saying, ‘What you did in 1955 was really good.’"

“That’s a history that we have to respect as designers, but the idea that we couldn’t innovate just because everything's already been done. It’s like the patent office guy in 1901 who basically said, ‘Well, all the inventions have been taken care of.’ Then, the Wright Brothers flew a plan six months later, and we were off to the races.”

True to Shaw’s word, the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster’s Blend Knob allows players everywhere to take their tone to new heights, as it meshes perfectly with the Fender- and Fishman-designed Acoustic Engine and patented Stringed Instrument Resonance System soundport to deliver a wide range of acoustic and electric voices with lively harmonics.

The sonic possibilities are endless. The Blend Knob might be quite forward-thinking, but it fits directly into the way players around the world are experimenting more and more to break through the creative status quo.

As Fender Vice President of Research and Design Brian Swerdfeger said, “It becomes a dream realized on a guitar. Why is it there? It’s there because nobody asked for it before. It’s there because nobody dared to try it before.”

With the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster, Fender dared and succeeded, and you can learn more about this instrument here.