Fender Fullerton Stratocaster ukulele review

REVIEW – My 12-year daughter has been teaching herself to play a basic entry-level ukulele that was given to her by a friend.  She has been dedicated to learning and we had been discussing purchasing her lessons and a better quality uke.  So, when the opportunity to try out the Fender Fullerton Stratocaster Ukulele presented itself, we couldn’t resist the opportunity.

What is it?

Using the iconic guitar body shapes, Fender has come out with the Fullerton Series ukuleles.  The Fullerton Stratocaster departs from traditional ukulele construction and aesthetics, while remaining faithful to Fender’s history. It is the perfect choice for the ukulele player looking for a beautiful instrument with a rock ‘n roll twist!

What’s in the box?

• Ukulele

Product specs

• Item weight: 3.04lbs
• Product dimensions: 26.8 x 10 x 4.2 inches
• Scale length: 15.04” scale maple neck
• String material: Nylon
• Guitar bridge system: Hardtail Bridge
• Battery type: Alkaline

Design and features

The Fullerton Series ukuleles are designed to impress!  Described as concert size, a happy mid-size in-between the soprano and baritone ukulele.  With its mahogany back and sides, laminated spruce top, 19-fret walnut fingerboard atop a 15.04” maple neck and nickel hardware it is one beautifully crafted instrument.  

The Fullerton ukulele features a Fender-designed preamp system built in and is always ready to plug into an amplifier and play.  The preamp features a separate volume and tone control along with a built-in tuner.  We absolutely loved having the control over the base, treble and tone.

The ukulele also features a no-tie bridge, which allows you to change strings easily, without needing special knotting or cutting in comparison with other ukulele designs.  All it takes is a small knot at the very end of the string to mimic a ball that one might find on metal guitar strings and pull it through the bridge.

Setup

The Fender Fullerton Stratocaster Ukulele comes ready to use out of the box. A quick removal of the light padding material around the instrument and you can start playing.

Performance

We can all agree the Fender Fullerton Stratocaster Ukulele is a beautiful instrument, but how did it perform?

Fender is known for great quality and sound.  The Fullerton Stratocaster Ukulele is no exception.  Its sound is bright and clear acoustic and amplified.  

If you are like us and you don’t already know how to play the ukulele, Fender has you covered with their Fender Play app for iOS, Android, and desktops. Fender Play is their digital learning software that offers step-by-step digital lessons for the ukulele, along with your bass and guitar.  

It wouldn’t be a proper review without letting you hear a little something.  As mentioned, we are just learning how to play, but hopefully, you can enjoy a short clip of the Fender Fullerton Stratocaster Ukulele in action.  

Here she is playing the uke acoustic:

We were lucky enough to have a friend to borrow an amp.  Here she is playing the uke amped:

One thing we did discover is that she prefers to play the instrument left handed.  Which is helpful knowledge, since she loved the Fender uke so much that she is wanting a Fender guitar and her own amp.  Who knows maybe we will get the opportunity to review those next, fingers-crossed.

What I like

• Sleek design
• Sound quality
• Built in tuner

What needs to be improved

• Instruction guide

Final thoughts

The Fender Fullerton Stratocaster Ukulele was instantly a hit with my family and a fantastic entry into learning the ukulele.  As Fender says, it’s “the perfect choice for the ukulele player looking to inject the spirit of rock ‘n roll into every performance.”  Amped up or just acoustic it is a great instrument!

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Fender and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Fender