Fender Player II Tele RW WBL

Fender Player II Tele RW WBL review

The Fender Player II Tele RW WBL combines a familiar Telecaster layout with a chambered ash body and a rosewood fingerboard. At a listed price of $833, it sits in Fender's midrange Player II series. Its White Blonde finish, parchment pickguard, and dark fingerboard give it a distinctive look, while its weight is a major part of its appeal. Owners report examples weighing about 2.7 to 2.8 kg, though the supplied specifications do not state an official weight.

The guitar has been available since October 2024. It comes with no case or bag, so players should factor in a separate purchase if they need protection for transport. The model number is 595327.

Construction and feel

The chambered ash body is the clearest departure from a conventional solid-body Telecaster. Owners describe the instrument as notably light and comfortable for extended playing, including onstage use. One player compared its resonance favorably with two Thinline-style guitars, while another reported good sustain when playing unplugged. Those are individual impressions, not guarantees, but they suggest the chambering does not prevent the guitar from delivering the lively response players expect from this design.

The bolt-on maple neck has a Modern C profile, a 648 mm (25.5-inch) scale, and a 42 mm nut width. Its rosewood fingerboard has a 241 mm (9.5-inch) radius, white dot inlays, and 22 medium jumbo frets. The overall specification is familiar and practical: a comfortable radius, standard Telecaster scale length, and a fret count that gives players room for higher-register parts.

Feedback on the finish and fretwork is generally positive. One owner found the fret ends smooth, while others described the build as good for the price. The instrument is not always ready for every player straight out of the box, however. Several reports mention high action or the need to adjust the neck and bridge saddles. One buyer found the setup and intonation seriously out of adjustment and had an unusually high saddle setting. A professional setup, or a careful adjustment by someone comfortable working on guitars, may be worthwhile.

Pickups and controls

Two Player Series Alnico 5 Telecaster single-coil pickups provide the standard bridge-and-neck arrangement. A three-way switch selects the pickup combinations, with master volume and master tone controls. Players report a balanced sound that retains the characteristic Telecaster attack and twang. One owner describes the neck pickup as warm and the bridge pickup as avoiding an overly thin, harsh tone. Another was satisfied with the pickups as supplied and did not feel a need to replace them.

The chambered body does not appear to erase the instrument's Telecaster character in the accounts provided. Players have used it for clean and lightly overdriven rock and pop, and one owner also praised its response with overdrive and delay. The simple control layout makes it easy to move between the three pickup settings and adjust overall brightness or level without a complicated switching system.

Bridge and hardware

The bridge uses six individual saddles, string-through-body construction, and block steel saddles. There is no tremolo. This is a modern, adjustable setup rather than a three-saddle vintage-style bridge. One owner preferred the look and feel of a vintage bridge and reported that a Fender replacement fitted the existing mounting holes. That is one person's experience, so buyers considering a conversion should confirm compatibility before ordering parts.

Fender ClassicGear tuning machines and nickel/chrome hardware complete the specification. The guitar ships with Fender USA 250L nickel-plated steel strings in.009,.042 gauge. One owner reported that the tuning and intonation were satisfactory after making a small neck adjustment; other reports describe setup issues, so quality control and shipping setup may vary between instruments.

Ownership notes and verdict

Some first-use details deserve attention. A buyer found the fingerboard dry and treated it with fingerboard conditioner. Another reported static noise after removing the protective film from the pickguard, which they resolved with an antistatic product. These are owner reports rather than confirmed widespread faults, but they are useful checks during initial setup. Inspect the pickguard, test the guitar through an amplifier, and assess the fingerboard and string height before a first performance.

At $833, the Fender Player II Tele RW WBL offers a compelling mix of low reported weight, classic Telecaster controls, and a rosewood-fingerboard look. Its strongest practical advantage is comfort for players who want a lighter guitar, while its two single coils and six-saddle bridge keep the format straightforward. The main caveat is setup: examples may need attention to action, intonation, or neck relief, and there is no case or bag in the package. For players willing to check those details, it is a versatile Telecaster with a distinctive finish and a sound that owners say stays true to the model's character.