Fender Parlor Acoustic - GDP-100 and CP-100

[Steve Freides]

Because I teach children, I've had a soft spot for Fender's GDP-100, a
parlor sized acoustic guitar. It's about the perfect size for someone
after a 3/4 guitar but not ready for full-sized (particularly the big
dreadnaughts everyone seems to fancy these days) and it's a decent
little guitar.

Fender discontinued that model and came out with something similar, the
CP-100. I'm curious to know if anyone has tried both and cares to
comment? I ask because the GDP-100 is still available on the used
market, but if the newer one is nicer, I'd go for that. The GDP-100
sold for $150 in its day and the CP-100 is selling for $200.

It's nice to have a decent instrument for a child, and these have been
decent instruments, even to the point where I enjoy playing them myself.

Thanks very much.

-S-

[JD]

Too bad it's not a 12 fret cutaway.

[Steve Freides]

JD wrote:

> On 6/5/2014 7:15 AM, Steve Freides wrote:
>> Because I teach children, I've had a soft spot for Fender's GDP-100,
>> a parlor sized acoustic guitar.

> Too bad it's not a 12 fret cutaway.

It's a 14-fret neck, better than nothin' in terms of getting up there
when you need to.

I've never heard a discussion of the merits and demerits of 12-
and14-fret necks. Anyone care to opine?

-S-

[JD]

Look at the bridge placement on a 12 fret. It sits
back closer to the center of the lower bout. Some
say that this more symmetrical placement drives
the top more efficiently. I'm inclined to agree
from my experience. Very few beginners need access
above the 5th fret. The biggest reason for a
cutaway on a 12 fret for me is when I'm capo'd up
for vocal convenience. Even uncapo'd, now and then
the extra access comes in handy but then I've been
playing 50+ years.

[Steve Freides]

JD wrote:
> On 6/5/2014 9:15 AM, Steve Freides wrote:
>> JD wrote:
>>
>>> On 6/5/2014 7:15 AM, Steve Freides wrote:
>>>> Because I teach children, I've had a soft spot for Fender's
>>>> GDP-100, a parlor sized acoustic guitar.
>>
>>> Too bad it's not a 12 fret cutaway.
>>
>> It's a 14-fret neck, better than nothin' in terms of getting up there
>> when you need to.
>>
>> I've never heard a discussion of the merits and demerits of 12-
>> and14-fret necks. Anyone care to opine?
>>
>> -S-
>>
>>
>
> Look at the bridge placement on a 12 fret. It sits
> back closer to the center of the lower bout. Some
> say that this more symmetrical placement drives
> the top more efficiently. I'm inclined to agree
> from my experience.

This would be an interesting issue to study. I'm guessing the 12th fret
was picked, well, just because. I'll further guess that the ideal
bridge placement varies based on so many things that it's impossible to
generalize, and I would think - I hope - that a luthier or the designer
of a production guitar would take those things into account.

> Very few beginners need access
> above the 5th fret. The biggest reason for a
> cutaway on a 12 fret for me is when I'm capo'd up
> for vocal convenience. Even uncapo'd, now and then
> the extra access comes in handy but then I've been
> playing 50+ years.

50+ years - me, too - took my first guitar lessons in the summer of
1963.

-S-

[gtr]

I loves me a parlor guitar. I don't really care if it's 12 or 14
because in either case, or with a cutaway, I'm not inclined to play
that high on the instrument; it produces too much tension in the sound.
I'm more inclined to play above the 10th on my solid-body guitars where
I can still get sustain without a lot of hand-tension.

I like the concept regarding "driving" the soundboard, but haven't
really checked it out myself.

[JD]

Try playing a 12 fret slothead dread next to a 14
fret or a OOO next to an OM. The difference jumps
right out at me.

[blackthi...@gmail.com]

I own both guitars. The GDP-100 is a nice fairly bright sounding guitar (which to my ears is somewhat typical of Fender acoustics with the thick glossy lacquers they use, which corresponds with an older Fender Concord Dreadnought acoustic I own as well), while the CP-100, which still projects in a bright and pleasant manner, seems a bit "mellower" in tone (possibly due to the thin satin finish).

Bottom line is I like both, and they both play similarly, but actually prefer the CP-100 due to it's satin finish and somewhat mellower tone.

[Steve Freides]

Thanks for this.

-S-