1987-1992 Fender La Brea Acoustic - Natural

1980s Fender La Brea – Natural Flame Top The Altitude Summary

Here’s a striking piece from Fender’s late‑’80s Korean line: a La Brea 6‑string dreadnought with solid spruce top, mahogany back & sides, and rosewood fingerboard. Cosmetic condition is excellent for its age — shows the expected dings, surface scratches, some light finish cracking around the output jack, some slight surface crackes around the heel binding and a bit of fret wear around the “cowboy" zone, but nothingbeyond cosmetic. Acoustically it is loud, clear, and full, and when plugged in via the undersaddle piezo it responds cleanly and reliably for live or recording use. Sized at a standard 25.5″ scale with a 1 11/16″ nut and equipped with a V‑shaped mahogany neck, this instrument is balanced and comfortable in hand. Comes complete with a  hardshell case. 

Tone & Voice

The guitar has a warm midrange presence with clear brightness, giving it that classic acoustic voice. The undersaddle pickup renders a transparent amplified tone with minimal coloration—just enough body to carry through without overwhelming. Strummed or fingerpicked, it delivers robust voice and solid projection for ensemble settings.

Body & Build Character

Fender’s La Brea line (produced in Korea circa 1987–1992) was part of their California Series. The bound body, three-stripe binding, and rosette detailing are tasteful, and the natural finish highlights the beautiful flame. The integrated electronics are modest and functional—just volume and tone—which preserves much of the acoustic character when plugged in.

Playability & Feel

The V-profile neck gives a slightly vintage hand feel, especially around the lower frets. The 1 11/16″ nut offers good string spacing without being over wide. Despite the fret wear near the “cowboy” zone, there’s still comfortable playability across the board. Action is good. Chrome die-cast tuners hold tuning reliably through bends, strumming, and plugged performance.

Reliability & Suitability

This La Brea is a strong choice for gigging, recording, or dedicated at-home practice. Its clean, no‑frills electronics make it easy to pair with any standard acoustic amp or DI. Because it’s rugged and honest in tone, it’s also a fitting candidate if you ever decide to upgrade the pickup or nut down the line.

Key Features

• Rosewood fingerboard & fixed rosewood compensated-bridge

• Undersaddle piezo pickup with upper-bout volume & tone

• 25.5″ scale, 22 frets, 1 11/16″ nut

• Mahogany neck with V profile

• Chrome die-cast tuners (6-on-a-side)

• Body binding and three-stripe binding accents

• Natural finish

• Hardshell case included

Product Specs:

Serial Number: 9639200
Condition: Good
Brand: Fender
Model: La Brea
Made In: Korea
Year: 1980s
Weight: 4.9lbs
Case: Hardshell
COA: No
Finish: Natural
Right / Left Handed: Right Handed
Number of Strings: 6
Hardware:
Body Shape:
Neck Material: Mahogany
Neck Shape:
Frets: 22
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Scale Length: 25.5"
Fingerboard Radius: 12"
Inlays: Cross
Width at Nut: 1.67"
Pickups: Piezo
Controls: x1 Volume, x1 Tone
Bridge: Rosewood
Tuners: Fender