The transition of PreSonus Studio One to Fender Studio Pro has sparked mixed reactions from users, primarily regarding branding rather than functionality. While the core software remains intact, concerns arise over Fender’s image overshadowing its professional qualities. The integration of Fender features may appeal to guitarists, but the long-term impact on development and user perception remains uncertain.
I have been using PreSonus Studio One since version 3.0, which puts my relationship with the DAW comfortably into the long-term category. Over that time I have leaned hard into its more obscure corners – heavy macro programming, workflow hacking, script editing and the slow, slightly unhinged process of bending the software to fit very particular, borderline obsessive session structures.
This matters because Studio One does not offer a public API or formal documentation for extensions and scripting. Most of what I built came from trial, error, reverse-engineering and a fair amount of educated guesswork. Despite that friction, or perhaps because of it, I grew to admire the software. It rewarded curiosity. It stayed out of the way. It felt like a tool designed by people who actually mixed and edited audio for a living.
I have worked in marketing and brand strategy for over 15 years, which makes some aspects of this rebrand difficult to ignore. That is not to suggest I know better than Fender’s marketing team or the far better paid specialists involved, but to me, the execution raises reasonable questions about positioning, audience perception and long-term brand equity.
The promise of faster progress… a disappointment?
In 2024, PreSonus announced significant changes to Studio One and Studio One Pro, including a revised versioning model and a stronger push toward subscription licensing. The messaging focused on momentum – more frequent updates, faster feature delivery and a more agile development cycle.
That promise never quite materialised. Updates did arrive, but they were sparse and largely limited to bug fixes spaced months apart. Major workflow improvements or structural changes were rare. For many users, the early excitement drained away, replaced by the sense that development had slowed rather than accelerated. In hindsight, this felt less like a temporary lull and more like a warning sign.
Fender enters the picture (even more so)
A few years earlier, Fender had acquired PreSonus, publicly framing the deal as a partnership rather than an absorption. The idea was that both companies would share technology while continuing to operate independently. On paper, it sounded reasonable.
In January 2026, that position shifted decisively. Fender announced that PreSonus hardware would move under Fender branding and that Studio One Pro would be rebranded as Fender Studio Pro. The change was not subtle. It marked the effective end of PreSonus as a visible, independent brand.
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation formally reintroduced the DAW as Fender Studio Pro 8, folding it into a broader Fender software and hardware ecosystem. Audio interfaces such as the Quantum range and AudioBox Go followed the same branding transition. From a corporate perspective, the move made sense – one brand, one ecosystem, one account system.
From a user perspective, the reaction has been a bit less tidy.
A branding problem, not a software one
The Studio One community response has been mixed, leaning sceptical. The core software remains largely unchanged, but the new name has proven divisive, particularly among long-time users. The concern is not really about features or stability. It is about perception.
Fender is a guitar company first and foremost. Its brand identity is rooted in instruments, amps and nostalgia. For many engineers and producers, that identity does not naturally align with a professional DAW. One widely shared sentiment described “Fender Studio Pro” as sounding like bundled software you would expect to find included with a digital amp simulator rather than a serious production platform.
Others have expressed concern that the rebranding dilutes the perceived value of the software, even if they also admit that they will probably stop thinking about the name after a week or two. The unease is psychological, not technical. Studio One earned credibility over years of steady, pragmatic development. Fender, fairly or not, carries a more consumer-facing image.
Don’t Panic! (?)
Despite the branding discomfort, there is little concrete evidence that Fender intends to gut or fundamentally redirect Studio One’s development. PreSonus leadership stated in a 2023 interview that Fender acquired the company for what it already was, not to reshape it into something else. Fender executives have repeated that assurance since the acquisition.
Crucially, the German development team responsible for Studio One remains in place. That continuity matters more than logos or product names. Studio One’s strengths – its workflow design, editing model and performance stability – are products of that team’s philosophy, not the branding wrapped around it.
A clearer pitch to guitarists
Where Fender Studio Pro does meaningfully change direction is in its appeal to guitar-centric users. The integration of Fender amp and pedal models directly into the DAW is a genuine point of differentiation. For guitarists and bassists, especially those already invested in Fender hardware, this reduces reliance on third-party amp simulation plugins and simplifies session setup.
Several producers have publicly praised the convenience and sound quality of these integrated models, highlighting the appeal of having authentic Fender tones embedded directly into the recording environment. Whether or not one agrees with the marketing language around “analog warmth”, the workflow benefit is real. Fender Studio Pro is clearly positioning itself as a DAW that speaks fluently to guitar players, not just engineers.
One ecosystem, one account
The replacement of MyPreSonus with the MyFender platform reinforces Fender’s intention to consolidate everything under a single ecosystem. For users who already own multiple Fender products, this may streamline registration and account management. For others, it serves as another reminder that the PreSonus identity is being quietly retired.
This is less about usability and more about corporate gravity. Once a brand reaches Fender’s scale, consolidation becomes inevitable.
What it all really means
At its core, the rebranding appears to be about portfolio management rather than a radical shift in software philosophy. Studio One, now Fender Studio Pro, gains some useful features aimed squarely at guitarists while retaining the workflow and engineering discipline that made it popular in the first place.
Whether users embrace the Fender name or merely tolerate it will depend on what comes next. Branding can be endured. Neglect cannot. If future updates prioritise real production needs over brand synergy, most professionals will move on and keep working. If not, the concern many users quietly hold will harden into something more permanent.
For now, the DAW is still the DAW. The question is not what it is called, but whether it continues to earn its place in serious production workflows under its new corporate banner.
PreSonus Studio One VS. Fender Studio Pro
Key Enhancements in Studio Pro vs. Studio One 7
Workflow & Interface
- New Overviews: navigate complex mixes faster with dedicated Channel and Arrangement Overviews.
- Redesigned UI: A freshly updated user interface, including a visual refresh for all native plug-ins and instruments.
- Drum Metronome: A new, dedicated metronome mode designed specifically for rhythm programming.
Creative Tools & AI
- AI Audio-to-Note: Powered by artificial intelligence, convert audio recordings directly into MIDI note data.
- Chord Assistant: Smart theory tools to help build and harmonise progressions.
- Sampler Updates: Major functionality updates to the Sample One and Impact samplers.
Effects & Integration
- Studio Verb: A brand-new, high-quality reverb plug-in.
- Fender Ecosystem: Seamless integration with Fender Studio, plus a suite of new Fender-branded guitar and bass amp plug-ins.
- Live Performance: Full video support added to the Show Page for live backing tracks and visuals.
(Studio One 7 comparison meaning Studio One 7.2.3.108761 Win x64 (Built on Oct 23 2025) which is presumably the final version of the PreSonus era)
PreSonus Hardware Now Fender Studio
In branding terms, PreSonus has spent years building loyalty around dependable studio and live audio equipment. Rebaging audio interfaces, MIDI controllers, and likely studio monitors, along with other hardware such as preamps and mixers over time, risks creating the perception that these products are simply ‘Fender versions’ of the prosumer gear PreSonus is already known for. That association may not land as intended. At best, it will take many years for the market to meaningfully connect a brand like Fender with mid to high-end audio equipment. At worst, the exercise could dilute both brands rather than strengthen either.
