Product: Washburn D82SW
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
02/24/2007
at
03:20am
by
Robert Looney
Email: rlooney<at>jam dot rr dot com
Features
:
9
USA built dreadnought guitar made in December 2005
AAA Solid Sitka Spruce top
Solid rosewood back and sides
One piece mahogany neck
Ebony fingerboard
Ebony Butterfly bridge
Crown style headstock
Grover 18:1 gear ratio tuners with ebonite buttons
Abalone Rosette
Flame Maple body & fingerboard binding
Buzz Feiten Tuning System???
-Although not stated in their promos, the guitar is forward braced, vintage style, in a bracing pattern quite unique to Wasburn.
I had an Baggs I-Beam professionally installed and belive it to be the perfect compliment for the sound of this guitar.
Washburn includes a GC70 hardshell case with this guitar.
Sound
:
10
I play mostly original alternative folk, blues, and various acoustic covers. This guitar is a tone monster. For my purposes I've never had a better sounding instrument. The lower registers have that little "honk" when played that you normally find on a guitar that's much older and much more expensive. The bass is distinctive and full, without muddiness. Mid range is good and Treble is excellent (unplugged). I play with a medium flat pick when strumming and use a Dunlop plastic thumb pick and metal on my second and third when finger picking.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
The guitar came from the Washburn Custom Shop perfectly set up. Action was excellent, had two shims under saddle and I removed one.
The top is AAA Sitka and it's gorgeous. The rosewood back has no center stripe and it's virtually impossible to see the center joint.(There's craft and then there's art.) Both the Ebony fretboard and bridge show a little striping, I would've rathered solid black. I have to say that I was skeptical at first about the bolt-on neck and was fully prepared to return the guitar, if not to my liking. It is not, in my humble opinion, a deterrent in any way to the sound or playability of the guitar. (Most experts agree with this opinion.) If at some point down the road the neck needs to be reset it's a matter of screws and shims not steam and finish and a big pile of money. The gloss finish on this guitar is excellent.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
This guitar is sturdy and I use it live. I have played it daily for nearly a year now and have had no problems with it.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I haven't had to use Customer Support, so I can't comment.
Overall Rating
:
10
I'm 51 and started playing in clubs at 14. I've been playing for 40 years. Guitars include Gibson '74 ES 335 TD,'59 ES 125, '75 Ovation Custom Balladier, Les Paul Junior (old like me), Peavey Generation Custom ACM, '52 Gibson LG-2, Martin HD-28. Everyone has a sound in a guitar that they like. The Washburn quickly became my favorite. It sounds the way a dread is supposed to sound and I didn't have to wait for it to "open up", whatever that means. I truly believe this guitar to be the best value in an American hand-built guitar, period. You will not be disappointed.
