Washburn HB35

My HB35 was made circa 1980- it is one of the first batch made in Japan, and I bought it brand new. It has 22 frets, and has a laminated top with a solid block in the middle (like a 335). It has two stock coil tapped (accesed with volume pull pots) humbuckers, the make is unknown, and it is passive. i wouldn't like to comment on the woods used, with the finish it has I can't really tell. The finish is a gloss tobbaco sunburst, two tone. The finish on the neck is the darker shade. The body is bound front and back, as is the neck and head. The binding has aquired that lovely buttery patina that only comes with age.It is a visually passable copy of a 335. These models had a very unusual feature. in that they were strung through the body, like a tele. I had a Khaler locking tremelo unit fitted- a decision I've since regretted on and off, mainly because it changed the beautiful balance of the instrument. However, it didn't significantly change the tone. Nut to bridge measures 630mm, and I'd call the frets medium jumbo. It came with a case, which has been replaced due to wear and tear. The tuners have a Wasburn logo, but are probably from one of the regular manufacturers. I can't give it a 10 for features due to some very minor niggles:- The hard plastic finish has lifted a little in a couple of places, either due to water damage (I live in Durban, a very hot and humid place where sweating is common) or using lemon oil (so my repairman told me). If unused for a while, the fingerboard tends to mildew, and the frets tarnish. The dot inlays are not completely flush, and I can feel them when I play. The furules on the headstock have rusted.

I play mainly covers, due to my deplorable need to eat, but in a wide variety of styles. I worked as musician and musical director at a theatre for a number of years, as well as solo and band work. The thing is, any 335 style guitar is what it is. Not even the coil taps can make it sound like a Strat or a Tele, so I wouldn't use it for everything- but this is not a fault. I've used it for big band, rock, jazz, pop and a heck of a lot in-between. I have not as yet changed the pickups, but i've got my beady little eye on some Toneriders, in an attempt to get closer to a Larry Carlton sound ( as if anyone ever could). The sustain is absolutely killer. You could hold the long Parisienne Walkways note for a week- at a very modest level. The pickups are very quiet, comparable with most humbuckers. I've played it through quite a lot of amps and effects (well, you must know how much gear you can go through in nearly 30 years) and have managed a good tone through most of them. If anything, the pickups sound slightly thin, but when I've tried the Toneriders, I'll do an update. One thing I must say, everyone who has tried this guitar wants it. When I first tried this beast the music shop let me take it to try at the gig, mainly because I was irritating them by being unable to stop playing the thing. Whilst I was playing, it was singing to me----"Buy me, buy me, buy me........". When I took it to the gig that night, the band were yelling at me (it was a loud rock band) "Buy it, buy it". I once owned a +/- '68 335 (with a trapeze tailpiece!)which I sold to get back to South Africa from England. That guitar never talked to me like the Washburn does. Sure, it had a better finish and hardwear, but it was just another guitar. I've never had even the slightest urge to sell this guitar, and as long as nobody steals it, I'll keep it till I die.

This guitar was well set up from the factory- in fact the best set up from new I've ever had. I think they tried really hard to break into the market with their first Japanese models, and you could say they succeeded as Washburn is a big company now. Nearly all the session guitarists in Johannesburg bought one of these (before you think how useless can a 'Joburg musician be, Trevor Rabin was one. I don't know if he bought the Washburn, though). Apart from the minor issues allready raised, I'm more than satisfied with this guitar.

I've used this guitar for nearly 30 years without a backup, and the only problem I've had was a faulty pickup selector switch, which I had replaced. A tuning peg broke when a groupie pulled on the drummers tie, and his foot caught on the guitar, knocking it over (it was a tie kind of band). The guitar fell of the strap once while I was trying a trick, breaking 3 of the Khaler's tuners. Since then I've used strap locks on all my guitars. A quibble I have with most of the 335 type guitars is the jack socket on the front of the body. Someone stood on the Jack, damaging the finish. I managed to fix it with a large gold washer, and now I only use angled Jacks. I have had the frets dressed and a few setups. I'd say that 30 years of fairly constant use qualifies this instrument as reliable and durable!

I've never dealt with Washburn, so have no opinion. One thing I'd like to see is the discontinuation of the HB35 name. Only this model should have had it. They have changed drastically over the years, and the only similarity is a vague 335 heritage. After all, no matter the year, a Strat looks like a Strat, and a Les Paul looks like a Les Paul. The only major surgery my HB35 had was fitting the Khaler.

I've been playing since 1959. I've had 3 L series Strats. I know, you think I'm a fool for selling them. But back in the day The Beatles didn't use Fenders, so you could hardly give them away. Who knew? I also owned the aforesaid 335, and a completely gorgeous cherry red SG-the Les Paul model, which I foolishly traded in for an SG Custom- the worst guitar I ever owned. I had a rosewood Tele, similar to the one George Harrison used on the rooftop gig, and a yellow 70's Tele that I resprayed red myself. I found it a bit limited, and that's when I bought the HB35. I now own a 35th anniversary American Standard which is a work in progress. I replaced the pickups with Kinman Traditional Mk II's, a good move, but next is the tremolo assembly.

One thing I dislike about the 335 shape is that they are uncomfortable to play seated as the waist is too far off centre. If this guitar were stolen, I doubt I'd be able to replace it, but I would if I could. I have a friend with a dot neck 335, and I'd swap it for that (not that there's any chance) but otherwise I've never tried a 335 type guitar to compare. If ever you see one of these, buy it quick. No matter what you pay it'll be a bargain.

This is 2006 Wine Red model with all of the features listed on other reviews. I bought it on EBAY from a Wholesaler who purchased a number of these from Washburn because of a defect or blemish on them. Mine had an inlay that was slightly off kilter. They sawed off the top of the headstock taking off the Washburn name and took a marker to try to conceal the Washburn name on the label in the F-hole but you could still see it.

It supposed to come with the body and neck only but with mine all I needed were a bridge, tailpiece, and some Grover Rotomatics and it was ready to go.

I play Garage Rock and the guitar is very versatile. The neck pickup is average being a bit muddy but I have a digitech box and can get pretty much what I want out of it. The bridge pickup has a lot of treble but I it find better than average for lead playing. Very defined and can get harmonics relatively easy. I play it through a Mesa Boogie 50 Caliber head with a Marshall 1936 Cab.

I own a Gibson ES 325TDW with humbuckers and the Washburn is much brighter in sound. The pickups seem to be very hot for a guitar of this type but I believe these are used in many of their other models. Just doen't really cover the low end.

The Sycamore sides and top are beautiful. The neck profile is wide, thin and flat and fast. Very comfortable. Besides the one inlay (Barely noticable) the frets were dressed nicely and the rosewood fretboard has nice feel. Strings are set low with no buzzing.

A friend I play with has an Epiphone Sheraton II and I would put this guitar in that category for comparison as they are similar in build and price. The only edge I would give to the Sheraton is that it has Epi 57 humbuckers which are some of the best sounding pickups Epiphone makes.

Built like a rock. Would gig without a back up but will bring one if a string breaks or something like that so I don't have a delay. I'm not a gold hardware fan but it is holding up rather well. Funny thing is I bought chrome tuners, pickups, rings, tailpiece and bridge thinking I had to install all of that but when it came with most of ready to go I have half of it gold and half of it chrome!

Never dealt with Washburn

Currently own one comparable model-Gibson ES 325 and one previous- Dearmond Starfire and this holds up pretty well with those two. Bought it for next to nothing so I don't know if I'd buy another but is well made. Just have to decide if the pickups are right for you.

I currently play an Gibson ES-325TDW, Carvin DC400, Epiphone Les Paul Custom Silverburst, Epiphone Firebird VII, Epiphone Firebird 500, and a Rickenbacker 350 Liverpool.

Mine's a 2007 model, made in Indonesia. I bought it on eBay, allegedly used, but if it was, the guy was playing air guitar with it. I couldn't find a scratch on it anywhere. No modifications have been made to it as of this date. I've had it for two weeks. No case came with it.

I've been playing since 1966 and have owned Fenders, Guilds, Gretsches, along with some cheaper stuff.

This is a goofy category to be rating. It's a semi hollowbody guitar, 335 style and has the features one would expect on this type guitar, so I guess that makes it a 10 in that respect. If it had come with four bedrooms, 3 baths and a jacuzi, I might be lobbying for a higher choice in ratings. It didn't.

The neck is a dream to play on. The binding is perfect on the instrument. The wood on the face of the guitar isn't bookmatched, so it's not a perfect instrument. It doesn't have a tremolo unit on it, which suits me fine. I don't use them anyway.

It's lighter weight than a Gibson 335 or even an Epi Dot 335, which I like. In my opinion, the build quality is extraordinary. Every bit as good as you see on a Gibson these days. I'm quite content with this aspect of the instrument.

I play 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's rock, old and new country and blues. Being in northeast Texas, a lot of that rock is swamp rock and southern rock styles.

I have a couple amps that I use mainly, both heavily changed from their original models. One is a Peavey Classic (series 100), which is a hybrid amp built back in the late 70's, 50 watts, solid state preamp, tube power amp. The other is a Kustom K200B-5 head (the tuck and roll variety from back in the 60's) running into a Kustom 3-15 cabinet (also tuck and roll) which originally was a bass cabinet, but I've replaced the speakers and modified it somewhat. It now has two 15's and two 8's in it. The bass is incredible off of it and the highs will cut glass. As far as effects, I use what's on the amps and have a Boss BD-2 distortion pedal and an original Vox Crybaby Wah. Are you getting the idea I'm into vintage stuff? LOL

The guitar is very quiet. As far as sound, I'm disappointed in the sound I'm getting from the stock pickups. The neck pickup is very muddy when used by itself. Too muddy without effects. Kick the distortion pedal on and it's horrible. I read another review on this guitar where the reviewer said he didn't like the sound of his HB35 running into a tube amp. I must agree here. My Peavey is a tube amp, my Kustom is solid state. The sound of this guitar is much muddier through the Peavey.

The Bridge pickup, on the other hand is twangy, almost shrill. And the volume is lower from that pickup than the neck pickup. I've set up my own guitars since back in the 60's and I know how to adjust pickups and I just can't get there with these stock pickups. I will be changing pickups very soon.

I will say this. This isn't my first rodeo, and I do know how to squeeze all there is to squeeze from an amp or a guitar. The sound of the two pickups together isn't bad. It's not what I'd call clean because there's a bit of mud still hanging around, but it's usable. I can kick some treble boost from the Boss pedal into the mix and clean it up a bit and ease up on my pick attack and get a definitely usable clean sound from the system. But I shouldn't have to do that, so I'll change the pickups on the unit. The rating I'm putting for this category is based on the stock pickups.

I love the neck. I'm one of those nuts who wants the strings laying on the neck. It'll take me probably a year of changes before I get this neck exactly where I want it, but I have no doubt I can get there. It's very playable as it is. I'll just make it more to my liking. And one can't hurry that. It takes time.

As far as the setup when I received the guitar, it was fine and what I expected. I stated earlier that the top was not bookmatched. I think I can live through this, somehow.

I owned a Guild Starfire many years ago. This guitar, in my opinion, is built as well as the Starfire was, so I fully expect it to withstand live playing. I'd use it on a gig without a backup. I already have, in fact. The only caveat about my rating here is that I haven't owned the guitar but 14 days, so this is merely a guess regarding reliability/durability. But I've got enough experience that I believe I'm right here.

I have no clue, but based on other reviews, I believe Washburn would be responsive, should I need support. I maintain and upgrade my own instruments, including electronics, neck modifications, repairs, etc., so I don't foresee me ever needing that support.

As I said earlier, I've been playing since 1966. I listed my amps earlier. I have two or three other guitars, nothing special. I'm building a custom Strat that I'll keep. The other guitars I own will probably get sold soon.

The only real downside I have with this guitar is the stock pickups. And that's an easy fix. Once that's done, I anticipate that the HB35 will be my main guitar. I owned that Guild Starfire for four years. I replaced it with a '69 Fender Tele that I owned for thirty four years. I replaced the Tele with a Gretsch DuoJet and kept it for a year. Just didn't like the neck on it, but I must say the craftsmanship and sound was just incredible. I do like the neck on the HB35, and that's before I get it dressed the way I like it, so I anticipate this being my main guitar for many years to come, barring something unfortunate happening.

It's a 9 because of the pickups and the non-bookmatched top. One will be fixed, the other I can live with. I think this is a great value on a semi-hollowbody guitar.

Semi-hollow tobacco sunburst washburn hb35(s).

Amazing sound, i play lead blues with it and the hollow body really sounds amazing for this type of music, this guitar truly has "soul".

The action is like a dream, as perfect as can be, with this guitar in my hands i become twice the better player.
Bending, fast licks but also chords and fingerpicking, everything plays and sounds extremely well on this guitar.

Don't know, it looks firm and reliable, but i haven't fully tested it yet to give an honest review.

Don't know.

Having owned about a dozen guitars over the years, and played at least double that amount, this guitar really sticks out being brilliant.
It performs, plays and sounds so good that i thought it was worthy of a good review here.

Mainly I would like to point out that this guitar has been through a number of incarnations. It started out being made in Japan, then moved to Korea, and now is sourced from China. I own two of the Korean models, which both have the Buzz Feiten setup. I have a real problem with Washburn concerning these changes. They keep dropping the retail price rather than changing the model # to reflect the differences. The Japanese versions are killer but rare, the Korean Buzz Feiten models are a great value, and the Chinese are a cheap 335 knock-off.

The pickups on my Korean models are OK. The neck works pretty well for some jazz but can be muddy. The bridge is good for rock and overdriven sounds but both pickups lack somewhat in terms of harmonics and complexity. The guitar does, however, sound good acoustically, which points to the pickups as the limiting factor. One thing you should be aware of; the pots from the factory are 250K. If you change them out to 500's the sound opens up quite a bit, becomes somewhat brighter and has more harmonics. If you upgrade to a better humbucker and can't figure out why you don't hear more improvement, try changing the pots.

Mine are really nicely done considering the price point. Actually they are brilliant when compared to much of the junk that comes out of Gibson. I decided to buy a CS-336 and went through six before I found an acceptable one. Everything from orange peel to a twisted neck. The hardware is marginal. Not unreasonable for the price but the guitar is good enough to justify upgrades. I put a bone nut on mine and changed to bridge to a Tone Pro. I also replaced the pots with 500K and upgraded the pickup switch. My only real complaint is a matter of preference. I wish the neck was a little beefier. In fairness, it is very similar to an early 60's 335.

For a semi-hollow body it seems very stout. The gold will wear off over time but that is pretty typical. The switches should be replaced if you plan to keep this a long time.

I contacted Washburn to check on the pots issue. They sent me an email which gave me an extremely detail spec sheet on the guitar. It helped me make decisions on what to upgrade.

I like semi-hollow guitars. I also have a Hamer Newport, a Heritage 555, a Yamaha SA-2200, and an Epiphone Elite. This is the least expensive but holds its own. Going back to Washburn's bizarre dumbing down of the model, my versions list price was $1200.00. I think they are around half of that now but it is NOT the same guitar.

Semi-acoustic double cutaway tobacco sunburst guitar, styled after the gibson ES 335 ofcours.

This guitar is one of the few semi-acoustic guitars under a 1000 that actually really sounds great, it really uses it's hollow body to get great tone.

I got it second-hand, but it was setup already perfect, no adjustments needed.
Finish looks amazing, so do the details, it looks and feels very solid and stylish.

But this is where it really rocks: the action and playability of this guitar; it's like no other i have ever felt, this guitar plays like a dream, bends like a dream, it feels like you have to do so little to play so well, it invites to be brilliant, i love this guitar.
And just for the record; i have tried over 20 or so similar guitars under a 1000 dollars, none of them i really liked , this washburn though immidiatly felt great and it still does.

As good as it gets.

Don't know.

I have nothing but great words for this guitar and i can't think of anything bad to say about it. I have played and owned a lot of guitars, this one is the first to be perfect.

1984 japanese hb35 tobacco burst.

i mainly play blues and blues rock and it is great for that. i use a gibson ga-5 reissue amp. with the stock pickups it literally booms. but i detect a bit of harshness in the sound and might swap the pickups for seymour duncan blues 59 set.

i bought the guitar on ebay and for a 22 year old guitar it was in pretty good condition - with a small paint chip on the head stock and small scratches all over the body - but the neck and fret board were without a blemish and fret wear was almost zero! i do have some concern with the tuners - but have to check them as times goes by to see if they have to be replaced.

guitar is built like a tank and is sure to outlast me!

never been in touch with washburn.

playing for around 5 years. own a gibson les paul studio lite. wanted a semihollow and after some research considered the hb35 as a very good alternative and value for money.

i've played gibson 335s in guitar center, manny's music etc in nyc and i think the hb35 is way above in playability. i love the way the hb35 rests on my body when strapped on - very comfortable. fantastic fret access. neck is eminently playable. i can't stop playing it and am sure my playing is going to jump a notch.

the great thing about my hb35 is that it is relatively light. 335 models are normally 8 lbs plus. japanese guitars especially weigh more than normal. but strangely mine weighs only around 7 lbs! i love it for that.

Submitted for your consideration is a 2005 CIC HB35 in natural finish. I bought it new with the Washboard er... umm... Washburn HSC and have owned it for one year. That is enough time to give it a thorough review. The hardware is gold plated and the flamey maple laminate body is truly a sight to behold. As an alternative to the Gibson 335, it is quite gorgeous and affordable. All the hardware details have already been covered. Since it has all the features of a 335, this category gets a perfect 10.

This guitar was purchased for blues, jazz and the occasional Allman Brothers Band song. It does sound best through a quality 100 watt solid state amp. I have tried it through a 1978 Fender Pro Reverb, Marshall 1/2 stack and many others ranging from a 10 watt 1X8 up to the aforementioned.

The sound is abysmal.

At first I thought it might be the wiring. I spent many hours rewiring the guitar with quality components but it did not help. Lastly I changed out the pickups with some alnico humbuckers that measure in the 8K ohm range and the guitar came to life. If you are reading this (and have done your research) you will note that Washburn does not say what magnet material the pickups are manufactured with. I suspect it is ceramic. What were you thinking, Washburn??

Mighty Mite gold humbuckers were installed which made the guitar come to life.

Action was very good out of the box. Over the last year, it did need a fret dressing two times to trim fret end sprout. I cannot ding Washburn for that as I live in the dry Mojave Desert.

The finish has several flaws and spots of obvious touch up and glue fill. About what you can expect on a guitar in this class. The back of the neck has a spot that looks like a dirty fingerprint under the finish but none of this is visible ten feet away. (Minus one point. There is a lot of filler around the neck inlays. (Minus one more point.)

The action is very nice and this it where the guitar kicks the Ibanez Artcore series of 335 style guitars to the curb. (Yes, I own an Ibanez AS73, too.) You cannot play the Ibanez above the 14th fret. The Washburn has excellent access all the way up the neck, much like my Gibson SG. The HB35 is a step up from the Artcores but both need pickups with alnico pickup upgrades unless you play hair metal music from the 1980s, in which case you would not play a 335 style guitar.

The guitar should last if well cared for but the gold is wearing off of the hardware in only one year of light use. The Grover tuners work well. Yes, I would play it without a backup as I have worked the guitar over for a year to set it up.

I have been playing guitar since 1963, and we have about 20 guitars in the house. If it were stolen, I might get another but I would be picky in my selection.

Wine red gorgeous wood grain. Standard tuners. This one did not come with a case, so I bought a generic one that fit, but was still a bit loose. Found the right case on ebay and bought it. This one is a Chinese made guitar.
Maple body and neck.
Semi-hollow body, gold hardware.
Standard pick up, Humbuckers I believe.
Tune-o-matic bridge,

Gorgeous sound, rich full and beautiful. Nice echo and warm feedback from the hollow body, but when you want it. Resonance is awesome. Good for nice jazz playing, or deep gutty Nugent rocking. Still experimenting with pedals and amps. Sounds awesome no matter what I put it through, and works as an acoustic as well.

This thing is the finest guitar I have ever played off a rack. Set up perfect, or anywhere else for that matter. No flaws that I can see. Everyone who sees it is in awe. Action is phenominal, not sure if I just got a special one or all HB35's are this smooth. Ended my desire for an ES 335.

Just got it, so can't say how it will hold up. I don't see any reason it would not though. Gold hardware will perform like gold hardware though. It will fade eventually, but man does it look awesome. I play in a Church band, so not a lot of traveling around, but I don't leave my instruments since my 2nd Les Paul got ripped off from the church.

Everything seems to be solid, though the jack nut was loose and came off. Replaced and tightened, no problem. Common problem.

Have never dealt with Washburn before. But everything I read and heard was good. Have no reason to take it to my normal set up guy. I can't imagine anything he could do better.

Been playing for over 30 years, but recently got serious and started taking lessons again with a master. Have had 3 Les Pauls, "The Paul" solid Walnut body, a 1978 "Custom" (both got stolen at different times)and have a Les Paul Pro now, but it will take a back seat to the HB35, even though it is an incredible Les Paul, over 28 years old, one of only 2 Les Paul Pros made in black.

I also have a Fender Squire youth model (bought for the kids, then stole it back), an Alvarez thin body electric acoustic. Always wanted an ES335, but never could justify the price tag. This stopped my search.
The action is incredible, sound is wonderful, love the high cut aways giving access way up the neck. Some complain about the weight, but for a Les Paul player it is light. The best playing guitar I have ever played, bar none. The only HB35 I ever played, so again I don't know if this is a fluke or what. A oot better than the HB30's and J-4's, etc. that they had.
If I lost this one for whatever reason, I would most certainly buy another ASAP. I almost bought another on EBAY for the heck of it.

When this music store opened about 2 years ago this was on the wall, and I fell in love with it. It hung there all that time and never sold, I played it every time I went in. Finally I talked them into a price I could not refuse. Even at the orginal price of 599 it was a bargain, but for the amount I played I could not justify buying another guitar.

1984 Washburn HB35--tobacco sunburst with 2 HB pickups. My 1984 guitar was made in Japan of sycamore. the newer models have the pickup switch on the upper bout, mine is down by the knobs. This guitar has a lot of binding and is a well-made guitar throughout. I'll rank it just above the middle...it doesn't have a lot of features, but you're not looking for bells and whistles when you buy a guitar like this.

This is a great sounding guitar, plugged in or unplugged. It has a warm, solid acoustic sound that is enhanced by the pickups. I have had microphonic feedback from the pickups on occasion, but it hasn't been enough of a problem to make me swap them out.

I play the HB35 through a Hot Rod Deluxe with a minimum amount of effects. I've used it in several bands--a classic rock/blues cover band, an all-original Beatlesque group, and a jazz trio. It has sounded sweet in all settings.

The guitar was set up very nicely when I got it. The previous owner had obviously cared for it well. The only blemish on the guitar is a small ding in the top from a percussion stand falling and striking the guitar while on a guitar stand.

The set in neck is a dream. I have only had to make minor adjustments in the 6 years I've owned this guitar, and those were due to seasonal climate changes (I live in Minnesota).

I owned this guitar for over 2 years before I gigged with it. When I finally took it out, it became my main performance guitar. I have gigged without a backup for the HB35 many times. I now cart multiple guitars for my current band, but if I had to rely on the HB35 alone, I wouldn't worry at all. It's a tank.

The only minus on this guitar is the gold hardware. It has worn off to the nickel on the pickup covers and tailpiece. This seems to be consistent with other HB35s from this period. Obviously, it doesn't affect the sound or the playability of the guitar.

I bought the guitar used, it was 17 years old when I got it (only one previous owner). I e-mailed Washburn with the serial number because the dealer who sold me the guitar wasn't sure how old it was. They responded the same day with the date of manufacture. The warranty no longer applies for the guitar, but I'll give them high marks for a quick response.

This guitar was sitting in the music store for almost a week before I picked it up. A friend of mine had worked for a division of Washburn and had a very negative opinion of their products. I had also played some Washburn guitars that left me underwhelmed. But my eye kept getting drawn back to the HB35, and finally I tried it out. I played it for an hour, through different amps, trying different styles, etc. I was actively trying to find flaws in the instrument. I couldn't.

I had wanted a 335 style guitar for years, but thought a high-quality model was out of my price range. My HB35 has been in the hands of people who own Gibsons, Heritages, Hamers, and so on...everyone has been amazed at the quality of my $350 find.

Since buying the HB35, I have purchased two other Washburns, the J3 and the Oscar Schmidt OE-30. I'm happy with the OE-30, VERY happy with the J3, but the HB35 remains my workhorse and my precious baby.

I give this guitar the highest recommendation. It costs a little more than an Epiphone or an Ibanez Artcore, but it is well worth the difference. This is Gibson quality for a sixth of the price.

All features as previously posted.

Already have an Am Std Strat which I love. Wanted something to go up another level and growl like a scrap yard dog. This guitar does it big style!!!! It also does a very nice clean, but didnt buy it for that. Bought an Epi LP std but was very disappointed with it. Sold it on and bought the Washburn this week. I now have the guitar I want. Stock pups sound great. Playing through a Marshall AVT150 at the moment.

Beautiful looking guitar. Well set up by Richtone Music. No flaws at all. Plays like a dream

Dont play live anymore, but I am sure the guitar would stand up to it.
Finish seems very good.

Cant give a score on this as only got guitar today

Been playing on and off for thirty odd years, Just started again seriously a few years ago. Own an Am Std Strat, Takamine EG523SC12 (Awesome 12 string!!!!) and a Tanglewood TW55DLX. Bought Washburn after three weeks of trying every hollowbody I could find and reading every review. It seemed to be the best within my budget, and even blew away more expensive ones (Sheraton,Indie, Yamaha,Schecter and Peavey).If it were stolen or lost would get another. Really wanted a Sunburst one but not available till march 07, but am happy with the wine colour. Anyone thinking of a hollowbody less than ??400 with hard case. GET A WASHBURN HB35!!!!!!!

List Price: $799.90 Paid $320.00 on eBay
Case: GB30 included
Color: Wine Red
Maple body
Flamed maple top
Double cutaway semi-acoustic body
Gold hardware
Bound f holes
Multi laminate binding
Raised black/white pickguard
Rosewood fingerboard
Split block inlays
Tune-o-matic bridge
Stop bar tailpiece
621 neck pickup
623 bridge pickup
4 knob/3 way switch
Gold Grover?? 18:1 gear ratio tuners
Maple neck
Neck radius: 320mm
24.72" Scale
22 frets
Joined at the 19th fret.
Nut Width: 1 5/8" (43mm)

I have found this particular guitar to sound excellent. I believe that it rivals the Gibson ES-335, just with hotter pick-up's. I am mainly a rock/blues player, and it is well suited for those styles. It is a perfect rhythm guitar for any type of music. It has a well balanced sound that can be fine tuned to suit any musician.

I am currently playing through a Peavey Classic 50 410 and the guitar responds well, both clean and dirty. Sustain is amazing for a stock, factory assembled guitar. The pick-up's are stock and really have some punch when needed.

I had to set the guitar up to my specifications since it was used when I bought it. It set up without any problems, and plays like a dream. The neck is slim and consistant, which makes it very fast and easy to play. The fit and finish is impeccable for a factory guitar. Again, this guitar was pre-owned, but it is in excellent condition.

This guitar is a soild instrument that will no doubt hold up well to aggressive playing and many gigs. The hardware is sold and has an attractive gold plating that seems "deep" for factory hardware. I never play a show without a back-up, but would in a crunch with this guitar. I have more faith in this guitar than my Epiphone or Gibson for reliability and durability.

I have been playing for roughly 20 years. If this guitar was lost or stolen I would replace it asap. I love the overalll feel of the instrument, and the color is my personal favorite. I bought the guitar "sight unseen" based on a recommendation of a friend, and have no regrets. This guitar is much better overall than my Epiphone Dot, and really close to the Gibson ES-335 for about a third of the cash.

Natural flame maple top, cream binding. STUNNING!

Grover tuners are awesome. Bridge is OK, but I will be repacing it with a tonepros bridge for even more sustain.

The ONLY thing keeping this guitar from a 10 is the gold hardware. I hate it so much, but everything else was so great that I bought it anyway. I feel like a pimp or something when I play it, but not in a good way... This is strictly a matter of personal preference, of course. I hate gold anything, and gold guitar hardware looks bad after a few years.

Amazing guitar. Maybe the best I've ever seen for the money. The only area of weakmess, in my opinion (other than the gold hardware), were the stock pickups. That said, they're still pretty good. MUCH better than stock Epis or the like. I thought about keeping them in. But, when I switched them out with SD Phat Cats, this guitar really came to life. It's now a versatile tone machine, and I think it can hold its own for ANY style (even death metal, if that's your thing, though you may look a bit strange on stage). I play this guitar on overdrive as much as I do on clean, and it has the pefect amount of controllable feedback. Anyway, because of the stock pickups, this category gets a 7.

Holy crap. This was made in Korea??? Prettier than any 335 I've ever seen. Can't find a finish flaw anywhere. I've got a few Fenders, etc., but this is the guitar that lives on the display stand.

I bought this used, and the action was a bit high for me. That was adjusted in about 20 seconds. Now the action is very low (and I'm a tough critic, because when it comes to action, I'm a complete wuss). No buzz!

Fretboard radius is very flat, which took a little getting used to after years of playing Fenders, bit I like it. No problem.

Nut was installed well. It has the buzz tuning system, so I won't be swapping it out for a bone nut.

I'm not a professional, but I've been playing badly for many years... I don't know if it would stand up to gigging, but my guess is that it would. It's a substantial guitar, not light and delicate. I thind the guitar would last, but maybe not the finish. So, it gets a speculative 9.

Not applicable at this time.

I have owned dozens of guitars over the years, and this one may be my favorite. Along with one of my Dillion guitars (another very well made Korean brand that you should check out), this one gets the most playing time. A little neck-heavy, but bearable. As I've said, the sound is amazing, and the looks are unmatched, in my opinion.

If somthing happened, it woud be replaced immediately. I may go ahead and buy one in red just in case...

NOTE: this was made in KOREA. I know that some, if not all of the HB35s are now made in China. If you are looking at a Chinese model, check out those reviews specifically.

If this came stock with chrome hardware and duncan pickups, I'd say it would hang with any guitar at any price. Since it doesn't, it gets a 9.

Mine's a really really old model. I have no idea what year it is. The pup selector switch is below the bridge, unlike the newer ones which are les paul style above the neck pickup.

Purchased from ebay almost on a whim. When i got it i really really wanted to like it, even though i knew it wasn't great.
But i was wrong, having had it for a year now i absolutely adore this thing. It's incredibly versatile. I play ambient, blues and math-rock on it and it handles all very well.
My only gripe is that the humbuckers can sound a little raspy through my music man, but some clever EQing remedies that.

The action is quite high and I've been told that this isn't really fixable, but i can live with that.
It feels nice to wear and to play. It's a good weight.

I need to get some new machineheads on this as the g string goes out of tune everytime i bend. The tone pot for the bridge is broken but i dont really care right now.
The 'gold' hardware is showing signs of age but i prefer the chrome underneath so i'm not gonna grumble.

I've never played another, so I can only speak for mine but it seems to me like a touch of serendipidy how such a cheaply made guitar can sound so 'alive', is the only word i can use to describe it.
I love it.

Not sure of the year but I beleive it mid 90s. Hollowbody electric, duel humbucker, two volume & two tone knobs, three way switch low below the pickguard. Guitar is midnight black, solid pearl band inlay in the neck. All gold hardware. Guitar is not too heavy and looks very cool in the balck as opposed to the newer red models.

Play mostly Blues and Jazz. Run it through a Dunlop Cry Baby pedal into a Fender Deluxe Amp. Had it setup with low action and #10 ribbon wound D'Arradio strings. No noise, deep rich sound on the neck pickup, nice growl when on both pickups, not to trebly on the back pickup.

Bought it used and action was a little high and strings hard to bend with #12 ribbon wound. Front pickup need to be raised a little and intonatin was off slightly. Had the guitar set up by professional with #10 ribbon wound and guitar is now amazing. Guitar is perfect shape.

Very solid guitar, I don't gig but I would have no fear of it giving up on me. Hardware seems decent and will last. FInish seems good, strap buttons secure. I would fully depend on it

Bought used so no warrenty. Never had to deal with Washburn yet.

Playing 20 years with Gibson SG and acoustics and always wanted a Hollowbody electric. I wouldn't go so far as to say it gives the Gibsons a run for thier money but it is darn close. Love the look and feel, especially with the ribbon wound strings. Great, great Jazz guitar. Everyone who has played this guitar since I got it love it and I would definately try to replace it if lost. Tried many hollowbody electrics before buying this one...started with the Epiphone (felt cheap compared to this) and other but the HB-35B kicked butt.

2005 model. Made in China. Semi-hollow body. Patterned after the Gibson ES335. Natural flamed maple laminated body and top. Maple neck. Rosewood fretboard. Washburn bridge and neck humbuckers. Tune-O-Matic bridge. Stop tailpiece. 18:1 Grover tuners. Medium frets. Pearl block inlays on neck and headstock. Gold plated hardware. Washburn GC71 case included.

I play country, blues and jazz. The sound suits me fine but probably could be improved with a pair of Seymore Duncan or Gibson pickups. I might change them later, but for now I'm satisfied with the sound. I've tried it through several different amps and liked most of them. It's best through my tube amp for both clean and distortion, but for clean it sounds great even through my Crate acoustic amp. I'm only giving it a 9 because I think it could be even better with a pickup change.

This is where this axe really shines. This is the most beautiful instrument I have ever seen in my 60 years of guitar playing. The workmanship is absolutely flawless. The setup from Pulse Music was perfect. I put heavier strings on it to accomodate my style, but there was nothing wrong with the original strings. This axe rates something better than a 10, but that's all I can give it.

The guitar is very well made and appears to be very strong, but is is a semi-hollow and can be damaged. The finish seems very durable. I might change the strap buttons, although they are very solid. I'm sure I can depend on it, although I wouldn't go without a backup guitar and backup amp

I haven't had occasion to use them with this guitar, but I have had issues with other Washburn guitars, some as recently as last year, and they were always very quick to respond and correct any problems

I have played for 60 years. I own or have owned Gretch, National, Martin, Gibson, Sigma, Ibanez, Taylor, Washburn, Fender, and a large number of forgotten brands of guitars, plus Gibson and Stelling banjos and Gibson mandolins. I love the sound and the ease of playing. I am overwhelmed by its great looks. I wish the switch was in a different location. If it were lost I'd buy another. maybe two more. I think that If one absolutely had to have a Gibson ES335, it would be much better to get an HB-35 and change all the hardware to Gibson. The result would be a guitar that would far outshine a custom shop Gibson ES335.

This is a new guitar...Humbuckers sounds just fine for my needs..
Wine Red color looks gorgeous..
Gold hardware adds to the beauty..
Grover tuners are a solid feel..
Split block frets look cool.
I like where pick up switch is..

I'm not a lead guitarist so my needs are not the same..For my listening pleasure it's great..
Bright when you want it and warm when you need it..
Not noisy at all.
Great variety..
I play through a Carvin tube amp..
It has such great contrasting sound and feel to my Fender Custom Telecaster....

Came set up. No buzzing..Nice feel and action..

Top bookmatch could have been better but I can live with it..

No real flaws..
Gold hardware has a nice rich look...

Easily could be gigged..It is a semi hollw body so some care is needed..

A backup is always nice but not needed...This ax seems like it would be very reliable..

Never had to contact them...Only had this ax for a short time..

Playing off and on for more than 4

You've read about the components and materials already, I'm sure. This is a beautiful guitar, purchased from gigmaker, on eBay. I can tell you enough how great this guitar looks and handles. The inlays are pure art, and the gold hardware is a huge plus in the looks dept. The neck is silky smooth and feels a like a medium C. The tuners are Grover. The pickups are stock and sound very good for factory pups. I might replace at some point, with voodoo pups from Peter Florence, but for now, I'm very happy with the sound in all three positions. Came with very nice sounding strings. I've checked every inch, and I can't find a flaw anywhere. Here's the big kicker folks, it looks like the new HB35's are made in China. Well let me tell you, they certainly know what they are doing. THis is as fine a guitar as I've ever seen, in the 335 style, and I used to own a '64 that I was stupid enough to sell for much less than it was worth, many years ago. THis is my 5th axe. I also have a Tele Thinline, LP, Samick LP-Tele Hybrid (AV 4), and an acoustic. I have a Parker on the why to fulfill my strat style needs. Maybe a real strat later. Oh yeah... 3 ply binding all over, very nice touch. Came with a great Washburn hard shell case.

THe sound is warm, and sweet as heck. Very good variation from the 3 way switch. Clean and bright on the bridge, warm and strong on the neck and a very clean/warm combo. Great sustane and resonance. Absolutely no pup hum at all, even two feet away from my 120 watt Behringer amp. Great vibe.

As I said... no flaws anywhere. Perfect fit and finish. Just beautiful to look at. Perfectly straight neck. Everything works as expected and feels professional. THe color and coating is fantastic.Shines like a jewl. Great book matching on the flame top.

Feels built to last and the reviews I've read bear this out. Very sturdy instrument. I would gig with it for sure.

haven't used it yet. Probably never will according to reviews of this instrument.

I've been playing since 1964 and have played many models and brands. THis is a fantastic guitar and as good as many in the over $1000 range. I don't feel I need to buy another Gibson 335 now. This one does it's job just as well. Kudos to Washburn for a great design job on a superb product.

Bought this new for $450.00 w/case has cocky translucent red flame top and gold hardware this guitar is absolutely gorgeous the inlays are very similar to that of a Gibson custom and that guitar retals for around $3299.00. It has Stock pickups and does an even better job than Epiphone of capturing that 335 vibe

This Guitar sounds beautiful I run it through a Peavey tube amp Vtm 120 and the tone is just amazing not much tonal variety it has the same set up as a 335 2 humbuckers that totally rock I am a blues guitarist and this guitar is absolutly perfect I eas gonna change the pickups after I got this axe to some duncans but I like the sound the way it is

Like I said earlier this guitar is absolutley gorgeuous it was set up perfect I had to do nothing to this and the hardware and finish was absolutley 100% perfect

This guitar is built to take it lots of time tested parts from grover tuners to tuneomatic bridge and tailpiece the finish is great and will stand the test of time replaced the strap buttons the day I brought it home w/ straplocks but they seemed durable this is now my main axe replacing a mexican strat a carvin dc127 and oldreliable a 1980 washburn a 20 v but I would nevere play anywhere witout a backup guitar that just aint smart

Limited lifetime warranty that covers manufacture defects I did contact their support regarding a different guitar the a 20 v and the response was very timlely done through email

Been playing for 18 years and like I said I have several other guitars that this guitar has replaced. I did extensive researh and comparison shopping before making this purchase and after playing everybodies version of this guitar form Gibson ro Bc rich's dagger I chose this for value looks and overall sound it is so close to the gibson it is unbelievable. I am purchasing the hb 32 wihich is the dot version of this guitar for my father for christmas and I would recomend this over any other 335 model on the market

Korean model, purcahsed new in 2003
Others have covered the specs on this model already-mine is the natural blonde finish. Came with washburn humbuckers. This model also has the Buzz Feiten tuning system. The neck has a slimmer profile than some of my guitars, but is comfortable and easy to play.

I compared this guitar side by side to late seventies ES-335 owned by a friend of mine, and it generally held its own sound wise. However, the pickups seemed to lack character, and I found myself playing other guitars instead. I decided to replace the pickups, and aftr some consultation went with Seymour Duncan Phat Cat single coil pickups, which were available in gold finish that matched the rest of the hardware. The sound of this guitar after these pickups were installed is amazing. It still has the the Gibson semi-hollow vibe, but with much better string definition and clarity. It sounds great clean and distorted with tremendous sustain, and is terrific for blues and classic rock.

The guitar was set up very well, and is easily the nicest looking guitar I own. The sycamore top has very nice flame, and is matched well. I replaced the pickup selector switch, and the output jackplate required tightening.

I have not had the chance to play live with this guitar yet, but I am sure it can hold, although strap locks would probably be a good idea.
I always have other guitars on hand when I play live, but there is no doubt that this would be my main stage guitar.

I have not dealt with the factory direct, but the shop I bought it from is a licensed Washburn dealer, and is great to work with.

I have been playing off and on for twenty five years, and also own a Dean EVO, Hamer Archtop with P-90s, Fender Stratocaster, and Squier 51. I play these through a Crate V50 and V58 amps. This guitar sounds great through both, but sounds especially good through the V50 with the gain channel up about halfway.
The only guitar I would think about replacing it with would be a Hamer Newport, which also has the Phat Cat pickups.

2003. Black with gold hardware.(only black one i've seen) you know the rest of the description. Korean Made. Hollowbody es335 copy, awesome. Grover tuners. Humbucker

This guitar is perfect for blues,rock n roll, jazz, just a great warm sounding tone. I love this guitar. Been buying and selling guitar after guitar looking for a keeper and I will keep this thing for a long time. The guitar has a wide variety of sounds. It makes me want to play my arse off. It is big now, if you are really small it might be too big and heavy, but not really bad at all. Love the sound on this thing, strong, sounds good distorted also just a good ol guitar sound. barr chords are perfect. kick arse

Bought it used. don't know what the factory set-up was like. great fit and finish. good crafstmanship. some glue and stuff when you look in the f holes but for the most part very nicely executed. Nice tuners(grover). frets look pretty good.

Don't know yet. will soon. It is a hollowbody so i will have to be a little extra carefull with it. Good hardware. nice strap buttons. seems dependable.

don't know

Been playing a couple of years. Have owned several electrics, fender ibanez. schecter, have played all the so called "best guitars" the name brands in other words. Fender, gibson, prs. Which are all well over priced. This is a better instrument than any fender that I've ever played. Maybe not better different JUST AS GOOD as any of the above mentioned. Don't be tricked by name brands. None of these mentioned brands are the best guitars in the world. The best guitars are handmade with care such as ALEMBIC, PHIGA. I love this guitar though. will probably keep it as long as possible. JB from widespread panic plays one of these. Love this just the way it is. I would get another if lost or stolen. If you are thinking about this guitar, don't worry it kicks butt. Not really for metal crap but it can handle it's share of distortion. Just a nice guitar.

This is a 1998 HB35(S) made in Korea semi- hollow body guitar. Essentially this guitar is a take-off of a Gibson 335, two humbuckers, a volume and tone control for each PUP, 3-way switch; 24 3/4" scale; white mahogany centre block. The guitar is equipped with Grover tuners, Tune-o-matic bridge, jumbo frets and a rosewood fretboard. The neck, back, and I believe sides are made of flame Maple. Unlike the current models produced today the top is made of Sycamore wood.

I must qualify this section by saying first that I upgraded the stock pickups and put a Gibson '57 Classic in the neck and a Gibson '57 Classic Plus in the bridge. When I roll the tone back on the neck PUP I get lovely sweet Jazz tones. The bridge PUP is great at straight up rock n' roll. It?s a great blues guitar. The HB35 works well with sound modulation effects (chorus, vibrato, tremolo, spacey delays, or panning). For gear I use a Mesa Boogie F-30 head with a Boss GT-6 in the loop, combined with a Marshall 30th anniversary 1X12 cabinet.

I purchased this guitar new old stock. The guitar has a nice, comfortable neck. It was setup well, however there was one flaw, the nut was 1/16th inch inside the edge of the neck. This doesn?t affect the playability but it may show a lack of quality control lacking in perhaps an offshore plant?

Hey it?s a semi-hollowbody you have to be gentle with it. I also had issues with the 3-way switch which I eventually replaced.

I have had no dealings with Washburn but the service where I purchased it from was poor.

This was my first electric guitar, it?s a lot of fun to play. For strings I like use Gibson B.B. Kings (10- 54?s) The tiger stripe top on ?Wally Washburn? is absolutely outstanding! I?m not kidding, this guitar is better looking then the one featured on Washburn?s web site! Combined with the wine red finish, the gold hardware, cream coloured trim with fine black pin striping and block inlays, this is hands down my best looking guitar! It?s not the most versatile guitar but it is a total blast to play in the style(s) that it's suited for.

I was skeptical about buying a Korean guitar after ownining a U.S. made Gibson Les Paul Classic. That has all changed now. This 2004 model has 23 frets with a semi hollow body laminated top. The two volume and two tone controls along with the three way selector give me all the sound configurations I could ask for. The two HH pickups are warm and creamy. The neck and body are quite comfortable. I got mine in a beautiful natural finish which adds beauty to my living room where I keep it on a stand. The Buzz Feitin system is easy to tune and stays in tune day after day. I've never had a guitar that needa so little attention. The neck is nice and thi with jumbo frets. The hard shell case could be a little sturdier.

My favorite band is the Allman Brother,s Band and the guitar suits this music just fine. I play through a Fender Princeton 65 Amp. No problems there either. I am partial to rich full sounds and that is exactly what I get. I can get a wide range of sounds considering the pu's are humbuckers. If you like Tele twang you won't be happy. That is why I also have a Tele. This is on of the best sounding guitars I have ever played, even with the standard pu's. Look out Gibson.

Niece low action and perfect factory set up. Beautiful bookmatched front and back. Not one proble with quality control, tuners finish binding etc. Perfect binding on the neck and top and back.

Guitar is new so I can't answer hoe it will hold up, but it seems to be pretty sturdy.

No experience with customer support. The one thing I don't like is there is no phone number to call. I guess I would have to bring it back to the store where I bought it if a problem develops

I have been playing a few years. If lost I would get another one ASAP.I love the look and the creamy sound. I am sorry but there is nothing I hate about the instrument. In fact I am also going to order the Washburn Idol series wi 67 as a back up for a guitar with a smaller scale. Th hb 35 kicked the hell out of the Gibson 333, Epiphone Sheraton and Ibanex As 73 in terms of craftmanship and sound.Just ge on , play and be happy.

Bought new in 1990, Sunburst finish, gold hardware, box inlays, set neck, volume and tone per pickup. Not sure where it was manufactured. More of a es-335 clone than the modern spec hb-35, in terms of body shape and location of pickup selector switch.

When I bought this I'd been playing about 2 years and was getting into blues, I wanted a es-335 but couldn't justify the expense for a mere 2 years of playing. When I saw the HB-35 it was the image and looks I fell in love with, not being much of a tone nut at that stage. 14 years on, still primarily playing blues, and as profficient as I am now I still can't justify an es-355 while I've got this guitar, I've been through a few Strats (my primary instrument and I love single coils), but I believe the HB-35's probably there to stay now. Just a great typical semi-hollow tone, great balance of resonance and sustain, and I think the pickups are great.

Was set up perfectly from the showroom, and other than a set up change for going to slightly heavier gauge strings there's hardly been a thing to do with it. The general finish is really good, it looks a much more expensive guitar than it is and I consider it a more authentic instrument than epiphone or yamaha equivalents, would sit quite proudly next to the genuine article (es-335).

I've had it 14 odd years now and it still looks a beauty. The gold plating has worn on the pickups a bit, but it looks more aged and authentic because of it. Has been very dependable over the years, I considered trading it once, but when it came to the crunch just couldn't see it go!

Never been required

I've been playing about 16 years and owned this one 14 years.
I'm just too fond of this guitar to let it go now, it's a keeper for me. It has stunning semi-hollow looks, nice grain and burst finish, even if I was to get my dream es-335, I'd keep hold of this old faithful. If you're looking for a semi-hollow but can't afford es-335, look no further than this guitar, much better than Epiphone or Yamaha equivalents. Glad to see others value this instrument also. I prefer the looks of my older spec model, and would find great difficulty replacing it, which i'd have to do if the worst happened.

1985 HB-35 natural finish w/gold tuners, bridge, mother of pearl inlays in neck and headstock - made in Japan - semi-hollow body.
2 humbuckers. 2 dark wood inlay stripes down back of neck.
Japanese models of 1980's superior in build to current Korean versions.
Would rate it a 10, but stock pick-ups are so-so. Replaced pick-ups with Seymour Duncan '59s. Now it is a definite 10.

Once I relaced pick-ups with SD 59's, sound is beautiful. Play classic rock, blues.
Current amps - Behringer AC112, Fender Frontman 25R and Marshall AVT20.

Again once SD's were in place - a 10 for sure. Every luthier who checks out this guitar says it is a solid, beautiful guitar - 0ne of the best made by Washburn.

Only have had it for a few months, but again it seems real solid. Replaced strap buttons with gold Dunlop straplocks.

Absolutely love this guitar - current Korean versions are very good, but if you can find an 80's Japanese version, go for it, you won't be disappointed. I compared this to Gibson 335 and Ibanez AS 80 (Artstar). With SD 59 pick-ups, this guitar sings. For the buck, best electric semi-hollow under $1K.
Other guitars - Garrison G-35 acoustic and DeArmond M77-T electric.