Members rpgdude Posted July 17, 2017 Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 Please help I hate my Geo, I found this local for only $60 washburn WI16BOBG1, when it was new it listed for $399 its a little banged up but works perfectly, is it a better guitar then an ibanez gio? "washburn WI16 description" Basswood body Gloss finish Single cutaway Tun-o-matic bridge Stop tailpiece Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays Bolt on maple neck Chrome die cast tuners 2 humbucking pickups 2 volume, 2 tone controls 3 way toggle switch Adjustable truss rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iamjethro Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 I would think so. I know the WI64 got pretty good reviews from Guitar Player and others when it was introduced. This is seems like a scaled back version of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 Define better? Does it sound better? That's what YOUR ears are for. Does it feel better? Again, that's what YOUR hands are for. I've never played a Washburn in over 35 years, that I wanted. But for 60 bucks, it's a no brainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 In my experience ibanez does budget guitars better than almost anyboby. Seems like a lateral move at best. What dont you like about the ibanez? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 As a repair person I usually look at all the things that can be or are wrong with a used guitar and what it would cost to fix them. In particular, structural issues, frets, setup and playability. Banged up is OK but screwed up is not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpgdude Posted July 18, 2017 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 It holds a tune for about 30 minutes of playing and a setup / intonation for about two weeks. I bought it new about a year ago for 125 bucks. I had an Aria Pro II I think it was the CS-350 I had got for 300 in the 90s. it got smashed at a party and I tossed it in anger not knowing how good it was "idiot with a temper" and now I dont have the funds to replace it so im just trying to find something I dont hate until I have more $$$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpgdude Posted July 18, 2017 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 scratches and a pea sized chip off the body, says it works fine, I haven't had a chance to play it yet though, but rest assured I will test everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 rpgdude commented 07-17-2017, 10:17 PM "Build quality, things like pickups, Tuning Machines, frets and so on." Build quality, you can tell when you pick it up. Frets, look at them, play them, feel them. the other parts can easily be replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 Stability issues like that are no fun. If you like the washburn go for it. You could easily put more than 60 into the Ibanez to fix the stability issues if you have to start replacing hardware etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 I'd get one just for the cutout. You can hit the upper frets any way you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 I owned a Washburn A-10 back in the 80's. It was a fine guitar, very well built. The Falcons made in the 70's were built as well as any Gibson made too. Washburn went to making low cost mass produced guitars in the 90's/2000's and sacrificed quality for quantity. Think they made some branded guitars too. I quit buying strings in music stores once I could buy them on line so I lost track of how good they're builds were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Heavier isn't automatically better or worse. Most guitarists these days tend to like lighter-weight instruments, but what really matters is the way the guitar vibrates and resonates. You can play it unplugged and get an idea of that. As far as the frets, they should be even and smooth and polished, with no rough edges or gritty feeling on the top of them when you bend a string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 The reason the Bird series were any good, the Raven, Falcon, Eagle and the bass, the Vulture, were because Mattsomoku built them in Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 PS Badpenguin gave you legitimate replies and his honest opinion. Please don't get upset - if you don't like the answer someone gives, feel free to ignore it, but please try to keep the discussion civil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 I could easily be wrong but I believe current Washburns are made by Cort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 $60 seems like a good deal but only if the guitar doesn't have any issues. A ''cheap'' guitar can easily become a money pit: New tuners, a nut, switches, pots, labor (even if you DIY there's your time and the frustration factor) can all add up. Without seeing the guitar I can't say whether it's worth it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 Wow, my apologies, I didn't realize I was being pompous. I kinda assumed that once owning a quality guitar, before the "idiot fit", you would have remembered what quality felt like. Again, my sincerest apologies for assuming. Ok, I will keep the words small, so it doesn't come off as pompous, ok? Your analogy, I mean, idea, of tapping the guitar like a watermelon is good. Put the guitar to your ear, and tap it. Does it have a little ring, or a dull thud? If it thuds, it's probably not very good. Do you hear any non-musical rattles? Again, if you do, not good. Look at the sides of the guitar from all angles. Do you see seams? The fewer the better. Look at where the bridge and tailpiece studs are attached to the body. Are they snug and flat? If they have an edge or two that looks like they are lifting, it may need to be addressed by a professional. Shake the guitar a bit. Again, do you hear things that rattle? Might be a simple case of tightening some screws, or a more serious problem. If in doubt, walk away. Now, let's look at the neck joint. Since it's a bolt on, does it look nice and tight? Does it have any gaps between the neck and the body? If so, not good quality. Look at the frets like Phil suggested. Are they roundish on the top? or Flat, or have divots in them? If something like the last two, it may need some fret work, which could be more then the price of the guitar. Are the frets pressed properly into the wood? meaning no gaps between the metal and the wood. If there are gaps, put the guitar down and walk away. Again, the repair might be more then the guitar is worth. Look at the joint where the neck attaches to the body. See any cracks? this is common with bolt on guitars, but if you press against the neck, and you can see the cracks open a bit, walk away, it's serious. The fret board itself.... Is the wood smooth, tight grained, full of color? Or open pored, very plain, and rough? This is a sign of quality. If the guitar has strings on it, strum it, and try to bend a neck a bit. Does it change pitch rapidly, or does it take some effort? It might be a simple case of the neck screws being a bit loose. Look at the nut. more then likely it's cheap plastic, but are there crack in the neck around the nut? if there are cracks, once again, walk away. Any kind of cracks around the headstock? The screws in the tuners? Most of the time, this is a bad sign. When you move the tuners, are they smooth? Or do they feel loose and/or gritty feeling. If the latter, I mean the last 2, it's easy to buy and replace them.Look down the neck. Does there fret board look flat? Does it have a hump, or a downward curve? the first one is good, the other two, may require a truss rod adjustment. if you don't know how to adjust the truss rod, have a professional do it. If it has both, like an "S" shape, walk away. Now time to plug it into an amp. Do the pots/knobs feel smooth? Are they scratchy sounding? Or do they feel loose and, well, cheap. Again, it's a simple fix for someone who knows how to do a guitars electronics. But, may cost more then the 60 bucks you are willing to spend. does the switch work? Is it quick, meaning it moves quickly from position to position, or does it feel soft and spongy? Again, a simple fix for a tech to replace. Do both pickups work? Do the knobs do what they are supposed to do? On this, it relies on your judgment. same with the sound of the pickups. yopu may like them, others may hate them, so again, it's up to your ears to decide. This all may seem overly basic, but whether it's a $60 guitar. or a $6,000 one, I do all of these things. I hope that helps, and that I wasn't overly pompous in my explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 I'm going to repeat my comment on your other thread. Read very carefully what Badpenguin just posted, then thank him. OK, some comments - I have no experience with any of the four guitars you are talking about, therefore I will offer no opinions. However, several people whose opinions I value highly have put all of these guitars in the "budget" category. That usually means that costs were cut, some quality was compromised. I would listen to my fellow forumites - they have a lot of collective experience. - I do have a fairly good handle on what can go wrong with a guitar and what it costs to fix it. BP has touched on much of it but I would be happy to share my thoughts too - Your attitude does show. The first post of your other thread introduced yourself to the forum. Maybe you thought you needed to impress us or something - it didn't mr. I think you'll find that your questions are respected and responded to better if you loose that 'tude. - Lastly, it might help us better understand what you are looking for if you tell us why you hate your Geo, about the music you play and what you are looking for in your next guitar. Maybe your experience in evaluating them (or lack of, we won't hold that against you). Maybe a little more about yourself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted July 18, 2017 Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 $60 is a fair price considering structural issues check out. Without starting a never-ending debate, as far as "thumping" and such, I have a franken-strat that is a combination 80's Squier E-Series neck on a 90's plywood Hondo body loaded with Mojotone '50's custom wound boutique pickups. Plywood body is heavy and fails the "thump" and "vibration" tests hands-down, yet everyone who plays it can't put it down - they insist it is one of the nicest playing and sounding strat's they've held. That guitar is basically a Washburn version of a Les Paul. It'll be on-par with a higher-end Epiphone as one measure of quality to expect. If you like the way it feels and plays, even if you have to change the machines, pickups, bridge and electronics you're still getting a lot for your money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpgdude Posted July 19, 2017 Author Members Share Posted July 19, 2017 Thanks all, Im getting it. 1001gear said he would get it just for the cut out and that got me to thinking. Ive worked with wood all my life, I have the tools and know how to restore it plus I can upgrade the electronics over time. Its scratched up bad but the wood underneath is good and it plays fine. Im going to sand her down and do a custom paint job, Ill put up some before and after pictures asap. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 19, 2017 Members Share Posted July 19, 2017 Not a problem! Next time you need someone to spoon feed you info you could have found by using Google, bring your own bib and highchair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted July 19, 2017 Members Share Posted July 19, 2017 I'll look forward to that. Finishing is one area that I know a little about, let me know if I can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpgdude Posted July 20, 2017 Author Members Share Posted July 20, 2017 Im not exactly sure what your problem is and I dont really care. I would however like you to know that at no time have I been angry about anything you have said, but you cant tell tone in text. I have been playing around because I enjoy sarcastic back and forth. This comment however is not sarcastic, but simply insulting. I now realize that even after my apology you have remained serious so Im going to try and end this again. You took my first reply as though you calling the guitars bottom feeders offended me somehow, I assure you that is not the case as I already knew they are low end, I simply wanted you to know it was useless information that had zero to do with my question. I even apologized for the misunderstanding but, you continued to be what I took as sarcastic and so I responded with sarcasm. Any way, I deleted all my responses to you as I believe we got off on the wrong foot due to a simple misunderstanding fallowed by more misunderstandings. Now at the risk of looking like a wuss I apologize for these misunderstandings and for calling you pompous. Again I ask you to get over it and lets move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 20, 2017 Members Share Posted July 20, 2017 In my eyes, there's nothing to move on from. My replies have only be honest and straight to the point. However, once you start using words that translates in a series of asterisks, of course you are going to get some kind of like reply, minus the asterisks. In this forum, respect gets respect. if something said doesn't make sense, or jive with what you want to know, ask for clarification, It will gladly be given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ancient Mariner Posted July 20, 2017 Members Share Posted July 20, 2017 A little late to the party, but I like washburns & have a couple including a Hawk (Yamaki, not Matsumoku) and A20V. I played a few W164s about 15 years ago looking for a Les Paul type, and they were OK but very distinctly NOT like a Les Paul. Well worth grabbing for $60 as long as there are no issues like warps or cracks. It won't be a *great* guitar, but I'd be happy to gig one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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