Any Washburn guitars considered "excellent?"

[LiveMusic]

I have a Washburn 2004 Limited Edition (J2004SWLTD) that I really like. It's a very good guitar! Just wondering if there is any Washburn that is considered outstanding by many people. Or are they relegated to the entire line being "good" but something less than great.

[kujozilla]

Never played one I found "excellent".

[Freeman Keller]

I've worked on a couple for friends and bought and gave a D10S to a family member, they were nice but not exceptional guitars. However there apparently are some recent models that are highly regarded.

 

http://forums.washburn.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=49

 

Now the prewar Washburns (and Lyon & Healy) were some truely excellent guitars - I did get to play an old Braz parlor that was incredible.

[Bridgepin]

I never played but I hear that the late 70s and early 80s Washburn prairie song custom and Timber ridge were nice guitars but like I said I never played one. Would like to hear some input on those guitars if anyone has one

[recordingtrack1]

I played a D250 in a local guitar store fairly recently that someone had traded in. It was solid wood, Spruce / Rose. I thought it was pretty nice for a Washburn. I understand that really old Washburns that are labeled "George Washburn" are worth a bit more money. Anyway, they wanted about a grand for it and I thought that was tooooo much. However, it was probably the best Washburn I've ever played.

[gitnoob]

Washburn is the 2nd-oldest American guitar brand (Martin is the oldest). They were originally famous for their high-volumes of production rather than their quality, but some of their X-braced guitars from the 1930's are very good.

 

The recent ones are made in a variety of factories -- China, Korea, Indonesia, etc. Some are the same factories used by Cort, Alvarez, etc., so the Washburns are in that same tier of quality. In general, very clean and well-made.

[MePeel]

I have a 125th anniversary parlor that is amazing. It has tone and projection that are far above its price point.

 

Mel

[fastblueheeler]

 

I have a 125th anniversary parlor that is amazing. It has tone and projection that are far above its price point. Mel

 

 

Which model is it? I really like the looks of those.

[MePeel]

The model that I have is the R316SWKK. It is one of the limited run that was made in 2008. Solid spruce with solid trembesi back and sides. I believe that Washburn currently makes a model like it. I'm very satisfied with it, although be warned that the neck has a deep V. The V helps when navigating the wide fingerboard.

 

Mel

[Coach Bill]

" I hear that the late 70s and early 80s Washburn prairie song custom and Timber ridge were nice guitars..."

I have a Timber Ridge Custom that I bought new in December 1979.  It has been my go to take everywhere guitar ever since (I bought a Martin D35S a month later but I am extremely protective of that one and it rarely leaves home)  .  It is as good or better than any production line guitar I have ever played.  

[Gibson29]

Gotta love the new forum software when it lets you know how long it took for a response, but above “Coach Bill” post, it would be cooler if it said   “....meanwhile, NINE YEARS LATER!”  and it would be audible in a dramatic voice.

 

[Gibson29]

On 9/21/2020 at 4:24 PM, Coach Bill said:

It is as good or better than any production line guitar I have ever played.  

Not as good as a Zager.

Disclosure:  every time I mention Zager on a forum, they send .35 cents to a dog rescue. So that’s .70 whole cents just for twice mentioning Zager in a sentence! 1.05 now!  What a wholesome company Zager is (1.40) while being all Zagery! (1.75)

😊

[David MB D]

I have a 1979 Prairie Song Custom 6-string. The Prairie Song Custom 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars were built for Washburn by Yamaki's Luthiers in Japan during the late 70's and 80's. They were of the quality of Gibsons and Martins. (I know someone who had a PSC and a Martin and preferred the PSC. (But that I guess, would depend on the model  & year of the Martin or Gibson.) But, yes, they are good guitars if you can get your hands on one in good condition. I've seen them listed (late '70s vintage) for $700. - $2,000. The higher price was in England, converted from Euros.