Post by bowyn on Oct 17, 2012 21:57:26 GMT -5
I just forced myself to put this thing down...
I kid you not, this is one of the LEAST expensive guitars I own and it's just amazing. I paid $165 for it on Amazon. I think it's gone up a little since then, at least for the color I got (the one in the picture), but it's still dirt cheap.
www.amazon.com/Washburn-Series-WI14MBL-Electric-Guitar/dp/B0009EQNIK/ref=sr_1_26?s=musical-instruments&srs=2603493011&ie=UTF8&qid=1350525758&sr=1-26
A little bit of history. I've had this thing for a while so I think I can give an honest report on it, way past the honeymoon.
It came with stock black uncovered humbuckers. The first thing I noticed about them is that they sounded a HELL of a lot better than I expected for the price. Still, I'm a tinkerer and I had a set of GFS Mean 90s, chrome covered, sexy looking as anything. I put them in this Washburn and, aside from looking perfect in the guitar, they sounded like everything I ever wanted in a pickup.
Well, I got a glossy black Xavier XV-599, very pretty with a lot of upgraded appointments like abalone purfling, cream binding all over, solid mahogany with a thick maple cap, and abalone snowflake fretboard inlays. It also came with GFS Crunchy Pats, which I saw as just something that came in the guitar that I would probably switch out... I mean, the last thing I need is another guitar with high output ceramic magnet humbuckers. Don't get me wrong, they sound pretty good in the Xavier, but I had my eye on gutting the poor Washburn for those chrome Mean 90s.
Well, I put the Means in the Xavier and it lost a little something in the swap. They sound good, but not nearly as good as they sounded in the Washburn.
Meanwhile, I had put those GFS Crunchy Pats in the Washburn and intended to use it for testing some magnet swaps. I had played the Xavier with the Mean 90s in it for a bit and had just put it down and decided to pick the Washburn up and play with it. I had put the Crunchy Pats in it late at night so I hadn't tested it out with some proper volume.
Holy mother of BUTT!! Third set of pickups in this guitar that blew my socks off. Could NOT put the thing down. Crisp, clear, articulate, full of tone... I just sounded better than I have in years.
There's just something about this guitar. It's a basswood body, which I have nothing against, but I did not expect it to sound as good as it does.
I would encourage anyone looking for a cheap guitar that looks gorgeous and plays like a champ to get one of these. If you're interested, the neck has an almost unfinished feel to it, but it's amazingly comfortable. The tuners are the big button kind and very smooth. I did switch out the 3-way toggle switch, but that's mostly because I broke the original one doing stupid stuff
I'm seriously thinking of getting a second one to put those Mean 90s back in to... if I could just find one of the cream/bone white ones.
Your mileage may vary, but I HIGHLY recommend this guitar. I've got guitars that are 7-8 times more expensive (damn good guitars, too) but this little sucker just stands out big and proud.
If I can get motivated to finally set up a recording rig, I'll put up some samples, but there's no way I can convey just how nicely this thing plays and how much more satisfying my playing sound on it.
I kid you not, this is one of the LEAST expensive guitars I own and it's just amazing. I paid $165 for it on Amazon. I think it's gone up a little since then, at least for the color I got (the one in the picture), but it's still dirt cheap.
www.amazon.com/Washburn-Series-WI14MBL-Electric-Guitar/dp/B0009EQNIK/ref=sr_1_26?s=musical-instruments&srs=2603493011&ie=UTF8&qid=1350525758&sr=1-26
A little bit of history. I've had this thing for a while so I think I can give an honest report on it, way past the honeymoon.
It came with stock black uncovered humbuckers. The first thing I noticed about them is that they sounded a HELL of a lot better than I expected for the price. Still, I'm a tinkerer and I had a set of GFS Mean 90s, chrome covered, sexy looking as anything. I put them in this Washburn and, aside from looking perfect in the guitar, they sounded like everything I ever wanted in a pickup.
Well, I got a glossy black Xavier XV-599, very pretty with a lot of upgraded appointments like abalone purfling, cream binding all over, solid mahogany with a thick maple cap, and abalone snowflake fretboard inlays. It also came with GFS Crunchy Pats, which I saw as just something that came in the guitar that I would probably switch out... I mean, the last thing I need is another guitar with high output ceramic magnet humbuckers. Don't get me wrong, they sound pretty good in the Xavier, but I had my eye on gutting the poor Washburn for those chrome Mean 90s.
Well, I put the Means in the Xavier and it lost a little something in the swap. They sound good, but not nearly as good as they sounded in the Washburn.
Meanwhile, I had put those GFS Crunchy Pats in the Washburn and intended to use it for testing some magnet swaps. I had played the Xavier with the Mean 90s in it for a bit and had just put it down and decided to pick the Washburn up and play with it. I had put the Crunchy Pats in it late at night so I hadn't tested it out with some proper volume.
Holy mother of BUTT!! Third set of pickups in this guitar that blew my socks off. Could NOT put the thing down. Crisp, clear, articulate, full of tone... I just sounded better than I have in years.
There's just something about this guitar. It's a basswood body, which I have nothing against, but I did not expect it to sound as good as it does.
I would encourage anyone looking for a cheap guitar that looks gorgeous and plays like a champ to get one of these. If you're interested, the neck has an almost unfinished feel to it, but it's amazingly comfortable. The tuners are the big button kind and very smooth. I did switch out the 3-way toggle switch, but that's mostly because I broke the original one doing stupid stuff
I'm seriously thinking of getting a second one to put those Mean 90s back in to... if I could just find one of the cream/bone white ones.Your mileage may vary, but I HIGHLY recommend this guitar. I've got guitars that are 7-8 times more expensive (damn good guitars, too) but this little sucker just stands out big and proud.
If I can get motivated to finally set up a recording rig, I'll put up some samples, but there's no way I can convey just how nicely this thing plays and how much more satisfying my playing sound on it.