A company that began in 1883, Washburn has always stayed close to its home of Chicago, Illinois. A company famous for being revolutionary - history documents them as being the first guitar company to use artist endorsements, and also credits them with making the first large bodied acoustic guitar. Through the years they’ve committed themselves to quality and originality to great success as they’ve grown to be one of the oldest and most successful string instrument companies in the world.
Building acoustic and electric guitars, basses, mandolins, and banjos, Washburn offers a number of excellent pieces in many price ranges. From their inexpensive electric guitar outfits (awfully nice for the money) to their USA custom shop guitars (very fine), the electric catalog runs the spectrum. Anywhere from the unique design of the Stevens Extended cut-away on the classy N4, to their understated and attractive Idol Series (improved SG-ish design), to the wild Dime guitars, to their timeless hollow and semi-hollow bodies, a Washburn owner can get a high quality guitar for a modest price, compared to many other brands.
In the acoustic world, Washburn again offers plenty of high quality guitars. From the old standby D10S (solid top-the best-selling guitar in the world), to models like the WD32S, the Cumberland Series, the D34 (maple) and the new D18SW (which is all solid mahogany) there are plenty of nice guitars in a number of price ranges. Furthermore, they‘ve got some great acoustic electrics, like the Festival Series (as played by Bob Dylan and Jimmy Page), as well as the electrified versions of most of their other acoustics.
For years players of all styles have relied on Washburn to equip them with excellent gear – from Bob Dylan and George Harrison, to Gregg Allman, Roger Waters, John Hartford, Jethro Burns, Nuno Bettencourt, Bootsy Collins, Bakithi Kumalo, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Chuck Rainey, Derek Trucks, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Sammy Haggar and Band, Puddle of Mudd, Dimebag Darrell, and Jennifer Batten - all of these diverse musicians recognize the importance of professional equipment. They are correct, and truth be known, Washburn is a great choice for the professionally minded musicians.
Filling out their line with a number of folk/bluegrass instruments, Washburn definitely has something to offer everyone. With high quality, solid-top mandolins starting quite inexpensively and progressing to their all-solid, all-carved Jethro Burns signature model, these are considerably nice mandolins in their respective price ranges. The banjos they make also start quite inexpensively, but offer for very little money, genuine bell bronze tonerings, nice hardware, and choice woods. On the top of the line model, you get highly flamed maple, and a hand carved decorative heel and headstock.
We’ve been carrying Washburn for quite sometime now, and find them to be an excellent company to work with. As all of these pieces come in, we are very careful about evaluating them, and are choosy about what hangs on our wall. As with any guitar company, if you had 10 of the exact same model of a guitar in front of you, there would be a best one and a worst one. Those that come from our store are chosen pieces, we send unsatisfactory guitars back to all the companies we deal with, so you WILL get the “Pick of the Litter”. We realize these are all going to be someone’s baby, so they should be right and we make sure they are. Washburn, and all the other brands we carry, are here for a reason - because they make great stuff, let us be choosy, and have great prices.
We inspect and adjust the instruments as they come in, but all players have varying preferences on action and playability. On any new instrument you buy from us, we will set it up to your specifications - and that is at no charge! Come on in and try out some of the fine instruments we stock and we’ll be happy to answer any questions, set you up to play anything, and help you in any way necessary.
Website: http://www.washburn.com
