Post by oldbones on Feb 7, 2011 17:08:47 GMT
Manufacturer & Model *: Washburn J3 archtop
Where Purchased: Baroque and Roll
Year Purchased: 2008
Sound *: This is my last guitar review as with this one the only instruments left are a Yamaha 401 (Surely everyone knows them and the FG range) and a Strat copy.
This review is also drawn from memory as I recently gave the guitar away.
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Played acoustically, the J3 has a fairly good range of tones but does tend towards the middle and upper ranges. For subtle acoustic jazz, flatwound or Thomastic-Infeld strings are best. They're also best for electric jazz.
Played electrically, it can cope with anything from smooth jazz to country to rockabilly to early-style rock. It is thus very versatile but maybe not well known as an instrument in the armoury of folk musicians?
Sound Rating *: 8
Setup *: As bought, it was superbly setup. The easily adjustable bridge saddle made height adjustment very easy and quick. The action was medium-to-low.
Setup Rating *: 9
Appearance *: There are two finishes: Tobacoo sunburst and Natural. I opted for the Natural finish and it looked superb. I'll upload some photos later on.
Build quality was strong and rock-solid. There were no issues at all.
Appearance Rating *: 10
Reliability *: I only had the guitar for a year and a bit, but it showed no signs of having any problems.
Reliability Rating *: 10
Components *: Wood was excellent and all hardware such as pickups, controls and switches were good quality. There were no clicks from the switch and there was no sloppiness when switching.
Components Rating *: 10
Pre-sale Customer Service: Excellent - as for my other reviews of guitars bought from this dealer.
Pre-sale Customer Service Rating: 10
Post-sale Customer Service: No issues needed to be followed up for this guitar, but advice was sought and given concerning the best strings to use.
Post-sale Customer Service Rating: 10
Any Other Information: This is a large and heavy guitar - so be prepared for that if you decide to check one out.
As far as good quality archtop guitars go, the J3 is an exceptionally affordable instrument and is highly recommended.
I gave the guitar away only because I realised that I wasn't really using it and someone else could get far better value and use out of it.
Where Purchased: Baroque and Roll
Year Purchased: 2008
Sound *: This is my last guitar review as with this one the only instruments left are a Yamaha 401 (Surely everyone knows them and the FG range) and a Strat copy.
This review is also drawn from memory as I recently gave the guitar away.
----------------------------------------------
Played acoustically, the J3 has a fairly good range of tones but does tend towards the middle and upper ranges. For subtle acoustic jazz, flatwound or Thomastic-Infeld strings are best. They're also best for electric jazz.
Played electrically, it can cope with anything from smooth jazz to country to rockabilly to early-style rock. It is thus very versatile but maybe not well known as an instrument in the armoury of folk musicians?
Sound Rating *: 8
Setup *: As bought, it was superbly setup. The easily adjustable bridge saddle made height adjustment very easy and quick. The action was medium-to-low.
Setup Rating *: 9
Appearance *: There are two finishes: Tobacoo sunburst and Natural. I opted for the Natural finish and it looked superb. I'll upload some photos later on.
Build quality was strong and rock-solid. There were no issues at all.
Appearance Rating *: 10
Reliability *: I only had the guitar for a year and a bit, but it showed no signs of having any problems.
Reliability Rating *: 10
Components *: Wood was excellent and all hardware such as pickups, controls and switches were good quality. There were no clicks from the switch and there was no sloppiness when switching.
Components Rating *: 10
Pre-sale Customer Service: Excellent - as for my other reviews of guitars bought from this dealer.
Pre-sale Customer Service Rating: 10
Post-sale Customer Service: No issues needed to be followed up for this guitar, but advice was sought and given concerning the best strings to use.
Post-sale Customer Service Rating: 10
Any Other Information: This is a large and heavy guitar - so be prepared for that if you decide to check one out.
As far as good quality archtop guitars go, the J3 is an exceptionally affordable instrument and is highly recommended.
I gave the guitar away only because I realised that I wasn't really using it and someone else could get far better value and use out of it.
