What Are The Best Washburn Guitars? Washburn Guitar Reviews…

We noticed that not much information was presented on the interweb about Washburn’s Idol series guitars. That’s a shame because these guitars are an absolute craft of beauty and extremely underrated. There has never been a better time to choose your Idol with the recently released (October 2008) models available.

Washburn’s “Wi” Idol series are passionately hand-built at the Washburn’s Chicago facility by some of America’s finest luthiers, the USA Idol Series consists of five amazingly crafted Custom Shop Guitars.
WI570 — This axe is a no-frills, double humbucker-packed, single-cut slab of the finest mahogany with a carved maple top. The neck is also mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard. This solid built instrument delivers night after night, city after city abuse of the road while responding to your most world-shattering riffs with style. GC37 hardshell case is included.

What separates the WI566 from other USA Idols is the addition of high-output EMG active pickups. Loaded with an EMG 81 in the bridge position and an EMG 85 in the neck position, kicks this guitar up another level for players who want the ultimate hi-gain tone. Like all Washburn USA guitars, the WI566 incorporates the Buzz Feiten Tuning System for unsurpassed intonation. A TonePros Tune-O-Matic bridge, stop tailpiece and 18:1 Grover tuners hold you in solid tune. GC37 hardshell case is included.

The premiere USA Custom Shop WI568 guitar boasts a flamed maple top and Seymour Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge position and a ’59 in the neck with coil tapping. Other features include: Buzz Feiten Tuning System for unsurpassed intonation, TonePros Tune-O-Matic bridge stop tailpiece and 18:1 Grover tuners. GC37 hardshell case included. GC37 hardshell case is included.

-With the WI580‘s coil-tap technology, you have the flexibility to shift the dual Seymour Duncan pickups from a hammering humbucker crunch to a razor-sharp single-coil scream with just a flick of the wrist. The Seymour Duncan’s loaded in the WI580 is a Custom in the bridge and a ’59 in the neck. Like all Washburn USA guitars, the WI580 incorporates the Buzz Feiten Tuning System for unsurpassed intonation. A TonePros Tune-O-Matic bridge, stop tailpiece, and 18:1 Grover tuners hold you in tune. GC37 hardshell case is included.

We are also proud to introduce Washburn’s top of the Idol line WI590 model. The WI590 adds deluxe features such as a bound ebony fingerboard, block inlays & multi-ply body & headstock binding. And, like the aforementioned guitars, the WI590 includes: Seymour Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge position and a ’59 in the neck position, Buzz Feiten Tuning System for unsurpassed intonation, TonePros Tune-O-Matic bridge stop tailpiece and 18:1 Grover tuners. GC37 hardshell case included. GC37 hardshell case is included.

The new range of Washburn Idol models also include the WI420, WI440 (pictured above) and WI460. These instruments boast some of the same features as Washburn’s top of the line Idols in a feature and value packed package. This includes high end features like the Buzz Feiten Tuning System, multi ply binding, Seymour Duncan pickups, and 18:1 Grover tuners. Other features include: USA Seymour Duncan or EMG pickups and Idol modern carve top. GC41 case included.

New additions to the Standard Idol series include the entry level WI14 (pictured above), the WI15 (as the WI14 but with Tune-O-Matic bridge), the WI18Q with Quilted maple top and the WI45 which is available in a variety of Solid and Translucent finishes at no extra cost. All are basswood bodies, maple bolt-on necks with rosewood fretboards.