"You owe it to yourself to play this amazing-sounding guitar!!"
Feature:
I sometimes wish I had the cutaway version of this, but...some say that the decreased body volume of the cutaway steals a little bit of the low end; I don't know...but the Rosewood back and sides makes it sound Heavenly...really, I don't think the Gibson Songwriter series sounds any better...and I'd love one of those!...but this D56SW is incredible...I hope nothing ever happens to it...
Quality:
When I first got this guitar, after about six months, the neck began warping; it "humped up" toward the body, making the B and high E strings buzz. Well, I had it sent in to the factory, and they repaired it splendidly!...really great customer service...I've had no problems with it since, so the "bad" neck may have been a fluke; my D10SCEDL has been everywhere without any complications, so I believe Washburn products are solid performers...I don't "play out" with this D56 (yet), but I have no doubt that it will perform flawlessly when I do...I have every confidence in it, and its craftsmanship.
Value:
I find it hard to imagine a better guitar at anywhere near the price!...after playing this D56SW, even if I had money to buy a near-$2,000 guitar, I might just look for a Washburn D82, instead of a Gibson...only because I'm so impressed with this D56SW, at the price it's sold at... :)
Desirability:
It has beautiful "cloud" inlays on the fretboard (mine has "Flint Hill" on the headstock), and the Rosewood back and sides, along with the solid Spruce top make it very nice-looking, without being "flashy" or too gaudy-looking...an understated, deep beauty of an instrument, to me... :)
Sound:
I've had this guitar for three years; recorded a song with it, even...the sound is sweet, rich, and magical...I also have a Washburn D10SCEDL that I take everywhere (the D56 stays at home), and I like the D10SCEDL a lot, but it stil isn't anywhere near the guitar that the D56SW is...and the D10SCEDL sounds very good! Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts plays the cutaway version of the D56 (D56SWCE), so that should tell you how good it must be...and is!... :D
Ease of Use:
Mine has really low action, which I love..it's effortless to pick on it and form chords...after playing it for awhile, going to other guitars makes playing seem like work...I'm a better player than I should be on this guitar... :)
Support:
As I stated, I had a problem with the neck after about six months, and the factory repaired the guitar perfectly!...very, very impressive service...Washburn obviously stands behind its products...
Overall:
I hate to say it, but I probably can't afford a better-sounding guitar than this D56SW!...actually, it's a better guitar than I deserve to be playing, in my opinion...but, I'll hopefully be able to become an accomplished enough player to not feel so guilty about owning it, someday...after recording my first song with it, I'm even more appreciative of its sonic character...it's the only guitar I own that I would undoubtably have to replace if it were stolen...which I hope never happens...this guitar has made me a dedicated Washburn fan...
Submitted: 10/21/2008
Style of Music: I'm mainly a country and folk-style player
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