Washburn Nuno freaks, give me your best!

Silverburst · #1 12-06-2008, 11:47 AM

@ Ayrton, Nuno... and other N-serie lovers: After dissolved les-paul gas in my search for a guitar to accompany my basswood RG/Jem family, a budgetfriendly N61 got my head turned.

This week I went testing les-paul-types, but got to test a N61 in the same shop (Washburn N's are rare here), and was really amazed as it was the first time I effectively played an N. N4-6 have always spooked trough my head, and I've always digged Nuno's sound in Extreme. But due to unavailability and fenderish character at first sight, I never look further. Now these 61's are budget-friendly low cost version, but I was really surprised by:

1. The very flat fretboard and overal neck feel (always thought N's would have a rounder stratocasterisch radius). I like flat fretboards.
2. The characteristics of the sound, I 'guess' due to it's alder body and Bill Lawrence L-500 in the Bridge position.

So my head is really turned towards N's again, but preferable a better built quality than the N61. I really liked the feel of it but it lacked here and there, chocking frets, finish etc. So some questions:

Could you guys elaborate on differences in neck-feel (radius, profile, thickness...) and sound between the different N4's and N6's ? I'm tended to avoid N5's because of the single coil at the bridge and my liking Extreme sound. I've read the Paduaks sound bassier and heavier, the Ashes more trebly...

Thanks,
Greetings.
Mike

**Ayrton** · #2 12-06-2008, 03:24 PM

Hmmmm... Well I can only offer this.

All of my Davis built guitars have a hand made (because they were) feel to them, and that has pros and cons. I am not shy about tweaking something to suit me, so I am currently having them refretting and the fretboard radius flattened a tad. I replaced the Kahler tremolos with Floyd Roses, and only one will have a B&B L500XL in the bridge.

I don't care to try and get Nuno's sound, as that is not why I like the guitars so much. I just really like the "no frills" approach to them, the cut down body, and the neck feel.

My '93 Padauk model is Washburn built, and has a more polished feel to it. I have not changed anything on it, and I do not plan to. I currently like everything about it down to the BLUSA bridge pup. The Schaller trem stays in tune, and feels about the same as the OFR.

My N6 is the only one of the 5/6 series I have played, and was originally built for one of the VPs for Washburn. I have no idea if mine is "special" in any way compared to a production N6, but the finishing is top notch. The fret ends are perfect, the birdseye is very figurative, and the neck is thick and wide. I don't know what the official nut size is on the N 5/6 series, but mine is 1 3/4".

Overall the guitars are built very well, and I am very pleased with them. I don't know if they are worth what they cost new, but that is an opinion.

Bottom line is this, I won't be selling any of them anytime soon.

Silverburst · #3 12-06-2008, 10:17 PM

Thx,

Does the non davis N4, and your N6 have flatter fretboards compared to the davis ?

Do you happen to have measurement info of the N-series? Washburn's website has quite limited info.

Saw you N6 thread, nice catch indeed, and personally I find the blacks ones the nicest looking as well. Not that I want to replicate nuno's sound. It just has a certain grit and voincing I 'like' so why not use it as a starting point.

And indeed... quite expensive new. But the cutaway neck is sooo nice.

**Ayrton** · #4 12-06-2008, 11:23 PM

I don't know the exact radius of the fret boards, but they all feel similar (my guess 9-10). I personally like the flatter necks (ala Ibanez), but I wont change the radius, unless the neck needs a refret.

Silverburst · #5 12-07-2008, 09:33 AM

I'm looking at a Padauk used now, but how to see the difference between a:
-USA built
-a good japanese built
-the "fake made in usa" Asian ones
-Died Swamp ashes

I asked for some extra pictures, but these are the ones in the add. What do you think ? (I was looking at the black in stead of white cutaway text, white pickup nob..., black trem posts, can't really see the output jack, or wood grain to detect ash, trem brand, hopefully extra pictures will reveal headstock serial etc... )

Silverburst · #6 12-07-2008, 09:36 AM

I like my Ibanez RG/jem necks as well, but (to my surprise) the N61 I tested seemed to have a fretboard as flat as an RG neck. Mailed Washburn if they could send me neck specs of the N61 vs N4-5 neck specs.

**Ayrton** · #7 12-07-2008, 09:59 AM

What is the serial number of that paddy?

Silverburst · #8 12-07-2008, 10:01 AM

hmmm, quite fishy. Seller claims that this guitar comes from a builder in the UK who has a deal with washburn custom shop, acquires the needed parts from washburn en assembles them himself. Never heard that story. New pictures, the badly printed cutaway text... , missing headstock signature text and serial imprint, humpf, what is that...

Silverburst · #9 12-08-2008, 05:38 PM

Think this is a poor built asian. Anyone ?

Petie · #10 12-08-2008, 06:15 PM

I'd love an N4, N5 or N6 (or even N61) but I just don't have the $$$ and can't really justify buying another guitar. Sometimes I daydream about swapping my RG7620 for one but somehow I don't think that'll happen.

funkdubious · #11 12-08-2008, 06:22 PM

I don't know much,but I reckon that looks well dodgy Ayrton will know though

**Ayrton** · #12 12-08-2008, 06:35 PM

A couple things strike me as odd on that guitar. There is no serial number stamped in the headstock, and the SEC stamp is wrong for the year. However, I would be willing to bet it is a “parts guitar” made from genuine Washburn parts (hence no serial number). The serial number would also be stamped under the electronics cover.

I really don’t see it being fake due to the cost of Padauk, and the price of the guitar doesn’t make it worth while for counterfeits.

What is the asking price of the guitar?

Silverburst · #13 12-09-2008, 07:16 AM

850€, taken into account that in Europa Padauk N4's START at 1400€. In fact, I've never seen an N4 around here used for such a low price

the SEC stamp looks unsharp and blurred out no ? The woodvain looks like real Padauk, althouh I'm not experienced enough to be able to tell for shure it isn't stained padauk.

Gonna check if he can show me some kind of serial number. But I've never heard this kind of story before.

Silverburst · #14 12-09-2008, 07:26 AM

in the meanwhile, I'm deciding between a new N4 Padauk and N6 black if I can't get my hands on a used N. N6 actually just like yours Ayrton, damn what a nice looking axe and the measnest looking of the whole bunch, and I've always fancied a maple fretboard for my Ibanez's, but never got one. The birdseye looks awesome on your N6.

How would you compare your new alder N6 compared to your padauk N4 tonewise? You mention a thick neck for your N6, so thicker than your Padauk ?

**Ayrton** · #15 12-09-2008, 11:24 AM

Yes, the N6 has the thickest neck of all my Washburns.

My Padauk is my best playing/sounding N4.

The guitar you posted is definitely Padauk, but I suspect it is a parts guitar. Not that there is anything wrong with that. If the guitar plays nice, and you can buy it for considerably less than a new one...