The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #79627   Message #1444228
Posted By: Don Firth
26-Mar-05 - 02:09 PM
Thread Name: Washburn 'Travel Guitar'
Subject: RE: Washburn 'Travel Guitar'
I have two of THESE, one nylon-string and one steel-string. GO-GW models. They look more like canoe paddles than guitars, but the sound is great! The amazing thing about them is that, as small as they are, they sound like real guitars. A little thin in the base, perhaps, compared to a full-size guitar, but other than that, you can hardly tell that they're not full-size guitars by listening to them.

And I'm pretty damned picky (pun intended) about guitars. Over a period of time, I've owned three Martins (one steel-string and two classics), and several concert quality instruments made in Spain, including a concert Ramirez and a flamenco made by Arcangel Fernandez.

I've used the nylon-string GO in several performances so far. Afterward, asking a few people in the audience how it sounded, they all said "fine!" I've had people ask me what kind of instrument it is, several people have said something like, "Neat! Looks kinda funky!" And one person assumed (since I was using it to accompany some pretty old songs and ballads) that it was a period instrument of some kind.

They're handy, and I keep one of them within arm's reach almost all the time.

Sam Radding, the luthier, hand-makes them to order. He makes a limited number of them per month (to keep the quality up), and he is game to customize to a degree. Fishman Matrix pick-up available (I don't use one. Mine are straight acoustic). Also, he answers his own e-mail.

GO-GW model, $262.90, plus whatever options you might want. Get the gig-bag. Plush! Well worth it

Check 'em out.

Don Firth