I liked my new acoustic Washburn (D-10 QSB) so much that I bought an electric. I've been needing a solidbody electric for some time. I was thinking of dual humbuckers w/ whang bar but after playing the Washburn X-8, I settled for 2 single-coils and a rear dual. I still got the whang bar—traditional Strat style. I bought it mainly for country and western swing kinds of things. Double cutaway, 24 frets (wide type), 5-position toggle switch: position 1 (forward) activates front single coil only, position 2 activates both front and middle single coils, position 3 activates middle single coil only, position 4 activates middle single coil and rear dual coil, position 4 activates only rear hummer.

Soundwise, it does an excellent country gig but also allows you to shred if you want to use it for metal or punk or something along those lines. It has a non-committal look so it doesn't look out of place no matter what genre you're in. That hummer in the back has really got a sound! The neck is not quite as fast for me as the Epiphone Les Paul Gold Top copies I was trying out but I wanted a whang bar and this guitar is made in Indonesia and retails for $139. They gave me a gig bag with out because the guitar didn't fit into any of the hardshells we tried. I'll take care of that later, can't beat the guitar for the price. Pretty nice gig bag too. Actually, I still need a couple more.

Comparing it to my 1965 Epiphone Century electric archtop with its P-90 pickup, I find the single coils on the Washburn are much quieter and present far less feedback problems but also lack the bite of the Epiphone. But when you click on that dual in the back—oowwwee you get some bite, bruthas and sistas, and it ain't got no noise. The dual can get so much bite that it actually sounds surreal but I love to temper it with that middle single. That's a sound with a lot of character and depth, baby! You can do all kinds of crazy shit with that sound. And what a rockabilly flavor it provides!! That's hot for a solidbody.

You guys should really look into these guitars coming out of China and Indonesia if you haven't yet. This stuff is not at all bad and wonderfully cheap! I walked out of there today with a kickass solidbody Washburn and I didn't spend $200. This is the first time I've owned two axes by one company--everything else is Fender, LaPatrie, Schecter, Seagull, Gretsch, Epiphone, Takamine and Dean.

http://www.music123.com/Washburn-X8-w--Accessories-Pack-Electric-Guitar-i301044.music