Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

[Masta' C]

So, I was browsing the 'bay last week for something completely unrelated to guitars when this barebones shred monster popped up in my feed.

I wasn't in the market for a new guitar AT ALL, but the auction was ending within minutes and I simply couldn't stop myself from bidding (forgive me, wife!).

Internet lore suggests this model was originally designed by/for George Lynch, but he didn't end up moving his endorsement over to Washburn, so it sort of fell off the map. Who knows?! I DO know that one of the Washburn dealers several years ago offered a limited run of these with painted bodies and a different pickup, but this one appears to be true to its original (Lynch-inspired?) form with a satin natural body finish. It still has an original SD Custom Shop "El Diablo" holding down the lonely bridge spot, although this is probably not the pickup Lynch would have settled on if this had become his official signature model!

• Schaller Floyd
• 25.5" Scale
• 1-11/16" nut width
• 24 Jumbo frets
• Quartersawn neck
• Reverse, tilt-back headstock

Great fretwork with nicely rolled fretboard edges and a very fast, yet comfortable, Jackson-like neck profile. All in all, I'm very impressed! This guitar really makes me want to PLAY! :headbang:

Now, I just have to convince the wife to let me keep it... :biglaugh:

Does anyone here know anything else about this particular model?


EDIT: Washburn got back to me with this...

Clint,

That looks like a Prototype "Outlaw" that was originally designed for George Lynch.

The production guitars had bullet hole inlays rather than bullets, and the Outlaw logo.

We have never taken one in for service and have not seen this guitar in person!

 

[Demanic]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Very nice. Especially with the stock El Diablo bridge.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Not my thing at all, but it sure is pretty! Congrats!

Bill

 

[VinceT]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Nice find! I'm not sure if it's just the photo, or something to do with black hardware on Maple, but in the reverse shot, the headstock looks really oversized.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Beauty! Love that....what model IS it? hah

Vince T - Those Washburn head-stocks are big, but it angling back makes it look even bigger in that picture.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Nice find! I'm not sure if it's just the photo, or something to do with black hardware on Maple, but in the reverse shot, the headstock looks really oversized.

Thanks!

The headstock looks oversized in the reverse photo because of the tilt-back design putting it a little closer to the camera than the body and the fact that I was probably about eye-level with the headstock when I took the pic exaggerated the perspective further.

In person, it's very close to a standard "Strat" size headstock and has a very similar shape:

Beauty! Love that....what model IS it? hah

Thanks! I love its simplicity.

No idea what model it *really* is, but there's a cowboy logo burned into the headstock, does that help?

Makes me wonder...if this really WAS intended as a Lynch signature at some point, it may have been dubbed the "Outlaw". Interestingly, Washburn issued a Lynch signature acoustic guitar called the "Outlaw" a few years after this was made. Coincidence?

I'm going to see if anyone at Washburn knows anything more about this oddity...



EDIT: Just emailed Washburn. Hopefully they deliver a better response than I received the last time I called on them (for warranty service, no less).

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Washburn got back to me with this...

Clint,

That looks like a Prototype "Outlaw" that was originally designed for George Lynch.

The production guitars had bullet hole inlays rather than bullets, and the Outlaw logo.

We have never taken one in for service and have not seen this guitar in person!

:eyecrazy: WOW!!!

Guess the internet lore was spot on this time...this really WAS meant to be a George Lynch sig called the "Outlaw" and mine may be the real deal original prototype!

Hell yeah! :headbang:

My life's goal is now to have George sign it!

I may have to toss in a Super V or a Screamin' Demon in place of the El Diablo "just because"!!!

 

[Thundermtn]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Wow, killer hot rod proto guitar find!

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Tone Wood

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

LOL!!! I opened the thread and saw the first pic and I was like, Oh man, I thought the one on EBAY was the only one of these... haha I was watching this guitar.. If Id been in a buying position, I have snagged it cuz of the uniqueness. plus the El Diablo.
The bullet inlays tho... They are both cool and yet unappealing to me.. But again, the fact its so rare made it cool. Espec with the Lynch connection!
Congrats!!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

That is a cool score, with an awesome pickup there. Congrats!

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Thanks, guys!

For those that don't know, I have a longstanding love-hate relationship with the El Diablo. I first got one in a Kevin Bond signature Rhoads V back in '05 or so and have owned them off and on 3-4 times since, including another go 'round fairly recently.

It's an absolutely killer pickup and I'd rate it among the very top pickups Duncan has produced, but, without adding at least a coil split, the versatility outside of hard rock and metal is limited, especially in a one-pickup guitar (same problem I had with it in my Kevin Bond Rhoads).

I have the new SD Duality arriving any day and, as chance would have it, I ordered TWO! I'm going to try one in my Kevin Bond Rhoads and, if it works out as well as I suspect, this ol' Lynchy prototype might just get the same treatment!

Other option, assuming I don't stick with the El Diablo, is to grab a Super V pickup OR toss in a Screamin' Demon, which is one of my all-time favorites and probably the way George would have wanted it.

Decisions, decisions...

P.S. - The wife loves it, ha ha!

 

[JeffB]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

SH-6

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

SH-6

Ooooh...old school Lynch right there!

 

[DKSEARS]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Nice!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[dave74]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Wish it were mine,,,,,,,, although I don't love the inlays I wouldn't have let it hold me back either.
Everything else though is yummy!

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Wish it were mine,,,,,,,, although I don't love the inlays I wouldn't have let it hold me back either.
Everything else though is yummy!

Agreed...not my first choice in inlays, but I'm warming up to them

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

As an update, I did manage to find examples of the regular production version that Washburn mentioned!

Apparently, they made just 100, possibly fewer, of the "production" version, which is a good thing because they really dumbed down and dulled out what was already a pretty basic/barebones guitar!

No top contouring, a boring painted finish, no custom shop pickup, ugly offset bullet hole inlays and the headstock actually says "OUTLAW by Washburn", which is tacky as hell for a USA guitar!

Here it is, the ill-fated production version:

 

[metalchurch79]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

When the lightnin strikes again
And the lights go down
And you might be near the end
When the lightnin strikes again

 

[metalchurch79]

Re: Interesting & Unexpected NGD!

Reminds me of a BCRich Gunslinger in so many ways...
The strings wrapped around the wrong side doesn't do any justice to that guitar, and it only draws your eyes closer to the cheap wood burning that was done.
Nice score by the way! Very neat guitar that has its own story and place in history.
(+1 for the Demon swap)