washburn idols - how do they compare to gibby LPs?
- Thread starter arbiter
- Start date
Re: washburn idols - how do they compare to gibby LPs?
I've owned several LPs ... Customs, Standards, & Deluxes. I really liked them ... in fact ... i believed there were no other guitars. Until '80 when I discovered a Japanese made Yamaha SA2000 semi-hollow body (that is still my main squeeze axe). That guitar broke me of the USA/LP only mode and made me more open to consider other guitars.
At the time, I had a Gibson Standard Gold Top. I could only afford one guitar at a time back then and sold the LP. There were 3 of the 8 LPs I owned that I'd love to have back ... that Standard, a black Custom and a cherry red sunburst Deluxe. If I could have one it would be the Deluxe. Anyway ... point is I know LPs.
Recently, I've puchased two Washburn Idols ... (1) WI62/WI64DL which feels much like my son's Gibson SG Standard (due to the body bevels) but with a little better neck-to-body balance. (2) WI66 PROG Gold Top which feels very much like an LP only a bit lighter (about 3/8 " thinner body).
They both needed electronics work ... pots, switches, pickups, etc. But the wood, binding, hardware, frets, finish, etc. are superb. You can get them for about 1/5 of an LP. It's a great deal! If you search for Washburn & Doveman in the advanced search, you can find clips, pix, detail on changes.
Bottom line ... they feel, look & play great ... I recommend them ... but I'd still like to have any of my 3 top LPs back ... $2300 or so is still too much for me.
I've owned several LPs ... Customs, Standards, & Deluxes. I really liked them ... in fact ... i believed there were no other guitars. Until '80 when I discovered a Japanese made Yamaha SA2000 semi-hollow body (that is still my main squeeze axe). That guitar broke me of the USA/LP only mode and made me more open to consider other guitars.
At the time, I had a Gibson Standard Gold Top. I could only afford one guitar at a time back then and sold the LP. There were 3 of the 8 LPs I owned that I'd love to have back ... that Standard, a black Custom and a cherry red sunburst Deluxe. If I could have one it would be the Deluxe. Anyway ... point is I know LPs.
Recently, I've puchased two Washburn Idols ... (1) WI62/WI64DL which feels much like my son's Gibson SG Standard (due to the body bevels) but with a little better neck-to-body balance. (2) WI66 PROG Gold Top which feels very much like an LP only a bit lighter (about 3/8 " thinner body).
They both needed electronics work ... pots, switches, pickups, etc. But the wood, binding, hardware, frets, finish, etc. are superb. You can get them for about 1/5 of an LP. It's a great deal! If you search for Washburn & Doveman in the advanced search, you can find clips, pix, detail on changes.
Bottom line ... they feel, look & play great ... I recommend them ... but I'd still like to have any of my 3 top LPs back ... $2300 or so is still too much for me.
arbiter
New member
Re: washburn idols - how do they compare to gibby LPs?
well, it's obvious why i'm even considering washburns - the price. i can't afford an expensive guitar that i have to babysit all the time. i need a workhorse. but i'm curious why do you say they need electronics work, considering they already have nice SDs. please elaborate. thanks for the info.
well, it's obvious why i'm even considering washburns - the price. i can't afford an expensive guitar that i have to babysit all the time. i need a workhorse. but i'm curious why do you say they need electronics work, considering they already have nice SDs. please elaborate. thanks for the info.
Re: washburn idols - how do they compare to gibby LPs?
I've purchased two Washburns
WI62 new for about $250 on Ebay - Very much like an SG and similar to the WI64DL. The switches and pots were not very good. I replaced them both. The pickups on this particular model were Epiphone and were not good at all. Everything else was fine.
WI66 PRO Gold Top new for $425 on Ebay but including an aluminum case - All the PRO models use Seymour Duncan pickups EXCEPT the godl top I purchased. I'm not sure who made the pickups but they are NOT Seymour Duncan. The same level of switches and pots were in this guitar. I will probably replace the pickups.
Both guitars have very fine workmanship and hardware. Why they don't ship a couple of boxes of Switchcraft switches, CTS pots and orange drop caps to these offshore countries is beyond me. They are ver cheap. But for 1/5 the cost, I'm prepared to buy a couple of $5 pots and pickup a soldering iron.
If you do an advanced search with Washburn as the keyword and Doveman as the user ... you'll find more information than you want about the details of these two guitars.
If you are looking at a WI66 or WI67 ... they use Seymour Duncan 59/CC I believe and you should not have to replace pickups.
Good luck with your search ... I think they are fine axes and I'm satisfied with both of mine.
Here are mine:
I've purchased two Washburns
WI62 new for about $250 on Ebay - Very much like an SG and similar to the WI64DL. The switches and pots were not very good. I replaced them both. The pickups on this particular model were Epiphone and were not good at all. Everything else was fine.
WI66 PRO Gold Top new for $425 on Ebay but including an aluminum case - All the PRO models use Seymour Duncan pickups EXCEPT the godl top I purchased. I'm not sure who made the pickups but they are NOT Seymour Duncan. The same level of switches and pots were in this guitar. I will probably replace the pickups.
Both guitars have very fine workmanship and hardware. Why they don't ship a couple of boxes of Switchcraft switches, CTS pots and orange drop caps to these offshore countries is beyond me. They are ver cheap. But for 1/5 the cost, I'm prepared to buy a couple of $5 pots and pickup a soldering iron.
If you do an advanced search with Washburn as the keyword and Doveman as the user ... you'll find more information than you want about the details of these two guitars.
If you are looking at a WI66 or WI67 ... they use Seymour Duncan 59/CC I believe and you should not have to replace pickups.
Good luck with your search ... I think they are fine axes and I'm satisfied with both of mine.
Here are mine:
Re: washburn idols - how do they compare to gibby LPs?
One more thing ... another reason to replace the pots. Many of these (not my two) have a thing called the VCC (Voice Contour Control I think). But what it is ...
The tone pots don't have any tone caps. Instead, the tone control is supposed to switch between single coil and humbucker but somehow be humbucking at the same time. I don't like the system ... it limits the tones you can get (I live on the tone knobs). The VCC controls sound weak in the middle ... so 10 & 1 are the best tones. Also, it doesn't work well if the volume is not on full. SO: you effectively have a guitar where the volumes need to be on 10 and you're using the tone controls as a switch. The top of the line Washburn WI68 uses 59/CC with regular wiring & tone knobs ... I wonder why? :14:
If you can try one out somewhere, you'll see what I'm talking about. If your axe comes with 59/CC, then wire it either Standard or 50s Gibson wiring using Seymour Duncan schematics.
Tips: If I had it to do over again ... I'd suggest these two things I had to learn. Nothing as frustrating as buying parts and having to reorder and wait.
1. http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/SWITCHES_C10.cfm for switch. I used the SG type switches. They were real tight ... I would look into if the short straight switch would fit (check first). Also BOTH my guitars needed the "deep thread switch nut" because the top was a little thick.
2. Use these pots from Stewmac http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electro...pots/1/Potentiometers_and_Push-Pull_Pots.html the thread diameter is a bit smaller and they'll fit without changing the stock holes ... they are a bit narrow ... due to the cheap pots used. This will keep the frustration down. They also have a version of the short switch mentioned above ... but check the measurements before you order from them ... I have no experience.
One more thing ... another reason to replace the pots. Many of these (not my two) have a thing called the VCC (Voice Contour Control I think). But what it is ...
The tone pots don't have any tone caps. Instead, the tone control is supposed to switch between single coil and humbucker but somehow be humbucking at the same time. I don't like the system ... it limits the tones you can get (I live on the tone knobs). The VCC controls sound weak in the middle ... so 10 & 1 are the best tones. Also, it doesn't work well if the volume is not on full. SO: you effectively have a guitar where the volumes need to be on 10 and you're using the tone controls as a switch. The top of the line Washburn WI68 uses 59/CC with regular wiring & tone knobs ... I wonder why? :14:
If you can try one out somewhere, you'll see what I'm talking about. If your axe comes with 59/CC, then wire it either Standard or 50s Gibson wiring using Seymour Duncan schematics.
Tips: If I had it to do over again ... I'd suggest these two things I had to learn. Nothing as frustrating as buying parts and having to reorder and wait.
1. http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/SWITCHES_C10.cfm for switch. I used the SG type switches. They were real tight ... I would look into if the short straight switch would fit (check first). Also BOTH my guitars needed the "deep thread switch nut" because the top was a little thick.
2. Use these pots from Stewmac http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electro...pots/1/Potentiometers_and_Push-Pull_Pots.html the thread diameter is a bit smaller and they'll fit without changing the stock holes ... they are a bit narrow ... due to the cheap pots used. This will keep the frustration down. They also have a version of the short switch mentioned above ... but check the measurements before you order from them ... I have no experience.