On 2002-12-05, Nick rated this Washburn Steve Stevens Signature Model a 4...(3251)
Purchase: I picked up this guitar used. Amazingly this guitar was made back in the HAIR daze of the late 80's early 90's. And I spent a whopping 300 bucks for her.
Pros: Listen up people, if you are a big fan of the fender strat, try picking up one of these in the pawn/used gear shop sometime. Granted I have since replaced the pickups with Bill Lawerance models, but the overall playability is the same, and at what will likely be a much lower price. The floyd rose system is pretty good (granted it depends on how played the thing was before you picked it up) but as far as playability this thing is as good as the dimebags and the WM models. The stevens guitar even has a good smoothed maple neck that is thick (like a fat strat) but the thing screams if you have the stock factory pickups in it. (or just drop some Stock seymore's in it for around 80 bucks, that's all the guitar company's do nowadays anyway.
Cons: My only knock on this guitar is the age factor and the aging of the gold hardware that comes standard on this guitar tends to get spotted from sweat. But truth be told this guitar is as rock solid as they come and you can play nearly anything with the tones. Giging with this tank is great, and it won't cost you an arm and a leg these days. Basically a steal if you can grab it for under 500 bucks, because the guitar is as good as any factory Fender Strat. out there, short of the custom jobs and the high end USA's
Quality: Maple neck with skunk stripe. Bolt on What appears to be a maple body and gold hardware. Better End (not that chrome screw jobs on the newer and older models) Grover tuners on the head, Floyd Rose bar, gold hardware, 3 way switch and volume knob. Overall a solid body that I have dropped on stage once and it took it like a brushback.
Review Summary: Don't spend the 1300 on a strat. Look for one of these in the pawn shop first. even at is 20 years, it still will play better than a strat at 1/4 the price.
