Washburn Oscar Schmidt OE-30 Reviews 
5 / 5 based on 1 reviewsI was in the market for a semi-hollow body and played several at SamAsh. While surfing www.musiciansfriend.com, I saw this ES-335 copy guitar for $149. It would be 149 dollars for the Grover Tuners, soap bar tail piece, tune-a-matic bridge and medium output pickups alone!!!!
You get more than you pay for.
I opened the box and viewed a full size ES335 guitar. I have been playing since 1964. I jacked it into my 60's Fender ProReverb and played. The sound was very similar to my Gretsch Tennessian that was $600 back then but now costs 10-12 times more than the OE30.
It is so good that I play it more than my:
Yamaha S1212 thru-neck HM set up, Kramer Semi-hollowbody NightRider, Steinberger Spirit GU, D'Armond M50, or my Tennessian.
You are getting so much for $149 that I can't see anyone complaining about this instrument.
FINISH - Great - I see that as of this month Feb. 2004 - it comes in colors.
Tuning - fine and holds well you can even use Extra Light .009 string, but I suggest you use 10's with heavy bottoms.
Intonation - minor changes to my touch (better than Gretsch)
Sound - variable for 60's, Blues, Jazz, ROCK & ROLL, standards, and hard rock.
NECK is wider than most guitars at the 0 and 12th fret No Fender Strat cramping here - I LOVE IT for blues and rock bends.
The neck is a bolt on but it too will not cramp your style.
You can play the OE30 as an acoustic.
I was seriously considering the Epiphone Casino and I feel I got it's equal for hundreds less. If you are considering a full weight, full size, full sound ES335, and waiting to build up the cash, spend the $149 on this OE30 get a great guitar for a "knock around guitar" price. Then, if you decide you want an even higher quality, try the Washburn HB30 and HB35. Washburn is a very serious competitor on the Guitar market try one and see for yourself.
Johnny Soares of \"The Gyrations\" rated this unit
on
2004-02-10.
