Washburn N4 EPNM

US Manufacturing
workshops or at Funky Munky Washburn Music or elsewhere
Floyd Rose tremolo Scaller
Neck with 22 frets, providing a very comfortable profile (as always)
Micro Seymour Duncan 59 neck side and Bill Lawrence Bridge side without key,
selector three positions
Truck, 4.35 pounds because wood is dense (paddouk)

USE

The handle is very nice
Ergonomics is excellent with access to typical acute N

While his level, I would say it is special, this guitar shares the same microphones that others may, depending, in Ash or Alder.
With Alder, I think it gives a very Hard Rock!
With Ash, it's different, it's much more than slap Alder, here we are in the chapters on personal preference;

Here with Paddouk, this exotic wood with a high density, it changes everything, for my part, I find that clean sounds, it's much more round and warm, it's really nice.

For cons, I see less interest in the rest of the others.

I think it is less oriented hard rock than the others, but on it does it very well too!

SOUNDS

No, it does not really suited to what I play, I experienced a PSM for these guitars, but it has happened.
I use it with different amps, but paradoxically there or I find most cool is either clear sounds, it's very pretty.
Or distortion, it works pretty well.
But it's still a little off standard sounds we are used to (and me too!)

NOTICE GLOBAL

I'm not going to depreciate, but it's still somewhat expensive tool for what it is, if we pay 2000 euros as planned in France.
Washburn disappoints me a little, I said on another test.
They are tiresome, it is unclear or out of their instruments.
Washburn is neither Finder nor Gibson,
It's a shame, because this N4 has arguments.
The value for money is very bad if you pay 2000 euros, it's a guitar that should not cost more than 1000 euros, or even less if you buy direct to the States.
But 1000 euros, it is worth to be interested.
The GAS N4 happened, no, I do not have that choice,
but I denigrates not completely either.

Washburn Padouk N4 SERIES limit Made in America. Model made in March 2004 at the Washburn custom shop
22 jumbo frets 6100
Floyd Rose original (better than Shaller)
A volume control
Channel Stephen Extended Cutaway giving unrestricted access to high notes.

UTILIZATION

Channel trs fast and comfortable without the usual four screws heel ...
Access in frets clean and beautiful thanks to the handle Stephen Extended Cutaway
Ergonomics trs balance, this model says in Padouk lours is a little more because it is a dense wood trs what is normal for an exotic wood
The sound is fantastic on this model used by the wood grain gives a more moileux and warm as a model in frne or alder ...

SOUNDS

Ideally suited my style of music
Branch on my VOX 120 VT it sounds wonderful ...
For heavy distortion and crunch it is perfect for clean sounds but there are only the intermediate position is best ...
My sonnorits prfre are of course the saturation

OVERALL OPINION

Super Guitar

-In which country was it made?
USA

-How many frets, what kind of micro as well as their configuration?
22 frets Seymour Duncan 59 in neck, L500 Bill Lawrence USA L-rack.

-What type of bridge (Floyd, Wilkinson ...)?
Vibrato licensed Floyd Rose Washburn
-What are the settings (volume, tone, micro switch ...)?
Volume control, microphone selector 3 positions and that's it.

-What type of race? Padouk handle with ebony fingerboard and jumbo frets.

It would have been nicer with a real Floyd Rose. The bridge pickup has its critics. I myself changed the microphone.

UTILIZATION

- The handle is it fun?
Yes very. Super comfortable and pleasant to the touch. For the first time that I have a ebony fingerboard on a guitar and everything I say is that I love.

- Access to acute (recent freight) is it easy?
With Stephen's Cutaway, yes certainly, as there is no real heel.

- Ergonomics is it good (in terms of shape, weight ...)?
Everything is fine with me. It's not too heavy, it's easy to handle.

- Gets it easy to sound good? ...
Yes and no. The sound on this guitar is very distinctive and unlike any other I've had scratched hands. We love or hate. I love it. I also changed the bridge pickup to replace it with the same ... but manufactured by the famous Willi Stich who is reputed to be more balanced in its frequency range.

SOUNDS

- They are suitable to your style of music? Yes, full lot, passionately, madly.
- With what (s) amplifier (s) or effect (s) do you play? Marshall JCM 900 SL-X and Soldano Hot Rod 50.
- What kind of sound you get and with what settings ("crystalline", "bold ",....)? I get an amp with each of its broad range that goes from clean to a very saturated by simply playing with the volume knob. For the humbucker, I find the clean sounds really above those of my Les Paul. They are more singing, less steep. In short, happiness.
- What are the sounds you prefer, you hate? I like the sounds ... it's all simple. The ones I hate: None.

OVERALL OPINION

- How long have you use it?
For a little over 2 years now.

- What is so special that you like most and least?
What I like most is his character, ease of play, the slightly acid sound that is a treat.
But to get there, we had to go through some steps. First change the bridge pickup. Then I had long been a problem was the fact that I had much too acute present, which meant that when I played in a group, they are no longer heard, the other frequencies by completely absorbed by the rest of the group. After many trials, I finally replaced the volume knob to another 500k 250k and everything is back to normal. The treble is still very present but the whole is much more balanced.
I love the precision of the scratching. I remember during my first attempt I had really the feeling of having a high-end scratch hands. It felt very much under the fingers. But I had a Lag Metalmaster before that was not deemed to be a guitar is far from it but now it is clearly a different level. I also love the natural finish but so very simple class.
What I like least is the fact that the original volume knob was linear, ie it did not have a clear turning down the volume.
The current log is being much better. I do not really like either side Custom Shop a little rotten in the sense that the guitar is not really well set to start.

- Have you tried many other models before buying it?
But not many models I've tried before, I have come to the conclusion that the guitars sound all more or less the same, they have the same signature sound, finally I mean the superstrate. My Lag did not sound very differently to an ibanez for example. N4 steps out of the lot because it has a strong personality not found elsewhere.

- How would you rate the quality / price? I bought in the U.S. and I feel I have done a very good deal.

- With experience, you do again this choice? ... Yes, a thousand times yes. In fact I hope to buy me a second time in a few (and you never know, a third, fourth ...)

I moderate a few notes to 8 because of the small problems I had to get to erase the chops that I was but since it is set, it is a 10 without dispute.