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-   -   Washburn R314KK Parlor Review and photo's (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234156)

Kitchen Guitars 11-24-2011 10:06 AM

Washburn R314KK Parlor Review and photo's
 
I bought a Epiphone ELOOVS a while back to be my knock around / car guitar. I have many days on locations with a 2 hour window popping up. The Epi quickly became a pain to haul along. Its 00 up top with a butt bigger than a Dred. The arched hard case was a monster to haul. All that said I really liked the Epi. So much I copied her shape and built a solid wood version with an Adi top (and a 1 3/4 nut, instead of the 1.63 the Epi sported). So....
off went the Epi so I could get smaller and lighter guitar, preferably with a wider neck. Thats what I found with the "Antiqued" Washburn all Laminate R314KK Parlor.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8555.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8554.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8552.jpg
To start I love the feel, size, tone, playability. The tuners hold very well.

First glance she looks a 100 years old. I would charge more to acquire/make/ put in the inlay on the head and neck than I paid for the guitar!
She's a short scale 12 fret with a 48mm nut 1.89". The neck is a wide Vintage V that 5 years ago I would have hated. As my fingerstyle and movement improve I like the fatter necks and wider spacing. I adapted very easy. I can go back to my other guitars without screwed up hand locations like I ran into with a CA Cargo a few years ago. I loved the Cargo but couldn't hit a note (worse than usual) on my longer scaled guitars.
The guitar is made inexpensively. The neck is made from a number of connected Mahogany pieces.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8549.jpg
Not laminated. Its in sections. They did "Mod Up"by adding a Truss Rod.
The back and sides (laminated) are Trembesi. The google rumor is it is Monkey
Pod wood.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8547.jpg
The finish is unfilled, "utility". 1 to emulate the 100 year old look, 2 to save fortune in time and labor glossing her up! The rope binding upon close examination is formed plastic not wood as you would find of a 100 year old ($2,000) fancy Washburn. The Abalone on the soundhole is inlayed I have a bet its razor thin.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8560.jpg
The inlay on the neck and fretboard best I can tell is real MOP. If it is, as I said before the inlay is worth more than I paid for the guitar. The setting of the inlay is precision CNC or scared Indonesian slave perfect.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8557.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8544.jpg
The case is a Coffin style. For my travel purposes it is very space saving. Case is ridged but I don't know how it would handle impact. But, it does the job but it is very light. Latches line up easy.
Tone and playability are very good. No, the tone won't retire my Bourgeois.
It is fuller and deep then the Epi was. I wasSuprised by such a warm tone for the small body. Also, louder than I imagined. All Lams can sound fantastic as I have witnessed over and over with my Yamaha obsession. They did well bracing her.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../aDSC_8558.jpg
The Bridge has nice detail. The staining of the pins is a bit hokey.
I'm gonna give the Washburn 2 thumbs up for the dough and then some.
You can print out a copy of my review and sneak it into your Moms or Wifes copy of Look Magazine ;)

PowerTube 11-24-2011 10:15 AM

Thanks for the review. I bought this exact model last Saturday and I'm very happy with it. I can't get over how super lightweight it is, and the feel is phenomenal.

Like yourself, I would have hated the 'V' neck at one time, but since I started playing almost exclusively in proper classical position, it feels great now.

Just out of curiosity, what do you mean by "Monkey pod" wood? I had never heard of Trembesi until I researched this model.

Real Mother Of Pearl inlays? Wow. I wouldn't have guessed that. And I thought the soundhole "inlays" were actually stickers.

Kitchen Guitars 11-24-2011 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerTube (Post 2837833)
Thanks for the review. I bought this exact model last Saturday and I'm very happy with it. I can't get over how super lightweight it is, and the feel is phenomenal.

Like yourself, I would have hated the 'V' neck at one time, but since I started playing almost exclusively in proper classical position, it feels great now.

Just out of curiosity, what do you mean by "Monkey pod" wood? I had never heard of Trembesi until I researched this model.

Real Mother Of Pearl inlays? Wow. I wouldn't have guessed that. And I thought the soundhole "inlays" were actually stickers.

Monkey Pod is a nice wood when finished to a gloss. I had never heard of Trembesi either. Likely a name Washburn made up or snagged to fit their purposes. On page 2 of google I came up with a few posts that implied it was a type of Monkey Pod.

If the soundhole inly were stickers they would be overlay and you would feel a edge. I would not go to the bank that the MOP is real but it sure looks real. At some point I am sure I will do "scratch Test" lol

ewalling 11-24-2011 10:37 AM

I ordered one of these from one of the online dealers a few years ago. I was bowled over by just how good it sounded - a sort old-time, bluesy chime. Truly a nice guitar and much more satisfying than a number of more expensive parlor guitars I've played.

PowerTube 11-24-2011 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitchen Guitars (Post 2837851)
Monkey Pod is a nice wood when finished to a gloss. I had never heard of Trembesi either. Likely a name Washburn made up or snagged to fit their purposes. On page 2 of google I came up with a few posts that implied it was a type of Monkey Pod.

If the soundhole inly were stickers they would be overlay and you would feel a edge. I would not go to the bank that the MOP is real but it sure looks real. At some point I am sure I will do "scratch Test" lol

Thanks for the info. I can totally feel an edge around the inlays. But.... that doesn't necessarily mean stickers, either.

Either way, I'm super happy with it and may wind up getting another one.

:)

ghale 11-24-2011 01:15 PM

Wow that is a very cool guitar! How would you describe the tone? Are you pleased with the volume?

ship of fools 11-24-2011 02:24 PM

Yep KG
 
You certainly captured this guitar really nicely.Looking at your pics makes me want to go out and buy one right now.
As for Trembesi wood well its part of the Koa family of woods according to what one of the guys at Washburn told me.ship

Kitchen Guitars 11-25-2011 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghale (Post 2838059)
Wow that is a very cool guitar! How would you describe the tone? Are you pleased with the volume?

Not as bright as you would expect. Warmer. Very decent note separation. The volume is louder than I need for pluckin away. She'd hold her own in a room of players.


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