#1
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Washburn Lakeside Jumbo Baritone vs Alvarez ABT60
Has anyone played both of these baritones and be willing to share their experience/insights?
Yes, I know that they're both entry level and that investing more $ would almost definitely result in appreciable higher levels of quality, but in regard to these two baritones, which would be (or was) your choice? |
#2
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I haven't played the Wasburn but I do own an Alvarez ABT-60.
Great entry-level baritone guitar. If you buy new get a set-up done and maybe push for a spare set of strings. Alvarez price does not include a hard-case. I bought mine from Butler Music USA but would not recommend them. I swapped the tuners with new Grover rotomatics 18:1, not a huge improvement, should have gone with Gotoh tuners or just left the originals. Bridge pins are surprisingly skinny. There's a 3rd maker now doing an entry-level baritone at around the same price - Ibanez AELBT1. Haven't played one but here's a clip; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxK7SspXi9I $399 with a built-in pick up.
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Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird Last edited by Brucebubs; 10-14-2015 at 03:36 PM. |
#3
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I'll admit that I historically have recommended the Washburn line-up in the lower price ranges over other guitars. This is because I truely beleive that they are making very nice guitars for the money and are generally overlooked by most, especially on this forum.
That said, in this particular instance, I will have to say the Alverez is the better buy. While a fan of just about all of Washburns variants of guitars, Washburn's baritones are the exception. To me, the Washburn baritone you are asking about doesn't have a deep enough voice for a baritone. It's not bad, but when you compare it to the Avarez you are inquiring about, it doesn't hold up. The Alvarez has the deep voice and sounds amazing. In the end, it would be best if you could try both, as the necks are fairly different and you may prefer how one feels over the other. Going by voice alone, though, the Alvarez gets my vote.
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"Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish."Quintilian |
#4
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Thank you, Wasper and Brucebubs, for your very helpful replies.
I will say that the Washburn demo video was extremely underwhelming, but I was discounting the opinion I had garnered from the video because that particular Washburn rep often phones in his demos. (Quite often he seems ill-prepared, and he often misstates things which are corrected by caption balloons.) However, now that you, Wasper, have said that the lows are in absentia, I can no longer discount my misgivings. Brucebubs, I've taken note of your advice, and I will also check out the Ibanez. Thanks again, both. Addendum: In regard to the Washburn rep in question, it might be that he's just not good at fronting for products he doesn't completely believe in. I say this because another video that seemed phoned in was for a Richie Owens resonator; but in a video for a Washburn parlor, the rep, in addition to playing the instrument very well, genuinely seemed enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Last edited by Highway_61; 10-14-2015 at 05:40 PM. |
#5
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Quick return: I clicked on the Ibanez video link and instantly remembered having watched that video some time ago. I wasn't impressed by the guitar then or now, no matter how the guy playing it looks like--or is trying to look like--playing that guitar is tantamount to experiencing some kind of sexual euphoria.
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