Washburn is a guitar company founded in Chicago, 1883. The brand has been producing some of the best guitars on the market since the late 19th century. Historically, they’ve produced guitars at all ends of the market – both beginner and professional.
Washburn acoustic guitars are known to be fantastic instruments and have been used in a wide variety of genres.
Washburn offers many styles of acoustic guitar – we’ve put them to the test to help you find a good guitar at an affordable price.
I tested 7 products and found the Washburn Festival Mini Jumbo to be the Best Washburn Acoustic guitar.
This fully-featured instrument is one of the best Washburn acoustic guitars. With a small, ¾ sized body, this compact instrument is perfect for musicians on the go.
I’ve played acoustic guitars for many years. I’ve always loved the sound of a Washburn. They’re generally relatively bright guitars and have a shimmering, rich tone. They’re often favored by modern folk players and solo acoustic guitarists.
We loved the Check Today's Price on AmazonWashburn Festival Mini Jumbo. for several reasons.
It looks, feels, and sounds fantastic. It comes with a built-in pickup and preamp, so you can easily amplify or record it. These are durable, high quality, and will stand the test of time.
Washburn offers many quality guitar models. We’re here to help you find the perfect match for your needs. There are many styles of acoustic guitar in the Washburn range. Whether you’re looking for a solid top, or something different, this guide is here to help. I personally think some of the best Washburn acoustic guitars include built-in electric pickups. Washburn often use Fishman electronics, which have high quality.
Keep reading for our full exploration of Best Washburn Acoustic guitars!
Alternatively, check out our post about some fantastic acoustic guitars.
Best Washburn Acoustic Guitar in Our Tests
- Washburn Festival EA15 Mini Jumbo Cutaway
- Washburn RO10SBK-A Rover Spruce Top Acoustic Travel Guitar
- Washburn 6 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Natural (WCG55CE-O)
- Washburn Comfort Series USM-WCG20SCE
- Washburn Heritage Series HG12S Grand Auditorium
- Washburn 6 String (WD7S-A)
- Washburn Classical Series C5CE
- Buying Guide: Factors to consider when buying a washburn acoustic guitar
- FAQ’s
- Conclusion
7 Best Washburn Acoustic Guitar Reviews in Details
1. Washburn Festival EA15 Mini Jumbo Cutaway
Product info
The Washburn Festival is an acoustic guitar that both beginners and pros will love. This mini Guitar is smaller than a full size, coming close to ¾ scale. The Festival guitar has a scooped lower cutaway and a grand auditorium body shape, meaning it’s a very comfortable guitar to play. The cutaway helps with upper fret access.
The top is made from a combination of maple and catalpa, while the back is made from maple. The fretboard is made from catalpa to give a nice warm sound. This guitar comes with bronze strings, which have been chosen for their warmth and responsiveness.
The wide neck, slimmer body, lower action & shorter scale length are all optimized for playing comfort, whether you’re just starting or have been playing for years.
The smaller size isn’t just more comfortable to play, it also provides a more focused and intimate voice that’s perfect for smaller players, young learners, and anyone looking for a guitar with a loud sound but a small profile.
This guitar includes a built-in preamp system, so you can plug it straight into an amp or PA for increased volume. The built-in tuner helps you stay pitch-perfect.
Overall, this mini Washburn is great for any player but will be a perfect match for the traveling musician.
For other small guitars, check out our post about the best ¾ sized guitars.
Pros and Cons:
- Smaller size, more comfortable.
- Fantastic, albeit slightly quiet unplugged sound.
- Comes with a built-in pickup and preamp.
- Excellent tuning stability.
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Product info
The A Rover is an exciting travel acoustic guitar from Washburn.
The Washburn RO10SBK-A Rover is an easy-to-transport guitar with a small footprint.
Its unique silhouette is accompanied by its 1 11/16″ nut width and 23 3/4″ scale length. The Rover packs all the punch of a traditional dreadnought guitar in its portable size.
This instrument features a spruce top and mahogany body and neck. The fretboard, back, and
neck are made of mahogany. It has a Rosetek fretboard and steel strings. This guitar is available in black.
The Washburn RO10SBK-A Rover is the perfect guitar for students, beginners, and traveling musicians. Great for playing blues, folk, country, and even rock ‘n’ roll, this little acoustic guitar will never let you down. The Washburn Rover line is one of the most popular travel guitars on the market today.
The Rover comes with accessories including a Chromatic Tuner, strap, and gig bag.
If you’re in the market for an acoustic guitar perfect for travel, this Washburn RO10SBK-A Rover is just what you’re looking for.
Pros and Cons:
- Unique small footprint, ideal for traveling.
- Warm, surprisingly loud tone.
- Average tuning stability.
- Too small for some players.
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3. Washburn 6 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Natural (WCG55CE-O)
Product info
The Washburn WCG55CE-O is the quintessential guitar for beginners and advanced guitar players alike. If you’re looking for a great acoustic guitar for playing live, or just want to keep up your skills with a high-quality instrument, this one is for you.
Play the WCG55CE-O and you’ll be hooked. The contoured body and single cutaway make this acoustic-electric guitar feel super comfortable to hold. The Washburn WCG55CE-O is a beautiful, premium guitar that’s perfect for guitar lovers. Any player will love its comfortable action, excellent tone & projection.
It’s also noticeably lightweight. It has an attractive natural wood look with mitered wood trim and select mahogany bound Bridge, body, neck & headstock. The sound is pure and the tone is unmatched. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you’ll get great sound with this guitar.
This is a classical acoustic guitar with modern appointments, like the Fishman Press+ 501T electronics with Tuner. The 25-5/16″ Scale Length and 1-3/4″ bone nut are perfectly crafted and incredibly comfortable.
With gold die-cast tuning machines with ebonite buttons, the WCG55CE-O is easy to tune and stays in tune for days.
This premium acoustic guitar from Washburn is one of our favorites. The sound and quality are very respectable, making this guitar a solid choice for any acoustic player.
Pros and Cons:
- Built-in electronics.
- Comfortable body contouring.
- Superior tone & feel.
- Excellent tuning stability.
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4. Washburn Comfort Series USM-WCG20SCE
Product info
The Comfort Series is the ultimate choice for today’s musicians. This slimmed-down acoustic guitar offers a full-bodied tone with the comfort of a sleek Washburn guitar.
Looking for a great-sounding guitar? Look no further than Washburn’s Comfort Series. The unique, contoured design hugs your body, making it possible to play your guitar for hours.
Both beginners and pros will feel at playing on this ergonomic, curvaceous acoustic-electric guitar. It’s built for playing and its unique belly and top carves ensure it will never dig into you and cause you discomfort. The satisfying satin finish gives this guitar a premium feel.
The Comfort Series offers some of the best Washburn acoustic guitars available. The renowned tone woods are used for this series, including a solid Sitka spruce top, quarter sawn scalloped Sitka spruce bracing, and rosewood back and sides. The USM-WCG20SCE features a cutaway body style for increased upper fret access, and chrome die cast tuners. The custom rosette is a nice touch.
The Washburn Comfort Series offers premium Fishman Isys+ EQ electronics for natural amplified acoustic tone. This versatile guitar is perfect for the beginner to the professional guitarist. The dreadnought cutaway body shape of this acoustic electric guitar has a great projection, clear sound, and vibrant tone.
Whether you’re looking for nylon strings or steel strings, there’s a Washburn Comfort Series that’s perfect for you. This range of guitars feel as fantastic as they sound, and come recommended as some of the best Washburn guitars from the company.
Pros and Cons:
- Comfortable, scalloped body.
- High level of attention to detail in playing feel.
- Great built in pickup and preamp.
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5. Washburn Heritage Series HG12S Grand Auditorium
Product info
The Washburn HG12S Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar is a beautiful instrument with a vintage look, warm tone, and easy playability.
With its mahogany sides and spruce top, this guitar will provide both the seasoned player and the beginning student with an excellent performance experience. This has a darker look than most acoustic guitars, making it incredibly attractive and eye-catching.
The scale length is 25.5″, and the neck width is 1.69″. The fretboard uses 20 frets. This design is comfortable to use and has decent action. It uses a dreadnought body, with no cutaways, so it’s a little hard to reach the upper frets.
The HG12S also features a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, bone saddle and nut, a stunning mother-of-pearl rosette, and maple binding. This guitar looks as cool as it sounds. It has rich undertones and a satisfying low end.
The Washburn HG12S is a dreadnought-style guitar that’s made with the finest woods and handcrafted like an heirloom. It’s full of luxurious details like intricate woodwork, and a beautiful high gloss finish.
We recommend this Washburn for anyone looking for a fancy acoustic guitar for folk, blues, or acoustic rock. They’re made from high-quality materials and have excellent durability
Pros and Cons:
- Eye-catching dark look.
- Comfortable, well made.
- Loud, full sound.
- Hard to reach upper frets.
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6. Washburn 6 String (WD7S-A)
Product info
The Washburn WD7S-A acoustic dreadnought guitar is the one to buy for country, folk, blues, and rock. This guitar is made of solid spruce with mahogany back and sides, with a quarter-sawn scalloped Sitka spruce bracing. This Washburn acoustic guitar has a satin mahogany finish with a two-way truss rod and Washburn heritage rosette.
The Washburn WD7S-A is a comfortable dreadnought acoustic guitar, perfect for beginners. This guitar produces excellent range and clarity in the sound. With quality tonewoods in the back and sides, this guitar has great resonance between the bass and treble strings. This is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a reasonably priced guitar that delivers superb tone and playability.
Washburn has updated their popular Harvest series with an e Ovangkol fingerboard and bridge for the perfect balance of looks and sound. The updated Harvest Series features high-quality materials, premium tonewoods, and excellent craftsmanship, all at a very reasonable price.
These guitars are lightweight and durable, with excellent tuning stability.
For anyone needing a well-made, professional-grade guitar, this range of Washburns is a great choice.
Pros and Cons:
- Full range, dynamic sound, ideal for folk.
- Loud projection thanks to dreadnought body.
- No built-in electronics.
- Decent tuning, affordable.
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7. Washburn Classical Series C5CE
Product info
This Washburn Classical Series guitar is a versatile, beautiful instrument. The solid cedar top catalpa sides/back, mahogany neck, and rosewood fingerboard and bridge make it the perfect guitar for any occasion. With a Natural Finish, your Washburn Classical Series Guitar will withstand the test of time.
It’s hard to take your eyes off this Washburn Classical Series guitar. The beautifully-aged wood, the gentle curves of the neck, the stunning gold hardware – all of these things will draw you in. The finish is just as striking as the rest of this guitar – it’s a genuinely vintage look that will impress anyone who sees it. This guitar is perfect for buskers and live performance, with EVT electronics so you can plug it straight into an amp.
This guitar brings the stylistic elements of classical guitars into the 21st century. It comes with a built-in pickup, so you can easily plug it into amplifiers, PAs, or recording gear. This is fairly uncommon for classical guitars, so it’s a nice touch. It gives this guitar an edge over many other acoustic guitars. A lot of nylon strings guitars are relatively quiet, so this brings it up to a more competitive level.
Overall, this nylon-stringed Classical Acoustic-Electric Guitar is ideal for beginners or pros. It has a tasty tone, is electronic, and has a fantastic sound unplugged or amplified. These well-built guitars come at an affordable price and have a great, warm sound quality.
Pros and Cons:
- Warm classical sound.
- Built-in electronic pickups.
- Smooth feeling, easy to play.
- Less stable tuning compared to modern tuning pegs.
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Buying Guide: Factors to consider when buying a washburn acoustic guitar
Consider the Sound
Different guitars are built with specific sounds in mind. Some guitars are warm and full, others are bright and thin. It really depends on the type of music you’re going to play. I always try to go for the most dynamic-sounding guitar possible. This ensures you have a wide range of tones to play with when you’re jamming.
The type of strings used has a large effect on the sound. Nylon-stringed guitars are much darker and more relaxed sounding than steel-stringed models. Dreadnaughts have a different sound to cutaways, and the depth and shape of the body have a big effect too. Have a listen to different guitar models to find out what style of tone you like the most.
Consider the Size
Guitars come in many shapes and sizes. The most common sizes are ¾ and full-sized. Again, the best choice here comes down to how you plan on using the guitar, and your own preferences.
If you have smaller hands, a ¾ (or smaller) guitar size is the best bet.
Consider Quality Materials
The wood a guitar is made from impacts several factors, including weight, sound quality, and durability. You can research guitars’ wood types for hours on end, so just choose something that feels and sounds right to you.
Consider the Cost-to-Quality ratio.
This depends on your budget. In an ideal world, you should buy a guitar at the top of your budget, this may ensure the best quality. It really depends on what you need but makes sure you buy a guitar in your price range.
Electric Acoustic vs Acoustic:
Many Washburn acoustic guitars come with built-in electronic pickups. This makes it easier to amplify the guitar without needing to use a microphone. If you think the volume of an unplugged acoustic guitar is too quiet for all your needs, then consider choosing an electric-acoustic model.
Washburn often uses a high-quality preamp system, which ensures a strong amplified sound.
FAQ’s
Who makes Washburn acoustic guitars?
Are Washburn Guitars good for beginners?
The general design of Washburn guitar makes them good for beginners though. They often have a very playable neck, making playing easier for new hands. Washburn acoustic guitars also have accurate tuning with high stability, so you won’t have to tune it so often!
Conclusion
Overall, we thought the Best Washburn Acoustic guitar was the Washburn Festival Mini Jumbo.
This high-quality guitar has all the features you need from an acoustic. This particular model comes in a compact ¾ size, which makes it great for traveling, busking, and small hands.
The included electronic pickup gives easy access to amplification, which helps to bring the volume up.
This guitar sounds greatly unplugged or amplified and has the look, feel, and tone of a truly professional-grade instrument.
Washburn makes some of the best stringed instruments, and these quality guitars live up to this reputation. If you’re looking for a full-size guitar, any of the other models on this list could be a good fit.
You can find the Washburn Festival Mini Jumbo on amazon.
If you’re looking for a PA system to amplify your new Washburn, check out this post about the best PA for acoustic guitars and vocals.
Noah is an accomplished audio engineer with several years of experience producing music for major companies and independent artists. He enjoys sharing his vast knowledge of audio engineering topics to help musicians and music producers create great music.