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(More customer reviews)A Compelling Opportunity:
Many people know that the best prices on new cars are generally available at the end of a model year. Likewise, with guitars, the best prices on new ones tend to become available when a company announces that a model is being or has been discontinued. This was the case with the Larrivee P-03R and is currently the situation with Washburn's wonderful jumbo six-string acoustic, the J28SDL. For anyone thinking about getting a big guitar with a big sound this is one to consider and the time is now.
Of the standard sizes of acoustic guitars, the Jumbo is the largest. It is the favorite of many professionals and the world-class standard is probably Gibson's SJ-200. It is also a popular size for 12-string guitars such as the Taylor 355. It's sheer size, if properly constructed, makes it the most emphatically powerful of the acoustic steel-string guitars. The Washburn J28SDL has been a favorite of may guitarists for the past ten years and now that Washburn has discontinued production of the model, the existing inventories of them can be had for somewhere around one-third of the original (MSRP) price.
When I called American Music, the company that distributes Washburn guitars, to ask why such a well-made and successful model has been discontinued, the Customer Service representative told me that he had no idea but suspected that new ownership of the brand wanted to make its own mark by dropping some existing models and introducing some new ones. He told me that they receive literally hundreds of calls a week asking the same question.
Although the question may never be completely answered and with the understanding that there are times when guitar makers bring back models that have been discontinued, there is a window of opportunity right now which is rather remarkable for anyone in the market for a well-built, beautiful looking and rich sounding six-string jumbo acoustic guitar. For the money, the Washburn J28-SDL simply cannot be beat.
The Construction and Appearance of the J28-SDL:
Like many top-of-the-line acoustic guitars, the top of the J28-SDL is solid Sitka Spruce. The sides and back are a done in a highly figured ("Quilted") maple laminate and the neck is solid maple. Together with a rosewood fingerboard and butterfly bridge, 18:1 gold Grover Tuners, a lovely abalone rosette (the decorative ring around the sound hole) and inlays on the finger board, a distinctive rosewood veneer headstock and a uniquely shaped tortoise shell pick guard, it is a truly beautiful instrument.
It is lighter in weight than its size would suggest, especially to a player more accustomed to guitars built with solid rosewood backs and sides. There is a definite advantage to the laminated sides and back on this guitar as it is less sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity than are solid wood backs and sides so it holds the tuning better and for longer than most under changing conditions.
The neck width at the nut (The narrowest point on the neck) is only 1 11/16 inches, the same size as a standard dreadnought guitar and narrow enough, along with the large frets, to be quite easily played. A proprietary (Buzz Feiten) saddle/bridge/nut system also helps keep the J28-SDL in tune for much longer than one would have reason to expect.
For fans of details: The lower bout measures 16 ¼ inches, the upper 12 5/16 and the J28-SDL is 4 2/4 inches thick. The scale length is a standard 25 ½ inches.
The internal frame and bracing are industry standard Martin-like construction. There were no mars, glue spots of cosmetic flaws in the one I bought. So far as I could tell, the workmanship on this Washburn J28-SDL (which is built in China) is exemplary.
How it Plays and Sounds:
It's always nice to be able to say that a guitar looks good, but as all players know, how it plays and sounds are the things that really matter most. I am pleased to report that this J28-SDLK (The "K" simply indicates the inclusion of a plastic covered, unimpressive but perfectly adequate hard case) is completely satisfactory in all departments.
As one would both hope for and expect in a guitar of this size, design and materials, the bass range is deep, powerful and resonant. It does not, however (as it does on some lesser instruments) over-power or drown out the mid-range or high tones. This guitar can and will be heard! Gently finger-picked and played softly it has a choral-like quality which is pleasing to the ear and makes a very nice accompaniment to the human voice. Whether played loudly and aggressively or softly and gently, it has nice long sustain (the length of time the tones hang in the air.)
The narrow neck, wide frets and nicely finished rosewood fingerboard make this large guitar a pleasure to play. Mine was delivered pre-set with low action (the spacing between the strings and the finger board) and thus, easy to fret and play for someone with small and medium fingers.
The Bottom Line:
As a currently discontinued model that is still available for sale from many music stores and on line sites, this Washburn Cumberland Maple J28SDL can be an extraordinary value that will satisfy anyone looking for a big guitar capable of producing big sounds for a very reasonable price.
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