I've played many Washburn electric and acoustic guitars over the past twenty-five years. I've also played Gibsons, Fenders, Carvins, Schecters, Ibanez, Martins, Takemine, and Guild. The upper class Washburns are any guitar's equal. The less expensive models, if set up right, still play very well, and only lack some of the finer features like the flashy inlays and bindings, the "no neck heel" neck-thru-the-body, and the really fine electronics. They can still be souped up into monster sounding instruments with excellent playability. I've done it, it's easy.