Washburn Guitars announces the immediate availability of five new Rover travel guitar models, three of which feature exotic wood. Rover RO10KK Related Feature:Washburn Parlor Guitars These five new models revitalizes the company’s travel guitar line with new tonewood choices along with one that has built-in electronics. All five are part of their extensive 2015 acoustic lineup that cover various shapes and sizes. Of particular interest are the three new Washburn Rover models that are built using exotic tonewoods. One of which is the RO10KK (around $330 RRP), featuring top, back and sides that were crafted from Koa. The result is a travel guitar with an elegant earthy appeal and a distinct voice that you can only expect on guitars with koa wood. The all-spalted maple RO10SS (around $300 RRP) model follows the same design as the first one, albeit with an important distinction. The guitar is crafted from spalted maple, giving the guitar a nice vintage look that will not look out of place in an expensive guitar collection. It will also have its own brighter voicing because of the stiffness of maple. The third exotic wood to be utilized in the Rover Series is zebrawood. The RO10ZZ (around $260

Washburn to debut three new parlor guitars at the 2014 NAMM Show – the WP26SNS, WP21SNS and WP11SNS. Washburn WP26SNS Related Feature:Washburn Warren Haynes Signature The three parlor sized guitars feature designs that Washburn used on actual parlor guitars from 100 years ago. The new instruments add to their already expansive selection of acoustic guitars. All 3 parlor guitars come with solid cedar tops supported by quarter sawn scalloped sitka spruce bracing. The wood used on the back and sides differ depending on the model, but the overall specs and measurements remain the same. The neck is carved from mahogany and is topped by a rosewood fingerboard with 4mm nut. Traditional 24.75″ scale length is followed to ensure that the guitar’s look and playability closely matches vintage parlor guitars. Other common features found on the three new guitars include abalone rosette, standard Washburn rosewood bridge, and gold open gear tuners. The new Washburn WP26SNS is the flagship model, featuring beautiful rosewood back and sides that complement the solid cedar top nicely. Being the premium model, it comes with highly stylized pearl fingerboard inlays, which visually distinguishes it from the other two. The WP26SNS parlor guitar is retailing for $712.90. Next

Washburn Guitars introduce the WCG187CE, a seven-string acoustic-electric guitar with beveled top at the lower bout and a belly cut on the back. Related Feature:Washburn Parlor Guitars This new 7-string acoustic is part of the company’s popular Comfort Series, featuring strategic bevels on the body to improve ergonomics and improve overall playing experience. The bevels also give the guitars a distinct look that in my opinion adds aesthetic points, making it easier for the instrument to stand out from the crowd. Thanks to the popularity of seven string electric guitars, more and more acoustic guitar manufacturers are adopting these extended range design into their fold. Joining this trend is Washburn, a company that is known for not being shy to push the boundaries. Since the Comfort Series is far from being another run-off-the-mill acoustic line, it is the perfect series to have guitars with an extra low B string. And so the WCD187CE is born, a modern instrument that goes beyond the traditional shape and note range of conventional acoustics. Being based on the 6-string WCG18CE, this guitar has a Grand Auditorium style body with spruce top and mahogany for the back and sides. Quarter Sawn Scalloped Sitka Spruce bracing

Washburn welcomes Allman Brother’s guitarist Warren Haynes into their family with the new WSD5249 Signature Acoustic. The instrument is handmade in the US, designed to meet the exacting demands of high caliber artists such as Haynes. Warren will now be playing and endorsing the new Washburn WSD5249 Warren Haynes Signature Model acoustic guitar, which according to Washburn represents the pinnacle of their acoustic guitar artistry. Known for his tasteful, soulful and toneful playing, hordes of rock guitar players look to Warren Haynes as their guitar hero. His work with the Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule and his own Warren Haynes Band continue to inspire players everywhere. And as a testament to his influence, he was recently ranked #23 in Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 100 guitarists of all time. In order to match Hayne’s prestige, Washburn came up with a design based on the old Washburn Solo Deluxe from 1937. The result is a guitar with a modern OM body shape, premium tone woods and vintage details. The top is made of Adirondack spruce, with period-correct vintage sunburst finish. Supporting the top is a hand-shaped scalloped bracing made of Adirondack spruce. The sides are made of solid rosewood, which supported by a

Washburn Guitars expand their entry level guitar offering with the new Apprentice Series acoustic-electric guitars. Washburn AG40CE Related Feature:Washburn WCDM55K The Apprentice Series starts off with two new models, the AG20CE and AF40CE, both feature a grand auditorium style body with cutaway, and both are stage ready with piezo pickup, preamp and related electronics built-into them. Washburn’s ability to produce quality guitars at super affordable price points continues to propel the brand’s popularity. And as expected, they are pouring in their resources into creating affordable beginner friendly instruments, the latest result of which is the new Apprentice series. Since they are both part of the same series, the two new models have mostly the same features, with the main difference being the type of wood used on the back and sides. As mentioned, the two guitars come in Grand Auditorium shape, which combines the big size of dreadnoughts with the comfortable shape of orchestra style guitars. Both also feature a cutaway for easier access to the upper frets. The specs of both guitars are similar, having the same 25.5″ scale length, and 43mm wide Graphtech Nubone nut. Also featured on the new Apprentice line is the Barcus-Berry LX4 pickup system

Have you ever played a Resonator Guitar? Also known as at resophonic guitar, it was invented in the early 20s before The Electric Guitar came into being. Many of the Guitarists in the 20s and 30s used this Guitar so they could be heard better when playing in a band. Related Feature:Guide to the Best Guitar Slides Blues legend Son House playing a Resonator In the old days before The Electric Guitar came on the scene, If you can imagine a Guitar player who was playing a juke joint that was noisy, you can see why the louder Resonator Guitar was desirable. And to those so called legitimate Guitarists who read music, and played in large orchestras, and could barely be heard with an acoustic Guitar made of wood, with no amplification, the Resonator Guitar was heaven sent. So the Resonator Guitar caught on pretty fast. The Hawaiian Guitar Players loved the Resonator Sound as a Slide Guitar. The Blues players would do their bottle neck style on the Resonator instrument, and the Guitar gave them a very special sound they loved. The old time Country Musicians Found the Dobro to be an instrument they wanted for their music. Before

Fender introduces the Sonoran SCE Wildwood IV, featuring exotic woods – Dao and Purpleheart – for the back and sides. Related Feature:Fender Acoustic Custom Shop Tour The guitar’s design is inspired by the colorful Fender Wildwood guitars released back in 1966. The new Sonoran SCE Wildwood IV comes with Fender’s familiar pairing of a dreadnought body with a Stratocaster style headstock, which makes it hard to miss when sitting besides traditional acoustics. Unique to this new guitar is the use of exotic tonewoods for the back and sides. It comes in two models, one with Dao back and sides while the second model features Purpleheart wood. Fender describes the effect of these exotic tonewoods: “Dao wood imparts a gentle tropical look with balanced tone, while purpleheart wood has an elegantly striking look and extended dynamic range.” The use of exotic woods was contrasted by the guitar’s conventional design formula. It sports a solid spruce top with a quartersawn scalloped X bracing for stability and improved resonance. This use of traditional design adds a familiar element into the guitar’s exotic visual and sonic signature. The neck is made of maple topped by a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard. It has “C” shape neck

Fender expands their high-end acoustic line with the new Kingman Pro Custom Bolt-On, a modern version of the ’60s era Kingman dreadnought. Related Feature:Fender Sonoran SCE Wildwood IV This new version features a bolt-on neck with a ’68 era Stratocaster headstock, with a hybrid design that allows for an acoustic guitar to have the neck feel of an electric guitar. Although the Kingman Pro Custom Bolt-On looks different from your typical acoustic, the body utilizes traditional building methods and tonewoods. It features a solid sitka spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, forming the guitar’s familiar dreadnought shape. Being part of Fender’s high end line, it features elegant appointments including the dual checkerboard rosette, aged white body binding and the nitrocellulose lacquer 3-color sunburst finish. Giving the guitar it’s stability and projection is Fender’s own forward shifted scalloped x bracing that utilizes red spruce. The guitar’s maple neck takes you from acoustic to the realm of electric guitars – featuring a maintenance friendly 4-bolt joint. It has a “C” shape neck profile with a fingerboard radius of 10″, nut width of 1.7″ and a slightly longer 25.625″ scale length. It has a 20 fret rosewood fingerboard with mother-of-pearl dot position