Washburn Comfort G66SCE Spalt Maple - Natural with Armrest Reviews

Prior to this purchase I had only played intro,

Have had this guitar for 8 years now and it has always been my primary.
The attention to detail and the added appointments (maple binding, comfort arm rest, wood inlays, etc.) are things you don't find in guitars under $.
Over the years, the sound has mellowed beautifully and the action has been stable and amazingly easy.
If you want a quality guitar, without breaking the bank, this is it!!!

I never thought such a small change could make a such a big difference, but the armrest is a feature I will look for in future guitar purchases. My right arm has a tendency to tingle after a long set, but not on this guitar. The tuner is a nice convenience and the Fishman electronics are prime. The only setback was the single strap button. I tried tying to the neck but the strap got in the way of forming some chords. I knew this going into the purchase and had prepared for another strap button to be installed on the heel. I find the sound very strong without using an amp; some guitars have no "voice" without an amp but not this one. Spalt maple is just beautiful and an excellent tonewood. I don't think you will be disappointed. My sales engineer, Brenton Evans, made the purchase simple.. Love the guitar and Sweetwater!

I've had this guitar for about 10 months now, so I believe I can write a fair and focused review and also add some suggestions for potential buyers and current owners.
First and foremost, this guitar is beautiful. A real gem.
There are not many, if any, guitars in this class that look nearly as nice as this one.
The pictures speak for themselves and it really does look as nice as it presents.
The guitar is extremely comfortable due to the contouring in the body and I wish more manufacturers would take a cue from this design, especially on their larger guitars.
The Fishman Presys 501+ Electronics are fantastic, and really bring the electric capabilities together in a uniformed way.
You have excellent control over how the transmission of your sound will carry and be amplified. This is a nice position to be in when a sound guy is messing with your tone/volume too much for your taste.
The neck is outstanding. The fretwork is top notch. I can't find any faults in the manufacturing.
They could've maybe used a smoother turning tuner set, but maybe it will smooth out with time, or maybe it is what it is, or maybe they will get replaced at some point. I'm not sure yet.
The only change I made to the guitar was a small but significant one.
With a beautiful, but rather subdued sounding cedar top, the guitar needed a bit more bite and sustain in my opinion.
The string action was a bit high on mine as well, so after making small truss rod adjustments, I also decided to upgrade the saddle as opposed to just taking the height down a bit to further lower the action.
The fact that they use a bone nut, but a plastic saddle is a real head scratcher for me. But definitely wasn't a deal breaker and it's something I chalk up to personal taste with regards to tone.
I removed the stock saddle and installed a Tusq Saddle.
It has given a shot of adrenaline to this guitar.
Not only did it drop in without needing to sand it down or tinker with it, to the exact string height I needed no less.
But it has made this guitar just sing in the most pleasant way.
Sustain, clarity and volume all improved and the proverbial blanket has been removed.
I honestly had reluctantly considered trading it in at one point and getting a Martin because the sound is a bit dull compared to an older, large Dreadnaught Takamine I have as well (uncomfortable to play due to it's large size)
But now, after this simple change, there is absolutely no way I'm letting it go.
There is nothing in this price bracket that can touch it. It is the most comfortable acoustic guitar I've ever played.

This guitar will surprise you. First off it is a beautiful. Fit and finish are terrific. I was looking at Martin and Taylor in this price range. I have and had them; I really was not too impressed. I think the big names are overpriced. This Washburn has a louder sound, very nice gentle boom from the bass strings and well balanced treble tones. The cutaway is nice to have. I am new to the electrified acoustic guitars , the fishman sounds good to me. The built in tuner is also nice to have. I wanted something different… I didn't own a maple , so I took a chance. I am very happy with this guitar. I like the sound and the feel of it.Very comfortable to play. I would definitely recommend this instrument. I mostly fingerpick blues stuff and chord melody jazz … sounds great. Just remember case is NOT included. I was kind of glad it didn't. I have plenty of cases from my other guitars and it kept the price of the guitar down.

Love it. Have several more expensive Martin's, Gibson, Guild and such but this is my new favorite. Great sound with or without amp. Nice action and comfort.

WELL CRAFTED AND,, WARM, RICH SOUND. EVERTIME I TAKE IT OUT OF THE CASE IT IS IN TUNE. I AM NOT THE EASIEST PERSON ON THE STRINGS. THIS ONE IS ONE OF MY WONDERFUL DREAMS. GREAT JOB WASHBRUN. MY FRIST, WON'T BE MY LAST

This is my first purchase on=line for a guitar. Spent 2 days reviewing different guitars. I was quite surprised to say the least. The sound is exactly what I was looking. The feeling along the neck and the action was just right for me Also the picture does it justice. It has a beautiful look. Thank Sweetwater.

One review was a little harsh. It was from 2016. I had one of the older models and they were a little lacking in fit and finish. I now own one made in 2019 and these
models are a lot better than the older ones. They have bone but and saddle and tusq bridge pins instead of plastic like the older models. These guitars are well worth the money.

This Washburn guitar is an excellent instrument. The two primary reasons I considered it were the comfort cutdown on the shoulder bout and the maple tonewood. The cutdown makes this the most comfortable guitar I own (playing is pain free even with chronic shoulder issues). The spalted maple is gorgeous: the photos do not do it justice. The tone is bright but even and well balanced; a very nice complement to my other guitars with rosewood, mahogany, and lyracord bodies. The guitar was well prepped, with low easy action, and well finished and assembled. The built in tuner is very precise. Sweetwater was out of stock on this guitar when I first inquired, but I was notified (thank you Tina Kauffman) as soon as a demo model arrived, and the guitar was held for me for several days until I could stop by and play it. I took about 45 minutes to test play and investigate the guitar, found no issues, and purchased it.

As always, Sweetwater provided an exceptionally high quality instrument at an excellent price. Service was outstanding, and Ryan Murray and Tina Kauffman are to be commended. Both Ryan and Tina made telephone followups, which are always welcomed and appreciated. It is truly a pleasure to do business with Sweetwater. I have been buying from Sweetwater for a few years, on line when we lived in another state. Now that we are living in northern Indiana, it is a special treat to visit Sweetwater.

I have had mine for over 2 years and it is a beautiful instrument. I play out regularly and the warm tone and the looks always draw compliments. It is very comfortable to play for long periods.
I initially took it my luthier (who also makes custom guitars), just to get it the way I wanted, and he was blown away that someone could make a guitar with its features for that amount of money.
Washburn has made a fine product.

I purchased this guitar after looking/reviewing many. Nick Huskins was very patient and helpful through my selection process. I liked the Cedar top with the inlays on this Washburn model. In my opinion this a very beautiful looking guitar. This guitar out of the box played very well. I will at some point have it set up by a good shop/tech. The sound is beautiful !!! The Fishman Electronics are Great. I liked the fact that when plugged in and you select the on-board tuner the output is switched off.
The body relief for your arm makes playing this guitar for a long time extremely easy. Very Comfortable.
Overall I am very satisfied with this guitars sound and ease of play.
For the money this is a great buy and I would recommend it to anyone considering the purchase.

Sound is greate. Pluse handcrafted ! Pluse raw materials are natural !

This Washburn Acoustic is amazing! It is by far one of the best acoustic guitars I have ever owned. The comfort Series , it says it in the name. If your looking for a for a mellow tone while strumming or picking with a pick or finger style, this is the Guitar for you!

I got the Demo. Since it had been played. It was pretty broken in. I didn't care for the strings, so I also ordered a setup with the strings I preferred. I described how I wanted the action, since I use a capo & needed enough clearance so that I wouldn't get string buzz. Well the luthier Carson C did a great job. When I unpacked it, the action was perfect, very playable. The guitar looked stunning. The tone was what I was looking for. Bright highs because of the spalted maple & mellow lows because of the Western Cedar top. For this price you also get bone nut & saddle & the Fishman Presys electronics, which is a cut above what usually comes with guitars in this price range. Strumming or fingerpicking, this guitar does the job. Real snap to the bass strings. Thank you Sweetwater for a satisfying buying experience.

Originally, I contacted Sweetwater to purchase my Strat. I walked away from music 15 years ago. But..thanks to a few co-workers, I got pulled back in. I was not intending to also by an acoustic guitar, but low and behold...the Washburn G66SCE got my attention with first; its looks and secondly the price. I haven"t played Washburn since the 80"s. I WAS not let down 1 tiny bit. Actually very impressed! The W66SCE got easier & easier to play after about 2-3 break in. Not a fan of the strings it comes with. Replaced with my preferred strings. The tone is awesome, playability is awesome. The only drawback with Washburn is no case included w/purchase. I have recorded with this guitar. Although not your high end Taylor or Gibson, but I was satisfied with the result. I will soon purchase one of the fore mentioned guitars for serious demo offerings but I have 0 complaints with Washburn. Good job with this one! I"ll be putting a demo with it soon as I see there really are none! Whats up with that Washburn? Until then, everyone reading this, take care, keep pickin! Your guitar will sound amazing regardless of make/model. I firmly believe, the player makes the instrument, the instrument cannot make the player. Thanks Ben Stokes at Sweetwater! Love both the guitars. JGroves.

This is my first Washburn and I must admit that I purchased it based on looks alone. The first one I received had some issues, and as usual, Sweetwater's customer service came through. I spoke to Dakota in tech support and he hand picked a replacement. He then made sure that it was carefully inspected and correctly setup, and it was in my hands by the next day. That's great service. Many thanks to Dakota.

This may not be the best guitar I own, but it is by far the best looking guitar in my collection. The exotic woods are beautifully patterned and overall it's a real head turner. I was very impressed with the sound. Great lows. A very full, rich mellow sound without sacrificing the brightness you'd expect from a grand auditorium body. The action is a bit high, but I'm going to play it for awhile before I make any changes.
As always, you can't go wrong with Fishman electronics. The 501T system is very versatile and the built in tuner is fast and accurate.

The more I play this guitar, the more I like it. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites and I would recommend it for all playing styles.

Title says it all on this review... Out of the box it was just ok... It sounded great! played ok (neck and frets were extremely scratchy feeling) ... But after a little work it's amazing. 1st off, and I know it's a matter of opinion, but it arrived with D'Addario strings on it... All my years of playing, with the exception of the DR coated Bass Strings, I am simply not a fan of D'Addario strings... Don't like the sound or feel... So changing the strings really brought this guitar to life for me! About that though... After unboxing and playing for a couple hours I decided to remove the D'Addario's and change the strings... When I removed them, the nut fell right off the neck! Clearly wasn't glued well... Not a huge deal... small dab of glue, replaced and restrung and that issue is gone... But for the money, the nut shouldn't fall off... haha While doing this 1st string change, I polished the frets and gave the fret board a lemon oil treatment! Took me about an hour but once I restrung it and did a small truss rod adjustment, it felt like a completely different guitar! Plays beautiful and feels absolutely amazing now!

Another point to mention is that this instrument does not come with an upper strap button installed! This day and age I simply don't understand why they don't include this $3 item to their build... Especially when one of the selling points is the internal electronics to play live with... Hard to play live when you can't use a strap! Again, not a huge deal, just a little inconvenience... I had to go buy one and install it myself...

Lastly of my small issues is the end pin... The end pin is of good build quality, however there is a small nut on the inside of the body that holds it on. On the instrument I received this internal nut was loose so the end pin would wobble. You have to unstring the guitar in order to tighten this. And it's nearly impossible to reach the nut inside due to the shape of the sound hole and length of the body! Even my 14 year old daughter's tiny arm could hardly reach it. I tightened it once and it loosened up again. Had to completely loosen all strings again to re-tighten it for a 2nd time. Hopefully it holds this time... If not I'm going to have to put a dab of lock tight on the end pin threads as this is not an acceptable issue. (playing out live and the end pin loosens up and wobbles all over).

But don't let me scare you into not buying this... Just trying to give an honest review of my experience. Aside from these few minor issues this guitar is beautiful! The body design is gorgeous... Tuners are very stable and smooth. Electronics sound nice through a PA and give a ton of shaping abilities. Amazing wood choices by Washburn gives this guitar a unique look!! As far as tone goes, it's amazing! Nice rich sound and it really projects acoustically in a room! I knocked a 1/2 a star off the review simply because of my small issues I've dealt with... But if I had a chance to do it again I would absolutely buy this guitar again! I'm seriously loving this thing now and I have received tons of compliments on it already at several gigs! Highly recommend this model! If you can find one in stock, order it up fast! I had it on my sweetwater wishlist for almost a year before they finally had a few in stock!

I fell in love with the look straight away. The comfort cut on the body, and the form fitting way it sits on your knee is wonderful. It's great for playing while sitting. The Fishman tuner and preamp are great! So my only issue was that it immediately requires bridge work to drop the action. Mine was significant. I did it myself in about an hour, marking a line on the saddle and sanding it down to that point, taking off a little at a time. When I restrung the guitar I used light gauge Bronze Phosphorus Elixirs. Typically those strings produce a loud resonating sound and tone that sustains for quite a long time. On my Takamine Dreadnaught, they do exactly that. On this Washburn, they don't have quite the same sustain and overall presence. I think it may be because the body is a bit smaller and the wood a bit less dense, along with a lighter overall weight than most guitars this size. Over time, I expect that the guitar will continue to develop a very pleasant and unique tone compared to the usual Martin or Taylor tone. Not worse. Just more mellow. It's more of a strummer than I finger picker in my opinion. Unless it's being amplified. That's where the Fishman Presys Preamp comes in and is good-to-go right out of the box. It sounds fantastic plugged in, and records very well. You can tell that the Fishman is a high quality preamp, and thankfully, Washburn didn't skimp in this department. Bad preamps/pickups on an acoustic guitar render it useless in that department. This guitar hits a good price point for all of the extras it provides. If it said Made in the USA instead of Made in China in the soundhole label, it could easily sell for two to three times as much as it does. Get past the China stigma and you have yourself a seriously fantastic instrument.

I bought the guitar as a second guitar based the excellent reviews, some reviews compared this guitar to a Taylor, I have Taylor and this guitar is not even close. Out of box it had a loose end pin and the nut fell off when I took off strings to fix the end pin, the frets have sharp edges for a not so comfortable feel. Not worth the big price.