Washburn WCG25CE Acoustic Guitar Reviews

The Washburn G25SCE is a Grand Auditorium style acoustic/electric guitar. It’s part of their Comfort series, so named because of its ergonomic design that makes it easier to play. With unique belly and top carves, these guitars hug the body and provide a comfortable playing experience, whether you’re standing or sitting.

Washburn has been producing fine guitars, mandolins, banjos, and ukuleles since it was founded in Chicago in 1883. Long recognized and favored among musicians, Washburn combines premium material and quality construction to produce performance-ready instruments.

The WCG25SE is handcrafted in China, which makes it possible to make a truly beautiful instrument much more affordable.

So, let’s see what makes this guitar so special in our in-depth Washburn WCG25CE Acoustic Guitar review…

All About the WCG25CE

A Beautiful Body

The WCG25CE is made with naturally finished premium hardwoods throughout, beginning with a book matched solid Sitka spruce top. Spruce is the preferred tone wood for producing a bright, clear tone that can be easily heard at the back of a hall.

“Book matching” is the practice of joining two wood surfaces that are near mirror images of each other (because they’re sawn from the same part of the log), looking much like an opened book. The top features an exquisite three-ring soundhole rosette of alternating maple and mahogany.

More quality wood choices…

The back and sides are made of Pau Ferro, a wood found in Brazil and Bolivia. It’s similar in feel and tonal quality to rosewood, now an endangered species, but it’s harder and has a slightly lighter color. The back is also book-matched, with a maple/mahogany/maple strip separating the halves. All body binding is mahogany and maple.

The neck is satin mahogany, with a 25-5/16-inch scale. The maple headstock is capped with Pau Ferro and features a pearl inlaid Washburn logo and stylized “W.” The ovangkol fingerboard has 20 frets and no inlays, giving it an understated minimalist elegance.

The bridge is ovangkol, an African relative of rosewood with similar tonal properties, but a slightly fuller midrange and a bright treble response.

A unique body shape…

The uncommon shape of the body deserves special mention. A Venetian single-cutaway provides easy access to the higher frets. Also, an iconic Comfort Series design feature is the beveled top along the lower bout, which provides greater comfort for the layer’s right forearm. With the G25SCE, the bevel becomes part of the binding.

The guitar has no plastic pick guard to cover the beautiful finish, or to protect it from pick and fingernail scratches. This can be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on your point of view.

Premium Hardware

The G25SCE features a black GraphTech NuBone saddle and 1-3/4 inch (45 mm) wide nut. Much harder and smoother than plastic, this synthetic bone material helps prevent strings from sticking, so tuning is smoother. The neck is reinforced with a two-way truss rod so it’s always straight, with just enough back bow for a light, playable action.

The Washburn branded die-cast tuners are actually made by Grover. They’re stylishly black with an 18:1 ratio for solid tuning, and they feature ebonite buttons. The guitar is delivered with D’Addario EXP16 light gauge (.012 – .053) phosphor bronze strings.

The Proof is in the Sound

As a purely acoustic guitar, the Comfort G25SCE sounds great, with the bright tone of a solid spruce soundboard. And, the sustain is excellent, thanks to the NuBone nut and saddle which efficiently transmit vibrations to the guitar body. It is also helped by Washburn’s original Cathedral Peaked Scalloped-X bracing on the back and sides.

For venues requiring more volume, or for direct recording, the G25SCE is equipped with a Fishman pickup system. This includes a Sonicore under-the-saddle piezoelectric pickup, and Fishman’s Presys+ 501T Onboard Preamp System.

Control the tone…

Designed with low profile knobs to remain unobtrusive while delivering maximum control and quality, Presys+ provides volume, bass, mid, treble, and brilliance controls.

Additionally, there’s a phase switch that cleans up phase problems when recording with a microphone at the same time, a notch filter to eliminate feedback, and a built-in tuner with an LED display and low battery indicator.

The battery has an estimated average life of 88 hours. Washburn’s unique pivot design makes it easy to access the battery compartment for replacement.

Washburn WCG25CE Acoustic Guitar Review Pros and Cons

Looking for some more superb acoustic guitar options?

If you’re after something premium, then check out our reviews of the Martin HD-28, the Martin D-18 Natural, and the Guild D20.

However, if you don’t want to spend that much on an acoustic, please check out our reviews of the Martin LX1 Little Martin, the excellent Epiphone Hummingbird Pro, the Taylor BBT Big Baby, the Epiphone EJ 200SCE, the Taylor GS Mini, and the Epiphone AJ 220S.

Washburn WCG25CE Acoustic Guitar Review – What we think?

This is a beautiful guitar, both to look at and to play. It feels very comfortable in the hands, largely because of its unique, ergonomic design and deep cutaway. Detailed craftsmanship is obvious from the binding and rosette, as well as the neatly-dressed fretwork.

And coupled with the premium Fishman pickup and preamp, the sound is as good as it gets for the price point. Plus, there are plenty of tone controls to let you dial in exactly the sound you want.

The Comfort G25SCE is by no means an inexpensive guitar. But by building it in China, Washburn can deliver an instrument that would otherwise come at a very premium cost, and only be available to a very few.

Happy strumming.