Washburn Classical C5CE-A Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Washburn C5CE-A is a classical acoustic-electric guitar that offers a solid build, warm sound, and easy playability at an affordable price point.

As part of Washburn's Classical series, the C5CE-A is designed to deliver the rich tone and comfortable nylon-string playing experience of a traditional classical guitar. Washburn outfits this model with a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides, a sound combination that produces pleasing warmth and resonance.

The C5CE-A also comes equipped with a built-in EQ-7 preamp system, which allows you to shape your tone and amplify your sound through an external PA system or amplifier. This makes the C5CE-A a great option for guitarists who want the versatility of being able to play acoustic sets or plug in for live performances.

Overall, the Washburn C5CE-A promises classic Spanish guitar tone and feel in an accessible, stage-ready package. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the build quality, sound, playability, electronics, and hardware to see how this affordable classical electric holds up.

Build Quality

The Washburn C5CE-A classical guitar features a solid spruce top, which provides richness, clarity and volume. The back and sides are made from mahogany, a dense wood that gives the guitar warmth and resonance.

The instrument shows excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail. The top is cleanly bookmatched with no unsightly seams. The satin finish allows the natural beauty of the wood grain to show through, while protecting against scratches and wear. Precise binding along the body and fretboard provides a refined appearance.

The neck joint allows easy access to upper frets. Fit and finish is immaculate, with no visible glue spots or uneven gaps. Hardware is securely attached with no loose parts. Overall the C5CE-A displays superb build quality, suitable for the concert stage.

When evaluating the construction quality of an acoustic guitar, it's important to look at all aspects from the materials used to the final fit and finish. The choice of woods affects the tone and resonance. Solid wood tops vibrate better than laminates, producing superior sound. The back and sides also contribute to the overall voice of the instrument. Fine details like clean bindings and smoothly cut fret ends demonstrate attention to detail and expert craftsmanship.

In addition to visual inspections, playing the guitar provides critical information. The action should be comfortable without buzzing. Notes should ring out clearly with no dead spots. Hardware should function smoothly, staying in tune during playing. Taking the time to thoroughly assess both the physical qualities and playing experience allows discerning the true build quality.

While the Washburn C5CE-A exhibits exemplary construction, there are other high-quality options to consider in a similar price range. The Fender 971160121 is an acoustic-electric guitar praised for its superb craftsmanship. It has a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides for balanced tone. The slim neck profile provides comfort during long practice or gigging sessions. The no-load tone system keeps the guitar feedback-free on stage. This Fender model offers an excellent alternative for those seeking top-notch build quality in an acoustic-electric guitar.

Evaluating construction quality takes time but yields important insights. From wood selection to finishing details, every element contributes to playability and tone. Testing the guitar in person provides critical information on comfort and sound. While the Washburn C5CE-A demonstrates quality workmanship, the Fender 971160121 warrants consideration for its comparable build and features. Taking the time to assess options allows finding the best guitar to match playing style and needs.

Sound Quality

The C5CE-A produces a bright and balanced tone, thanks to its solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides tonewood combination. The solid cedar top provides clarity and articulation to the high frequencies, while the mahogany back and sides add warmth and resonance to the midrange and bass frequencies. This combination results in a nicely balanced tonal spectrum that works well for both fingerstyle and strumming.

The cedar and mahogany construction also helps project the sound effectively. This guitar can easily fill a room with its volume without the need for heavy strumming or picking. Notes ring out clearly and sustain well. The tone has an open and airy quality to it, with each string ringing true. Both treble and bass notes come through with pleasing resonance.

When plugged in, the pickup and preamp system accurately captures the C5CE-A's acoustic tone and dynamics. The amplified sound reflects the guitar's nuances well, maintaining the bright and balanced character. Whether playing live or recording, the C5CE-A's amplified performance impressed in preserving the guitar's unplugged voice.

The Ibanez TCY10ETBS acoustic-electric guitar is another great option for players looking for a bright and balanced acoustic tone. This model features a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, a similar tonewood combination to the Taylor model mentioned above. The spruce top provides crisp highs while the mahogany body adds warmth and depth. The cutaway design allows easy access to upper frets. An Ibanez under-saddle pickup and Ibanez AEQ-SP1 preamp provide quality amplified tones.

When it comes to sound quality, the Ibanez TCY10ETBS delivers excellent clarity, resonance and sustain. The spruce and mahogany construction projects sound powerfully while retaining a detailed tonal response. Trebles have snap and definition while the mahogany body provides rich lows and midrange. Strummed chords ring out with fullness and individual notes have impressive sustain. Overall, the TCY10ETBS offers the brightness, balance and amplification capabilities many players seek in an acoustic-electric.

With its solid spruce top and mahogany back/sides, the Ibanez TCY10ETBS (see Ibanez TCY10ETBS) shares similarities in construction and tonewoods with the Taylor model above. Both guitars aim to deliver a balanced acoustic sound with crisp trebles and warm, resonant bass/mids. Which model might suit a guitarist best comes down to individual playing style and sonic preferences. The Taylor highlights articulation while the Ibanez excels at power and projection. Testing them personally would reveal their unique voices. Nonetheless, both represent quality craftsmanship and acoustic tone shaping from their respective manufacturers.

Playability

The playability of the Washburn C5CE-A is excellent thanks to its comfortable neck profile, low action, and quality fretwork.

Neck Shape and Profile

The C5CE-A features a classical style C-shaped neck that is slim and comfortable to hold. The nut width is 2 1/8 inches, providing ample room for fingerstyle playing without being too wide for smaller hands. The neck has a satin finish that allows for smooth, fast lead playing.

Overall, the neck shape and profile make this an easy guitar to play for long periods of time. The slim neck allows easy access to upper frets while the classical width provides comfort for fingerstylists.

Action Height

Action on the C5CE-A is set very low from the factory, making it effortless to press strings down to the fretboard. There is minimal buzzing or rattling, even when playing hard. The low action allows for easy barre chords and fast lead playing across the entire neck.

Players looking for an acoustic-electric classical guitar that plays fast and smooth right out of the box will appreciate the low action height on this model. It requires little to no setup adjustments to start playing.

Fretwork

The fret edges are smooth and finished well, with no sharp ends to scratch hands during play. The frets themselves are accurately leveled and crowned for even height across the fretboard. Notes ring out clearly with no dead spots.

The quality fretwork complements the comfortable neck profile and low action to create an acoustic-electric classical that is a joy to play. Both lead and fingerstyle players will find the C5CE-A allows their best techniques to shine.

Electronics

The Washburn C5CE-A features an electric/acoustic design with a built-in preamp and pickup system. This allows you to plug into an amplifier or PA system for amplified volume and sound projection.

Pickup and Preamp System

The guitar has a Washburn undersaddle piezo pickup designed to accurately reproduce the acoustic tone and dynamics of the instrument. The pickup converts the vibrations of the strings into an electronic signal that is sent to the preamp.

The preamp is equipped with a built-in tuner and EQ controls for shaping your amplified tone. It provides gain and volume adjustment, along with bass and treble tone controls. This allows you to dial in your preferred amplified tone from bright and crisp to warm and resonant.

Controls

The guitar has easy to reach volume and tone controls mounted just inside the soundhole for quick adjustments. There is also a tuner button to activate the chromatic tuner. The preamp runs on a 9V battery accessible via the battery compartment.

Feedback Rejection

The undersaddle piezo pickup and preamp system work together to minimize feedback at higher volumes. This allows you to play at higher stage volumes without squealing or ringing. The Notch filter specifically helps reduce spikes in certain frequencies to avoid feedback issues.

Hardware

Washburn equips the C5CE-A with quality hardware to provide stable tuning and comfortable playing. The tuning machines are sealed die-cast tuners that do an excellent job of holding the strings in tune. Tuning stability is important for classical guitars, as precise intonation allows the unique tone of nylon strings to shine. The C5CE-A stays in tune very well even during extended playing sessions.

The compensated saddle provides proper intonation along the fretboard, allowing chords to ring true up and down the neck. The saddle and nut are both made of quality bone, providing a pleasing tone from the strings. The adjustable truss rod allows the neck relief to be customized for optimal action and playability.

Overall, the hardware components on the C5CE-A are well-suited for classical guitar performance. The tuning machines, nut, saddle, and truss rod give the instrument tuning stability, intonation accuracy, and comfortable action.

Comfort and Ergonomics

The Washburn C5CE-A classical guitar features an ergonomic comfort-contoured body designed to fit comfortably against your body when seated. The body shape is an elegant concert-sized cutaway, providing easy upper fret access while retaining the rich bass response that a full-size classical guitar body provides.

At just under 3.5 lbs, the C5CE-A is lightweight enough to play for extended periods without fatigue. The slightly narrower neck and string spacing make this a very playable guitar for those with smaller hands. The neck has a satin finish which allows for fast, smooth transitions up and down the fretboard.

The C5CE-A exhibits excellent overall balance, with the neck joining the body at the 12th fret. This provides ideal weight distribution so the guitar feels evenly balanced whether you're playing seated or with a strap. The pinless rosewood bridge contributes to the guitar's excellent sustain and resonance.

Value for Money

The Washburn C5CE-A acoustic-electric classical guitar offers excellent value for money. While not the cheapest classical guitar available, it punches well above its weight class in terms of build quality, sound, and electronics.

The solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides deliver rich, balanced tone expected of higher-priced classical guitars. The Fishman preamp and piezo pickup faithfully reproduce the C5CE-A's bright, resonant acoustic voice when plugged in. These pro-level appointments make it a serious tool for practice, recording, and live performance.

Considering the quality materials, workmanship, and electronics, the C5CE-A is very competitively priced. Beginners shouldn't hesitate to spend a little more to get an instrument that will last for years and sound/play much better than cheaper options. The C5CE-A has the tone and versatility worthy of pro classical players, without costing thousands.

Overall, Washburn's attention to detail and smart design choices make the C5CE-A an excellent value proposition in its price range. Players get professional-grade sound and versatility that belies this classical guitar's mid-level price tag.

Alternatives

When looking at other acoustic-electric guitars in the same class and price range as the Washburn C5CE-A, here are some of the top options to consider:

• Yamaha APX600 - Yamaha is known for making quality acoustic-electric guitars at reasonable prices. The APX600 has a solid spruce top, nato back and sides, and a preamp system designed by Yamaha. It has a slightly smaller body than the C5CE-A but produces a balanced tone.

• Fender FA-125CE - This is Fender's entry in the affordable acoustic-electric market. It has a laminate spruce top with mahogany back and sides. The Fishman preamp provides good plugged-in sound. The FA-125CE has a slim neck profile making it comfortable to play.

• Epiphone AJ-220SCE - Epiphone packs a lot of value into this guitar model. It has a select spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a Shadow preamp system. The neck has a SlimTaper profile for smooth playability. Overall, the AJ-220SCE delivers classic acoustic tone and balanced sound.

• Ibanez PF15ECE - With Ibanez you get their expert craftsmanship at an entry-level price. This model has a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and an Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp. The PF15ECE projects nicely when plugged in. The neck is fast for easy fingering of chords and solos.

• Takamine GD30CE-NAT - Takamine is renowned for their acoustic craftsmanship. The GD30CE-NAT shows off their skill with its solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The preamp is Takamine's own CT4B II model. Playability and comfort are also excellent.

Summary

The Washburn C5CE-A classical acoustic-electric guitar offers good value for money. Here are the key pros and cons:

Pros

• Solid spruce top produces bright, articulate tone
• Mahogany back and sides offer balanced sound
• 24-fret neck allows access to higher notes
• Onboard preamp and tuner for plugging in
• Attractive matte finish

Cons

• Laminate construction may lack resonance of all-solid guitars
• Electronics can add feedback at higher volumes
• No cutaway for easy upper fret access

Overall, the Washburn C5CE-A is a good choice for beginner to intermediate players looking for a relatively affordable classical acoustic-electric model. The guitar delivers balanced tone and playability, though the lack of all-solid wood construction means it may not have as complex a voice as higher-end instruments. Players needing to plug in for live performances or recording will appreciate the built-in electronics. For classical guitarists seeking better build quality, higher-end electronics, or a cutaway, it may be worth investing in a more premium model. But for the price, the Washburn C5CE-A gets you reasonable value in a classical acoustic-electric package.