Washburn EA15ATB-A Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Washburn EA15ATB-A is an acoustic-electric travel guitar that delivers impressive sound and playability in a compact package. Part of Washburn's Festival Series, this guitar features a mid-depth cutaway body with a comfortable slim neck, making it an excellent choice for players of all ages and sizes.

Despite its small size, the EA15ATB-A produces full, resonant tones thanks to its mahogany top, back, and sides. The slim neck and shorter 24.75" scale length allow for easy fretting and intricate solos. The guitar comes equipped with a Fishman preamp and pickup system, providing amplified tones that are comparable to a full-size acoustic-electric. Overall, the EA15ATB-A punches above its weight class when it comes to acoustic projection and amplified performance.

Body & Neck

The Washburn EA15 features a solid spruce top, which provides excellent resonance and responsiveness. Spruce is a classic acoustic guitar tonewood, prized for its balanced sound across the frequency spectrum. The solid spruce top allows the EA15 to project well and have a nice even sustain.

The back and sides of the EA15 are made from mahogany, which adds warmth and sweetness to the guitar's voice. Mahogany is known for its smooth midrange and rich overtones. The all-mahogany body construction gives this Washburn a robust, woody acoustic tone.

The neck is also crafted from mahogany, which is appreciated for its comfortable feel and stability. The mahogany neck provides a pleasing tone and contributes to the guitar's full-bodied sound. It has a smooth satin finish for fast playability. The EA15 has 20 frets and a 25.5" scale length, making it comfortable for both lead and rhythm playing.

Overall the combination of a solid spruce top with mahogany back, sides, and neck makes for a very resonant and responsive acoustic-electric guitar. The EA15's all-mahogany body produces a balanced, mellow, and pleasing acoustic tone.

If you're looking for another quality acoustic-electric guitar option, check out the RockJam W-560-N. This affordable guitar features a spruce top and mahogany back and sides, similar to the Washburn EA15. It has a full-scale dreadnought body for loud projection and rich bass. The neck is also made of mahogany for smooth playability. One advantage of the RockJam W-560-N is the built-in EQ and tuner, allowing you to easily shape your tone and keep the guitar in tune. It comes equipped with a pickup and preamp system for amplifying your acoustic sound. While not at the same premium level as the Washburn, the RockJam W-560-N is an excellent option for beginners looking for a well-made acoustic-electric guitar that won't break the bank.

Electronics

The Washburn EA15ATB-A features high-quality electronics that deliver excellent amplified tone and versatility. It comes equipped with a Fishman Sonicore pickup and Isys T preamp system.

The Fishman Sonicore pickup utilizes a combination of undersaddle piezo crystals and soundboard-mounted condenser mics to capture a balanced, natural acoustic tone. The pickup is able to accurately reproduce the guitar's true voicing and nuances. There are volume and tone controls on the upper bout for dialing in your amplified sound.

The Isys T preamp is designed by Fishman and offers exceptional tonal shaping capabilities. It's equipped with a tuner and phase switch, so you can tweak your amplified tone to perfection. The preamp also has a discrete 3-band EQ, allowing you to boost or cut bass, mids, and treble as needed. This level of tonal control makes the EA15ATB-A extremely versatile when plugging into a PA system, mixer, or acoustic amplifier.

Overall, the electronics package on the Washburn EA15ATB-A provides stage-ready amplified performance while retaining the authentic acoustic tone that players desire. The Fishman pickup and Isys preamp offer premium sound quality and flexible tone-shaping options.

When looking for an acoustic-electric guitar with quality electronics, another great option to consider is the Hola! Music HG-39GLS. This affordable guitar comes equipped with a built-in preamp and pickup system designed to deliver balanced amplified tone without breaking the bank. The HG-39GLS utilizes a 3-band EQ with onboard tuner, so you can shape your tone and easily keep the guitar in tune. The pickup captures the nuances of the solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. While not as advanced as the electronics on the Washburn EA15ATB-A, the HG-39GLS preamp and pickup provide impressive performance for the price. So if you're looking for an acoustic-electric guitar option that won't destroy your budget, the Hola! Music HG-39GLS is definitely worth considering. It provides quality amplified sound in an affordable package.

When shopping for an acoustic-electric guitar, it's important to consider the electronics because they have a huge impact on the amplified tone. Guitars like the Washburn EA15ATB-A and Hola! Music HG-39GLS include preamps and pickups that are designed to capture the true acoustic sound, then shape the tone via EQ controls. Advanced systems like the Fishman Sonicore pickup and Isys T preamp offer exceptional tonal control and natural sound reproduction. But even more affordable options like the HG-39GLS can provide quality amplified performance. Test playing different acoustic-electrics to hear how the electronics influence the tone is the best way to choose the right guitar for your needs and budget.

Hardware

The Washburn EA15ATB-A features quality hardware including a rosewood bridge and fretboard. The rosewood contributes to the guitar's warm, balanced tone and smooth feel. The body binding is also rosewood which complements the overall aesthetic.

The die-cast tuners help keep the EA15ATB-A in tune through changes in humidity and temperature. They provide precise and accurate tuning adjustments. The chrome tuner buttons and knobs stand out on the headstock as a unique design touch.

Overall, the high quality hardware components on the EA15ATB-A like the rosewood and die-cast tuners allow the guitar to stay in tune while producing rich acoustic tones. The hardware is built to last while also enhancing the guitar's appearance and playability.

Sound & Playability

The Washburn EA15ATB-A produces a bright yet well-balanced tone that works nicely for a wide range of musical genres. The solid spruce top generates good projection and responsiveness, while the mahogany back and sides provide warmth and sweetness.

This guitar plays very smoothly right out of the box thanks to its comfortable low action and slim neck profile. The action is set nice and low, making it easy to play chords and single notes without buzzing. The neck has a nice shallow "C" profile that most players will find very comfortable to grip and play. It feels great for both rhythm strumming and melodic lead playing.

The guitar stays in tune well even during aggressive strumming or string bending. Intonation is good up and down the neck. Overall the EA15ATB-A is a pleasure to play whether jamming acoustic solo or plugged in and performing live. The sound and playability make this an excellent choice equally suited to beginners and more advanced players.

Pros

The Washburn EA15ATB-A acoustic-electric guitar has several notable pros that make it a quality instrument.

• Quality materials and construction: The guitar features a solid Alpine spruce top and mahogany back and sides, which provide a balanced and responsive tone. The neck is constructed from mahogany and has a comfortable satin finish. Overall, the guitar is built with quality tonewoods and craftsmanship.

• Good electronics: The guitar has a Fishman Sonitone pickup and preamp system, which helps accurately capture the guitar's acoustic tone and project it when plugged in. The onboard EQ provides some tone shaping control. The electronics deliver a natural amplified tone.

• Balanced tone: With its combination of Alpine spruce top and mahogany back/sides, this guitar offers a balanced tone that is versatile for various styles of playing. It has good volume and dynamic range. The tone provides both warmth and articulation.

Cons

The Washburn EA15ATB-A may have a few drawbacks for some players.

• The electronics may not offer as much versatility as some acoustic-electric players want. The guitar has a basic preamp and built-in tuner, but it lacks advanced EQ controls. Players who want more tonal options from the preamp may need to look at models up the Washburn line or other brands.

• The action may arrive high for some players out of the box. It's easily adjustable at the bridge, but it requires a little bit of guitar maintenance. For players who don't know how to do basic guitar setup, this could be an added cost tofactor in.

• The mid-range focused tone won't appeal to every player. It excels at giving rich, projecting mids but some may want more sparkle in the highs or low-end thump. This is the nature of the mahogany top more than a deficiency, but it reduces the versatility slightly.

• The satin finish may be prone to more wear and tear over a gloss finish. It won't age as gracefully cosmetically as a guitar with a gloss finish. The trade off is that it lends itself well to comfortably playing chords and fast runs up the neck.

Who is it for?

The Washburn EA15ATB-A is a great choice for entry to mid-level players looking for a quality acoustic-electric guitar with nice playability.

With its smaller concert body size, reduced scale length, and low action, this guitar is ideal for new players transitioning from an electric guitar or players with smaller hands who want comfort and easy playability. The slim neck and smooth satin finish make it very comfortable and fast for strumming chord shapes and leads.

More advanced players who want a stage-ready electro acoustic that sounds and plays great without breaking the bank will also appreciate the EA15ATB-A. It has a solid top and quality electronics that provide excellent amplified tone for gigs and practice sessions. The onboard tuner, flexible tone controls, and preamp boost give you a lot of tonal options.

The Washburn EA15ATB-A hits a sweet spot between price and performance, making it a versatile and accessible choice for guitarists of different skill levels who want an acoustic-electric with professional features at an affordable cost. It's built to grow with you as improve on the instrument.

Alternatives

The Washburn EA15 is a great beginner to intermediate level acoustic-electric guitar, but there are some other comparable options in this price range worth considering as well:

Yamaha APX600

The Yamaha APX600 is another top acoustic-electric guitar right around the $300 price point. It has a slightly smaller, more comfortable body size, with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The APX600 has a built-in SIST preamp and tuner, producing a balanced amplified tone. The top is not solid wood, so it may not resonate as much as the Washburn. But the hardware, electronics and playability get high marks for a guitar in this range.

Epiphone AJ-100CE

Epiphone's AJ-100CE is a nice alternative with a slightly vintage vibe. It has a spruce top with mahogany back and sides, plus a mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard. The guitar has a Fishman Presys pickup with volume and tone controls. Overall it produces a warm, full sound both acoustically and plugged in. The craftsmanship is good for the price, although the hardware and electronics may not be quite as robust as the Washburn.

Fender FA-135CE

As another option, Fender's FA-135CE concert-style acoustic-electric has a laminate spruce top with laminate mahogany back and sides. It comes equipped with a Fishman pickup and preamp system, producing a balanced tone. The slim neck profile is comfortable for smaller hands. While the build quality doesn't match more expensive models, it provides good bang for the buck.

Summary

The Washburn EA15ATB-A acoustic-electric guitar offers solid performance and features at an accessible price point. This reasonably-priced guitar is well-built and delivers quality tone that punches above its weight class. The cutaway construction and tonewoods produce balanced acoustic resonance with enough crisp highs to cut through.

The onboard electronics and pickup produce a natural amplified tone that faithfully captures the acoustic dynamics. While it's not as rich sounding as high-end models, this is a great value guitar for strumming rhythm, fingerpicking, or singing along. The durable, attractive design makes this a reliable, all-purpose acoustic electric for practice, recording, and gigging.

Overall, this is a well-rounded instrument with good bones that should appeal to intermediate players or beginners ready to upgrade. The Washburn EA15ATB-A gives you professional features and acoustic-electric versatility at a price that's easy to justify. It's an ideal guitar for musicians who want quality sound and playability without breaking the bank.