Washburn EA20-A Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

Washburn has a long legacy as an American guitar manufacturing company based in Chicago, Illinois. Originally founded in 1883, Washburn has built a reputation for producing high-quality acoustic and acoustic-electric guitars over the decades.

While mainly known for its acoustic instruments, Washburn has also gained recognition for its acoustic-electric models which incorporate both traditional acoustic construction techniques and amplified electric components. The Washburn EA20-A Auditorium acoustic-electric guitar exemplifies the company’s expertise in crafting versatile instruments that can be played unplugged or amplified on stage. Featuring a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, it produces the balanced tone that Washburn acoustics are known for. The onboard preamp system allows players to plug into an amplifier or PA system while retaining the instrument's authentic acoustic sound and response.

The EA20-A represents an affordable acoustic-electric option that carries the Washburn heritage of quality workmanship and resonant tonewoods. This review will take a close look at the build, sound, and playability of the EA20-A to help players understand if it suits their needs for an amplified acoustic guitar.

Body Style and Design

The Washburn EA20-A utilizes a classic auditorium style body shape which provides balanced and articulate tone across the entire frequency range. The smaller body size makes this a very comfortable guitar to play while seated.

The top is crafted from solid spruce which responds well to both aggressive and delicate playing styles. Spruce is known for its clear, bright, and balanced tone. The back and sides are mahogany which adds warmth, sweetness, and good note separation.

The satin finish allows the natural resonance of the spruce and mahogany to ring through unimpeded. Though understated in appearance, the EA20-A's design delivers exceptional playability and balanced acoustic tones. Players looking for a versatile, articulate sounding acoustic-electric will appreciate the auditorium body style of this model.

In addition to the Washburn EA20-A, another quality acoustic-electric guitar to consider is the Ortega Guitars RSTC5M-L. This model features a grand auditorium body shape made from solid cedar on top and mahogany back and sides. The larger body produces a robust, projecting tone that maintains clarity across the tonal spectrum. The cedar top offers a sweet and warm fundamental tone, while the mahogany back and sides provide depth and richness.

Ortega fits the RSTC5M-L with their highly regarded 12th fret bracing design, which allows the top to vibrate freely for excellent volume, sustain, and tone production. It also comes equipped with their SRT electronics system, which accurately conveys the nuances of the guitar's acoustic tone through the onboard preamp and pickup. The preamp provides intuitive tone shaping control with bass, mid, and treble adjustments.

In terms of playability, the RSTC5M-L features a comfortable mahogany neck with smooth satin finish, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, and Ortega's signature eclipse headstock design. Die-cast chrome tuners help keep the guitar in tune during performances. The body binding and rosette provide an elegant visual flair.

Players looking for a rich, resonant, and highly playable acoustic-electric will want to check out the Ortega Guitars RSTC5M-L. Its impressive build quality, electronics, and comfortable feel make it a great choice for gigs and studio work. Though the EA20-A and RSTC5M-L have distinct designs, both offer versatile auditorium acoustics at an accessible price point.

Tonewood

The tonewood combination of a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides produces a full, balanced tone that works well for various playing styles and genres. The solid spruce top provides crisp highs and excellent projection. Spruce is a popular choice for acoustic guitar tops as it responds well to strumming and picking dynamics. The solid wood construction allows the top to vibrate and resonate freely for maximum volume and sustain.

Mahogany back and sides offer a rich, warm sound that complements the bright spruce top. Mahogany adds depth and body to the overall tone. The midrange character of mahogany helps each note sing out with excellent definition. Mahogany also adds a touch of brightness to balance the low-end. This tonewood pairing creates an extremely versatile acoustic guitar suitable for everything from strumming chords to fingerstyle playing.

The all-solid wood body allows the guitar to produce a full, nuanced tone. The combination of spruce and mahogany provides a pleasing blend of crispness, warmth, and balanced mids that make this guitar ideal for a wide variety of musical uses. The solid woods allow for beautiful acoustic resonance and sustain.

When choosing an acoustic guitar, the tonewood combination is an important consideration. The spruce and mahogany tonewoods work together to provide a versatile, well-balanced acoustic guitar tone. Many leading acoustic guitar manufacturers rely on this pairing of spruce tops with mahogany backs and sides. The Yamaha CG162C (see Yamaha CG162C) is an example of an acoustic-electric guitar that utilizes this popular tonewood formula.

The Yamaha CG162C combines a solid Sitka spruce top with mahogany back and sides. It produces a robust, full-bodied tone with crisp highs, warm lows, and pronounced mids. The guitar projects well and offers plenty of volume. The mahogany adds pleasing low-end punch while the spruce provides shimmering highs. Together, they create a balanced acoustic voice.

When plugged in, the CG162C's S.R.T. pickup system accurately conveys the nuances of the all-solid wood body. The amplified tone retains the clarity, warmth, and balanced character of the spruce/mahogany tonewoods. Whether unplugged or using the electronics, the Yamaha CG162C delivers excellent versatility for playing chords, fingerpicking, strumming, and more.

The Yamaha CG162C demonstrates the musical potential of pairing spruce tops with mahogany backs/sides. This popular tonewood formula provides the foundation for full-bodied acoustic resonance, crisp and warm tones, excellent projection, and versatility across many musical styles. For guitarists seeking an affordable acoustic-electric with professional features and great tone, the Yamaha CG162C is an excellent choice that utilizes this proven tonewood combination.

Neck

The Washburn EA20-A features a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. The maple neck provides stability and durability while the rosewood fretboard offers a smooth playing feel.

The neck has a comfortable C-shape profile that provides a natural feel. The satin finish on the back of the neck creates a nice smooth surface for your hand while playing.

The rosewood fretboard is known for its bright tone and its ability to bring out the treble frequencies. It also helps add some warmth to the overall tone. The rosewood holds up well over years of playing without showing excessive wear.

The fretwork from Washburn is very good, providing nice even frets along the length of the fingerboard. It's comfortable and easy to play fast up and down the neck without sharp fret ends catching your fingers.

Overall, the maple neck with rosewood fingerboard is a nice combination that provides great tone, stability, playability and looks. It's a versatile setup that works well for various music styles.

Electronics

The Washburn EA20-A comes equipped with Washburn's own preamp and pickup system, providing quality amplified tone. It has a built-in tuner with LED display, volume and tone controls.

The guitar features a Washburn undersaddle transducer pickup paired with a 2-band EQ preamp. The undersaddle pickup captures the guitar's natural acoustic resonance and tone. The 2-band EQ lets you shape the EQ with bass and treble controls. There is also a built-in tuner with LED display, allowing for convenient tuning without needing a separate tuner.

Overall, the Washburn preamp and pickup system performs well in this price range. It provides good amplification and EQ control to shape your tone, while maintaining the natural acoustic sound of the guitar. The undersaddle pickup combined with 2-band EQ gives you versatility in amplified settings.

Hardware

The Washburn EA20-A comes equipped with quality hardware that enables stable tuning and easy adjustments. It has die-cast tuners with butterbean knobs, providing precise and smooth tuning control. These high-end tuners keep the guitar in tune through changes in temperature, humidity, and playing conditions.

The guitar also features an adjustable bridge, allowing players to fine-tune the string height and intonation. It's easy to adjust string action and setup to match your playing style and preferences. The adjustable bridge increases tuning stability across the fretboard while also giving players more control over the guitar's tone and resonance.

Overall, the hardware on the Washburn EA20-A provides the functionality and quality you'd expect on a higher-end acoustic-electric guitar. The tuners and bridge give you the tools to dial in the perfect setup for your needs.

Sound

The Washburn EA20-A produces a very well-balanced acoustic tone that's clear, warm and resonant. The solid spruce top contributes to the brightness and clarity, while the mahogany back and sides provide warmth and depth. It's a great combination that results in balanced tone across the tonal spectrum - neither too bright and jangly, nor too muddy.

When plugged in, the EA20-A maintains its acoustic character very well. The guitar is equipped with a Fishman Sonitone preamp system which includes a built-in tuner. The amplified tone is natural and not overly processed. You get the true sound of the guitar come through. The EQ controls allow you to shape the amplified tone to your liking by boosting or cutting the bass and treble frequencies. Overall, users report being very pleased with the amplified acoustic tone of the Washburn EA20-A.

Playability

The Washburn EA20-A stands out with its excellent playability right out of the box. It has a nice low action that makes it very comfortable to play, even for long practice sessions. The slim neck profile will suit most hands, with a smooth satin finish that allows for fast, fluid playing up and down the neck. Whether you're a beginner or more advanced player, you'll appreciate how the EA20-A plays with ease. Notes and chords ring out clearly without buzzing, facilitated by the low action. It's easy to play barre chords thanks to the slim and comfortable neck. The EA20-A offers great playability for the price point, allowing players to focus on their music rather than struggling with a poorly set up instrument.

Pros

The Washburn EA20-A acoustic-electric guitar has several notable pros worth considering.

First, the guitar uses quality tonewoods like solid spruce and mahogany which contribute to its balanced and warm amplified and unplugged tone. The combination of spruce and mahogany produces a nicely balanced sound across the tonal spectrum - the spruce provides crisp highs while the mahogany boosts the midrange and low end.

Second, the built-in pickup and preamp system make it easy to amplify this guitar. It comes equipped with a Fishman Sonicore pickup and preamp which accurately reproduces the guitar's acoustic sound when plugging into an amplifier or PA system. No need for adding an external pickup or installation. The guitar is stage-ready right out of the box.

Finally, players praise the EA20-A for its comfortable feel and playability. The neck has an easy C-shape profile that accommodates both rhythm playing and soloing. And the body depth provides a nice balance of comfort and internal resonance.

Overall the Washburn EA20-A punches above its class thanks to quality tonewoods that provide balanced amplified and unplugged tones, easy amplification, and smooth playability. For players needing an affordable stage-ready electro-acoustic, it hits all the right notes.

Cons

The Washburn EA20 acoustic-electric guitar does have some downsides to consider.

• The electronics and preamp are fairly basic and could be improved. While they get the job done for plugging in, the tone and EQ controls are limited. Upgrading to higher end electronics could provide more tonal options when amplifying the guitar.

• The price is on the higher side for an acoustic-electric in this range. There are more budget-friendly options available, albeit likely with some sacrifice to build quality and materials. So you are paying a premium for the solid top and overall craftsmanship of the Washburn.