Washburn SBF80
Overview
Brand name:
Product:
- acoustic guitars
Series name:
Dates of manufacture:
1992 to 1995
WASHBURN manufactured the SBF80 between 1992 and 1995. It had a semi-solid acoustic sized mahogany body with flamed maple top and single cutaway. This style of guitar was designed for playing live - giving the sound of an acoustic while minimising any feeback problems. Finish options were cherry sunburst, natural or black but the commonest was cherry sunburst. Also available as a 12 string - the SBF80-12.
Washburn described the SBF80 as follows in their 1993 catalog:
The SBF80 is the ultimate high volume electric acoustic. At first, the idea of a solid body acoustic seems absurd, but in reality, the SBF80 represents the most accurate reproduction of a true acoustic at concert volumes. The frequencies that give a traditional acoustic it's warm character are the same frequencies that cause body resonant feedback when amplified. The SBFBO‘s unique pickup and electronics capture those frequencies without a hollow body. so the player can pour on the bass and low-mids without fear of feedback.
- Book-matched, flamed maple top
- Computer channelled, semi-solid, mahogany body
- Mahogany neck
- Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
- Slotted diamond fret markers
- 15:1 chrome die-cast tuners
- Pearl buttons
- Multi-ply binding on body, neck and headstock
- Active electronics
Specifications (22)
Controls
| Controls material | metal controls |
| Number of control knobs | 3 control knobs |
| Tone controls | 2 tone controls |
| Volume controls | 1 volume control |
Electronics
| Pickups configuration | piezo-transducer bridge |
| Preamp | active preamp |
General
| Finish colors | black finish, natural finish, red finish |
| Finish effects | sunburst finish |
| Made in | Korea |
| Number of strings | 6 strings |
Body
| Body material | mahogany body |
| Body shape features | single cutaway |
| Body style | dreadnought-size body |
| Body top material | figured maple body top |
Hardware
| Bridge pins | abalone dot pins |
| Bridge | acoustic bridge, rosewood bridge |
| Tuners | Grover tuners |
Fretboard
| Fingerboard material | rosewood fingerboard |
| Fingerboard position markers | slotted diamond fingerboard position markers |
Neck
| Number of frets | 22 fret |
| Peghead (headstock) | bound headstock |
| Tuner layout | three-each-side |
Prices (5)
| Date | Price | Condition | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | $325.00 | new | ||
| 2016 | $400 | excellent | surepaul | An amazing sounding guitar. Extremely well made from top to bottom. I had a Guild guitar back in 1992 or so....that was identical in almost every way(I think Washburn copied the Guild). The Guild was made in the U.S.A. and the Washburn was made in Japan. I actually like the Washburn better. Once again....a great design and an amazing sounding guitar! |
| 2017 | €180 | good | ||
| 2015 | £260 | good | ||
| 2018 | £320 | good | Dryan | Selling my Washburn SBF-80. Went through a period of solid body acoustics.. I am selling a few of my guitars. All electrics working and great guitar to play. I bought the guitar with a crack in the lacquer at bottom of the neck shown in picture.. Usual wear and tare for age of guitar. Comes with original hard case. https://tinyurl.com/yd4hqehg |
Reviews (2)
WASHBURN SBF80 reviewed by Taigaacoustica, soundtarck composer.
Taigaacoustica, soundtarck composer.
I have owned this guitar for 30 years. Live, studio and soundtrack work, Thrash Metal, Acoustic Bluegrass and beyond this one delivered. The resonance from the body and frets , combined with a Tube Amp, has made many of my musician friends green with envy. And that same Timbre translates very well to fully amplified yet acoustic settings. No feedback . I have rewired mine somewhat and changed the original chrome(??) knobs for brown ones(reminds me of Jimi Page's Gibson!) . I can only hope to play it for another 30 years!
WASHBURN SBF80 reviewed by JCharles
JCharles
I've played the SBF 80 since I bought it new in 1992. It's been a workhorse and a great sounding instrument. I don't hesitate at all in giving this guitar a well deserved 5 star rating. It is extremely well built, stays in tune and I trust it even in the most demanding concert situations. If it has one fault, I would say that it would be getting replacement parts for the instrument. After years of use, and having it cleaned numerous times, the volume control finally wore out a few years ago. Trying to get replacement parts was impossible. I had absolutely no help in getting a new control, even after contacting Washburn directly by email and by phone. They just don't seem to know where parts are available or where to get them. I'm not sure if that's normal customer service from Washburn, or just someone there being extremely lazy. Luckily, I have a great technician friend of mine that put something together for me, and it works just fine. I would have liked to have had the original parts, but you "make do" with whatever you can. The volume control has a centered "detente" that makes the eq either active or simply passive with the treble and bass controls. That's where the problem came in with the replacement parts. If this instrument was ever stolen (and let's hope it never happens), I would definitely try to find and buy another.without hesitation.