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Washburn Parallaxe Guitars
Washburn Guitars – Image Courtesy of wikipedia.org
The company started in Chicago in 1883 with a culture of bringing quality instruments to the industry but priced for the home musician.
Washburn became the largest Mandolin maker in the USA by 1889.
Going into the 20th century, the company provided quality instruments and released its first Dreadnought guitar in 1912.
Dreadnought is a term used in the early 1900s in naming larger-body guitars, used to describe an acoustic with a greater scaled-out body synonymous with size, and a name after the British battleship from WW 1, the HMS Dreadnought.
By 1930, Washburn and Tonk Brothers had created and released the “Solo Deluxe.” This is an auditorium-style Guitar and one of the highest-selling instruments of its time.
By 1976, the company released its first electric guitars, following the philosophy of “let us give our clients a show-quality instrument but still at a home musician’s pricing.”
With a history of over 130 years, this traditional culture still lives on in the models being produced today, no matter what Guitar you play. From a beginner holding an instrument for the first time to a seasoned shredder who can hold an audience in awe with their command and skill mastery, Washburn quality guitars will keep up.
Brand Champions
The list of artists and brand champions whose influences have added to today’s modern rock music includes…
- Nancy Wilson and Howard Leese of Heart
- Rudy Sarzo of Ozzy Osbourne &
- Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme
Parallaxe Guitars
Parallaxe Image courtesy of Washburn.com
With the Parallaxe, Washburn has created a line of guitars that even the most demanding shredders would agree with, and this PXL10EC is no different.
Washburn PXL10EC Parallaxe Singlecut Carbon Black
This Guitar features a custom-carved back for comfort, a classic single-cut shape, a lightweight Mahogany body, a Buzz Feiten Tuning System for unsurpassed playability, and an HH Active EMG Powerstation.
The Washburn PXL10EC In Carbon Black w/Buzz Feiten Tuning System & Active EMG Pickups- Image courtesy of zzounds.com
The Buzz Feiten Tuning System
It is a tuning system first used by Washburn in 1995 and became standard on the company’s US-made guitars, basses, and imports until 2010.
The BFTS is a corrected tuning process that uses a compensated nut and saddle to minimize intonation problems created by Western tuning. (Read on)
Technical Specs
Body
- Body Shape – Thin 1 1/2″/PXL Single Cutaway with Carved top
- Body Material – Mahogany for a rich, warm, focused sound and added sustain
- Guitar finish –Matte
- Colour –Carbon Black
Neck
- Neck Material –Mahogany
- Fretboard Material –Ebony Dark colour premium wood with Parallaxe logo inlay embedded on 12th fret (See image)
- Frets –24 super jumbo frets
- Scale – 24 3/4″
- Nut – Graphite
- Nut Width – 43 mm
- Headstock – Washburn 3 +3 w/Angled Stringlays
Hardware
- Hardware–Black Chrome
- Tuners–Black Chrome Locking Grover Exclusive 18:1
Bridge
- A Tune-o-Matic String–Thru bridge design for adjustable action and precise intonation.
Tune-O-Matic / String-Thru Design Bridge – Image courtesy of zzounds.com
What is a String-Through Bridge Design?
This is where the String is laced through the Guitar and still passes over the bridge saddles through holes made in the instrument’s body from the back and anchored in place by metal Ferrules or Eyelets.
Ferrules are circular rings made from metal to hold the String’s ball end in place. (See image)
A Tune-o-Matic Bridge w/”Strings Through Body” construction without stop bar and metal Ferrules-Author Paul Cooper- Courtesy of Wikimedia and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic
First Electric Guitar & Bridge Design
This design was created in 1950 by Leo Fender. Its first appearance was on the Fender Telecaster, along with the bolt-on neck designs, which are now a standard or variation for many other brands of guitars.
Benefits Of A String Through Bridge
Tuning Stability
Benefits include incredible tuning stability because the strings are anchored into the Guitar’s body, with tension added; no string movement off the fixed point is allowed.
Improved Sustain & Resonance
Improved sustain/resonance and Timbre make the strings vibrate longer because the body receives some vibration, which impacts the pickups’ tone.
String Changing Quick & Easy
This design also allows for ease of String changing.
A Full Access Set Neck Joint
- Neck Construction- Set Neck w/Stephens Extended Cutaway-inspired design
Full Access Set Neck Joint Set Neck w/Stephens Extended Cutaway-inspired design-Image courtesy of zzounds.com.
The Stephen’s Extended Cutaway
Developed by Luthier Stephen Davies in collaboration with Nuno Bettencourt, the original Stephens Extended Cutaway Design was introduced in mid-late 1990 on the N4, a Superstrat with Humbucking pickups and Tremolo System, along with an enhanced Bolt-On Neck Joint with a Heel-Less Design.
(See Image)
The Nuno Bettencourt original Washburn N4 Vintage-Author ZeGlobox—image courtesy of Wikipedia—has been released into the public domain.
This N4 Guitar had become Bettencourt’s main Guitar and was later marketed by Washburn as the artist’s signature model.
Benefits Of The Extended Cutaway For A Bolt-On Neck
The Cutaway allows for the benefits of a bolt-on neck without the heel obstructing your playing in the higher registers, letting your left hand play the entire neck unobstructed without changing your hand position.
Today, the Stephens Cutaway-inspired design is still on the Washburn Parallaxe guitars except with a Set Neck Construction.
The PXL10EC Pickup Configuration
The active EMG 85N/81B and HH pickup configuration makes for an Aggressive, Full tone with great Sustain and Dynamics. It can also sound great using clean tones.
The PXL Single Cutaway with EMG H/H Configuration and Black Chrome Hardware. Image courtesy of reverb.com
- Controls – 2Volume, 1Tone.
- Pickup Selector – 3-way toggle switch with black nickel knobs.
What Are Active Pickups
Pickups come in two basic configurations: Active or Passive.
If your Guitar has a battery compartment in the back of the instrument, most likely you are running Active pickups; Passive generally functions without batteries. (See image)
Image of the String Through Design from the Back of the Guitar with Battery Compartment for the Active Pickups- Image courtesy of talentz.net
Active Pickups are Pickups that still use magnets and coils but are powered by a circuit or preamp that generates a signal that is ‘Active,” resulting in…
- Higher output from fewer coils
- Higher gain
- More distortion and less background interference
FAQ
Video
To Get Your EMG 81 Humbucking Active Guitar Pickup, Black Tap On The Image Above-image courtesy of Amazon.
To Get Your EMG 85 Humbucking Active Guitar Pickup, Black Tap On The Image Above- Image courtesy of Amazon.
Final Thoughts
This Guitar is comfortable, lightweight, and easy to play. It has total neck access and increased tone and sustain.
This was my first Washburn purchased through another guitar player who needed to sell his equipment.
It took some time to get used to the Jumbo frets and the String-Thru Design for the bridge, but once I started to record with this instrument, it was apparent the Guitar was unique.
I found some of the hardware and intonation to need work, for I could not find a BFTS Tech in my area. It was my first exposure to active pickups, and the EMG HH configuration did not disappoint; that sound is now in my DNA.
Should You Add This To Your Collection?
YES!
Not only for the price (which is very reasonable) but for the Guitar itself.
Even though my music needs a versatile instrument, this single-cut workhorse will take me wherever I need to go.
Did You Like This Article?
Check out my review of the Jackson JS32 Dinky Archtop Natural Oil.
Also…
I would like to hear your comments in the section below. Please get in touch with me if you would like me to review a favourite guitar.
As always, stay the course and keep playing.
Washburn PXL10EC Parallaxe Singlecut Carbon Black images courtesy of zzounds.com
Image of the EMG Active 81/85 Pickups courtesy of Amazon
Final thoughts Ai-generated images courtesy of Co-pilot
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Washburn PXL10E Parallaxe Singlecut Carbon Black
$1232.00
Pros
- EMG 81 and 85 active pickups
- Full Access Set Neck Joint
- Buzz Feiten Tuning System
- Tune-o-Matic String-Thru Bridge Design
- 24 Super Jumbo Frets
Cons
- Intonation Needs Work
- Controls Not Smooth
Starting A Journey At 7 Years Of Age, The Love For The Guitar Only Became Stronger Going Into My Teens. This Leading To An Exciting Time Of Teaching, Performing, And Recording. Join Me Now As We Can Bring The Love Of This Instrument To Other Musicians Globally.
Another interesting and informative article on the famous guitar company, Washburn Parallaxe Guitars. It’s amazing that this guitar company has lasted for 130 years and is still one of the best around. The video with the guy playing the PXL 10 EC is amazing. It’s unreal how some people are so talented. Again, I will forward your website to my friend that collects guitars. Very good article.
Hello Carol
Great to meet you, and thank you for your visit and leaving some feedback; and am happy to see that the post will inspire you to share.
Do not hesitate to visit other articles and share your thoughts.
Thank you again.