Washburn’s Sonamaster series returns with a revitalized take on the S-style classic (which I’m sure Fender has noticed), thanks to the brand new SE2 and SE3 models. Both guitars pair a Roasted Maple neck and fingerboard with an upgraded Mahogany body, and each is available in eye-catching finish options that show off striking top veneers. The SE3 comes in a Striped Ebony finish as well as Flamed Maple veneer options in Trans Red Burst and Trans Blue Burst, while the SE2 features a Flamed Maple top in Trans Black.
Pick either model up and the first impression is familiarity. Both the SE2 and SE3 sport a Standard C neck profile paired with a 9.5″ fingerboard radius across their 22-fret Roasted Maple fingerboards, making them equally comfortable for melodic lead lines and complex chord work.
Where the two models diverge is in their pickup configurations, and by extension, their voice. The SE3 is built around an HSS configuration, pairing a humbucker at the bridge with single coils in the middle and neck positions for a sound that spans full-bodied grit to classic single-coil chime. The SE2, meanwhile, goes the HH route, with a pair of full-bodied humbuckers at the bridge and neck for a thicker, more consistent output across positions.
Both guitars share the same clever electronics beyond that: a 3-way pickup selector, Master Volume and Tone controls, and on-command coil-splitting at the Tone control that turns the bridge pickup’s beefed-up tone into a jangly single-coil voice. Each model also includes a direct-to-jack blower switch that bypasses the guitar’s controls entirely, isolating and intensifying the bridge pickup for maximum bite on solos and leads.
Hardware-wise, the SE2 and SE3 are built to keep pace onstage, both featuring a chrome-finished fixed bridge and a set of reliable 18:1 Grover tuning machines to keep action and tuning locked in through a set.
Get the Washburn SE2 and SE3 models here from Sweetwater for $399.99 each.
