Washburn Davies N4 experts in here

[matteolyon]

Hey guys,

Thanks for these details, I now know I'm the happy owner of a real Davies one Serial is 15091. I was doing some research on the web as I've been owing this one for a long time (bought in 1998 !), and didn't take care so much of it recently. There ar efew screws to change, a bit of rust on the tremolo to take out, and I also need to order a bill lawrence L-500 XL, as the bridge pickup installed is defenitely not one... So a bit of work to do, will try to do it myself, but may ask a luthier to help if ti's too complicated, I don't want to damage it !

Do you have any idea what the rough price for such guitar is nowadays ?

Cheers !

Matt

 

[nevusofota]

Hey guys,

Thanks for these details, I now know I'm the happy owner of a real Davies one Serial is 15091. I was doing some research on the web as I've been owing this one for a long time (bought in 1998 !), and didn't take care so much of it recently. There ar efew screws to change, a bit of rust on the tremolo to take out, and I also need to order a bill lawrence L-500 XL, as the bridge pickup installed is defenitely not one... So a bit of work to do, will try to do it myself, but may ask a luthier to help if ti's too complicated, I don't want to damage it !

Do you have any idea what the rough price for such guitar is nowadays ?

Cheers !

Matt

Great guitar Matt! That's an early one, congrats! It's hard to say how much this will go for, especially since there are no more USA N4's being made. If there is no major damage (headstock repair, etc) I would say you could get $2k for it easy.

 

[SEC Richard]

My name is Richard and I'm what you would call a Davies expert being senior luthier working for Steve at SSI. I realize this thread is old but I just had to post to correct some of the misinformation for fear it will misguide others who may happen to read it.
First of all I have to laugh at the myths and conspiracies surrounding the serial numbers. The explanation is simple. The serial number system was changed twice during our production of these guitars. This had nothing to do with who made what. It was a reflection of having started manufacturing guitars before having an finalized numbering system in place. We never dreamed it would matter much beyond making sure each guitar had a unique number. Serial number stamping was apprentice work and not something we thought much about.

As for Jon, he was thrust into the role of N4 expert and liked to act the part even when he didn't know what he was talking about. For example, one time a guy I had talked with about my black Davies N4 body that was never made into a guitar posted about it on Funky Munky. Jon of course knew all about it and claimed that it was made into the pornografitti guitar. All I can say is that's a good trick considering I still have it. I wouldn't put much stock into his claims.

Terry Adkins likes to claim that we assembled N4's made by Washburn which oddly I don't recall but if we did I think it must have been a very few. Possibly a few of the production prototypes like we did with the EC 26. The whole point of setting up production in Chicago was to cut us out so why would they pay us to assemble their production? Makes no sense to me.
I do know that Washburn USA has never made an N4 that could pass for a Davies (ask Nuno). If they could have during the so called "Transition Period" why wouldn't they keep making them that way? The Japanese N4 is the closest I've seen and even they have giveaway differences. If you have a guitar that fits the description completely you can be confident you have a Davies 100% made in Seattle.

I do remember that toward the end of our production Washburn started supplying Washburn branded tuners and Schaller bridges which replaced the Kahler Steelers the first N4's had. These guitars were still 100% made by us at SSI.

As for not updating my website I apologize profusely but I would much rather work on guitars. Still I am surprised to read someone would be unable to contact me. My contact info hasn't changed for more than a decade.

Lastly I must say I am dismayed to hear about the wild rumor that Steve Davies worked for Washburn in Chicago. This is completely not true, I don't know where anyone got this crazy idea but it would be best if that kind of speculation was kept to oneself.

 

[mooncobra]

My name is Richard and I'm what you would call a Davies expert being senior luthier working for Steve at SSI. I realize this thread is old but I just had to post to correct some of the misinformation for fear it will misguide others who may happen to read it.
First of all I have to laugh at the myths and conspiracies surrounding the serial numbers. The explanation is simple. The serial number system was changed twice during our production of these guitars. This had nothing to do with who made what. It was a reflection of having started manufacturing guitars before having an finalized numbering system in place. We never dreamed it would matter much beyond making sure each guitar had a unique number. Serial number stamping was apprentice work and not something we thought much about.

As for Jon, he was thrust into the role of N4 expert and liked to act the part even when he didn't know what he was talking about. For example, one time a guy I had talked with about my black Davies N4 body that was never made into a guitar posted about it on Funky Munky. Jon of course knew all about it and claimed that it was made into the pornografitti guitar. All I can say is that's a good trick considering I still have it. I wouldn't put much stock into his claims.

Terry Adkins likes to claim that we assembled N4's made by Washburn which oddly I don't recall but if we did I think it must have been a very few. Possibly a few of the production prototypes like we did with the EC 26. The whole point of setting up production in Chicago was to cut us out so why would they pay us to assemble their production? Makes no sense to me.
I do know that Washburn USA has never made an N4 that could pass for a Davies (ask Nuno). If they could have during the so called "Transition Period" why wouldn't they keep making them that way? The Japanese N4 is the closest I've seen and even they have giveaway differences. If you have a guitar that fits the description completely you can be confident you have a Davies 100% made in Seattle.

I do remember that toward the end of our production Washburn started supplying Washburn branded tuners and Schaller bridges which replaced the Kahler Steelers the first N4's had. These guitars were still 100% made by us at SSI.

As for not updating my website I apologize profusely but I would much rather work on guitars. Still I am surprised to read someone would be unable to contact me. My contact info hasn't changed for more than a decade.

Lastly I must say I am dismayed to hear about the wild rumor that Steve Davies worked for Washburn in Chicago. This is completely not true, I don't know where anyone got this crazy idea but it would be best if that kind of speculation was kept to oneself.

good stuff.

 

[DarkseidHolorime]

Anyone have knowledge about the Washburn Funky Munky Dixie Rebel Guitar

 

[sytharnia1560]

Looks like SEC Richard's comment killed this thread dead. I take that as meaning he is 100% right ..conspiracy theory over

 

[japetus]

My name is Richard and I'm what you would call a Davies expert being senior luthier working for Steve at SSI. I realize this thread is old but I just had to post to correct some of the misinformation for fear it will misguide others who may happen to read it.
First of all I have to laugh at the myths and conspiracies surrounding the serial numbers. The explanation is simple. The serial number system was changed twice during our production of these guitars. This had nothing to do with who made what. It was a reflection of having started manufacturing guitars before having an finalized numbering system in place. We never dreamed it would matter much beyond making sure each guitar had a unique number. Serial number stamping was apprentice work and not something we thought much about.

As for Jon, he was thrust into the role of N4 expert and liked to act the part even when he didn't know what he was talking about. For example, one time a guy I had talked with about my black Davies N4 body that was never made into a guitar posted about it on Funky Munky. Jon of course knew all about it and claimed that it was made into the pornografitti guitar. All I can say is that's a good trick considering I still have it. I wouldn't put much stock into his claims.

Terry Adkins likes to claim that we assembled N4's made by Washburn which oddly I don't recall but if we did I think it must have been a very few. Possibly a few of the production prototypes like we did with the EC 26. The whole point of setting up production in Chicago was to cut us out so why would they pay us to assemble their production? Makes no sense to me.
I do know that Washburn USA has never made an N4 that could pass for a Davies (ask Nuno). If they could have during the so called "Transition Period" why wouldn't they keep making them that way? The Japanese N4 is the closest I've seen and even they have giveaway differences. If you have a guitar that fits the description completely you can be confident you have a Davies 100% made in Seattle.

I do remember that toward the end of our production Washburn started supplying Washburn branded tuners and Schaller bridges which replaced the Kahler Steelers the first N4's had. These guitars were still 100% made by us at SSI.

As for not updating my website I apologize profusely but I would much rather work on guitars. Still I am surprised to read someone would be unable to contact me. My contact info hasn't changed for more than a decade.

Lastly I must say I am dismayed to hear about the wild rumor that Steve Davies worked for Washburn in Chicago. This is completely not true, I don't know where anyone got this crazy idea but it would be best if that kind of speculation was kept to oneself.

Well that settles that!

 

[nevusofota]

There’s been extensive research on this subject from the N4 Facebook page since I posted this 6 years ago. A registry of 1991 and 1992 Davies‘ serial numbers was developed and studied. It seems there WAS a pattern to the serial numbers. The main thing to take home is that it seems only guitars that we’re built in January of 91 and 92 had the year at the end the number, all other months in 91/92 had the year at the beginning.

Here’s a recent post from the fb page that explains the system.

 

[IndyWS6]

Slightly off-topic, but I'd like to know some detailed history of the "EC" Washburn's and their relationship, given the similar neck design/access relief (albeit "neck-thru"). I still have the EC-29 I bought new in 1988...