Vintage Washburn Website
Thanks to Richard, who links my web blog to the Shredaholic Main Page, some may have read of my research article involving what I know to be one of the best rock and roll/shred/metal early nineties Super Strat/Humbucker/Original Floyd Rose equipped guitars ever, the 1993 Washburn Steve Stevens Signature models, these came in the USA Custom Shop hand built versions, the SS 80 and the special graphics SS 100.
I first ordered my SS 80 in 1993 after reading in the guitar mags about Steve's exciting new guitar and if it was anyway like his incredible Hamer SS-3's, or his Jackson/Charvel "Glow" Dinky, I couldn't wait.
I wasn't disapointed, but just as soon as it was produced, Steve had abruptly left Washburn .
Anyway I never saw one that matched the appearance or features of mine, other than the personal guitars used by Steve himself.
I started earnest research around 2005, when I first got the internet and last year major developments took place that made up for years of no info at all.
Prior to then Washburn, really had no info to give me and it is true all records of the guitars production, serial numbers, dates, build records were lost when during their frequent moves Washburn changed data bases, oh to find that original hard drive.
I will say that I have personally spoken with everyone involved with Washburn, both back then in 1993 and the present day, from owner since 1975 until 2009 Rudy Schlager CEO, Terry Atkins who personally built many of the guitars, Del Breckenfeld A&R man at the time and now with Fender, even John Suhr, Steve's long time friend.
Recently I even had a great email return to my questions from the great Paul Hamer, founder of Hamer guitars.
Much of my research led me to certain conclusions, that involved strong personalities and the climate of the mid to late eighties and early nineties, when drugs and partying were still major elements of bands daily life.
No bottled waters then and little kids backstage..
Please read my article, there are many new developments that I need to add, also since SS has basically mentally and physically washed his hands of Hamer and Washburn, out of respect to this great artist and designer of these magnificent guitars, I must leave out certain information that I have learned, as I am primarily a fan and fellow guitarist and expose journalism isn't my purpose.
I will say at times it was very CSI like and each new discovery added a piece to the puzzle.
I felt that these incredible guitars, of which the neck, 80% of any guitar, perhaps 95% of the equation in these models, needed it's place in history and to be documented.
Many guitarists know of Steve himself and perhaps his great Hamer guitars, but have no idea about the Washburns.
I spoke with Steve a few years ago through a third party and shared pictures of my guitar with him, I was sworn to secrecy by him regarding his comments, which I have honoured to this day, as I have further communications I had with SS.
I, by a weird set of circumstances came to learn about a very special ordered model SS 80 built for Steve Stevens himself, but in the Washburn Museum as they called it or Rudy's private collection.
This is the incredible museum grade birds eye maple cap necked maple quilted topped SS 80 in Steve's favorite purple colour.
This guitar has the Gotoh Original Floyd Rose Tremolo, which Washburn was experimenting with using on some of the guitars. If you read my article all will be explained. Well there only exists one in the world of this particular special spec guitar and coincidentally the black SS 80 I ordered in 1993, mine must have been in the very first few orders, so anxious was I to get one of these, I left one of my beloved Strat's as part of the down payment, plus a meager credit card deposit. The dealer was very cool letting me use my guitar as collateral, I would have it returned to me of course once the guitar was paid in full.
My guitar has a date code of March, which is the earliest I have ever seen and it has all the appointments that only Steve's personal specification had, thus me never seeing another one like it, save for Steve's own guitars.
So please read my article, which I had originally intended for a magazine type article, but through my personal web blog I was contacted by Darren who had the idea of a Vintage Washburn website for some time, we have the official blessing of Washburn guitars and access to all of their promo material.
I felt that if I published everything in the manner I had discovered, it would be tricky, ect.
So I adapted it to this website and am very proud of my efforts.
Let us say that this has been an amazing journey, having people all around the world contacting me and telling me of their guitars and the stories.
We roughly guess that the official SS 80 production may be no more than 50-60 guitars, including the ones to SS himself. The SS 100 variant with the Frankenstein monster graphic painted by Steve Driscoll, even less,, maybe 30 released. The Korean SS 40 variant, part of the nail in the coffin for Steve, there weren't even that many of those, the totals unknown for sure, but the plug was pulled on all the guitars very quickly, Steve only being with Washburn for a partial time during 1993. He never used the guitars live with the Vince Neil Band, only once at the MTV Music Awards, using his prototype SS 100, hand built by Terry Atkins and the only Washburn he still owns I believe.
There is a You Tube video clip of Steve at the 1993 NAMM show, playing at a Washburn sponsored jam, soing Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) and the videos of course, but that's it....
http://www.vintagewashburn.com/
http://www.vintagewashburn.com/Electric ... evens.html
http://www.daveonrock.com
If you have a SS Washburn of any variant, please contact Darren at the address on the website or myself.
Unfortunately all my efforts have alienated me from any communication with Steve himself, for whatever reason, that's the way I feel.
I am still driving from Phoenix to Vegas to see him with the Billy Idol Band in August
here is their tour itinerary, which includes the Continent:
I am new to this forum so I need to ask Bainzy some questions regarding uploading attachments, as I use Photobucket exclusively
Enjoy
Emerald aka yngwie308 aka Atomic Playboy