When I opened it up my OE20 the stock wiring was good quality with UL 600V rating. My mantra is that there is always a sonically better substitute for a factory part. Just as today, in the "old days" internal parts were chosen for their low price rather than for sound quality. While there is a mystique for vintage parts, largely forgotten is that capacitors and wire from yesteryear were a combination of poor tolerances and questionable materials. Sadly, as of 2020 the OE20/OE30 were no longer listed in the OS catalog and the electrics produced are now Strat clones.Īfter almost 70 years of production there aren't many secrets left when it comes to modifying a Les Paul. The guitar came with gold knobs, cream pickguard and pickup brackets so I ordered mine with all black parts which I think really accents the look.
UKULELE WASHBURN OSCAR SCHMIDT MOD
However I love to mod equipment and set out to see what could be improved. The maple neck was straight and the inlays andįrets were well done. So I purchased a new OE20 in Quilt Tiger-eye and was pleased to see it displayed an exceptional build-quality with beautiful mahogany body. I wondered.what would this collaboration between OS and Washburn's electric division produce? Would this "Washburn Les Paul" be using any novel techniques or fall back on well-worn generic designs? The result was that around 2013 "Oscar Schmidt by Washburn" released two electric guitars: the OE20 (a Les Paul clone) and the OE30 a Delta King hollow-body cutaway. A decade or so ago Oscar Schmidt was acquired by Washburn Guitars which merged these two well-regarded 19th century instrument companies. The Oscar Schmidt company has been in business since 1871 and is well known for its hand-crafted line of acoustic instruments, guitars, banjos and ukuleles.