Guitar World Verdict
This Hawk soars high as an exceptionally well-made, undeniably cool-looking guitar that’s remarkably faithful to the spirit of the original without feeling like a relic. For a refreshed reissue from Washburn’s past, there’s very little to fault — and plenty to love.
Pros
- +
Powerful dual humbuckers with coil-splitting capability on both.
- +
Eye-catching tobacco burst complemented with a neck-through design.
- +
Excellent build quality.
Cons
- -
Smaller hands might not appreciate the chunkier 'C' neck for chording in the first five frets.
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What is it?
In 1978, Washburn rolled out their very first electric guitar models dubbed the Wing Series, which included the Eagle, Falcon, Hawk, Raven, and T-Bird. These “birds of play” were recognized for their dual-cutaway design and humbucking pickups, and depending on which one you chose, each varied in appointments and how fancy it looked. Top-of-the-line models like the Eagle and Falcon were adopted by some of the most noteworthy artists of the time, like Bob Marley, John Fogerty, and Nancy Wilson from Heart.
For Washburn, what's old is new again. Once relegated to the rearview mirror, the brand is paving a road ahead with the revival of its classic Wing Series, bringing back the Hawk guitar alongside the Raven and Scavenger bass. Originally introduced in the late ’70s, these distinctive designs return with a welcome modern refresh while retaining the character that made the originals so memorable.
For Washburn aficionados, the original Hawk guitar has been recognized as a fan favorite — an elegant neck-through design compared to other similar vintage guitars of the time such as the Hamer Sunburst and Special, Yamaha’s SG series, and even the BC Rich Eagle. Now, Washburn offers the Hawk as an import model in two finishes, the Tobacco Burst option I have here and Trans Black, as well as a 12-string model, and finally, an American Hawk ‘78, which is a USA-made Custom Shop version.
Here, I take the six-string Hawk for a spin…
Specs
- Price: $999 / £899 /
- Made: Indonesia
- Type: Six-string solid-body electric guitar
- Body: Swamp Ash
- Neck Construction: 3-piece Hard Maple/Walnut/Hard Maple neck-through-body design
- Neck Profile: 'C'
- Fretboard/radius: Rosewood, 12"
- Fretboard Radius: 12”
- Scale length: 25” / 635mm
- Frets: 22
- Inlays: Pearloid dots
- Nut/width: TUSQ XL, 1.6" / 42.8mm
- Pickups: 2 x Washburn high-output zebra humbuckers with coil splits on each
- Electronics: 2 x volume, 2 x tone controls, push/pull coil-splitting on both Tone controls, 3-way toggle switch
- Hardware: Hardtail bridge, Grover tuners
- Finishes: Tobacco Burst or Trans Black gloss
- Weight: 7.4lbs/3.36kg
- Case: Not included
- Contact: Washburn
Build quality
Build quality rating: ★★★★½
It’s not hard to say Washburn’s revitalized Hawk looks and feels as if it were transported through a portal from the '70s. It has the super-cool, old-school vintage gold Washburn logo adorning the headstock’s narrow crest, period-correct neck volute, cream binding around its top, gold speed knobs for its dual volume and tone controls, top input jack (instead of on its side), and, of course, that unmistakably gorgeous Tobacco Burst in a smooth, glossy finish that doesn’t feel tacky.
The streaked grain of its Swamp Ash body — or “wings” — is equally striking, complemented by a neck-through construction that sandwiches three pieces of hard maple, walnut, and hard maple. I’ve seen Hawk guitars where the contrast between the body wings and the neck-through woods is much more pronounced, but on this Tobacco Burst model, the finish blends almost seamlessly with the neck-through design, leaving only the center walnut strip to stand out prominently.
I suspect there are already finishes that emphasize that contrast more noticeably on other Hawk production models, though I sense the most contrasting wood-color combinations may eventually be reserved for the upscale, more ornate Eagle and Falcon models — should Washburn ever decide to revive those, too.
You’ll need to adjust your hand position or stretch your fingers a bit to reach the upper reaches of its 22-fret range
The top is flawlessly carved, and while the Hawk’s flat back lacks a belly contour, the area around the rear of its wings is generously scooped and shaped for easier access to the upper frets. However, there’s a slight hiccup here: this is also where the palm of your hand meets the body around the 17th fret, effectively stopping your fretting hand from traveling any farther. Unlike an SG, where the body offers greater upper-fret access, the Hawk’s body wings create a barrier beyond the 17th fret. In other words, you’ll need to adjust your hand position or stretch your fingers a bit to reach the upper reaches of its 22-fret range.
The guitar also features a non-descript, sturdy hardtail steel bridge with a string-through body design, Grover tuners with a precision 18:1 gear ratio, large strap buttons, a 3-way pickup selector and two custom-voiced high-output zebra humbuckers that can be coil-split via the tone controls.
Playability
Playability rating: ★★★★½
This Hawk's fretwork is so astonishingly pro-level that you’d swear the guitar had been Plek-treated
Out of the box, the Hawk’s setup and playability are nearly perfect. What I mean by that is you are absolutely soaring on this guitar with its impeccable fretwork and nary a choke spot to be found across its fretboard. The guitar’s 25-inch scale length splits the difference between Gibson and Fender scales, and frankly, it feels very much like a sweet spot, combining Gibson’s easier string tension with Fender’s snappier response.
The rosewood fingerboard is richly dark and tight-grained, accented by pearloid dot inlays (I particularly dig the dot at the first fret) and features a pleasantly flat 12-inch radius and 22 medium-jumbo frets that are immaculately polished and crowned. This Hawk's fretwork is so astonishingly pro-level that you’d swear the guitar had been Plek-treated.
The Hawk is also equipped with a precisely cut, self-lubricating TUSQ XL nut, which further contributes to its tuning stability and sustain. To my ears, that helps explain why the guitar rings out so loudly unplugged and remains in tune even when you overbend the D and G strings — the usual culprits for tuning instability on a three-by-three headstock.
But let’s talk about the Hawk’s neck profile. It’s a very chunky 'C' that you can really feel in the first-position “cowboy chord” area, gradually tapering into a more comfortable contour as you move toward the higher registers of the fretboard. Personally, I don’t mind the heft — in fact, I believe it contributes to the Hawk’s thicker and fuller tone. That said, players with smaller hands may not immediately bond with the neck, particularly across the first five frets, where most of your chord work tends to happen.
Overall, the Hawk is a supremely well-balanced guitar for its 7.4lbs. Whether it’s resting on your lap or hanging from a strap, there’s no hint of neck dive.
Sounds
Sounds rating: ★★★★½
I rounded up an NUX MG50Li modeler, a Fender Deluxe Reverb, a Marshall Jubilee, and a Vox AC30 to hear how this raptor sounds plugged in. And this is where I become slightly ambivalent about the Hawk. To be clear, I have absolutely zero issue about its custom-voiced humbuckers — in fact, they’re outstanding.
They deliver the kind of tonal recipe I think every guitarist searches for in a humbucker: both are undeniably high-output without sounding aggressive, remarkably articulate and balanced without turning harsh, and deliver a focused bite without honky mids. The attack is clear but never piercing, while the neck pickup has a subtle mid-scoop that gives it a warm, throaty voice.
I’m of the mindset that the Hawk is a perfect vehicle for exploring whatever tonal options you want to throw at it
So, then, where’s the ambivalence, sir? Well, sometimes when you have it all in one guitar, you inevitably feel like something is missing. That’s where I think the Hawk becomes an ideal platform for experimentation. I’m confident it would sound amazing with virtually any aftermarket humbuckers you throw into it. Need more aggression? Drop in your favorite metal pickups. Prefer something lower-output with a vintage-style voice? I’m convinced it’ll sound killer with those, too.
I’m of the mindset that the Hawk is a perfect vehicle for exploring whatever tonal options you want to throw at it. This guitar is simply so solid and well-made that it will reward you with tone, no matter what pickups you choose.
One other thing: what happens when you split the coils on these humbuckers? Well, it does pretty much what you’d expect — it cleans up the output without any significant drop in volume and adds some split-coil snap to the tone. Does it sound like a true single-coil guitar? No, the Hawk’s coil-split tones aren’t going to fool anyone, but they’re perfectly usable and add another worthwhile tonal option to the guitar.
Verdict
I’ve tested my fair share of import guitars – this Hawk flies above the rest with its iconic vintage looks, exceptional build quality and outstanding tone, courtesy of its custom-voiced humbuckers.
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In a world filled with shreddy-fast guitars and quirky, asymmetrical designs, the Hawk feels more earthy and organic — an instrument I think traditionalists and jam-oriented players will naturally gravitate toward. It’s a superb reissue in every respect, from its construction and playability to its looks and tone.
Guitar World verdict: This Hawk soars high as an exceptionally well-made, undeniably cool-looking guitar that’s remarkably faithful to the spirit of the original without feeling like a relic. For a refreshed reissue from Washburn’s past, there’s very little to fault — and plenty to love.
Test |
Results |
Score |
|---|---|---|
Build quality |
One of the finest builds I’ve seen on an import guitar. Solidly constructed and built to last. |
★★★★½ |
Playability |
Immaculate fretwork and ideal string tension from its scale length allow effortless playability. Some may not dig the chunkier neck profile in the first five frets area. |
★★★★½ |
Sounds |
Humbuckers that are high-output, articulate and balanced, and with the option of coil-splitting. These are the custom-voiced humbuckers you dream about. |
★★★★½ |
Overall |
It's difficult to fault this exceptional guitar, both in tone and looks. It’s the kind of reissue you never knew you needed, but now that it’s back, you’ll want one in your collection. |
★★★★½ |
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