The current incarnation of the Washburn company established itself with Asian-made guitars during the 1980's, but the NV100 and NV300 models belong to the company's newer series of made in U.S.A. instruments. Like siblings who grow up to have different personalities, the two models bear a striking resemblance to each other but differ in important ways.

First, let's concentrate on the similarities. Both guitars are acoustic electric single-cutaway models with 15.25-inch upper boots and depths of only 2.75 inches, thin enough to make them feel comfort- able to guitarists accustomed to playing solidbody electrics. But while many manufacturers employ Strat-like necks on their acoustic-electric guitars, the NV necks feel much more like those on the semi-hollow- body Gibson ES-335. Like the Strat, however they have a 25.5-inch scale instead of the 24.75-inch Gibson scale.

The 100 and 300 both have solid spruce tops, bodies machine-carved from a solid ("unibody") piece of Peruvian mahogany and are available in sunburst, black and natural satin finishes. Low-heeled bolt-on necks, combined with deep cutaways, allow fingering access to all 22 frets. The fingerboards have no fret markers. It's an elegant look, at least to my eyes, but it means players must rely on the side dots to orient themselves on the fretboard. This is not necessarily a bad thing - using side dots may lead to improved posture and make playing more comfortable.

The NVs share a contemporary-looking headstock with a flowing curve at the top and a cut-out slot in the center that makes truss rod adjustment neatly accessible. Action is easily adjusted with a bolt set into a heavy brass insert in the large heel block. Both guitars have notable tonal balance and sustain, possibly due to that heavy heel block combined with the carved mahogany bodies. The bodies also feature a Strat-style indentation on the back that allows the instrument to rest more comfortably against the belly or rib cage.

While both guitars have an intimate, pleasing acoustic sound, they are really made to be played plugged-in. The NVs feature the Buzz Feiten Tuning SystemT licensed by Washburn for all its U.S.-made (and some foreign-built) models. Endorsed by a number of prestigious players, the Feiten system intonates the guitar by compensating for the string length at both the nut and saddle ends. I found that the system provides harmonious sound overall, and does a great job keeping open-string chords better in tune - a key selling point.

Now let's take a look at how the two models differ from each other: Although the NV100 sells for a little less than its brother guitar, it is not an inferior version of the same instrument. In fact, I thought the 100 produced a stronger, brighter strummy sound when unplugged. Not surprisingly, I also thought it had the more acoustic like response of the two when plugged in. The 100 is equipped with a B-Band under-saddle electret tape microphone that's less sensitive to bumps and bangs than is a piezo (the more common type of undersaddle pickup). This is especially a plus if you tend to hit your hand or pick against the top of the guitar when strumming. The pickup is controlled by a preamp whose volume, "bottom" and "edge" (high trim) controls offer as wide a variety of acoustic-like sounds as you're likely to want. Output is through a quarter-inch endpin jack.

The NV300 has modified fan bracing (common on nylon but unusual on steel-strung guitars) and a darker, warmer acoustic sound than the 100, with its more orthodox X-bracing. This is reflected in the 300's plugged-in response as well. Tonal possibilities range from near-acoustic brightness to a fat warmth reminiscent of an archtop.

The 300's tone potential is no surprise, considering the electronics with which it's fitted. The guitar's Fishman system features a magnetic pickup, optimized for phosphor bronze strings, and an under-saddle piezo, with a slider control to blend the two. Controls also include bass, contour (midrange) and treble sliders, as well as a phase switch. Additionally, notch and frequency knobs offer parametric anti-feed-back control. An unusual output feature will especially appeal to professionals: the side-mounted jack plate incorporates both a quarter- inch high-impedance jack that accepts a standard guitar cable to an amp or DI box, and a balanced XLR low-impedance jack for connecting a mike cable to a house or recording console. Unplugging either jack turns off the preamp power.

Though the NV300 is more versatile electronically, I can still imagine many guitarists preferring the NV100 for its more authentic acoustic ring. Whichever you prefer, both instruments are interesting and fun to play professional-level guitars made for musicians who take their playing seriously and prefer guitars with a contemporary look and feel.