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Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk
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Playability
75
Sound
78
Build
77
Value
72
Score
77
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Playability
67
Sound
79
Build
64
Value
70
Score
70
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Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT vs Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk Specs Comparison
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk
General
Brand: Jackson Washburn
Year: 2024 2010
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Indonesia
Series: American Nuno Bettencourt
Colors: White, Black, Blue, Red Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Agathis
Bridge: Hipshot 6 Fixed .175 Floyd Rose Special
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Gotoh MG-T Locking Grover Exclusive 18:1 Chrome
Fretboard: Streaked Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: 5-Piece Caramelized Maple/Maple/Caramelized Maple/Maple/Caramelized Maple Maple
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Offset Dot Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: American Series Washburn Nuno Bettencourt
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 12"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Locking
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 (Humbucker / Passive) Bill Lawrence L-500 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker / Passive) Washburn Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Tap
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0
Hardware
Strap Lock: Yes No
Hardware Color: Black Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT's switch options
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk's switch options

Reasons to Get
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT over Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2024 vs 2010
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Value Score
72 vs 70
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk over Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT

Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs

Other Key Differences
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT vs Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 vs Bill Lawrence L-500
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N vs Washburn Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Agathis
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT vs Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Agathis wood pattern used for guitar building
Agathis

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Agathis is a softwood similar to Mahogany. It's more affordable, which makes it popular as a way to reduce production costs. People believe it to produce a warm tone with good punch and sustain.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT's and use them on any guitar:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT gives you 5 switch options while the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk gives you 3. This means that the Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Tap.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil sound.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 62
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 78
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 79

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT compares to the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT is built in United States while the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk is made in Indonesia.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

On the other hand, the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk comes with a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk's is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk.

Tuners

The Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Nevertheless, the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Strengths & Weaknesses
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT
Quality of materials 61
Features 80
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 77
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk
Quality of materials 51
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 64

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT Nut Width
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT Nut Width
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk Nut Width
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT and Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT Neck Profile
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT's neck profile
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk Neck Profile
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT and the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT Fretboard Compound Radius
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT's Compound Fretboard Radius
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk Fingerboard Radius
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Fret Size

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT Frets Size
Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT's Frets Size
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk Frets Size
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk's Frets Size

The Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Jackson American Series Virtuoso HT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 75
Washburn N24-Nuno Vintage Padauk
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 70
Playability 67