{"product_id":"washburn-nuno-bettencourt-signature-n4-usa-padauk-stain-1999-used","title":"Washburn Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4 USA Padauk Stain (1999)  [USED]","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Washburn Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4, built from 1990 to 2025 at Washburn's Chicago Custom Shop, served Bettencourt as his primary instrument for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the Washburn Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4 is a fairly straightforward solidbody electric guitar, it has a number of features that set it apart.  One of the most noticeable is the use of the patented Stephen's Extended Cutaway, allowing a very stable neck joint and full access to all the frets.  The guitar is also built for the patented Buzz Feiten tuning system.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis very good condition example dates to 1999 and was built at Washburn's Custom Shop in Chicago, Illinois.  It has very little wear of any kind and plays well.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA non-original rectangular hard shell case is included.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMaterials and Construction \u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4 uses three woods:  Swamp Ash for the S-style body, Maple for the reverse-headstock neck, and Ebony for the fingerboard.  The body-neck joint makes use of the Stephen's Extended Cutaway, patented by Stephen's Stringed Instruments in Seattle, Washington.  It definitely meets its design objectives!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor hardware, tuners are a set of left-handed chrome plated Grover mini Roto-Matics, paired with a Schaller-built Floyd Rose double locking tremolo bridge set.  A Tele-style dome knob covers the volume control. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElectronics are also straight ahead, with a Seymour Duncan 59 (SH-1N) at the neck and a Bill Lawrence L-500XL humbucker at the bridge.  A three-way toggle switch is on the lower cutaway. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs marked on the back of the headstock, this model is built for the patented Buzz Feiten tuning system, designed to bring more notes into tune with each other. While there is no specific hardware, it does incorporate several alterations to nut and saddle placement and defined tuning offsets.  Many electronic tuners come with Feiten presets. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eStephen's Stringed Instruments describes their Extended Cutaway (EC) system: \u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The EC is a set of design elements which allow a guitar neck to be attached to the instrument body in a way that substantially reduces the interference of the heel with the player's hand. The primary goal of the EC design is to remove the heel from beneath the portion of the neck which lies on or near the body of the instrument, thereby allowing a guitar player to maintain proper hand position, with the thumb behind the neck. A secondary goal is to achieve this unprecedented access while improving the structural stability and the tone of the instrument.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe EC is most commonly configured so that the heel of the neck extends outward from the bass side of the neck, instead of below the neck as on conventional designs. This position allows a guitar with a cutaway to have a \"pocket\" under the heel end of the neck for the palm and thumb of the players fretting hand, thereby \"extending the cutaway\". \"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Washburn\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWashburn is one of the older names in North American music industry history, launching in 1883 as an upmarket brand for Lyon \u0026amp; Healy, producing parlor guitars, mandolins and banjos.  During WW2, the company essentially ceased production, though the name continued to exist as corporate property.  In 1977, new ownership brought it out of its dormant state with new products.  It changed hands in 2002 and 2009, and the current owner is Exertis USA by way of acquiring Jam industries.  Exertis UK was restructured in early 2026 but the US division is currently unaffected. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 94.5938px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 94.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 26.1993%; background-color: rgb(240, 240, 240); height: 94.5938px;\"\u003e \u003cimg style=\"float: left;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2091\/5497\/files\/No-Refunds-No-Returns-On-Used-or-Consignment-Items-TheTweflthFret.jpg?v=1717033061\" alt=\"No Returns or Refunds on Used or Consignments - The Twelfth Fret\"\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 73.4317%; background-color: rgb(240, 240, 240); height: 94.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThere are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.12fret.com\/the-twelfth-fret-terms-and-conditions\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eView Our Full Terms Here\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eDETAILS\u003c\/span\u003e: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument Model:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4 USA \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument Manufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Washburn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument year:\u003c\/strong\u003e  1999\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument Finish:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Padauk Stain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument Class:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Solidbody Electric Guitars\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument serial number:\u003c\/strong\u003e  9911008, Made during 1999 at Washburn's Chicago Custom Shop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCountry of Origin:\u003c\/strong\u003e  USA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.12fret.com\/pages\/the-twelfth-fret-used-instrument-and-amplifier-rating-guide\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eInstrument Condition\u003c\/a\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Very Good\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlaying Condition:  \u003c\/strong\u003eVery Good\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRight-handed\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument Weight Imperial:\u003c\/strong\u003e   7.80 lbs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument Weight Metric:\u003c\/strong\u003e   3.54 kgs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScale Length Imperial:\u003c\/strong\u003e    25,5 in\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScale Length Metric:\u003c\/strong\u003e    647.7 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNut Width Imperial:\u003c\/strong\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e  1.633 in\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNut Width Metric:\u003c\/strong\u003e  41.49 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCITIES Documentation Required:\u003c\/strong\u003e  No\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCase included:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Yes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCase original:\u003c\/strong\u003e  No\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eItems in Case:\u003c\/strong\u003e N\/A\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCase Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hard Shell \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eConsignment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e N\/A\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 94.5938px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 94.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 26.1993%; background-color: rgb(240, 240, 240); height: 94.5938px;\"\u003e \u003cimg style=\"float: left;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2091\/5497\/files\/No-Refunds-No-Returns-On-Used-or-Consignment-Items-TheTweflthFret.jpg?v=1717033061\" alt=\"No Returns or Refunds on Used or Consignments - The Twelfth Fret\"\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 73.4317%; background-color: rgb(240, 240, 240); height: 94.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThere are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.12fret.com\/the-twelfth-fret-terms-and-conditions\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eView Our Full Terms Here\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Washburn Guitars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49007453012217,"sku":null,"price":2999.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2091\/5497\/files\/washburn-nunobettencourt-n4-dark-1999-ss-full-front.jpg?v=1788464577","url":"https:\/\/shop.12fret.com\/products\/washburn-nuno-bettencourt-signature-n4-usa-padauk-stain-1999-used","provider":"The Twelfth Fret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}