Description
The Washburn Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4, like this 2003 N4E Swamp Ash (SA) model, was built from 1990 to 2025 at Washburn's Chicago Custom Shop, and was Nuno's main guitar for decades.
While the Washburn Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4E SA 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, which is explained below. The 'N4' sticker was in the case from the factory, and applied by the owner. The factory applied the sticker on 'Vintage' models.
This very good condition example dates to September of 2003 and was built at Washburn's Custom Shop in Chicago, Illinois. It has vanishingly little wear of any kind and plays well.
The original aluminum rectangular flight case case is included, containing the trem arm, Floyd Rose allen keys, hang tags and strap attachments.
Washburn Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4E SA Materials and Construction
The Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4E SA 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!
For hardware, tuners are a set of left-handed chrome plated Grover mini Roto-Matics marked as 18:1 ratio, paired with an Original Floyd Rose double locking tremolo bridge set. A Tele-style dome knob covers the volume control. There is no backplate, as Bettencourt kept his off to ease trem adjustments.
Electronics 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.
As 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.
Stephen's Stringed Instruments describes their Extended Cutaway (EC) system:
"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.
The 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. "
About Washburn
Washburn is one of the older names in North American music industry history, launching in 1883 as an upmarket brand for Lyon & 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.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4E SA
- Instrument Manufacturer: Washburn USA
- Instrument year: 2003
- Instrument Finish: Oil and Wax
- Instrument Class: Solidbody Electric Guitars
- Instrument serial number: 0309007, Made during September 2003 at Washburn's Chicago Custom Shop
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Very Good
- Right-handed
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 7.48 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 3.5 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 24.75 in
- Scale Length Metric: 647.7 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.631 in
- Nut Width Metric: 41.45 mm
- CITIES Documentation Required: es/No
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Items in Case: Trem Arm, Hang tags, strap attachments
- Case Type: Original Aluminum Flight Case
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 191133
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |