I wanted a Washburn AB-20 for years (still do) because of the tone I thought Allen Woody got out of one on a live acoustic version of Elizabeth Reed. Turns out it was something else . . . This interview is from the Vintage Guitar magazine website:
Was that the Washburn AB-20 on the acoustic version of “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” on the An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: Second Set album?
No, and there’s a funny story about the bass I used. I collect Hofner copies; the ****tier the better (chuckles). I was in Japan, and Warren and I had been guitar shopping. In the magazines over there, a store will print pictures of its entire inventory. I saw an Audition violin-shaped bass for sale for $125. Audition was the Woolworth/Woolco house brand. I contacted the store, and an employee brought it to the show. It had a brown vinyl gig bag, and it looked great and sounded great, so I bought it.
Later, we had to do a performance for a record association in California. Only four of us were at the meeting; Gregg, Dickie, Warren and me. I had my Washburn AB-20, and I’d brought along the Audition along as a spare and for looks, as well; I thought it would look good for a cozy, intimate acoustic show. I figured I’d better tune it up, so I did, and I started noodling around on it. Our sound man, Bud Snyder, was out in the mobile, and he came in and told me the sound of the Audition was perfect for what we were doing. So the “Liz Reed” acoustic thing on the last live album had a bass that was a $125 Hofner copy.
