A Solid All-Around Mandolin That Plugs In
Some mandolins are built for the front porch. Others are built for the stage. The Washburn M3SWE is comfortable in both places. Built on the same foundation as the popular M3SW, this F-style adds onboard active electronics so you can go from a quiet jam session to a full band mix without swapping instruments. The Trans Wine Red finish looks great under stage lights, too — a nice break from the sea of sunbursts.
The all-solid wood construction is what really sets this mandolin apart in its price range. A carved solid spruce top paired with solid maple back and sides gives you the kind of acoustic resonance that laminate instruments simply can't replicate. Spruce brings brightness and projection; maple adds focus and volume. Together, they produce that crisp, cutting tone that makes a mandolin actually heard in a full band.
Whether you're playing bluegrass, Celtic, country, or rock, the M3SWE is built to keep up. It's a strong choice for working musicians who need one mandolin that handles everything.
Solid Wood From Top to Bottom
The M3SWE features a carved solid spruce top — a construction method that produces superior acoustic response compared to a flat-pressed laminate top. The carved arch allows the top to vibrate more freely, translating directly into better volume, sustain, and tonal complexity over time.
Solid maple back and sides round out the tonewood package. Maple's natural brightness and clarity complement the spruce top, keeping notes articulate and well-defined even when you're playing fast runs or chop chords. The book-matched solid maple back also gives the instrument a clean, elegant look from the back.
Plug In and Play: Active Electronics
The built-in piezo pickup sits in the bridge, picking up string vibrations directly and converting them to an amplified signal. The onboard MG2 active preamp gives you bass, treble, and volume controls right on the body, so you can dial in your sound at the instrument rather than running back to a DI or amp between songs.
For players who regularly perform live — open mics, bluegrass jams, folk festivals — having these controls on board is a genuine convenience. You get a clean, natural amplified tone that stays close to the mandolin's acoustic character.
Neck, Hardware, and Playability
The M3SWE has a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard, 24 frets, and snowflake inlays that give it a traditional, finished look. The 13-3/4" scale length and 1-1/8" nut width are standard mandolin dimensions, making the instrument approachable for players coming from other stringed instruments. Gold diecast tuners with pearloid buttons hold tune reliably and look sharp against the wine red finish.
Product Features:
- Style: F-style with Florentine cutaway and f-holes
- Top: Carved solid spruce
- Back & sides: Solid maple (book-matched back)
- Neck: Maple with rosewood fingerboard
- Scale length: 13-3/4"
- Nut width: 1-1/8"
- Frets: 24, with snowflake inlays
- Electronics: Onboard piezo pickup, MG2 active preamp with bass, treble, and volume controls
- Hardware: Gold diecast tuners with pearloid buttons
- Finish: Transparent Wine Red gloss
Brand: Washburn
Model: Americana M3SWE
SKU: M3SWETWRK-D-U
Condition: New
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
