How large of a 13 year old is he?
I ask because the Oscar Schmidt offering has received great reviews from one of our most prominent members. He used the OG2ce for all of the kids in his families.
The other two are "dreadnought" designs...very large guitars that were developed as the era of the "orchestra" was dying out...the smaller parlor guitars of the day just did not have adequate volume to project over the din of the orchestra, but the Dreadnought did!
If you think he'd like playing the guitar and would make a long-term effort at learning to play, I'd say it would be hard to beat the WD42S, even if it is perhaps a bit too large for him right now...he'll most likely grow into it. That may not be enough, though...if the guitar is too large right now it may be difficult to play and he'll likely lose interest. My suggestion would be to take him to a guitar shop and let him handle the acoustic guitars to see which size feels best in his hands...and which are too large.
Do you think he'll be playing onstage and need to have electronics built into the guitar so he can plug into an amplifier or a PA system? If so, the WD-42S is not for him...no electronics. When the last two letters of the model designation are "CE" the guitars are equipped with a "
cutaway body design" and come factory fitted with
Electronics for public performances.
Here's a unique idea...why not consider both the WD42S as well as the OG2CE? You would not be in too deep compared to the cost of just one WLD10SCE and he'd have not only the OG2CE at a time when it would be right for him size-wise while he is learning the basics, so hopefully by the time he's grown a bit he'll be ready for the larger size of the WD-42S.
Most of us guitarists develop "licks" as we grow more proficient on the guitar. It is the job of the soundboard to translate the vibrations of the soundboard into an auditory event and the construction can certainly have an impact on how difficult it is to develop those individual playing preferences. One of the most common methods of gaining a bit of accuracy and a tendency for the guitars to improve tone-wise from the ageing process (which is a different topic altogether) is to make sure the guitar has a soundboard that is made of solid wood. Any Washburn that has a solid wood soundboard will have a "S" in the model designation. Of the two you are considering the only one that does not have that advantageous construction technique is the OG2CE...it has a "laminate" (a fine grade of plywood) soundboard and those do not develop the improved tonal characteristics with age.
Like most, I suspect you expected a simple answer...sorry, it's not so easy until the guitarist develops knowledge and preferences regarding guitars...so at this age and size there are LOTS of options, but he will soon outgrow many of them.
I'd like the WD42S if I were you...it has a solid wood soundboard and having been produced in 2003 the soundboard is (hopefully) showing the benefit of the ageing process with increased tone...not to mention that the 42S is one of the mid-line guitars and not one of the entry level offerings such as the others (the higher the number in the model designation, the better the guitar's build quality from the factory).
Just curious...have you considered a classical guitar? They are fairly small bodied and they do not have the steel strings that can create sore fingers...they use line that looks like clear fishing line and it is not sharp like steel strings, as well as having a wider fingerboard so that the learning process is easier (as long as his fingers are long enough for that size fingerboard...see how important size is?). A case for the WD42S would cost less than $100 and would be good "insurance"...we parents know how careless our teenagers can be.
My sincere apologies if I have confused you...all this depends on his level of interest and his size.
Please feel free to ask for clarification, and I'd definitely be interested in hearing what choice you made.
Cheers!
Dugly
