Westone Guitars

Rocker

As you may already know, I am searching for a guitar to take The Hound pickup.  I have been offered a single pickup Westone, somewhat Tele shaped with what is described as a 'good' neck and a humbucker pickup.  I did not see the guitar yet so am wondering if anyone here has any knowledge/experience of these instruments.

A quick Google tells me that they are Japanese/Korean made instruments from the 1980s.

My ideal find would be a single cut Junior or a PRS.  More so if the PRS had a good top and the much derided 'birds'.  My budget might not stretch that far.  In the meantime the Westone might not be in that class but I have to start somewhere....

ESBlonde

At one time westones were made in the highly regarded matsumoko factort along with Aria and others. Those models were very good instruments if a little unclassical in thier looks.

Lewy

My first electric was a used Matsumoku-made Westone Thunder I. From memory it was pretty well made - a bit on the heavy side, but perfectly functional. Wish I'd kept it actually.

dogload

I have a Westone Rainbow II semi which is very nice (even if I have mistreated it a bit), although the neck is a bit slimmer than I prefer these days. I always liked the majority of the ones they made in the 80s -  usually vbery well spec'd and well-made.

usedtobe

If it's a matsumoku one, it'll be very very well made!

AndyR

I had an original Thunder IA and an original Rainbow I - one of the first ones in the UK - Got them both new, 1980 and 1981. They were my first gigging guitars. Loved them to death.

A nephew has the Thunder - very solid guitar. I sold the Rainbow in the early 00s - it did have a narrow neck, but it sounded gorgeous.

The one you're looking at sounds like a Clipper? Don't really know much about them - they were late 80s, I was a strat guy by then (Thunder was my backup on stage, the Rainbow my slide guitar tuned to G)

usedtobe

@Sarge is more of an authority Westones than me. I did rock a thunder 1a for about 30 odd years, but he's had more experience with a range of models..

Sassafras

Is it this model?
Some were made in Japan, later ones (1987) were Korean.
Generally Westones are good.

scrumhalf

I have a Thunder bass.

Houses are built to lesser standards of construction.

mikeyrob73

Where is our resident Westone expert?

guitars4you

I sold shed loads of Westone Guitars in the 80's from my old hunting ground - Wisher Derby Ltd -  I suppose today for £150/250 many will buy a Squier or Yamaha but back then it was largely Westone - Both for guitar players and bass players - Jap built in the Matsumoku factory - some came fitted with USA DiMarzio pick-ups - Thunder 1A and 11A by far the biggest selling models - Both active but on the guitar version just a simple boost option - On the bass a form of active tone pot - All original designs not copies

Your guitar might be the Paduak if not the Clipper 

Hard to say where it all went wrong - they did try to go more upmarket so batting out of their comfort zone - not so much the quality wasn't there, more big competition from other major brands - Also budget guitars went from Japan to Korea and Taiwan to keep prices down, later to China and Westone did not respond, so eventually got priced out of the budget end of the market by other models/brands - Dare say other factors came into play

Well worth buying today at the right price - good hardware - well built

Veganic

guitars4you said:

Hard to say where it all went wrong 

That Hawkwind/ Dave Brock endorsement can't have helped?

AndyR

Yep, I'd had a strat copy and a les paul copy, both kinda horrid... Then suddenly, as I started gigging, this Thunder IA appeared for only £134 (I can still remember the price!). It was like WOW, a real guitar I can afford!!! And it looked cool too.

What did "Westone" in for me was the "as new" JV Squier strat that appeared in my local shop in 83 or so...

Those first couple of years of Westone were stunning. I nearly bought a Paduak, too - but then they announced the Concorde and I was getting ready for a blue one of those... when the Squier appeared, the guy did me a deal with the valve amp I was buying... and I suddenly had a "real" sunburst strat with rosewood board.

I tried some people's Westone's later, and they just didn't feel as good.

guitars4you

AndyR said:

Those first couple of years of Westone were stunning. I nearly bought a Paduak, too - but then they announced the Concorde and I was getting ready for a blue one of those... 

forgot about the Concorde

recall the Paduak was a touch ugly or as some one once said Nik Nak Paduak

and a Westone Spectrum

http://www.guitars4you.co.uk/guitars/5569-westone-cutlass-used-white/ - and a Westone Cutlass built by Status Bass and designed by Sid Poole - recently sold mine

Sarge

Somebody called? 

if it's the Clipper the neck will be outrageously good whether Japanese or Korean, very slim mind . 
It's also not a humbucker but 2 single coils and switchable between either coil or both,  and quite frankly awful. 
I had a Japanese clipper for all of 3 days and sold it to my mate(otherwise known as my Westone depository , he's taken 20+ of my Westones ) I just hated the lack of body and arm contours . 

AndyR

guitars4you said:

AndyR said:

Those first couple of years of Westone were stunning. I nearly bought a Paduak, too - but then they announced the Concorde and I was getting ready for a blue one of those... 

forgot about the Concorde

recall the Paduak was a touch ugly or as some one once said Nik Nak Paduak

and a Westone Spectrum

http://www.guitars4you.co.uk/guitars/5569-westone-cutlass-used-white/ - and a Westone Cutlass built by Status Bass and designed by Sid Poole - recently sold mine

Yep, the Paduak was not maybe as pretty as it could have been - felt good in the hands, though.

Oh yes, I'd forgotten the Spectrum - that's when they seemed to be going in a different direction, to me anyway, and the logo changed as well around then, didn't it? I loved the original Westone lettering.

I'd not heard of the Cutlass. Although (reading the blurb), I had heard of Sid Poole.

scrumhalf

The rail bass was quite interesting.

I think they forgot their niche and moved into areas that were too crowded.

Sarge

With a good pickup in , it will be a good solid workhorse of a guitar ,  Gotoh tuners and  most probably bridge ,  good full size pots,  it will probably outlive you  

mikeyrob73

Sarge said:

Somebody called? 

if it's the Clipper the neck will be outrageously good whether Japanese or Korean, very slim mind . 
It's also not a humbucker but 2 single coils and switchable between either coil or both,  and quite frankly awful. 
I had a Japanese clipper for all of 3 days and sold it to my mate(otherwise known as my Westone depository , he's taken 20+ of my Westones ) I just hated the lack of body and arm contours . 

There he is the man who has forgotten more about Westones than most of us will ever know 

blueskunk

True that ^^^

i want one at some point 

Sarge

blueskunk said:

True that ^^^

i want one at some point


Got a Spectrum going cheap. . . . .