Say hello...

Hi there, Starrman; yeah; the white gets a lot creamier with age and it's not unattractive in my opinion!! I've got a Spectrum ST and a Genesis II in Uncle Matt white which are no longer bright white, but a much more mellow shade. The finishes on these guitars are about a millimeter thick, so if you were thinking of re-finishing, be warned; it's a very hard finish as well!!

Yep; I think you'll find the general consesnus around here on the necks is that they are about as good as you're ever gonna get on a mass produced guitar, and they are very good indeed....

Do please post some pics of your gear, man - we like to look here; especially interested in seeing your Conn...

@challpa... c'mon man - where are these pix you refer to?! Glad the whole password thing worked out; it all looked OK in here, as far as I could tell!! Welcome back!

Hello...
I found this because I'm looking at a beat up Spectrum LX and wanted information on parts and repairs (the previous owner got in a motorcycle crash with the guitar on his back ).

Hi Folks,

My name is David. I am a 62 year old retired/disabled land surveyor.
I live in Little Rock, Arkansas.

My first guitar was an unknown gut string classical disaster.

My first and only Westone is a Westone Electra X640N PJ bass.

My favourite bands are The Beatles, Cars, ZZ Top, Red Hot CP, Who
and too many to mention.

I first played a borrowed stand up double bass about 28 years ago in
a bluegrass band. 26 years ago I moved to Little Rock and bought my
Westone bass,



Because I was gigging, I bought a Peavey Patriot as a backup. My son
has used this one also,



I played in several bands,



Then I had kids. That put playing bass on the back burner.

The Westone is the best bass I have ever played. It has never had the
truss rod or the string saddles adjusted. It is just as good as the day I
first set it up 26 years ago.

Now that I don't work, I have been working on getting that Precision
bass sound. That is the only thing I could never get from my Westone.

David

Welcome, David! Those are two great basses you've got there! I have an Electra Phoenix X640S and Peavey Patriot myself. I would make a suggestion on how to get the tone you're looking for, but I have the earlier model of X640 and don't have any experience with the second version like you have. I'm a little surprised you can't get it from setting it to the split-coil only. I'm sure someone here or over on the Electra forum could help though!

Hello everyone...
My name is Steve...
I live in Dudley in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK..
I work as a Domiciliary Carer an work funny shifts..
I'm still a Metal-head at heart though love blues an a few other types of music as well

Some of you may know my younger brother on here Dan or Duo Fuzz...
Now i blame him for getting me hooked on finding some of the guitars which i use to drool an lust after and the bad bad case of G.A.S. that has inflicted me for a good while
It was his Thunder 1 which i tried one day which got me looking for a nice Westone of my own...
I've been playing or trying too play the guitar for about for about 20 odd years now...
In that time i have had some nice guitars an a few which weren't that nice which have gone to others to enjoy..
I'm now the proud owner of 2 of Uncle Mats Guitars..
A near Mint 1983 Aria Pro 11 Urchin Deluxe in Red Black Burst...
An A Very Very mint 1985 Westone Spectrum DX in Red
Both bought within 24 hours of each other an both keepers....

Hope to speak to you all an be helpful on your great site
Steve ( G.A.S. man)

Hello David & Steve and any other new members, welcome to the forums, enjoy!

Indeed; welcome to the new lads - ahhh... we like to see pix in here, fellas..... especially that red/black burst Urchin..

Hi All,

Welcome to the forums. By popular demand, this is the place to introduce yourself to your fellow Westone fans. I've pinched the format from the old Westone forum, and like the old one, please feel free to say as much or as little about yourself as you like:

Name - Sean

Age - 19

Location - Stafford

First guitar - Freshman Acoustic

First Westone - 1981 Thunder I

Later Westones - None

Musical style/favourite bands - Heavy Metal: Iron Maiden, Megadeth etc

Current Westones - 1981 Thunder I

Other instruments - Telecaster copy, Hamer California

Favourite instrument - Westone Thunder

Got my son a Dimension IV a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, he hasn't really played it much, though he really likes the style. He's just very used to his Ibanez lawsuit era LP copy. He also just picked up a Schecter C-1. He's now trying to sell the Dimension. Check the for sale board if you're interested.

Hi everybody,

My name is Doug and I'm 42 years old.

My very first guitar was a Quest Atak 6 with the explorer (kind of) shape and spiderweb graphic. After upgrading the pickups, I loved it.

The one of interest to me now is my 1990? Westone Terminator. It is black with rainbow coloured sparkles in the clearcoat. I bought it new and still have it. What got me interested was a need for a replacement locking saddle for the TRS-101 tremolo. I can't find any information on this guitar!

Cheers!

Doug

Welcome here, Doug; we'd like to see your guitar, fella, if you'd be so kind!!! One of the lads in here is a fan of the TRS and I'm sure he'll be along to help shortly.....

corsair wrote:Welcome here, Doug; we'd like to see your guitar, fella, if you'd be so kind!!! One of the lads in here is a fan of the TRS and I'm sure he'll be along to help shortly.....

Thank you for the welcome, and I'll get one on here shortly!

It's kind of covered in stickers (has been for many years). I loved the style and the way it played, but got to really hate the colour ;-) I also used to play in a punk band so the used and abused look worked for me. It has EMG active pickups in bridge position and the neck location is hollow. I'm thinking of returning it to original splendour

well, actually, Hello Again.

I was a member a while back, but my account had gotten messed up... anyway, I'm back!

some of you probaby know me from the Electra forum... I like to tinker and fix things... used to be old Subarus, now it's more guitars. I'm mostly a bass guy, but don't really play. Collect, fix, sell. Repeat.

Hey all, new user here.
Name - Zack

Age - 17 (Playing guitar for 2 years now)

Location - Monroe, MI

First guitar - cheap Washburn Lyon Strat-style guitar

First Westone - 1986 Westone Spectrum ST (My only one so far, but enough to be obsessed already. Bought it for like $200 from original owner)

Musical style/favourite bands - The Unicorns, Clues, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Radiohead, Death From Above 1979, Beck, Violent Femmes, etc etc. I could go on for days, I'm a music slut and I appreciate all kinds of genuine artistic talent.

Current Westones - Only my Spectrum ST. Extremely useful guitar, I love everything about it, not just how it sounds but also how it feels and looks!

Other instruments - 1) My first guitar that I earned all the money for and my first expensive (in my eyes) guitar, Fender Jaguar Special HH with PAF Pro Neck and SDistortion Bridge.
2) Westone Spectrum ST
3) Washburn Lyon Strat with Tex Mex pups
4) Fender Squier Strat (Franken guitar, full of mods)
5) Yamaha APX500 Acoustic-Electric guitar
6) Fender CD-100 Acoustic

Favourite instrument - It's a tie between my Jag and my Spectrum. They are both phenomenal and they are the best at what I use them for.

Hello and welcome to Doug, Zack, and (welcome back) to McBrat!
Good to have you here in the House of Westone. Show 'em if ya got 'em!

Hello everyone!
First off, good to see a Westone forum and a great guitar brand being celebrated.
I am from Nottinghamshire, UK and i've been a member of various Fender forums for many years, also moderated on other music forums. But anyway, heres the story...

Twenty one years ago at the age of 19 i decided after watching dozens of indie/alternative bands i thought maybe i could play guitar. So after a few weeks i got the cash together (£130, i thought it was sufficient!) and on a saturday morning i headed off to the local music shop. The guy seemed friendly and helpful, he asked me what 'sound' i wanted, i said like 'the Jesus & Mary Chain'. In hindsight he obviously had no idea what i was talking about but considering my budget and the fact i'd mentioned feedback (thanks to an NME gig review) he passed me a Westone Spectrum. It was white, with one Seymour Duncan humbucker/Strat trem/pointy headstock.
It sounded great hitting random strings with distortion up full and holding it up close to the amp it even made squealing noises![/JAMC]

So 21 years later, that was the guitar i learnt on and i will always remember it fondly, first love etc. But unfortunately it was lost on life's journey along with other things, its sentimental value was not realised during that time.
Since then dozens and dozens of guitars have passed through my collection, i've also built guitars and i repair guitars for another local music shop.
During recent years i thought if i ever see one of those Westone Spectrums on ebay i'd have to buy it, for old time sake. I have owned a few cracking Thunder 1A models but never seen one of those specific Spectrums. However, last week i scored a Spectrum II which looks similar but is obviously a higher end model (3 pups, Floyd type trem, neck binding, etc) and i am very excited about it arriving.
Long story but i've kind of gone full circle!

I'll let you all know how it is when it arrives and im looking forward to browsing through the threads on the forum!

Welcome Franco! Great to have you in the house.... the nut house that is.

Congrats on the Series II and of course we all look forward to seeing some pics posted in the members section once you have reached the post threshold to do so.

Any plans to acquire more Westies?

Thanks Iceman!

At the prices they go for and the quality you get i probably will buy at least one more, maybe another Thunder. I've got 13 guitars already though so it gets more difficult to justify buying others to the missus

The Spectrum arrived today. I got in late so i've only swiftly looked over it, needs a bit of work, two of the mini selector switches want replacing and the trem needs a big clean. No big deal. The neck feels good, nice and worn in and although the frets have been stoned without re-crowning them there is no buzzing or dead spots. Impressed on the whole. Ah, no trem arm, so i need to find out what fits the Bendmaster Deluxe..

Oh, what's the post threshold?

10 or 12?? I believe. Only Corsair knows for sure...

Threshold for what? I've not looked at any of that teknikal stuff for ages.....

corsair wrote:Threshold for what? I've not looked at any of that teknikal stuff for ages.....

I think he is wondering if there is a minimum number of posts a new member must have before putting pictures up. There is such a minimum for pm'ed, right?

@franco: For a Bendmaster Deluxe any trem arm with a 6mm threaded end should work. I order thru StewMac or Musician's Friend. Westbone has a good supplier via ebay he recommends all the time.

I am brand new here and I have a few questions. I found this site by searching for info on a westone paduak II that I am about to trade an Ibanez ex 1500 for. I was kinda wondering, is this a good trade, or should I let it walk? I actually really like the color of the paduak, and I even like the shape. But, honestly, I've never ever seen one before, much less played one, and I'm not sure what to do.
Thanks for the Help

All depends on your taste and style. these are one of the models we see less of so that may mean it would be a good deal but I put my values in wheather or not I like the instrument in question. If you do not like the one you have to trade then I would say go for it if the condition etc is comprable and you like the way it looks and plays.

thanks for the response. I'm pretty sure i'm going to do it, I just kinda wanted to get some opinions.

Mate, I would be the ultimate Padauk naysayer, 'cause their looks don't do it for me, but I got play a forum members Padauk I in May and was quietly impressed, much to her delight!!
They still look odd to my eyes - I'm a huge pointy fan, so my taste is not to be taken seriously!! - but the one I played about with is a very good guitar indeed.

something you might want to check closely on the prospective trade:

see if the pickups are original and if the other wiring has not been tampered with. the paduak II uses Westone's PEQ tone control circuits. for tone controls, it changes the wiring on the humbucker for series or parallel, along with a tone capacitor.


the westone will have a completely different feel than the ibanez. give it a good test drive to see if you like what you hear and feel. that is always the best guide, no matter the "value."

i have a paduak I and a paduak II, i quite like the shape. i always play sitting down and the shape of the body contours are very comfortable. and let's not forget to mention, those humbuckers are some mean headkickers too! i would take another one any day.

Iceman wrote:@franco: For a Bendmaster Deluxe any trem arm with a 6mm threaded end should work. I order thru StewMac or Musician's Friend. Westbone has a good supplier via ebay he recommends all the time.

Thanks dude, just ordered one off ebay.

I've still not taken any pics yet, so busy with work..

Hello one and all!
I'm pleased to find this forum. I'm a full-time guitarist and bassist and swear by Westones, having being thoroughly disappointed by G++++ns and F!!"!"s (et al) some time ago. I have an '82 Prestige 150 (my absolute favourite, but in need of a few bridge parts), a Sid Poole Cutlass (nearly as cool, but not quite), a Thunder III bass and Thunder I bass (red wings), both almost immaculate...as well as some other fab late 70s early 80s Japanese instruments. I love them all dearly, and they surely represent the best value-for-money guitars a serious player could own?! I'm off to give mine a quick clean.....bless 'em!

Welcome, Ainsley! Good to have you! Can't wait to see pics of your collection!

Ainsley Stones wrote:...I'm off to give mine a quick clean.....bless 'em!

"God bless 'em, every one"—Tiny Mats
Welcome here Ainsley!

sup all, new to this forum, but plan to stick around for a while. names Robert, and am here to get some info on my Westone that i cant get any info on. i live close to the ST. Louis area in missouri/aka Misery. i would post pics of my Westone, but i cant yet, a newbie here still. i actually have another Westone, its a Spectrum FX, but its completely gutted, and i never had the hardware for it, being the guy i got it from, a ex band member, yanked it all and put it in his Ibanez, big duhhhh on his part. now all it is, just a skeleton of what was once a great axe. anyways, nice to meet ya all's!

Hi
Ian here from Bury in Lancashire. Owned a Thunder IIA in dark blue twenty years ago and was silly enough to let it go. I have just managed to pick up another one for 175 squids so I am over the moon. It's like turning the clock back only with gray hair, a bad back and a beer gut.

I also had a black spectrum, but I knocked it to pieces years ago. I think I still have some of the bits hanging round the house somewhere including the neck.

axecollector wrote:sup all, new to this forum, but plan to stick around for a while. names Robert, and am here to get some info on my Westone that i cant get any info on. i live close to the ST. Louis area in missouri/aka Misery. i would post pics of my Westone, but i cant yet, a newbie here still. i actually have another Westone, its a Spectrum FX, but its completely gutted, and i never had the hardware for it, being the guy i got it from, a ex band member, yanked it all and put it in his Ibanez, big duhhhh on his part. now all it is, just a skeleton of what was once a great axe. anyways, nice to meet ya all's!

Welcome Robert! Hope you enjoy our forums. Sorry to hear about the FX, they're pretty rare birds as I'm sure you're finding out. You can rebuild it, may be a fun project.

ianrunci wrote:Hi
Ian here from Bury in Lancashire. Owned a Thunder IIA in dark blue twenty years ago and was silly enough to let it go. I have just managed to pick up another one for 175 squids so I am over the moon. It's like turning the clock back only with gray hair, a bad back and a beer gut.

I also had a black spectrum, but I knocked it to pieces years ago. I think I still have some of the bits hanging round the house somewhere including the neck.

Welcome aboard Ian. Your post made me laugh, time performs it's terrible dance, don't it?! If you got a Thunder IIA for 175, you did pretty dang good. Glad you're loving it. My first real guitar was a Spectrum GT bass about twenty years ago and that's what brought me back around to Westone again. Rock on!

Eh-up folks.

Just like Ianrunci says a couple of posts up from this, I'm another person redicovering Westones after a long layoff. I had a Concorde as my first proper guitar in 1984 only to sell it two years later to buy a Jap Strat. I recently picked up a Thunder IA from a fellow forumite on the Musicradar forum (where I mostly hang out) and I love it. It's a bit rough around the edges, but it sounds fab and plays well. Sits very nicely in my growing collection.

I may add to the collection too: I've seen a Cutlass on ebay and am very interested in buying, but have no idea how much they typically go for. Will post a thread elsewhere in the forum for opinions.

Anyhoo - a jovial hello from the Bat!

Eh-up Mc Toot, are you a Sott living in the East midlands or a Yorkshire man living in Scotland?

Anyway, welcome to perhaps the friendliest, most well informed one make guitar forum around

The Cutlass on fleaBay looks good, have to say, I love mine to bits but then I say that about all my Westies,
though I probably pick my Cutlass up more often than most. As for value, it depends on how much you want
the axe but I've seen them range from £150 to £200+

fish wrote:Eh-up Mc Toot, are you a Sott living in the East midlands or a Yorkshire man living in Scotland?

Anyway, welcome to perhaps the friendliest, most well informed one make guitar forum around

The Cutlass on fleaBay looks good, have to say, I love mine to bits but then I say that about all my Westies,
though I probably pick my Cutlass up more often than most. As for value, it depends on how much you want
the axe but I've seen them range from £150 to £200+

Actually, I'm an Essex boy who grew up in West Yorkshire, the Caribbean, Singapore and Spain [you did ask!]... Now I live in Sussex.

Thanks for the info on the Cutlass. I'm definitely keen if it stays in or around that range. I had a cheeky punt at coaxing the bloke to sell off market, but he turned me down. I'll post back if I win it.

"McToot", is that what happens after a "McMeal" at Mcdonald's?

Barry wrote:"McToot", is that what happens after a "McMeal" at Mcdonald's?

You got it, though for me the damage is normally done by lentil curry, cauliflower cheese and a side of braised cabbage...

McToot_the_Bat wrote:

Barry wrote:"McToot", is that what happens after a "McMeal" at Mcdonald's?

You got it, though for me the damage is normally done by lentil curry, cauliflower cheese and a side of braised cabbage...

Yeah... that'll leave a mark, alright.

Hello Everyone!
I've been the proud owner and player of a Westone Rail Bass since 1986. I have owned a million other instruments but that Rail has snuck its way on stage and into every single studio session I have done since its purchase, no matter how many times I have tried to retire it. Happy to have found a place with fellow enthusiasts.

Hello and welcome Damien.
Nice to have you here and happy that you've found a place of like minded folk.
We're "mostly harmless".

We like pix...

Welcome Damien! You're not alone in your Rail bass love, I have three and use them more than anything else.

Hey guys!

Tom here, 19, play for a kinda bluesy rock band

Currently living in Bath

Recently bought a Thunder Jet bass and I just fell in love with it, the feel and the tone are just amazing and all feels so awesome to play! I had been using Fender beforehand but the Thunder Jet just stole the show for me!

Really looking to expand my bass collection with Westones of all kinds

Hi, all--

Just wanted to say hello now that I've registered. I'm really more of a tinkerer than a musician, but I have a few guitars I really love, and some project guitars proceeding at a glacial pace. I've been after a Westone Concord II for a long time, and just finally "won" one on eBay. I'll post pictures once it gets here.

[Edit} I meant to say that this is my second Matsumoku guitar. The first was a thinline hollowbody (can't remember which label was on it at the moment), in red with two single-coil pickups and a vibrato tailpiece. It was fun to play, but ended up going away in a "I have too many guitars" purge.

--scott

Hey, names Bob. Recently picked up a cool Westone and have been playing it for about 6 months, but it's time to go to pay tuition. I figured this would be the best place to go to get the best price for my instrument, and so you guys can get a good deal on one. I'm also pretty stoaked that when I get some extra money, I know of a good place to find some really underrated killer guitars

Good day!
Newbie here.
I own a black Westone Villain Pro that I bought new way, way, way back in the day.
I even still have the "Westone authorized dealer" stool that was just too cool to pass up, also the nice Crate amp I bought at the same time.
All look brand new.

My situation is I never really learned to play guitar even after owning 4, 2 electric and 2 box.
I have my little bit that I know how to play but that's about it.
What has changed is now my 15 year old son has started playing a new bass and is using my amp (...it's about time.)
Now I have re-kindled my need to play and it feel good to show him a few ways to start playing.
His bass has caused him to want to get his own new guitar.
He knows I am way too protective of my Villain so he has a sweet Ibanez RG picked out.
It is a flat finish blonde and will go well with the dark all black Villain.

It is nice to be back to playing (...or trying to.)
So much for what I am up to.
Thanks for letting me post.

Vince

Vince, welcome aboard! Glad the juices are flowing to motivate you. Spend the time, learn some scales and songs at the same time, and see where the passion leads you.

About that Villian... please post photos on this forum under Members Westones, we need to see Villians on here too!

Thanks, will do.
I will get the camera out tonight and see if I can figger out how to post photos.


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