Say hello...

Hello Wayne and Welcome!

Good to see you mate.

I think you did say hello on your first visit, but hey, there's nothing wrong in making doubly sure about these things!
(Come to think of it, did I say "Hello" to everybody here? ) Just kidding!

It's good that you are busy and keep up the good work with the "Stuff"! Any progress on those knobs by the way? You've got to find some time to do that old Thunder though - you know you want to!

Anyway mate, good to know that you haven't forgotten us all and that you still have time to 'pop in' now and again!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Pollyanna wrote:Any progress on those knobs by the way? You've got to find some time to do that old Thunder though - you know you want to!

Anyway mate, good to know that you haven't forgotten us all and that you still have time to 'pop in' now and again!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Yes Thunder knobs are just about there, and also Thunder Jet Knobs now. Along with quite a few other pieces I have been working on. Even more when samples come my way

Wayne....

Hi All,

I'm Matt, I am a Crime Scene Investigator living out in the sticks of Norfolk and working for my neighbouring county of Suffolk. (we are part of the bumpy bit on the East coast - no one ever seems to know where we are as no-one passes through - if I mention Great Yarmouth, the penny usually drops)

Anyhow, I've just picked up my Westone Thunder ll Left Handed Bass Guitar after way too many years, found this great forum and have rekindled an old passion.

Not quite sure if my wife will share my passion as the bass predates her!!!!

The kids are fascinated, its so much cooler than their flutes, so there could be some guitarists in the making here. Although they are right handed so looks like more wedge for me to part with...doh!

Great forum, have been made to feel very welcome with some great advice!!

Cheers All

Swiping the format from the first post because I find it easier to fill things out:

Name - Kevin (Warrn is my internet handle, you can call me by either)

Age - 19

Location - Micanopy, Florida (near Gainesville)

First guitar - A Lauren acoustic designed for little kids back when I was 5 or 6. If I can find it again I might attempt to restring and play it!

First Westone - Candy red 1985 Spectrum GT bass

Later Westones - None as of yet; wouldn't mind having one of the funny shaped ones though, I really love the blue/yellow Raider. Was that color available on the Raider bass, too?

Musical
style/favourite bands - I mostly listen to third-wave ska (ska-punk), and Less Than Jake is my absolute favorite, but I'll listen to just about anything really. I listen to most of my music on the computer and have a website called Last.fm track what I listen to. If you'd like to take a look: http://www.last.fm/user/Warrn/charts

Current Westones - '85 Spectrum GT bass

Other
instruments - '94 Peavey Milestone II bass, '00 Peavey Grind 6 NTB (6-string BEADGC bass, it's a beast!), '05 Esteban Steel-String Acoustic/Electric guitar, '02 Carlo Robelli TM002 mandolin (with a Schaller violin pickup attached)

Favourite instrument - I'm partial to the old Milestone, but I just got the Spectrum yesterday and the heavier growl and shiny red finish are winning me over already.

Other info - I love stringed instruments, so I have a bunch of them, but I only know the very basics of each of them. Bass is my favorite by far, but finding a bass instructor is difficult. Guitar lessons are easy to come by, why not bass? So all I really know are basic guitar chords, bass scales and arpeggios, and I have a chord book for the mandolin. I plan on taking some music-related classes (especially theory) at my local community college.

Aside from that, obscure things seem to like me! My unheard of '85 Spectrum bass goes really well with my also unheard of 1982 AMC Eagle SX/4. I wasn't specifically looking for either of them; I just stumbled across them and fell in love!

heya, bro - good to see ya! I certainly hope you enjoy the Westone and get to use it in anger; the guy you bought it off summed it up very succinctly with "playing a P bass with a J bass neck" - that's pretty much spot on, with the added tonal variety that 2 p'ups offer!
There are many in here with greater technical smarts than me, so ask the questions, man and we'll do our best to enlighten you...

Rock on!!

Warrn wrote:
First Westone - Candy red 1985 Spectrum GT bass

Later Westones - None as of yet; wouldn't mind having one of the funny shaped ones though, I really love the blue/yellow Raider. Was that color available on the Raider bass, too?

Hiya Kevin and Welcome to the family.

It looks like the GAS has already begun! Keep up the good work!

If it's any help, I found a site with a whole host of easy to follow bass lessons and you can even copy and print them out. I did exactly that a while ago for one of my daughters who also wanted to learn to play bass. When I find it again, I will send you the link, just make sure you have loads of paper!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'd be happy to have that link if you can find it again. I take it GAS is short for Guitar Accumulator Syndrome? I've definitely got that. I'm not even all that skilled and I've got a bunch of instruments. I'd really like an electric guitar, since I don't have one. I prefer the sound of semi-hollows, but I might just have to look for another Westone now. I would be extremely happy if I could find a Raider guitar or bass in that blue/yellow combo!

Warrn wrote: I would be extremely happy if I could find a Raider guitar or bass in that blue/yellow combo!

...you keep to your side of the world, and I'll keep to mine; I'm looking for one as well!!!

Hello again Kevin,

I thought that I had that link bookmarked but I haven't. Not to worry though, I'll get in touch with my daughter because I think the name of the site that I got the lessons from is printed on some of the pages. As soon as I find it, I will send it to you.
If my memory serves me correctly, it covers everything that you need to know to learn the bass right from beginner to intermediate so could also be useful to those of you who are getting back into playing again.

I've always presumed GAS to stand for Guitar Acquisition Syndrome.

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Note:

Just to avoid any confusion, (Sorry Mr. Confused, no pun intended! ) the last few responses to this post have been moved to the 'General' forum under the heading of 'Bass Lessons Information'.

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hi All,

My name is Dan and i have a Westone concorde III 1st Version.

I will upload pics if you want to see it.

I am after some parts for it though but i may be able to get these from the states.

I have had it for about 19 years now and have not long had it serviced and rebuilt.

I havent seen anymore of these guitars even in this country.

Thanks for reading my first post and like i say i will upload pics if anyone wants to see it.

Thanks

Dan

Welcome, brother!!

danjob wrote:....if you want to see it.

...silly bloody question - of course we want to see it!!

As for bits, try here...

http://www.westone.info/spares/index.html

Hello Dan, and Welcome.

Yes, we want to see pictures!

Put them in the Members Westones forum so that we can all have a good ogle at your guitar. We live to perv at other peoples' instruments!

If there is any technical help that you need, just ask :?: because somebody here will always have a solution to any problems that you might have.

Pauline :flower: :queen:

ok, i give ......here's my specs.

I'm a dimensional calibration tech of 10 years practice living in the Baton Rouge, La. area. the nom "caucajun" simply means a "white guy from Louisiana". i stole that from the famous cajun chef Justin Wilson.

i've been playing 30 years as of 2008. i've been trading guitars and equipment nearly as long, and have had nearly 200+ different axes (& amps, effects,etc.) go through my hands.

i'm 45. i'm married 13 years and have 2 kids. 1 of each. 9 and 3. i tolerate 3 cats living here, because i don't HAVE to pay them any attention, and they keep the mice at bay.

i consider myself a retired musician after playing semi-pro for 20 years altho' i still do the occasional sit-in gig, and i still prowl the pawnshops for something new. otherwise, my passion is my family. mostly, supporting and keeping them entertained.

i love to field questions about So. La. from folks who aren't from here cuz I get to be the "knowitall". my lineage is irish/english(no...not french), so, i take special interest when i hear from folks of those regions.

i have one (count them) 1 westone guitar. and it's a DOOSEY! a prestige 250 bought for $150 USA at a pawnshop. i really dig it, and i might search out more westies because of it.

musical taste: i like about 2% of everything. mostly, these days, i crank the radio whenever AC/DC, THE WHO, QUEEN or JETHRO TULL comes on. mostly because of the old school guitar TONES.

it's been a pleasure meeting you westies. i've had some really nice conversations. i suspect, that there are mostly GROWNUPS here......a nice change from the POP sites.

"laissez les bon temps roulier!"

Hello Caucajun and a great big 'official' welcome to our family!

"Let the good times roll" indeed!

I hope that you will be 'lurking' around these parts for a long time to come and maybe you'll pick up a few more Westones along the way!

It's good to have you aboard!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hello all !

I'd just like to say hi

I'm a 40'something in severe stage mid life crisis.. My first guitar was a brand new 81'ish Westone Thunder 1A in natural which my mum bought me.

Here I am holding it in 1983. The dodgy wallpaper was the place we were gigging at!




In the drunken haze that was my latter teenage years playing in a band, the guitar was 'misplaced'. I say misplaced but to tell the truth I dont know whether it was misplaced.. stolen.. smashed.. burned. Hell, I only remembered I played guitar two decades later and by then the westone, along with everything else music related, was long gone !

For the last couple of years I've been trying to get hold of another one.

Yesterday I managed it.. ebay special. The grain is slightly different to my original (not as good in my opinion), the little black rod cover from the headstock is missing (Cat in hells chance of getting one of them) and the toggle switch is white (should be black). Apart from that is was love at first sight.. I feel 16 again.

Here she is...



So anyway.. hi

(and if anyone should be breaking an old westone and have the plastic cover for sale.. you'd make my day.

Cheers

Ed

Hello Ed and Welcome!

Glad to hear that you have rekindled your love of Westones! I saw that one on eBay and it looks to be in pretty good nick. As for the truss rod cover, you should be able to get one from David's spares section: Spares

Keep up the good work and happy playing!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Yeah, g'day, Ed - that story, oddly enough, seems sort-of familiar!! You know, boy-gets-Westone. boy-plays-in-band, boys-loses-guitar-and-moves-on, boy-becomes-40something-and wants-guitar-back!! It applies to most of us in here one way or another!! Cool pic; at least you've got a few of playing in the teenage years - I was always too stoned or too drunk to get organised (I wonder if that's way we never got signed?!)

Welcome to the madhouse, and I'll be really surprised if you don't get an itch to 'acquire' some more Westone history: the rest of us in here call it GAS!!

...oh, the truss rod covers seem to have gone from the spares site...?

Well I thought I'd post here as I've been lurking around for abit. Now I know most of you are older (twice my age!) but that only means I have tons to learn from you "wisened" folks. I like reading your stories of the old band days being to stoned/drunk to recollect anything because this is pretty much my current state.

I only have one Westie but once I get some more cash together (school, car payments, GAS is currently bending me over in the finiacial department) I will be picking up another Westie, I really like the one posted above by Ed. That is such a beutiful guitar.

I will try to show off my axe (although not nearly as beutiful as others on here) once I get it cleaned up more. I am kinda stuck on what to do for my bridge because the one on it sucks and I am not sure how long I can wait to try to find an original trem system. Perhaps I just throw a FR on it and call it a day.

Anyhow, looks like a great site and a good community. Looking forward to learning alot about these guitars.

Cheers!

Hello Mr. Avenger and Welcome!

Do you have a name or do you prefer to remain anonymous? Anyhow, you've got to show us your axe and I'm sure you will get it fixed up soon, one way or another!

I think I missed that hazy bit of life that nobody can quite remember but everybody keeps talking about! I was probably too busy having babies or something!

As for being just a 'wee bairn', it's always nice to welcome younger members here. It kind of keeps some of us older 'old farts' up to date as to what is happening in the music world and it's also good to see that Westone guitars are continuing to pass through the generations. Long may they continue!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Well I do have a realname, I can be known as Jonathan/Jon but I have just always used that nick after one of my favourite albums. I will try to post up some pics tonight, even if it still ahs that nasty bridge on it. I am debating on where to spend my next bit of money, floyd rose for the westie or a TS-9 to add that nice overdrive/boost.

Well thank you, Jonathon (or do you prefer Jon?).

I always like to address people by their given name if they choose to disclose it, so it is much appreciated!

We aren't fussy about what kind of state your guitar is in, we just like to ogle at pictures of them so don't worry if it isn't complete when you take the photos!

Looking forward to seeing them!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

New Member.....

Old enough to be a half century away from birth in a couple of months.....

Own a Pantera X350MA, purchased in 87 or 88, original owner, pristine shape.....



I knew I had to have it, love at first sight, the tones it creates are just an added bonus.....

Thanks.....


Rod.....

ppc6mm wrote:Own a Pantera X350MA, purchased in 87 or 88, original owner, pristine shape.....

Geez, that's pretty! Welcome, Rod; oddly enough, most of us in here are "of an age" and are past the first flush of youth!! I don't really fancy the Panteras but that would certainly be enough to turn my head - it's beautiful and looks to be, as you state, pristine and a credit to your care!

And as far as I'm concerned you're doubly welcome as I assume your screen name is the calibre of your target rifle?

Name - Dave

Age - 41

Location - Totnes, Devon, UK

First guitar - Kay twin pickup thing and Maya Telecaster copy

First Westone - Concord III 1983 pearl white

Later Westones - (that was the only one)

Musical style/favourite bands - Richard Thompson, Black Crowes, Fairport Convention, Tori Amos .... oh lots of rock, blues, folk, alternative, female vocal anything that sounds good to me really.

Current Westones - None

Other instruments - Gibson 1990 Les Paul; Std, Fender USA Buddy Guy ash blonde Stratocaster, Fender Japan blue fotoflame 50's Strat, Telecaster made from parts, Brian May Red Special, Eastwood P90 Special TV, Saehan SSC75 electro acoustic

Favourite instrument - gotta be my old Les Paul, she's careworn, sweeeeet and gorgeous



Thought I'd join your site, I remember Westone guitars very fondly from the 1980's as they were the first really nice quality guitars me and my mates got our hands on amongst the sea of el-cheapo Jap copies at the time from the likes of Fresher, Columbus, Maya, Satellite, Kay, CSL etc etc

Our local music shop was "The Music Shop" in Walsall, UK and he dealt with FCN distributors who imported Westone, pretty much stocked the whole range too from about 1983 onwards.

One of my friends bought a red Concord I bass in the new shape of 1983, and I had a pearl white Concord III which I absolutely adored, seriously wish I'd hung on to it, and not PX'd it for an Ibanez Roadstar in 1985. My brother bought a green Concord Bass II, in the older shape, also a good guitar, and my girlfriend at the time later acquired a black Thunder Fretless bass, very nice indeed !

I've included a photo below (its scanned from very old print so apologies for the quality) of my Concord III and my brother's Concord bass, wish I knew where they were now !



My guitar had only one tiny eggshell dent on the lower hip, and the trem arm thread had stripped a little meaning the arm had to be screwed in so far it tended to press on the volume pot...shame. Maybe I'll get another Westone one day

Anyway I'll hang around here a bit for the sake of nostalgia

corsair wrote:I assume your screen name is the calibre of your target rifle?

You are correct, except the cartridge is a 6mmPPC.....

I am a Benchrest competitor, our goal is to make the smallest hole we can at 100, 200, & 300 yards with 5 bullets.....

My current personal best is 0.070 inches spread between the two widest shots in the group, @ 100 yards, essentially one hole, slightly larger than 6mm.....

I shot that one in the desert with the wind blowing about 20-25 miles an hour through a small canyon. I've never been able to better that group in calm conditions!

Here is a picture of that target.....

Hello and a very warm Welcome to our two latest members, Rod and Dave, from me!

Lovely guitars guys!

I especially like that Pantera of yours Rod, if you ever want to part with her, I've got my little begging bowl out ready!

Anyway, it's really nice to see you both and I look forward to seeing you around here for a long time to come.

Keep on Rockin'!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

hello my name is phil im from ireland i own 3 westone thunder basses a... 1a,2,3a so nice wee collection will get some photos up soon as i work out how lol,looks like a very interesting site and quite a lot of info...

Hello Phil and Welcome! (Again! )

It sounds like you have a really neat collection there!

Yes, we all want to see the photos of your guitars - put them in the Members Westones forum as soon as you can please! We live to ogle at Westones in here!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hello everybody

Just recently discovered this forum and decided to join.

I own a Spectrum LX and it's the only electric guitar I'ver ever had. I bought it used in 86 or 87 (I'm not sure exactly, but around that time).

About a month ago I bought my second electric guitar a Fender Classic Player 60's Strat which I'm quite happy with, but I do prefer my trusted Spectrum.

I'm restoring my Spectrum at the moment (I have a few questions about that I'll post elsewhere later)
I'll post some pictures when I'm done

Just wanted to introduce myself :-)

Hello Messell and Welcome!

The Spectrum guitars are really nice. Is yours one of the ones with the coloured fretboard as well?

Ooh, restorations, my favourite subject! I'm personally looking forward to hearing about that and seeing the photographs too!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Messell wrote:but I do prefer my trusted Spectrum.

I'm restoring my Spectrum at the moment (I have a few questions about that I'll post elsewhere later)
I'll post some pictures when I'm done

Yep, welcome Messell! I'm a Spectrum/Phoenix fan too, and have an ST, GT bass and a Phoenix X185 which are now my preferred guitar to play; I know the crew in here will hate me for this but I can't like the Thunders or the Concords - sorry guys!! - but the Spectrums do it for me!!

And Polly, The LX/FX didn't have the coloured necks, that was the SX/MX...


We'd love to see your guitar, bro - what needs restoring on it?

corsair wrote:

And Polly, The LX/FX didn't have the coloured necks, that was the SX/MX...

Ooops!

I could have sworn I read it as MX! Time to get my eyes tested again I think!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hello folks. My name is Shad. I ama certifiable prestige nut amongst a few other models....the list grows every time I visit here.
I had a sweet prestige 250 for about 14 years. It got away when we bought a home and the closing and associated fees kept coming in.
Been looking for another but no luck just yet. I do have a decent 150 on it's way again but I simply must find another 250. I figured it might be in poor taste to rush in and post in the wanted forum right away. I have actually lurked about for several weeks now.....LOL Anyway I most certainly will be posted in that forum very soon but also wanted to let folks know who I am am. Anyway that is all for now. I am sure folks will get to know me soon enough around here as I am pretty much done with searching for other guitars. I want my 250 and a neck through stop tail wood grain pantera like I have just seen here....OMG what a nice guitar.
I love the archtops, stop tailpiece and set neck matty guitars...They do it for me. The ones with whammies and sharp edges...eh not so much but hey it takes all kinds for a garden right?

Cheers,
Shadwell (oh yeah I'm in the US even though my name is very UK) ;O)

Welcome, bro! Good to see ya! You're oh so right about it taking all kinds - I'm a Spectrum fan and until I saw a 3 p'up Prestige would'nt've crossed the road to look at one; now I want one!
The pointies are an acquired taste; I'm picking you're a bit of a traditionalist!
As for getting a 250, well, ebay seems to spit out a few so keep looking and yes, do post in the Wanted section - you never know your luck!!

Hello Shadwell and Welcome!

Firstly, by all means, post in the Wanted forums; like John says, you never know!

Secondly, please put some photos in the Members Westone forum too, we all want to see your collection! You obviously know what you like and what you want, so go for it!

I've got a couple of the 'pointier' guitars but I must admit to preferring my more traditionally shaped guitars like the Thunder and my Clipper Six - oh yeah, and not forgetting of course, my very quirky but beautiful Paduak I. (Regardless of what John thinks of it! )

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Thanks for the nice welcome everybody :-)

corsair wrote:We'd love to see your guitar, bro - what needs restoring on it?

Oh, a lot.... but I've started with repairing a rather big "dent" on the body
Well, actually it was an attempt to carve my initials into the body back when I was young and foolish... it's been covered with stickers for many years, but I'm not 20 any longer so I thought it was time to give it a more "mature" look again

I'll post some pics very soon

Hello Peoples

My name is Bob. I am from Brisbane. I have two lefty Thunder 1s that I purchased on ebay over recent years. One is an 83 model, painted red which I understand means it has a maple body. It has a tremolo bridge, chrome knobs and a plastic (graphite?) nut. I like it a lot, it has been well looked after by previous owners and is in good condition.

My other Thunder 1 is an 86 model with a natural finish. This one had led a hard life, one of the pickups was defective and a fair bit of the finish had worn through to bare wood. It also has a plastic nut, has brass knobs and a chrome string through body fixe bridge. I dismantled it completely and suprised myself with my ability to rebuild it. The body had a crack near the jack input which I glued together. I sanded the body and refinished it with Danish Oil. I replaced the pickups with GFS Fat PAFs which sound fine on coil split as well as full humbucker.


Anyway, that's my little story. I have a few other guitars and like them all, but I feel a bit special with the Westones.

Hello Bob and Welcome!

I'm glad that you have joined our little family.

No doubt you have read through some of the various posts in here so you will already be aware of what I am about to say next... put some photos up in the Members Westones forum for us to ogle at please!

Good to see you and we hope you stay around for a long time to come!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hello,

I'm 36, from Nantes, France, I play guitar since 25 years.

I'm more a player than a collector, anyway I think that I'm going to buy some guitars to improve my little collection, including some Westones

I have a new myspace, so you can hear that I play Jazz-fusion (some videos, and jam-session recording http://www.myspace.com/jeanphilippeguillemin) . I also play with computers, my main project is the Zenwalk operating system, a project I founded in 2004 (http://www.zenwalk.org). I also like to read science-fiction, repair guitars and play with electronic (now mostly pedals).

As a guitarist I've been playing on more than 50 different guitars, that where sold over the years... but I've always been found of Alembic guitars, for me the best guitars in the world : but I can't afford 9000$ for an Alembic, so I began to look for an Ibanez Musician which share the same stringed construction as Alembics, then I discovered my first Westone Thunder. I generally like the craftmanship of Japan guitars from late 70's to late 80's : much better than most of Fenders and Gibsons.

Along with Yamaha and 80's Ibanez, I believe Westone guitars to be the best instruments ever built in Japan. I own 2 Westone Thunder III, A red one from 1979 (not sure), and a dark-green one from 1983, both in mint condition.

You can see the familly below, including my Yamaha SG, my Godin Acousticaster6, and my Takamine classical box. I'm looking for a Westone Rainbow, so if anybody knows ...

Hello Jean-Phillippe and welcome!

That is a really nice collection of guitars that you have there and I am pleased to hear that the Westones come top favourite! Your red Thunder III can easily be dated by the serial number on the back of the headstock... for example: 405???? would date it to May of 1984 and so on. The first number denotes the year and the next two digits denotes the month.

Cool website by the way but I am afraid that my French is limited to that of my school days which was a very long time ago so I apologise that I couldn't understand very much of what was written there!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hiya, JP - very nice set indeed - nice to see a Thunder III mk 3; that p'up config is a real oddball - I have the Electra Phoenix version and like it heaps but it must be said that the Westone looks to be a higher spec'd guitar! That SG2000 is a beauty as well; I don't remember what reason I had for selling mine, but I surely don't have it anymore!!

serial is 2031662 so I guess she was born in 1982

Hi, jinxie_nz here, pleasure to meet you all and to find this site - a bit like discovering a family I never knew I had, sort of thing... anyhoo, got this wee bugger...



Concord III, 3rd version, onyx lefty - bought from a music shop in Bristol in 1983, so I've had it 25 years, gigged it hard in London for a while, then it lived in my parent's attic in Milton Keynes for a couple of years when I moved to NZ before I brought it over in 2001. Had it rewired and top 3 frets replaced in 2003, but other than that, she hasn't changed a bit. Still sounds great too.

Just finished giving the neck it's first proper cleaning in God knows how long - she's scrubbing up not too bad.

I'll post some other photos in the other thread.

Good talking to ya's

Hello Jinxie and Welcome!

Cool story there and it's good to know that your guitar has stayed with you all these years and survived the trip over to New Zealand!

Jinxie eh? I bet you just "hate those meeces to pieces"!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hi All,

Well, I've been "ordered" to put something in this section by "our Pauline" so here goes. I'm 51, a marketing manager in the IT industry and have been playing since I was 16. I was bought on the likes of Hendrix, Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash, Sabbath, Rory Gallager, Santana, Groundhogs and progressed from there to The Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Currently I'm into Joe Satriani . Yup all guitar players. I even like Jazz and listen to Earl Klugh and his friends. I suppose if you pin me down I'm a blues player at heart.

My first guitar was an AVON SG and that was followed by an Antoria Les Paul gold top. The Avon was strange. Everytime I moved so did the neck ... no need for a vibrola! Then came a Ned Callan Firebird which was swapped a mint 1970's 80 watt Orange Matamp combo, all valve with a studio cut switch allowing you overdrive the preamp at lower volume. Second harmonic distortion ... bliss.

During the boiling hot summer of 1976, I bought a new Ibanez Hummingbird Acoustic which I still have

In 1978 I found a "66" Gibson SG Junior locally and handed over £50 for the pleasure. Lots of Leslie West tones to die for. Sold it two years later ... what a fool. Oh also bought a Gibson Firebird 3 ... dont why, seemed a good idea at the time.

About 1980, Rob Armstrong, a brilliant Luthier in my city of Coventry built me a custom to my design. He tends to make acoustics especially for Fairport Convention and Gordon Giltrap et al. All mahogany with a through neck, twin di Marzios ( PAF and Super Distortion) with CT and Phase switches in the Les Paul TV style. Great guitar, but oh boy, what a wieght ! Looks alot like a Westbury. Very powerful through the Orange and "big smiles" always on my face. Still got this guitar.

I think it was about this time I bought a Gibson Flying Vee in silver sunburst. Thought I'd look good and sound like Andy Powell. Big mistake and a big let down after the Armstrong. So weak and gutless.

About 1982, decided to travel and sold everything accept the Armstrong and Ibanez. Then I had a big gap until three years ago. Now focusing on these hidden gems called Westones and their cousins.

And here they are :

First up is my Thunder 2a (mint) and Dimension IV ( battle scarred)



Second is a Thunder 2 and 1a. ( actually I bought the 1a for my ten year old son because of the compact body... he loves it ... but I can do without "smoke on the water" whilst he practices)



Lastly, two guitars I bought recently. A Tercel PRS copy, fixed neck and made from Alder. Its not used if anybody is interested?? The other guitar is a mahogony neck, maple body flame top wide bodied Jazz guitar I bought off ebay on Christams eve whilst eveyone else was drunk for £35 brand new. Big bargain and very nice to play over a coffee.

[url=https://servimg.com/view/12352126/35][/url

Anyway signing off now so happy strumming. If anybody wants a pic of the Armstrong let me know

All the best Steve

Hello Steve and a big welcome from me!

Nice collection there mate, they look awfully familiar!

(He makes me sound like a proper old Bossy Boots, doesn't he? )

I've got to tell you chaps, in case you didn't already know, that it is a bugger and a half to get pictures uploaded on here and poor Steve rang me earlier; he was tearing his hair out in frustration trying to get his pictures put up! Anyway, thanks to the help of my son, after a few trials, (we nearly had a picture of a pig on here! ) not to mention exchanges of emails and phone calls between Steve and myself, he has finally done it!
Woo Hoo! Good on yer mate!

Yes Steve, by all means, let us see your Armstrong guitar - put a picture up in the Non-Westone forum though! (Have I got to do that one as well? )

I'm glad that you've joined us - eventually! (You've lurked long enough! )

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hi, and welcome here from me too guys; good to see you both! Jinxie, I'm a 'Spectrum man' - none of the others - Thunders, PADAUKS, hold any great appeal for me but I must say, the Concord III, mk 3 is one that I could give house room to!! It's nice to see 'em being gigged, too it has to be said!
And Steve, the Dim 4 is on my "will have to get one one day" if I can't find a Spectrum MX/SX nearer to home - the exchange rate has killed my eBay excursions for the time being!! Nice group...

What was the drama with the pics; I want to see the pig! (I have just finished luthiering an Ashton guitar for my littlies school, and that was a proper pig!! Chinese POS.... )

John, I found it quite awkward and a bit confusing to upload pictures directly through the uploader in here, but that could have just been me! Anyway, it's sorted now and the pig in question was that painting of the wild boar that you have a copy of!

Right, that said, down to business!

I don't want to be a 'Party Pooper' or play the 'heavy' here but I've noticed that things are becoming a little bit confusing and somewhat untidy; especially in this forum.

Let me explain:
It's great when people choose to introduce themselves and tell everybody about their likes/dislikes, tastes in music/guitars owned etc., but it would be nice if the photos of your guitars are posted in the Members Westones forum rather than in here.

I'm not getting at anyone in particular and I know that you blokes like to 'kill one bird with one stone', so to speak, but could I ask that members who haven't already posted in this forum but are thinking about it, and new members alike, to introduce themselves but put the photographs of their guitars in the relevent forum.
A place for everything, and everything in its place!

Thanks Chaps and keep on a postin' and a rockin'!

Your friendly little Moderator,

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Oops,
looks like here is the place to say my hello's....
anyway i'm from England & just bought my first Westone Thunder 111 ( i think) this might be my belated mid life crisis who knows? Does anyone else have a guitar project before they can actually play??? My partner is a keen guitarist as is my son, 2 stepsons recently getting the bug & my 2 eldest grandchildren have guitars too, if you cant beat em, join em!