Westone Thunder - Welcome Your Advice

Evening All
I'm on a bit of a trip down memory lane here. Used to work in a music shop back in th 80's and remember selling Westone Thunders to many happy people - nice to see some of those people are still happy! anyway, suprisingly i never bothered to pick one up myself not being a guitar player at the time. Now i've seen the light (curently playing a michael kelly patriot) but want to find out what i've been missing out on with the westones. Have seen many thunders on uk ebay over the past couple of weeks but mostly bass not 6-string. Is this typical or am i just being impatient?

I'm not after a particular model or finish just something in reasonable for age condition without being "enhanced" by a previous owner. Typically what's the going rate for such a thing? Seems like a good bass goes for about the £100 mark would the 6 string be similar.

Finally if anyone has one to offer in the yorkshire / humber / nottinghamshire area - let me know!

Thanks in advance

As far as expected price I found this auction listing from April 1st.....

http://www.cuttlestones.co.uk/sale_catalogue.php?sale=QS010411&s=0&c=300&f=516&np=26

Can you abide some shipping pain to get one? I do see them on an sometimes monthly basis here in the states.

http://pensacola.craigslist.org/msg/2283301510.html

Thanks Iceman

I'd seen a white T1A on ebay but thought the price a little punchy at £200 / $300 but it was local and didn't sell. Contacted the seller and arranged to try it out with a view to cash on collection and following a little negotiation am now a member of the westone owners club (and avoided any postage charges). Probaly paid slightly over the going rate but the guitar itself but is in superb condition. Full working order with no more than a couple of the slightest of dings and surface scuffing conistent with being considerately played and only visible if looked for under the right light and that's being really picky.

Plays like a dream. Low action and superb tonal range. Doesn't beat my michael kelly for tone but that's solid mahogony/ebony fingerboard/emg pups but for playability...... wow. Defo a keeper

Good for you!

Please let's get us an eyeful of your new baby.

Your a lucky chappy PDS, what you don't know is, I made the seller (Michael) an offer after the auction too, that may have been a little higher than yours & could have stolen your Thunder, unfortunately, as I couldn't pick it up, the seller said it would save him packing & posting to go with you

I believe the guitar is mint, as the Westone logo on the p/ups show, the logo doesn't last too long if the guitar has had much use. As it is, The guitar is 1986 & I think you have something a little special there, as will be seen when you post your pics, I doubt anyone here will have seen a Thunder 1A with those p/ups.

Welcome & enjoy

Now you've got one, all you need is a varnished wood Thunder to keep it company.

Then a Spectrum to discover the most playable neck on an affordable guitar. Maybe a Concord next to see if they're any good...

A flirtation with the 80s could see you looking for a Dimension. Headbands and lycra optional

Ultimately your life will not be complete without a Session, a Rainbow or the Holy Grail of a Prestige 250.

Welcome to our addiction

norfolkngood wrote:

....Maybe a Concord next to see if they're any good...


....or the Holy Grail of a Prestige 250

Concordes ARE good... and here I was thinking the x350ma was the Holy Grail...

....oh and don't forget the leg warmers and wristbands too.

fish wrote:Your a lucky chappy PDS, what you don't know is, I made the seller (Michael) an offer after the auction too, that may have been a little higher than yours & could have stolen your Thunder, unfortunately, as I couldn't pick it up, the seller said it would save him packing & posting to go with you

I believe the guitar is mint, as the Westone logo on the p/ups show, the logo doesn't last too long if the guitar has had much use. As it is, The guitar is 1986 & I think you have something a little special there, as will be seen when you post your pics, I doubt anyone here will have seen a Thunder 1A with those p/ups.

Welcome & enjoy

Sorry Fish, just the luck of the draw with one coming up locally I guess - I'll try and post a few pics but me an IT don't go together that well....

WOW-WEE!

Wonderfully clean and simple lines. Very elegant. A laurel, and hardy handshake to you sir!

ooooh... nice!!!

Very nice indeedy
Just out of interest any markings on the bottom of the pickups.

Thanks for the feedback guys - nice to know i've picked something up that meets with the real enthusiasts approval! Now the Westone info site is back up, it's easy to compare with the models on there and everything is consistent with the version 5 photos posted. given the largest mark on the guitar is the ding on the head I pictured it looks like i've been lucky enough to pick up a near mint example

Westbone - no markings on the pickups other than the westone logos as pictured unless you meant if they were removed? Whilst i enjoy taking things apart, i don't have the geatest record in getting them back together again, so i'm afraid that will have to remain a mystery.

Well seeing has you have one of these, why would you behold this mystery.
Only 4 corner screws and a peep underneath.
It's called contributing.
It's not rocket science.

PDS wrote:

Sorry Fish, just the luck of the draw with one coming up locally I guess - I'll try and post a few pics but me an IT don't go together that well....

That's right PDS, its luck of the draw, you certainly scored there, it looks a cracker, like Westbone I'd like to know what number the p/ups are,
that info isn't on the W/info site :!: :?:

I guess ya can't win em all, I think my wife would have been pleased you won it, had she had known, the only way she gets to know what
I've bought is when I ask her to look out for the Postman As was, to get over my disappointment & bought myself something nice to look
at, unless like Ice I start taking lessons

I'll post some pics in a few days.

fish wrote:

...to get over my disappointment & bought myself something nice to look
at....

I'll post some pics in a few days.

Recharging the GAS card, eh?? Yeah

Hope you did as well as PDS, he has raised the bar abit with this love-erly!

So it's not just me that gets a regular "what on earth have you bought now" from the wife then!

In the interests of furthering knowlege then, I've removed the neck pup. The only marking is a small square with 45 in it. I'm guessing that makes it the standard pup that went in to this sort of thing but with a fancy faceplate? Ca't remove the bridge pup without fully removing the strings and as I've just put a new set on, that will have to wait. there is no visible difference though fromthe outside.

Hope that helps is some small way

MMK 45's then. The lettering may have been engraved into the base of the back itself rather than stamped. Good for you and twice as nice!!