This one has me a bit confused

She sure looks like an XA 1330 at first glance, but then i noticed the back. Firstly, there is no anniversary plate (not uncommon, maybe exchanged), and secondly i've never seen a Matt with no neckplate. This one has the 4 screw pattern similar to the Korean ones. Cool and probably unusual guitar, must be MIK from the transitional period. Anyone ever see on like this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUITAR-VINTAGE-MIJ-Last-true-MATSUMOKU-1987-88-WESTONE-XA1330-JAPAN-VGC-/221011553484?pt=Guitar&hash=item337550accc

Looks Korean.

i have that exact same model in sky blue. i believe it is korean-made. on the back of the headstock on mine, there is a sticker with a seemingly random serial number 32999, in black ink on dull gold background.
both mine and the one for sale have reverse headstock.
there is no sticker on the one for sale, but looks to be the identical build.
previous owner must have installed the inserts on the neck, i've not seen that on the original set up on any westone.
the knobs look to have been changed. mine are black dome knobs like on the genesis models.
it is listed as platinum blue burst, but it looks more green in the listing. the color in the catalog looks quite dark in comparison. either one looks cool to me. all the other ones of this model that i have seen for sale, have been the solid colors. this is the first one i have seen with a burst finish, tho they are listed in the catalogs.

the one i picked up is in mint condition, and a great player. everything works like it should, even the whammy bar attachment is 100% complete and perfect. it is a really nice shredder guitar. has a thin flat neck, you can reach all the highest frets, and the tone shaper is just great for shredder tone.

very close in size and shape to ibanez rs series, except the ibanez rs usually has 24 frets vs the westone with 22 frets.

easily as good as anything available today for that price. but we know that already don't we....
if you don't have one of these, (or even if you do), this looks like a good one!

gittarasaurus wrote:i have that exact same model in sky blue. i believe it is korean-made. on the back of the headstock on mine, there is a sticker with a seemingly random serial number 32999, in black ink on dull gold background.
both mine and the one for sale have reverse headstock.
there is no sticker on the one for sale, but looks to be the identical build.
previous owner must have installed the inserts on the neck, i've not seen that on the original set up on any westone.
the knobs look to have been changed. mine are black dome knobs like on the genesis models.
it is listed as platinum blue burst, but it looks more green in the listing. the color in the catalog looks quite dark in comparison. either one looks cool to me. all the other ones of this model that i have seen for sale, have been the solid colors. this is the first one i have seen with a burst finish, tho they are listed in the catalogs.

the one i picked up is in mint condition, and a great player. everything works like it should, even the whammy bar attachment is 100% complete and perfect. it is a really nice shredder guitar. has a thin flat neck, you can reach all the highest frets, and the tone shaper is just great for shredder tone.

very close in size and shape to ibanez rs series, except the ibanez rs usually has 24 frets vs the westone with 22 frets.

easily as good as anything available today for that price. but we know that already don't we....
if you don't have one of these, (or even if you do), this looks like a good one!

Thanks for the info, i've never seen this model in burst either. Which inserts in the neck are you reffering to, if its the part that on the back of the headstock those came stock with the XA1330's, which makes it even more interesting. You have a MIK catalog?

It is a 1988 Spectrum III XA1330.

The only aspect that it doesn't match the 1988 is the paint color. But the 1988 price list shows the Platinum Blue Burst as still being available:
http://www.westoneguitars.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/198801p2-right.jpg

The knobs have been changed...but they were dome knobs, not the reverse-tapered knobs, so no big loss and easy to replace.

Other than the reverse headstock, the 1987 and 1988 Spectrum IIIs (XA1330) seem to be identical. Perhaps in that transition from Matsumoko to Korea, they dropped the neckplate.

In any case, as a 1988 model MIK, it shouldn't have the Anniversary trem cavity cover.

hobster wrote:


Thanks for the info, i've never seen this model in burst either. Which inserts in the neck are you reffering to, if its the part that on the back of the headstock those came stock with the XA1330's, which makes it even more interesting. You have a MIK catalog?

the listing mentioned there were inserts for the neck attachment bolts

btw, sale ended without bid

Thanks guys, i know very little about MIK's, makes sense.

i have not removed the neck on my 1330, so can't actually say for certain as of this moment, if inserts for neck bolts are standard issue.

:?: :?: :?: :?: :?:


i will check it next time i change the strings....

My SP 1012 and both Clippers have the screw in attachments for the neck bolts; does that help? True bolt on necks, eh!!

if i'm not mistaken the pre-anniversary spectrum did not have a neck plate. Other than that plate (more specifically what was behind it), it looks exactly like the XA1330 i parted out other than the color.

Are those knobs original? i have one laying on the floor...

EvilVOG wrote:if i'm not mistaken the pre-anniversary spectrum did not have a neck plate. Other than that plate (more specifically what was behind it), it looks exactly like the XA1330 i parted out other than the color.

Are those knobs original? i have one laying on the floor...

Pre anniversary would make it a Matt, and i'm pretty darn sure all of them had neck plates unless they were neckthrus or set. I could be wrong, but i've never seen one. I think neck plates look cool anyway, and you can write neat things on them like "a Matsumoku product"

my bad, after. basically the same guitar in the new factory. WE6400 (round about). Records seem really sketchy around that period along with there being multiple models with the same name. Probably also transitional like it has an XA1330 neck from '88 and the WE6400 (spectrum II/ GT) body from '89, possibly custom shop also.