Help me to identify a true or fake Matsumoku Westone Les Paul

Hi everyone

Im looking to buy a Westone Les Paul, the seller says that the guitar was made
on 1979 and that made me to suspect since the serial number is
"005025".. that should be a 1980 guitar ¿not?





You can see more pictures in this album:
https://imgur.com/a/Eix9t#0

Anyway the guitar looks very nice and I apreciate old japanese Les Paul's..
thats makes me think on other question, which price should I pay?
The seller puts the price on 500€, I'm think that's very expensive and should
be around 250€, ¿I'm wrong?

Finally I take a look to some pictures and I saw that the main Westones are
"bolt-on" models and this one is glued, that made me think that maybe
this westone is a fake.. what do you think?







Please
answer the poll





Thanks for your attention and sorry
if my english is ridiculous xP

I am no expert on westone guitars, but that looks like a nice honest Japanese les Paul to me. My advice would be to go play it and if you like it, make an offer, a guitar Is only really worth what someone is willing to pay for it but it does seem a little pricey in my humble opinion.

I can't see why anyone would make a fake Westone. It looks like one of the early unidentified Westone models as seen here:

http://www.westoneguitars.net/guitars/unidentified-models/

bowenjaybee wrote:I can't see why anyone would make a fake Westone. It looks like one of the early unidentified Westone models as seen here:

http://www.westoneguitars.net/guitars/unidentified-models/

Those ones are bolt neck, and this one looks to be set neck but yeah; gee they look similar...

Looks genuine. serial no. dates it 1980 May. approx.

Age related tarnish ect. looks in good condition.

Copy of a 70/71 Les Paul Custom.

Hello Lestone, since you set this thread up as a poll, I moved it to the Polls & Surveys Forum just to be neat and tidy.

Well from what I can see in the photos it shares all the build qualities and looks of a Japanese made Westone. It looks very nice indeed and looks like it will be a great player as well. I would reccommend to take a look in the control cavity at the pots and wires just to see what is there.Price is what you think it's worth but I would make a lower offer first and see what happens. Good Luck

I finally got around to looking at the pictures. I think you've got the real deal there. Certainly not a "fake" Westone and very possibly an early Mats. In any event I'd grab it if you can afford it.

Just musing aloud...a re-branded Aria perhaps?

Here's something similar

http://www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~yjibika/AriaProIIp90LPCS.html

Hmm, headstock's not right Damian.
I was thinking more like an Aria 5522

Thank you all for the help

I will contact the seller and test the guitar, I hope to get a good price ^^

I think that it looks genuine and that 250 Euros would be a steal. It is very rare and in my view it should have a value which matches or exceeds Prestige 250's.

Hoax

hoax wrote: It is very rare and in my view it should have a value which matches or exceeds Prestige 250's.

Hoax

I don't think so.

I do

Is that due to your current love affair with Les Paul copies.

By the way what's that grey bit on that Aria of yours (paint?)

That grey bit is a halo

Nah - its just a reflection - The thing is in collectors condition.

About that Westone LP - If it is solid mahogany with a solid maple cap then it is probably an Aria Pro LS 500 or 600 and they ain't cheap!

Add the rareity value and that Westone LP is pretty darn desirable.

Hoax

If it's copied from a 70's les paul, which it looks like, volute on the neck.

It might be of sandwich construction.

As the Aria in the link above.

Even the Gibsons of that era ain't worth as much as solid bodies.

Probably right Damian regarding them being sandwich construction, both of my Aria Pros are but I have seen them sell for Prestige money.

Also, you know fine well that your Black Gibbo (Sandwich?) is worth some serious money (2 grand or more?)

Hoax

There's some seriously good stuff out of China, if you know which ones.

Mahogany body, maple cap, mahogany neck, ebony fingerboards for around $300. at the mo. That includes shipping!!

Bit of fine tuning and you've got a great guitar.

Yeah

One example is a Chord Legend . Legend 59 is the humbucker model and Legend 56 is the P90 one.

I got a P90 gold top shop soiled for £70 with a case and recut the headstock, put a logo on and sold it for £200 and I kept the case.

It was a seriously great guitar for what I paid but I always sell on modern guitars as they are not what I want to collect.

PS - I fully disclosed that it was not genuine!!

Yes the China of today is the Japan of yesteryear. On certain instruments.

Westbone wrote:...On certain instruments.

(my emphasis) Yeah, I've seen the entire spectrum (no pun intended) come through the doors of our shop this past year. The Classic Vibe series is remarkably good, even some of the Fender acoustics are OK. Epiphones, same thing. BUT these tend to be entry to mid level products.

All good but...for better and quality and consistency you still tend to look to Korea while Japan still takes the prize for the best quality, especially the pro player line of Gretsches. Outstanding! And while I'm at it let's not forget that the good 'ole USA can still put out some of the best instruments out there. The Music Man line is outrageously good!

Exactly, Westone's were entry/mid level.

LesTone wrote:Hi everyone

Im looking to buy a Westone Les Paul, the seller says that the guitar was made
on 1979 and that made me to suspect since the serial number is
"005025".. that should be a 1980 guitar ¿not?





You can see more pictures in this album:
https://imgur.com/a/Eix9t#0

Mmmh anybody noticed: http://forum.westoneguitars.net/t3501p20-westone-les-paul ?