Hi Every one (Concord 3)

Hi, I would like to ask you about the Westone Spectrum LX model. I have had my concord 3 now since 1983 and i have had it re-fretted twice. I play mostly scale stuff and have worn the instrument out nearly. I know that my concord 3 with its rosewood neck is a very good guitar but finding another concord 3 in A1 condition as a replacement might be hard to do and also expensive. What i would like to know, is the Westone Spectrum LX neck the same as the concord 3's neck? And also does it play like the concord? I am looking for an-alternative to semi retire my beloved concord. I would appreciate any amount of advice that you can give me about getting a replacement for my concord. cheers mike

welcome to the forum. glad you decided to join in.

i have both Concord III and Spectrum FX guitars.

i would say the width of the neck on the Spectrum is the same as the neck on a Concord. the back of the neck, however, is just very slightly thinner, but not flattened. i think it has more of an asymmetrical shape to it, slightly tapering thinner to the treble side. maybe the best shaped neck ever made! the Concord seems slightly fuller in the palm and has a mostly symmetrical shape to the back.

the Spectrum is a quantum leap forward from the Concord, in sound and versatility. it is quite a different animal altogether. the Concord is an original Westone design in body shape, but it is mostly a standard design electronically. i think the Spectrum guitar was, at the time it was released, probably the most sophisticated commercially-made guitar. i think it is still one of the best designs for a 3 pickup guitar.

are you familiar with all the options available from the pickups and switches on the Spectrum FX?

Spectrum guitars are much more easily found than the Concord models as well. and i don't think you could find a better guitar for the money. they can put up with all the abuse that any road-warrior guitar would need to, and still punch it out. the finish on the body of the Spectrum is much harder than on the Concord body, so it is more suited to constant gigging.
i'm not sure you could actually wear one out until it was unplayable. just like your Concord, new frets and giddyup!

gittarasaurus wrote:
i'm not sure you could actually wear one out until it was unplayable. just like your Concord, new frets and giddyup!

Refret with stainless steel frets - they'll last longer, and maybe if the board is word down, have it planed down at the same time - worked wonders for my 350

I too have a Concord 3 and have often wondered the same thing so I'm following this thread with interest -

Are we talking about the LX here or the FX?....is it just the neck that is the difference between them?

Great site btw....lots of useful info!!

LX - bolt neck
FX - set neck

I have to weigh in here and endorse gittarasaurus; I've got an LX, a GT, an MX, an ST and an Electra Phoenix and I've yet to find a guitar that can do what they can do at the price you get a Spectrum for.