Westone parts for XA1330 and Pantera

Hello all

I'm having 80s flashbacks and wish to get a MIJ shredder for that typical 80s hair, glam, pop rock. I was always advised to stick with Fender and Gibson back then but now that I am up in years I want to go back in time and get something I wanted in my youth. So I have been looking at lots of Westone and Aria Pro guitars for sale yet most have missing parts. So how easily accessible are the Westone parts? Such as: 

How easy is it to locate a trem bar for the Bendmaster trem unit on an XA1330?
How easy is it to locate the Allen keys and Allen key holder that attached to the back of the headstock?

How easy is it to locate a trem bar for the Pantera x300 model?

What kind of cost would I expect to pay?

Cheers
AR

Wang bars are a doddle; 6mm bar under the imported section at Stewmac, amongst others, and for pennies.

You'd be fortunate to find an OEM Allen key holder; I found one on the web somewhere that was a close enough match, once again for pennies!

Of greater interest should be the completeness of the stringlock, and whether or not it has stripped out....
We have How-to videos of how to fix the latter, and - at the moment - a ready supply of the lock washers for Bendmaster FT and Deluxe bridges.

Which guitar takes your fancy??

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I've never handled a Westone guitar of any nature so I am unsure what model I want exactly but I am leaning towards the XA1330 (the blue/grey finish) or the Pantera series. I would prefer the better of the two but I don't know which model is best. I am happy to consider a 22 or 24 fret and prefer double humbucker (but will settle for the HSS option) with a good tremolo system and reliable stringlock.

I've also had zilch experience with stringlocks and Floyd Rose type trems (so glad that I can get help with it if I need it)... purely been the standard Strat and Les Paul player that have none of those.

Westone, Aria Pro, Charvel but all built in Japan as I am guessing the Japanese made would be a safe buy for decent value.

I prefer an unmodified model.

What about the timber they used on Westones in Japan, were they solid or where they plywood? What is known on that front?

Actually, a Westone that has been repainted, does that effect its value or is the value insignificant on these guitars. I have come across on sale sites a few that have been repainted.

ooooooh; worms - can of; for opening!

Look, if I was looking for a "set yer hair on fire" Westone at a reasonable price, then the X300 Pantera would be a good start, as there always seem to be a few floating about on the auction sites. They are a very good guitar with a superb neck, good hardware and are generally reasonably priced, especially just now as the market seems a little soft.
These are all HSS; the twin h/b is available only on the X350, which is a major step up, especially in price!
The Bendmaster Deluxe bridge which most of these late Westones are equipped with are not really a FR clone; they were the designers effort to avoid the patents and, by and large, they are an OK bridge, though intonating them is an exercise in patience! nothing earth-shattering, just fiddly.

Westone were a little more "out there" in guitar design in the 80s, with APII and Vantage et al being a lot more staid, though that said, i have an APII Urchin and and a Vantage Invader that are the exception to that rule! The trick switching on the Spectrum HSH models has not been bettered yet by anyone, and the MMK pickups are as good as anything mass produced today....

Thanks Corsair. This gives me something to go by.

How easy is it to locate a 'collar' for a Pantera x300 trem system?

The pickups used in the x300 and XA appear to be the same according to some reading. Magnavox or something? Are they quality or would you change them on the grounds of quality?

The Magnavox p'ups are MMK 45s - in the case of an X300 - and are a worthy p'up if they're still working OK, i.e. no breaks in the windings and the circuitry OK.

By collar, do you mean the round, raised piece that the bar runs through the baseplate into the sustain block?
If that's what we're talking about, the chances of picking one up are remote, but Westbone, our resident miracle worker, has a rather elegant solution to that...

ar8284 wrote:...I've never handled a Westone guitar of any nature so I am unsure what model I want exactly...
...What about the timber they used on Westones in Japan, were they solid or where they plywood?...
...a Westone that has been repainted, does that effect its value or is the value insignificant on these guitars...

Hey, that's why most of us have more than one Westie!  

You'll find that, for the most of their manufacturing life, Matsumoku used solid woods in their models, particularly the necks many of which are solid one piece maple. The bodies are not not a single slab mind, they still used 2 or more pieces, but they are solid wood pieces, not plywood (laminate). There are a few exceptions but that's generally what we've come to expect.

A refinished Westone is not necessarily a deal breaker, although the original finish was extremely tough and durable enough to survive very nicely some 30 years on and not normally in need of "fixing". Many folks have redone their guitars (mostly out of necessity) and we have seen some beautiful natural finish Thunders in particular as well as veneer caps and complete repaints. It boils down to preference and whether or not you're fanatical about keeping it original. If the job has been done well and essential components such as the neck are unscathed then it's all good, and you have a superb playing instrument to be proud of. If you like it, buy it.

I have a WE1052 that Id like to move on, its not MIJ or 80s tho. See here for a review.
I only bought it because I hadn't had a guitar with a FR bridge but I don't do trems so theres no point it gathering dust with me and Ive just had another GAS attack so I need to thin down the herd before the Mrs starts wrapping them round my head. PM me if youre interested.
Where you based?

grogg wrote:... See here for a review...

Jeez Greg, at least direct to OUR OWN SITE eh?  

Sorry Barry, couldn't find it and had a favourites to the original, I see now its right at the end of the scanned reviews. So please go here AR8284.

Thanks grogg. I assume it is translucent brown/orange. I politely decline your offer. I'm still leaning towards MIJ models as I have no idea about when the build quality of the MIK.

I'm in Australia.

Thanks for the information Barry.

corsair wrote:The Magnavox p'ups are MMK 45s - in the case of an X300 - and are a worthy p'up if they're still working OK, i.e. no breaks in the windings and the circuitry OK.

By collar, do you mean the round, raised piece that the bar runs through the baseplate into the sustain block?
If that's what we're talking about, the chances of picking one up are remote, but Westbone, our resident miracle worker, has a rather elegant solution to that...

Yes that's it. I'm looking at one for sale which has this part missing. Sounds like it can be solved.

Yep.... it can! Whereabouts in Australia are you?

The MIK guitars from 87/88 are, or were perhaps, unfairly maligned; I have a couple here and they lose nothing in build quality to the main run MIJ guitars! The pickups are perhaps a little bland, but thats nothing a gob or two of EQ can't fix, and the necks on my two are are the best necks I've ever played.

If you need a trem collar, give us a shout... or pm 

Will do Westbone. It depends on whether I buy one that needs restoration to its original state or whether I wait for one that hasn't had any modifications.

I'm in Adelaide Corsair.

I missed out on an XA1330 so I got to decide on purchasing an x300 model that has been painted from head to toe and the decals were covered with paint.

Can you get Westone Pantera decals?

What Pantera model has two tuning knobs and what appears to be a 5-way strat type switch? I've seen x300 models with one knob and the 5-way switch but not with two knobs.

I've only seen these guitars in pictures and when they were in a local store back in the 80s. I'll be buying without trying.

if you've got a line on one here - in Aus - that isn't too badly mucked about with, then even with a refinish it may be worth a punt because I've seen very, very few Westones at all here; I've bought none of mine in Australia.
The X300 came with one or two knobs depending on year of manufacture, with the later ones having a tone circuit which the early ones didn't. I think.
Decals you can make yourself, or have made.

Do you have links or pics of the guitar in question? We're a friendly bunch who will cast an appraising eye on it if you want?!

I obtained some pictures but I can't pm you without the pm screen freezing explorer.

Just bang 'em into your posts here - the other lads will probably chime in!! - or post them into a Photobucket a/c and then c+p the .img links into your posts here if you're having trouble....

Corsair ... could you pm me, and I'll see if I can reply.

Thanks corsair ... for the information in the pm. I had to go into work and use the computer in order to replay via pm so I'll continue the conversation in this main thread. I know there are others interested in the guitar and so I'll see how I go.

Is that neck plate original?

Yeah, sure is!