Trevor Rabin II prototype?

Never seen one like this for sale, maybe a prototype? 

Hardtail Trevor Rabin signature.  Red, gold hardware, dual humbuckers, but with only two knobs.  It's almost the same as the Trevor Rabin II, which had a master volume and two tones, however this one only has two knobs.  Otherwise it looks the same, neckthrough, rosewood board, etc.  

A good one for someone to collect.  May never see another.  It's on Ebay with a $650 starting bid.  Excellent condition. 

CLICK HERE! 


For history's sake, here are the photos...

I wonder why the controls are so widely spaced?

The Trevor Rabin signature III is the same way.  Wide apart.

So, what's he got? GIANT HANDS?

I know, it's strange!

hasn't there been a bunch of people clamoring for this one?   i guess we'll see what that translates to in dollars.   On a side note- THANK YOU for throwing the pics and price in the posting.  That should be common practice!  It's so frustrating to look back at the history of 'for sale' posts to see everyone complaining about someones asking price or amazed at what something sold for- with NO ONE actually stating a dollar amount and the 'real story' being lost to the ages...

ZEFF wrote:On a side note- THANK YOU for throwing the pics and price in the posting.  That should be common practice!  It's so frustrating to look back at the history of 'for sale' posts to see everyone complaining about someones asking price or amazed at what something sold for- with NO ONE actually stating a dollar amount and the 'real story' being lost to the ages...

Right on!  That's why I did it.  Hopefully others do this, too (let's do it guys)!

'been listing the asking price for years in my For Sale listings.
Copying the pictures for all the listings isn't really practical or necessary unless it's an unusual instrument like this one.

Barry, that's because you're the man. 

So I have a question to discuss concerning this model... should I even bother?  Or should I start a new thread in general discussions?...

all of the "Rabins" didn't actually say "Trevor Rabin Signature" on the headstock, did they?   which did and which did not?  Is it a hard fast rule or wishy-washy (par for the course) like most discussions concerning the Rabin/alvarez/westone/pantera?

Looks like it changed, where models either had the name or lacked the name.

We know that the Rabin II had his name on it, the one in the auction.  In the catalog, we don't see a name on any of them.  However there's a photo online of a Rabin III that does have the name. 

So like much else in that era, things were subject to change. 

UPDATE on the guitar auction in question.  The Alvarez AER200 has the same knob layout as this Westone.  So chances are that it's not a prototype, but a later model just before transition to the Alvarez name.

I also wonder if the body is arched on this one.   Didnt they make one a neck thru yet without the sculpted body?

I'd imagine all the neck throughs were the more sculpted body.  Seems to reason since they already had that pattern from the Pantera.

First off - all of these were made in Korea
Next - It was designed as the Pantera II but became the Trevor Rabin sig model
I'm not sure why, but some have Rabin on the logo and the rest had stickers (like one of mine)
This example is not a prototype - it is a WER200RD (Westone Electric Rabin 2 Red)
The 200 is the hard tail
The 100 had the Kahler
The 300 Had the TRS bridge
Oddly, all of the 200's seem to have gold hardware where the rest have black.

I have a WER100WHT - Kahler, white and an AER300RD , yes that A means Alvarez.


When westone died - they took all that was left and rebranded as alvarez so I assume they were all made in korea.  During that change I think that is why some guitars said TR and some did not, but you can always tell them by the shape, angle inlays, and that they retained the bayonet joint and arched backs.  The Rabin sigs were the hi-end of the End of the Westone era into the short lived Alvarez era.  This guitar is very rare and if it was black or white I'd be bidding but I already have a RD

And to answer if not clear - these are not neck through, and the top and back are both arched like the 390's.  The shape was slightly changed to compensate for balance/weight issues on the 390's (according to TP)

Thanks Sarcaster- I know it has been analyzed over and over- and this may not be the place for it- but i find myself, again, wondering about numbers.  I know it has been said that there were likely less than 100 of the "new" panteras (TRS) made.   As rare as they are, I tend to see more Alvarez than westone- so my (100% non-scientific) mind thinks "okay, 40-50 Westones?"  And if thats the case, I see more 3's than 2's or 1's- so for the breakdown:  20 3's??  leaving 10 2's and 10 1's??  Can you imagine if these are REALLY that rare?!   And who knows about the basses!!  I know... it's sorta futile to even discuss...    Her Sarc- you mentioned you have a 1-  is it the damaged one or do you have another?

I have a severely damaged I that I plan on bringing back to life after I finish building a few guitars on my neverending list, and I have a III in great shape

I think the majority of Alvarez Rabin's and Dana's are just Westones that were completed once Alvarez took the name, and possibly some were even just rebranded which may be why some have different logos than others.  In my mind all of the Rabins whether they are branded Westone or Alvarez are all the same - just a different logo.  And yes the 2nd Gen Pantera/Alvarez basses are more likely even more rare.  I got the AEB100 Pantera bass as well.