Hi...again

[Pete James]

Hi there ... been a while since I posted on the Westie forum and as such I lost my login details and have re-registered.




So...details...

Name: Pete

Age: 37

Location: Leicester, UK

First Westone: Thunder II Bass in Pearl

Latest Westone: Thunder IIIA Bass

Collection: Predominantly Thunder Basses.. I, IA, II, III, IIIA, and a Jet. I also have a IA guitar a BC Rich Beast NJ Series an Epiphone EB3, Tanglewood Rebel 4k and a Legacy Acoustic bass.. I think I have some others lying around too... Run them through a TE 715X when gigging..

So... hello... hope to speak more...

[fox]

Some might know me from other "guitar-related" forums, ICW especially. Although I've been visiting Westone Forum ev'ry now and then I have not registered here until now..
So, here's the "critical info" ...

I'm from Southern part of Finland, former guitar tech of "few unknown bands" and once worked for finnish distributor of one major USA brand .. pre-sales fixing & repairing guitars and basses.
I've had Japanese guitars from 1979, including Westones and several other brands as well, my first "japanaxe" was, however, 2618-12 model Ibby Artist.
I don't know much 'bout Westones, but I'm hopin' to find info here, and if I can help someone here I'd be a very happy little fox.. So, if you'd ever need info 'bout, let's say, Jap Vantages, or vintage Ibbies, especially Artists, feel free to ask!
What comes to the guitars hangin' on the foxhole's walls, currently there is only one Westone, Prestige 150.. (I prefer maple-capped mahogany bodied 2-humbucker guitars.. )
Warm greetings from quite chilly Finland!

fox

[Pollyanna]

Hello Pete, Hello Fox,

Welcome to our happily expanding little family of Westone owners.

Fox, thank you for offering your help, it is much appreciated.

I'm not going to waffle on here but I'm sure by now that you both know what to expect me to say next, so ...

"Show us what you've got!"

No smutty remarks to that one, if you don't mind, you lot.

Pauline

[corsair]

...as Polly said, let's see what you've got, guys - Fox, you know a little 'bout Vantage? I have a VA900 that has been my main stage bat for 25+ years; wonderful, wonderful guitar! Currently looking for a Vantage 12 string, and an Avenger AV310...

Welcome to the loony bin....

[fox]

For the warm welcome..
Loony bin.. *grin*.. let's see, I bet that this is no loonier than ICW..
Corsair, I happen to have VA 900 also, non-modded with a little bit noisy preamp.. very versatile guitar with brass sustainblock. For 12-string one you'd have to track and hunt down VA 912, which is a twelve string version of your guit. It sure is a very rare bird, here in Europe anyway. As I told, I have had a 12-string solidbody from 1979 or so, if you don't care 'bout extra effort in tuning, it is very nice sounding beast. "Skinny McGuinny" anyone?
IMO, Vantages as well as Westones are definitely "sleepers" in the vintage market. Seems like Uncle Matt's axes have avoided the market hype that boosted Hoshino's main axe right from the beginning of 2000..

[Steve777]

Hi there Fox,

Welcome to the font of all Westone knowledge ! Good to see that you are a vantage man ... by the way, Polly has a Quest Atak bass, all of which adds to the richness of the forum !

For myself, I have Thunders 1a and 2a, A dimension 4, and a Genesis II, as well as other assorted highly strung animals ! Ask away if you need some help.

Actually, I was just going through my old record collection the other night and found a disc from a jazz / fusion guitarist from your way called Janne Schaffer. Is he still around?

Keep posting

Steve

[fox]

Is still around, if you are fluent in swedish language, have a look:
http://www.janneschaffer.se/
Steve, you too are a fan of WW II warbirds, Mosquito & above also a Chance Vought Corsair.. I myself rely on that "Qualified repair-fox" as my avatar..

[Pete James]

Hello Pete, Hello Fox,

Welcome to our happily expanding little family of Westone owners.

Fox, thank you for offering your help, it is much appreciated.

I'm not going to waffle on here but I'm sure by now that you both know what to expect me to say next, so ...

"Show us what you've got!"

No smutty remarks to that one, if you don't mind, you lot.

Pauline

Smut... What.. I have no idea....

I was just telling the wife that I need to get my collection back together. Half of it is in the bedroom and round the house and the rest is at my studio... Give me a day or three and I'll post up some pics...

[toxbass]

Hello,

I turn my back for 2 years and when I look around you aren't there. No link on the Westone site and my moniker gone! (Whaddya mean lazy? Me? Nah.... )

I thought I'd pop and see if anyone else thought those current ebay sales don't quite ring true. Looks like I'm not the only one! The bass might have some cred. but the Thunder 2..not sure at all.

Anyway I'm Pete, drummer for 30 years (Rogers USA), now blues harp (Lee Oskars) and bass. Can't stand rehearsing, band politics or prima donna's (and I've met some real blinders). Musical tastes are pretty varied but I only seem to understand something years after it's gone out of fashion. Blues/boogie is my first love but still have a secret yearning for 70's glam stuff and the Quo will always, always hold that special place in my rock 'n' roll heart. Loved punk too. Settled on RnB for most of the drumming years. Now clowning around with a bunch of oldies in The Faces mould.

Westone History - before I was musician I used to sit at the back wondering how the hell Gorilla Ron could play the 4 string thing when he could hardly tie his one string shoe lace. So I used to go regularly to the local music shop where they tried to sell me a Westone. All I ended up with were catalogues (84 price list on the site is mine) and an unrequited love of these great instruments. Along comes ebay, a son who wants to play bass, a chance bid on a Thunder 1a. He gave up, the band need a bassist, and I worked out that Gorilla Ron was having us on all those years ago!

And now I have a little collection that I cherish. Do a bit of refurb. And still use the 1A for gigging. Only go for "Bird" logo models and then primarily from the 83/84 catalogues. With the odd exception.

The family includes;

Basses-

Thunder 1A ( 83 black) - tatty, well used, solid and reliable, just keeps on keeping on. Main live choice.
Concord 1 (84 black) - mint condition and an absolute steal. Must have been put away soon after it was bought.
Spectrum DX (86 red) - beautiful, probably better sound than the 1A. Trouble is it doesn't gig-fit comfortably for a short-*rse like me!
Thunder 1 (84 wood) - complete refurb, lovely sound now after set-up. Re-finish by furniture maker mate. But obviously not authentic. Just takes the edge off it for me.
A late model Thunder 1 - in bits, no serial number, poorly finished. Can't decide what to do with it. Its build quality compared with earlier versions is shocking.

Guitars-

Rainbow 1- (84 blond) love this, absolutely love it!
Thunder 2- (83 blue) great nick, hardly any wear, no corrosion. Speculative ebay bid, got it for no money (a better photo would have seen the price rocket!)
Concord -2-T (83 black) set up for slide and a great sound.

[Pollyanna]

Hello Pete and Welcome!

It's nice to see that you have come out of hibernation to join us all here, welcome to the family!

...and the Quo will always, always hold that special place in my rock 'n' roll heart...

Aha! a man after my own heart, methinks!

I'm sure you know the procedure by now, give us a look at your geetars!

Pauline

[corsair]

Yeah, g'day Pete - good to see ya back in the fold as it were!! I'm picking that you're a Brit as the Quo were never that big in the US, and hardly register down under...

Who the hell is Gorilla Ron?

And you notice that Westone.info has dropped this forum from his links, Polly?!

[toxbass]

Ah, Gorilla Ron was a bass player in a band I was in the eighties. Great bloke. I just couldn't figure out how I could only play the drums (I'd bought into the all drummers are dim theory) and he was a guitar god. Years later I worked out that it wasn't as difficult as I'd thought.

[hendrik]

Hello to all Westone fan's,

I became one last year, 2008.

Name: Hendrik

Age: 43

Nationality: German

Living in beautiful Switzerland

Started playing guitar again after twenty years after recovering from a serious illness.

On a flea market I found my WESTONE CONCORD III.
One Pickup broken, guitar dirty and smelling like....
But just 80 CHF.
So I bought the guitar with the idea to use it for rebuilding it.
New Pickups etc...

But then after the cleaning and doing some research on the net I decided differently.
Now the Concord is in perfect conditions and sounds just brilliant.
Started me looking for some other Westones, so far a Spectrum SP6112 I found.

Other guitars, Fender Telecaster, Hagström XL5 and for travelling a Hohner GT3.

[Pollyanna]

Hello Hendrik and Welcome!

WOW! That Concord III in your avatar looks lovely! Well done for bringing her back to life!

I see that you have already tried to put some photos up in the Members Westones forum. If you don't have any success when you try again, PM me and I will sort it out for you.

Pauline

[halo71]

Well guess I never posted and introduced myself here. My name is Gary, I am 38 and have been playing guitar since around age 16. I've had many guitars over the years, mainly Jackson, Charvel, Kramer, a few ESP and Fenders. I bought my first Westone around 1989 or so, it's not one of the vintage types you guys have but nonetheless its a sweet player. Even with the weak pups which I need to switch out. Right now I am really only playing and collecting vintage Kramer guitars. Something about them always draws me back to them. Not playing in any bands right now. I love tweaking/modding/refinishing guitars! Have about 4 other project guitars right now including a Westone Dana Limited that I just acquired today! And in the not too distant future I will be building a copy of a vintage Peavey Vandenberg out of mahogany. I am married with a 9 year old daughter that is my world! Glad to be here! And that's my story!

[Pollyanna]

Hello Gary and a great big 'official' Welcome from me!

I know that you've been around for a while now but it's always nice when someone introduces themselves in here as well. I think that it makes everyone seem less anonymous and creates a much friendlier atmosphere.

What more can I say? You know the drill by now... get some piccies up! (That's if you haven't already done so).
Sorry if I'm asking you to do something that you might already have done, but it's hard to keep track of everybody who has posted photos, without actually trawling through each and every thread/post.

Pauline

[halo71]

^ Yeah I think I have already posted most of my herd. Only have 2 Westones right now. And one of those is on life support! lol Just got her today and she's in bad shape!

[corsair]

And one of those is on life support! lol Just got her today and she's in bad shape!

Oh, boy, do we all know THAT feeling!! Welcome, Gary; love yer work!

[halo71]

Thanks dude! I gotta work nights this weekend so I wont be able to do much. I will take some pics of the Dana body and post them. I kinda stopped working on it this weekend. Because I have a '89 Fender HM body I am refinishing. I just got it in primer and will have it painted next week. Then its being traded off to a friend for an Ibanez body, a Jackson neck and a few other things. I got some random parts laying around, gonna build a few mutts from them. Also got a MINT BRAND NEW Floyd Rose Discovery body. Not sure what I am gonna do with it yet. Guy I got it off of took the neck, electronics, tremolo and everything and gave me the body. He bought it brand new and done this. Said he is gonna make a "travel guitar body" and use all the parts off this body! How insane is that I thought.

[Trevor]

Hi everyone my name is Trevor, I am Male, 46 years new & Australian.
I have recently become the proud owner of a Red 86 Spectrum SX.
Condition is reasonably good with just a few chips around the strap areas.
It has the bendmaster deluxe Trem.
One volume & one tone.
One knob is broken & the trem bar missing.
The nut has sadly been replaced with a generic locking version & is probably the biggest down fall of the guitar.
Minor fret ware & the centre pickup seems to be not working.
Volume pot also seems a bit dicky.
Only received the guitar today so early days yet.
I am a carpenter/builder by trade with a keen interest in electronics, cars, computers & of course guitars.
I dont play anymore because frankly I was never much good, however I have 2 teenage sons who both play a variety of instruments quite well. So I guess I have been relagated to being their guitar tech.
I plan to fully restore the guitar, as I seem to have a slight problem with obsessivly restoring everything I come across in life, in particular, houses, cars , surfboards & guitars.
Cheers, I'll keep you all informed on my progress.

[Pollyanna]

Hello Trevor and Welcome!

It's nice to see that you are hoping to bring your guitar back to life. I used to have an identical red Spectrum SX too and I can promise you that once you get it up and running again, you won't be disappointed, they are really nice guitars to play. I'm sure it might even encourage you to take up playing again.

Keep us posted on how the restoration goes and don't forget to put up lots of photos of the progress. Incidentally, I have moved your current photos to the 'Members Westones' forum.

Pauline