What are Westone Thunder IAs worth?

[Soloshchenko]

A friend is selling one as a project. It's EXACTLY like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westone-Thunder-1A-IA-Bass-Guitar-/330616587845?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4cfa48c645

But, the input socket has been replaced and it only has one string with no case. What do you reckon it's worth? It's in pretty good nick.

[Mr. Foxen]

The later an slightly more interesting one. I'm picked up a few normal ones with P pickup and bent tin bridge in states for about £60-90 and clean them up and sell for £130-£150. I dunno if the funny hardware is a plus or not cause it makes it less compatible with fender type upgrades. They have sold more slowly of late, downturn I guess.

[Soloshchenko]

Cheers. Feels like a really good quality bass even in current condition.

[muttley]

I've noticed eBay prices seem quite healthy. Not having ever played one, what are they like for neck dive? The body shape doesn't look like it lends itself to good balance...

[cocco]

No neck dive at all. Play like lightning. More tone than you could shake a stick at. You couldn't buy a better new bass for under £400 IMO

[benebass]

[quote name='muttley' timestamp='1317329503' post='1389671']
I've noticed eBay prices seem quite healthy. Not having ever played one, what are they like for neck dive? The body shape doesn't look like it lends itself to good balance...
[/quote]

They don't really have neck dive, but the balance takes some getting used to if you're used to Fenders. Definitely a great-sounding bass for the cash though...

B.

[Soloshchenko]

The general opinion of these seems to be very positive in the bass community. I may make my friend a daft offer, re wire/ re string and sell it because it's in decent nick.

[TheGreek]

Westone Thunder 1A was my first ever bass back in the arly 80s - very impressive for a first bass - many of my friends were impressed with it especially as I only paid £100 for it. The pre-amp was pretty good IIRC and it didn't suffer from the dreaded neck dive in any way. I'd rather have one of these than many of the Fender look-alikes you see going for more money..

[Paul S]

I had one and would never have sold it on had it been lighter in weight. Immense tone and solid as a rock. Necks are fantastic - 40mm at the nut but a slightly deeper profile than a Jazz. You can get a really woody P-Bass type tone on them, too. I miss mine.

I still have it's cousin, the Thunder Jet - much lighter but with the same fantastic neck - pimped with a P-Retro pre-amp and it is the mutts. Doesn't balance quite as well as the 1A - lighter body I suppose.

[barkin]

[quote name='cocco' timestamp='1317330346' post='1389683']
No neck dive at all. Play like lightning. More tone than you could shake a stick at. You couldn't buy a better new bass for under £400 IMO
[/quote]

Don't know about the 1A - but I've a Thunder 1 (not active) and it'd take a silly amount of money to part me from it.

Very nice neck, hot pickup (somebody once told me, or I read somewhere, that it's a Di Marzio or something. Don't know if that's true, but it sounds huge...) very solidly built, and now very naturally "roadworn"

I love it to bits !

[Krysbass]

My first proper bass was a 1A and the best recommendation I can give it is that the only bass I wanted to upgrade to after that was the Thunder III that I still own. To put that in context - I could have had a new USA Fender Jazz for about the same price. As with the previous post - I doubt if anyone would pay the kind of money I'd want to part with it.