WESTONE THUNDER I-A 1A 80s 4 STRING BASS GUITAR

[eubassix]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226062469243

 

"....  all original condition aside from one nut that is black one one of the tuners, you probably wouldn't have noticed if I didn't mention it. Judging by serial number stamped on the neck plate, it is from October 1988, made in Korea...."

 

Is that (all) correct? ... the ones I've seen previously all had 'westone' (or 'W') branded neckplates & tuners, the knobs were always brass  ... and not seen a bridge like this one before.... (?)

 

 

[Rich]

Yes, I think that's right for a version 3 Thunder 1A. 

http://www.westone.info/thunder1abass.html

[Bassassin]

That's not a Mats serial or any MIJ that I'm familiar with, and if it's as clearly dateable as it looks, this is post-Matsumoku (the factory closed in 1987) and 99.9% likely to be (as the guy says) a Korean-made Thunder 1A.

 

MIK Westones are pretty uncommon compared to MIJ, & I don't think I've seen a Korean Thunder 1A before.

 

 

[tauzero]

On 26/03/2024 at 09:41, Rich said:

Yes, I think that's right for a version 3 Thunder 1A. 

http://www.westone.info/thunder1abass.html

 

The bridge looks different to the V3, it was a BBOT for all versions judging by that page.

[ahpook]

Looks exactly the same model as my old Westone, except mine had a black-painted neck.

 

 

 

[floFC]

There is an old Basschat thread here: 

With a link to:

https://westoneguitars.net/basses/thunder/
(red bass further down). Has the same bridge but a single switch.

[tauzero]

44 minutes ago, floFC said:

There is an old Basschat thread here: 

With a link to:

https://westoneguitars.net/basses/thunder/
(red bass further down). Has the same bridge but a single switch.

 

That's a far better picture of the bridge. So not BBOT on the V3 after all.

[fergs40]

This very guitar, or one very similar, has just appeared on the BC classifieds: 

 

 

I bought a MIJ Mk3 new in 1987 and still have it - mine only has one toggle switch, the back of the neck is body coloured and the battery compartment cover is completely different, though. 

[Bassassin]

19 hours ago, fergs40 said:

This very guitar, or one very similar, has just appeared on the BC classifieds: 

 

 

I bought a MIJ Mk3 new in 1987 and still have it - mine only has one toggle switch, the back of the neck is body coloured and the battery compartment cover is completely different, though. 

 

 Yep, it's the same bass as the Ebay one!

 

Yours - MIJ, 1987 - would have been the last Matsumoku version before the factory closed that year. This one's '88 so almost certainly Korean, probably using most of the original hardware/electronics from the Japanese production, with the body & neck being MIK. That would account for minor differences.

[rmorris]

On 28/03/2024 at 15:00, tauzero said:

 

The bridge looks different to the V3, it was a BBOT for all versions judging by that page.

 

The bridge is correct. I had one of these except fretless.

Knobs also correct fwiw even though they are not particularly nice esp compared to the more usual types.