They also tend to have position markers beyond the 12th fret located an the edge of the fretboard instead of the centre. Korean instruments are identified by checking the neck for a scarf joint. Dates and manufacturer are unknown but some may have been made by Samick. These tend to be Super Strat type copies rather than original designs and as near as we can determine the majority of better made guitars and basses were Korean made. We speculate that this was to avoid any potential copyright infringement at the time. We have seen instruments stamped with the Westone ‘bird’ logo accompanied by the word Weston. That should tell you all you need to know.Īvoid! (More info on Indian Westone in this Forum thread discussion ) Addendum April 2016 “Weston” brand (no “e”) This site also sold similar poor merchandise under bastardized versions of well known brands such as Givson and Fendar. These were cheap and somewhat gaudy looking acoustics and bear absolutely no resemblance to a Mats made instrument whatsoever. We’re also aware of the Westone brand that was featured on a now defunct Indian site selling guitars of dubious quality. They are considered to be inferior instruments and are definitely not covered here. ChineseĬhinese made “Westones” are also seen occasionally but are mostly copies of traditional American styles. Our Best guess is that they were likely made in China but under relatively good quality control. The products in no way resemble the MIJ or MIK post-Mats models, but were copies of traditional guitar configurations. Germanįor a brief period, roughly late 2010 to early 2012, the Westone brand was revived by a German company, Musik-Meyer, which is still in business but no longer selling Westone guitars. While you may find a few early post-Mats Korean made instruments listed here, we do not feature them, concentrating primarily on the Japanese made Matsumoku’s. We are also gathering information on the range of Westone Prestige guitars designed by renowned British luthier Sid Poole and built by Status-Graphite in England in the late 1990’s. Here, you will find information, history, pictures and specifications of these amazing instruments. Louis Music during a period of 10 years from 1981 to 1991. Westone guitars and basses were made by Matsumoku (or “Uncle Mats” as we affectionately refer to it) in Japan and subsequently in Korea for St. Notable musicians who have used Westone models include Trevor Rabin (of Rabbitt and Yes), Ian Masters (of Pale Saints), Leslie West (of Mountain), Kirk Pengilly (of INXS), Isaac Brock (of Modest Mouse) and Dave Brock (of Hawkwind).The guitar legacy of Matsumoku Industrial Co. Upon the end of production, many Westone guitars and basses have become collectors items. Designers then emphasized features such as custom pickups and electronics.
Though initially popularized as inexpensive, entry-level guitars particularly useful for students, the transition into Asian manufacturing in the 80s represented a fundamental change in production. After about 1988 production moved to Korea, most of the innovative models disappeared, and the brand name was replaced by Alvarez in 1991. The majority of the Westone guitars of the 1980s were made by the Matsumoku factory in Japan and imported by Saint Louis Music. From 1985 onwards, the guitars were branded as Westone. In 1984, they merged the brands to make the Electra-Westone brand. Electra was also a brand of Saint Louis Music. as a replacement brand-name for the Custom Kraft-brand instruments manufactured by Kay and Valco in the mid-1950s. The firm Saint Louis Music acquired an interest in the company in 1981 and began importing the brand to the U.S. Westone is a brand of guitars and basses started in the mid-1970s.
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