Westone guitar prices how to#
Westone guitar prices serial number#

Fundamentally, there’s no real answer to the question.

We’re Westone enthusiasts and players we’re not merchants.

This is the most frequently asked question on the Forum, and one we wish people would stop asking, for two reasons:

Westone guitar prices serial number#

So, a serial number like D810040 would indicate that the guitar was manufactured in April 1981. These represent the production month and are interpreted as: Many early 80’s models are also seen with a letter prefixing the number. Later models (1987 onwards) have no obvious serial number and may have originally been on a sticker on the guitar. These appear from late 1987, in the format NN NN NNNN (eg 87 10 0001).Īny guitar with this sort of number was probably made in Korea. It is important to note that these are not really serial numbers, just production dates, and are not unique…84009 is extremely common! 8 digit serial numbers: The next 2 digits = the month 5-digit serials appear on some models: We presume that the interpretation for those instruments is the same for early Westones, until the 7 digit scheme was applied: Looking at dating information compiled by our friends at the Matsumoku Forum we note that 6 digits was in use until mid to late 1981. Several Westone forum members have recently presented guitars with 6 digit numbers. Addendum November 2014: 6-digit serial numbers: It is possible that the second and third digits give the month. 7-digit serials are the most common:įor example: a serial number beginning with 2 indicates a guitar made in 1982 Most Matsumoku Westones can be dated by the serial number, usually found on the back of the headstock, but some early 80’s models have the serial number on the neck plate. This is one of the two most frequently asked questions on the Forum. If you love Westone, become a member today! How old is my guitar? Whether you have a missing trem arm, or need to completely rebuild your guitar, the Westone Guitar Forum is the place to go!

Westone guitar prices how to#

There, you can discuss your instruments, recommend places to buy them, and learn how to look after them. If you’re an active collector, player or enthusiast be sure to visit the Westone Guitar Forum the definitive authority on the current state of all things Westone. We will come up with a review post once the product testing is done. Quality is dubious and it is best to avoid these instruments. The Weston brand also appears on some poorly made Chinese copies which appear to be post-Korean era builds.

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. The guitar legacy of Matsumoku Industrial Co.