Westone Thunder 1 Natural 1980 Japan Vintage Electric Guitar

This is a Westone Thunder I electric in Natural finish. Made in Japan in 1980 this guitar features a bolt-on construction featuring a Laminated Ash/Maple/Walnut body, Maple neck and 22 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Other appointments include closed gear tuning machines and 6-saddle brass bridge. A pair of Magnet-F450 humbucking pickups are fitted and wired to a 3-way pickup selector, coil-tap switch, master volume and independent tone controls.

The neck plays well, with the ‘D’ profile feeling rather nice and slim in the hand enough for articulate lead lines & solos. This provides a confidence inspiring grip for chord playing as well as easy fretting in any register. The Gloss finish to the rear feels pleasant to the touch and aids easy transitions up and down the neck. The double cutaways enhance access to the upper register. The Rosewood of the fretboard is pleasant under the fingers, providing a smooth and durable playing surface.

The pair of Magnet-F450 humbucking pickups deliver thick and full bodied tones, well suited to rock and metal genres. The bridge is bright and fairly hot, and cuts easily through the mix to deliver a snarling drive sound on your riffs and rhythm parts. The neck is of course rounder and produces a smooth buttery sound for lead lines and solos. The onboard controls are quite extensive, with the tone controls offering a range of sounds between humbuckers and single-coils, as well as a traditional tone control. This makes the instrument really quite versatile.