The Electra Forums

Hey all, figured this one might be a bit rare so I'd throw it out there:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/msg/3008290899.html

Matsumoku closed their doors in January of 1987, so unless it is from that month, it is Korean made, as are all the '1987 Anniversary' offerings. I hate to sound shallow or worse, but there is a world of difference between the Japanese and Korean crafted instruments.

Seller isn't asking a whole lot, and it might be worth it to request a closeup of the neckplate.

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Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch

Ha, believe me, I hold the same biases. I've tried a few old Grecos and love them, but I wouldn't touch the newer Chinese-made (I believe) ones

The Anniversary models were MIJ; my Genesis II has the Matsumoku neckplate and all the attention to detail that that implies!! Mines also a little odd as it has the controls is different positions to standard, and as far as I can tell, has never been modified!

Great playing guitar, too...



...it's the one at the top left.

I have a couple of the MIK Westones, too, one of which has become my favourite to play at the minute; a Spectrum II SP1012 simply because of its short scale, and simply wondrous neck! The stock pickups are perhaps a little bland, but they're OK and the build quality is very good indeed. And....

...wait for it....

...it's ply!!



I've got a couple of Westone Clippers, too, that are MIK, but are great playing guitars and i reckon they look too cool; super Teles always trump super strats in my book!



Once again the pups are a little sterile, but doesnt everybody run outboard sound modification of some sort? Just a little delay and reverb even?

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Nice grouping there! I do not claim to be a Westone historian, but I read somewhere that the Japanese plant closed in January of 1987... I suppose you can't believe everything you read on the Internet.

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Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch

Link for you here Mike from the man himself...

http://forum.westoneguitars.net/t928-87 ... rampa#7596

Matsumoku as I have been able to confirm did close in January - February of 1987 (no, there was no fire) and while some of the XA models were produced in Japan others were not. Tom has stated in other posts over at Westone that they did not monkey with ancestry of builds ever, if the neck plate says MIJ then it is.

I am surmising here but as much of the 1987 and recently following models were basically Mats components, the 1530's & 1630's especially, and much of the former Mats crew were kept together thru 1987 Tom's point on build quality is valid.

I have 2 Genesis I models and used to own a 3rd and they are a fantastic guit. Extremely few Jacksons, Charvels or Kramers I have personally handled can come even close in comparison to the overall build and from a viewpoint of price it becomes an absurdity to try a comparison.

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...throw me a frickin' bone here, people...