Lewis Fieldhouse Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Hey guys. Im looking for a first bass. I've spied the Japanese made Westone's on Ebay for very reasonable prices. I've heard mixed things about them on this forum. does anyone have any clear cut advice on a Spectrum DX or a Tunder? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grossey Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 My first bass was a Westone Spectrum DX, back in '86. I traded up for a Fender Jazz in about 93/94. Wish I had kept it (don't we all say that now), bought it with "Christmas money" a day or so before by bithday, should have waited as I recall got more bithday money that I predicted, so wouldn't have had to trade it in. I particulaly miss the matt/satin neck, which worked well for my sweaty teenage hands! I also recall the pickup being a particulaly comfortable thumbrest (moreso than the "sharp" jazz edge or the annoying screw on a P pickup). That said, I got rid of it bacause I thought it looked a bit "80's metal". Whilst I would buy one again (in black) for old times sake, if I were to buy a Westone without any sentimentality, I would now go for a Thunder 1A. However, if you are on a tight budget, I bet the Spectrums go for less than the Thunders, so you might get a mega-bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 My first bass was a Westone Spectrum DX in red back in 1989. They're not bad basses. Nothing special, but good as a starter instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 TBH you'd be better off nabbing the 20th anniversary Squier on sale on this forum! Not much more money and it's a better bass (IMO etc). [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/168493-squier-20th-anniversary-precision-price-drop-see-inside/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/168493-squier-20th-anniversary-precision-price-drop-see-inside/page__fromsearch__1[/url] But, if you've chosen the Spectrum because of its looks, then you should go for that. They're not bad basses at all! Cheers Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1330338599' post='1555768'] TBH you'd be better off nabbing the 20th anniversary Squier on sale on this forum! Not much more money and it's a better bass (IMO etc).[/quote] Affinity series P vs Westone made in Japan by Matsumoku... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Fieldhouse Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 thanks for the advice chaps. I was bidding on a Thunder Jet in the end and some one had a higher maximum bid on it - just lost out! Would have been a bargain. I'll take a look at that squire. Thanks again lads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='Lewis Fieldhouse' timestamp='1330345206' post='1555879'] thanks for the advice chaps. I was bidding on a Thunder Jet in the end and some one had a higher maximum bid on it - just lost out! Would have been a bargain. I'll take a look at that squire. Thanks again lads! [/quote] No, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SQUIER!!!!!! Unless you know absolutely nothing about bass, anything made in the Matsumoku factory in Japan from 1979-1986 or 1987 are some of the best built basses and instruments ever made. The Westones and Vantages are lesser known then the Aria Pro II series, which, even in England, are legendary (SB-1000, SB-700 all heard throughout the '80s in the hands of Jack Bruce, John Taylor, Bruce Foxton, the dude from Haircut 100, you name it). Quality and sound is unparalleled. A Westone in good to great shape will always be better then the piece of rubbish Squier. YOU WILL LOVE THE FEATURES AND THE SOUND AND THE QUALITY! But then again, what do I know. I'm just an ex-pat from the other side of the pond.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1330341973' post='1555836'] Affinity series P vs Westone made in Japan by Matsumoku... [/quote] Is it me, or do bassists on your side of the pond need a good bass history lesson.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkin Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1330341973' post='1555836'] Affinity series P vs Westone made in Japan by Matsumoku... [/quote] Not sure about the Spectrum, as I've never had my paws on one, but I'd go for a Westone Thunder any day of the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I've owned a Spectrum DX since 1988. They're very solidly built and I very much like the pickup it has - it sounds marvellous! That said, they do tend to suffer from neck dive, so you'd have to take a chance with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Fieldhouse Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 So from what I'm hearing this factory used to produce some gems.... I'll hold out for one i suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I had a Westone spectrum GT, I thought I saw one for sale here recently for bout 100GBP (too lazy to look it up), really good sounding bass, very deep sound, I'm not going to elaborate on the subject, they're just really good basses! I sold mine to create some budget to buy a Vantage VP710B (jip, Matsumoku ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 [quote name='TomRichards' timestamp='1330376167' post='1556543'] Is it me, or do bassists on your side of the pond need a good bass history lesson.... [/quote] I think he was siding with the Mat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Another vote for Westone. I have played a Spectrum, which was nice, and owned 3 Thunders, all of which I preferred. The Thunder 1A I had was absolutely superb, just a real shame that they are too heavy for me to wear for any length of time now as I would use one all the time. I still have a pimped Thunder Jet that I use regularly as it is pretty lightweight. I also owned a Squier VM Jazz fretless for a while - it was nice but never quite felt like the same quality as the Westones. I really do think a Thunder 1A bass is the best value for money out there on the secondhand market. Necks on these are really good - slightly wider than a Jazz but a comfy shape, 40mm at the nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 [quote name='Musky' timestamp='1330560169' post='1559605'] I think he was siding with the Mat. [/quote] Yep. The Spectrum series were budget basses but they were well built. Mine cost £75 (used) in 1989 and, to me at the time, felt like a better bass than the Squier range (which were around £180 new). They had obviously saved money on finishing (painted neck), but the components felt solid and it sounded okay. Like a lot of instruments I've owned I sold it not because I didn't like it, but because I needed something else more (a guitar amp). Experience has taught me that nostalgia isn't all it's cracked up to be when it comes to basses, so I'm hesitant to say they're great, but they certainly aren't bad instruments. If I saw one in a guitar shop, I'd certainly pick it up to try it. I probably wouldn't look twice at the Squier Affinity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 While Westone is sometimes thought of as the "bastard child" of Matsumoku, it was actually their premier line, and when you get to some of the anniversary addition of the Genesis XA6520 in 1987 you would be hard pressed to find a bass that was more innovative, better built, better sounding and as versatile. The Aria Pro II's are clearly the Mercedes of the Matsumoku made basses, but the 1986-1988 Westones are as good if not better in many ways. The Westone Super Headless basses are prized, at least here, to this day and are definitely as good as any early Status headless, and I would put them on par with some of my Steinberger Q4s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matski Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 How about this one? It's a quality bass! http://basschat.co.uk/topic/159514-aria-pro-ii-sb600-1985-blacknatural-l225/page__p__1555209__hl__aria__fromsearch__1#entry1555209 I'm not selling it BTW or have any reason to plug it, other than the fact that I bought a very similar bass back in 1983 and still have it. I part-exchanged my Westone Thunder 2A fretless to buy it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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