The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Love that colour!
This is actually a Phoenix X155 model which later became the Westone Spectrum FX.
http://rivercityamps.com/electra/x199.php

It was the top of the Spectrum line and the only one with a set neck.
But for some reason, Westone decided to produce some years with a big black stripe down the middle of the body!

Not all Westones ended up that way though if you scroll down the page:
https://westoneguitars.net/guitars/spectrum-series/spectrum-fx-x199/

This is a monster guitar in a small package.

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

This one is bolt neck with a huge neck heel area.

The Westone version is set neck. I don't know all the history between Electra and Westone but it may have been one of the changes made during the switchover.

It still had that clunky neck heel which was finally changed towards the end of the Mats run.
If you scroll to the bottom of the Westone page link you'll see how they went with the heel-less neck design used on the Prestige model. Just beautiful.

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

I saw a Westone Prestige once at a vintage guitar store many moons ago. Beautiful guitar! They were asking $800 even then. They were so proud of it they had it in a glass case.

On another note, I've posted on the Electra forums I have high resolution scans of a 3 page Vintage Guitar mag article on Electra guitars. Never heard a peep. I still have the mag too.

Prestige is nice.

https://reverb.com/item/68962687-weston ... aqEALw_wcB

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My wife yes
My dog maybe
My Vantages never

Okay, not sure what I was thinking. The Westone in the case was neck thru with a natural finish.

I had a Westone Prestige 250 and being a dumb*** sold it many moons ago.

http://www.therathole.org/guitar/here/8 ... rinfo.html

Yeah that's a beauty Neal! Go forth and self-flagellate as penance!

Despite so many fantastic design parameters Uncle Mats did manage to screw it up with the stop tail piece though.

It's a lovely and distinctive design but as we (Jorg and I) have discussed before it was made of inferior pot metal instead of something more appropriate, and it bends up and eventually breaks.

And since it is a proprietary measurement nothing off the shelf can replace it.
Owners are faced with a major repair dilemma.

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

The X155 was just another Phoenix in the already quite large catalogue of Phoenixes; some of these were active, too, with a boost circuit, a lá Vantage VA900.
The X199 - and the Westone Spectrum FX - were simply slightly upmarket versions of the basic design… BUT… later, probably the last, models of the Spectrum have the most delightful carved neck heel; think Prestige, X350 or APII PE Supra.

Yeah, I did mention that above as well. The picture of that white one on the Westone website is mouth wateringly delicious!

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com