Westone Custom Guitars
1 - Python
The Python doesn't actually exist as a model in its own right, it was a custom finish available to order from the Westone Custom Shop in St Louis. (The one below is the Python finish on a Corsair GT) The Python finish could be applied to just the headstock, body front (As on the one below) or over the whole body. The chrome skull knobs on this one are not the original knobs.
The January 2003 issue of Vintage Guitar magazine contains an article on the snakeskin finished Westones. According to that article, the costs for the finish were:
- Headstock - $75
- Body - $400 (Actual cost $200)
- Full (Headstock and body) - $450
The article also gives total numbers made for each possible covering:
- Headstock - 200 to 300
- Body - 200
- Full (Headstock and body) - 50
All these figures should probably be taken with at least a large pinch of salt. There are a number of inaccuracies in the article, including:
- XA guitars were produced from 86 to 89 (Unlikely since they were made for the 65th anniversary of SLM in 1987)
- There were two XA models, the XA1230 and 1330 (There were about 10 different models)
- The snakeskin finish was offered on the XA models (But the one shown above is not an XA model)
- XA guitars were almost certainly made by Matsumoku, and by 1989 guitar production had moved to Korea (Matsumoku closed in February 1987, the majority of XA guitars would not have been made there)
2 - Corsair GT custom
A Corsair GT with added DSR5 Harmonic Enhancer. Available in Black (WE7450BK), Light Blue (WE7450LB), Metallic Red (WE7450MTR), (All priced at $675, Oct 1989 pricelist), Transparent Blue (WE7450TRB) and Transparent red (WE7450TRR), both priced at $750
3 - Corsair Pro custom
A Corsair Pro with added DSR5 Harmonic Enhancer, available in Black (WE7550BK) and Metallic Blue (WE7550MTB), both priced at $725 (October 1989 pricelist)
4 - Spectrum II custom
As the Spectrum II but with a Dan Armstrong pickup. Available in Black (WE4410BK), Red (WE4410RD) or White (WE4410WH) at $550 (October 1989 pricelist)
5 - Spectrum GT WE6410 and WE6411
Again, these were available to order. They featured a Dan Armstrong DA015 'Rock Monster' bridge humbucker.
Models available were - WE6410BK (Black) WE6411BK (Black with Rosewood fingerboard) WE6410CKB (Crackle Red/Blue, pictured) WE6410CKW (Crackle White) WE6410FLP (Fluorescent Pink) WE6410MTB (Metallic Blue) WE6410 MTR (Metallic red) WE6410WH (White We6410YL (Yellow)
The Custom guitars are featured in the 1989 'New Horizons' catalogue and pricelist