Westone Thunder IA

There have been at least 5 versions of the Thunder IA - thanks to forum members Tele, Adam and Chutzpah for help in identifying the differences

Version 1 (1981-2)

As shown in the 1981 catalogue

(Pics courtesy of  Ebay member boppthebutler)

v1 Thunder IAv1 Thunder IAv1 Thunder IA1981 Thunder IA headstock

The extra strap button is not original, this guitar was played for a while by a left-handed player

Version 2 (1982-3)

As shown in the 1982/3 catalogue.

Version 3 (1983-5)

Shown in the 1983 catalogue. As version 2, except for -

Thunder IA

Version 4 (1985?)

I've tentatively dated this one to 1985 as it seems to fall between the versions above and below. There are several changes from the previous model.

I can't date this one accurately as it's one of the very few Westone I've ever seen with no serial number.

Version 5 (1985 or 86 onwards)

This 1986 Thunder IA  has

Thunder IA frontThunder IA body frontThunder iA body backThunder iA headstock

Also available in black

Thanks to Steven Heddle for this picture (The knobs on this guitar are not original - this guitar dates from May 1986 and the original knobs were brass)

To challenge the point made above about 1986 Thunder 1As originally coming with brass knobs, I have the following image from Eduardo Allende in an email in April 2012:

Eduardo states: "I own a Black Westone Thunder IA. I bought it new in December 1986 in Spain (it's a May 1986 model, serial nº 6050149). I've seen in the Thunder IA page that the 1986 black models had brass knobs. Well, at least one of them had not. Mine had (and still has) black ones, as you can see in the attached picture with the original knobs."

I am awaiting a response from Eduardo on the material that the knobs are manufactured from. To my eyes they look metallic (rather than the plastic 'Fender Strat' style ones used in the image above Eduardo's), so they could still be brass, but then coloured black...

Production seems to have ceased around 1987/1988 (Does not feature in the 1988 UK pricelist, but does appear in shop pricelists from magazines in late 1987)