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
Body - laminated Ash, Maple and Walnut
Neck
- 3-ply Maple, Rosewood fingerboard. 24.75 inch scale, 22 frets
2 Magnet-F450 pickups, 3 way selector
switch
Controls - coil tap, phase, active on/off
switches. Master volume, master tone, equalizer volume (Active gain) As with
later models, the active tone control gives plus or minus 25db off the centre
(Zero) position, unlike later models the gain is variable (Up to 13db boost)
Brass nut knobs and bridge - the bridge
saddles are barrel shaped, like the saddles on the Thunder basses. This version
does not have through-body stringing.
Script logo on the headstock
The
upper strap button is fitted to the outside of the top horn.
(Pics courtesy of Ebay member boppthebutler)
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.
Body/neck wood specs
as above, Westone script logo on the headstock, plain brass knobs.
Different bridge with through-body stringing.
2 HF450 pickups
Different active circuit - controls are master volume, passive tone, equalizer
tone. This circuit has the same tonal control range as the earlier one but
the gain is not adjustable. (Though as with the Thunder IIA the catalogue
specs may be wrong - some early 1983 models still had the original adjustable
gain active circuit)
Available in Light Oak, Ash Black and Sunset Red (Red and black
finishes had a natural centre stripe)
Version 3
(1983-5)
Shown in the 1983
catalogue.
As version 2, except for -
Headstock features the W 'bird' logo, the active tone knob has B-O-T (Bass,
O, Treble) etched on it the same as some PEQ knobs
2 Hammer I pickups
The
upper strap button is fitted to the inside of the top horn.
Available in Light Oak, Apple Red or Black.
Models with the solid red or black finishes had solid Maple bodies
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. The coil tap and phase
switches are push/pull switches, and the bridge and string retainer are
steel not brass. The nut is graphite (Common on Westones from 1984 on),
the knobs are the Switchmaster models and the mounting holes on the
back plate for mounting the active circuit PCB have moved, presumably
because of the extra height in the control cavity that the push/pull
pots needed.
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 different pickups (With the Westone logo) to earlier models and the
coil tap and phase switches are pull switches on the vol and tone pots.
The pickup selector is in a different position and it has a different
headstock logo and steel bridge and saddles. 2 humbuckers, 3 way
switch, passive/active coil tap and phase switches, volume, active and
passive tone controls.
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)
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)