”The Westone brand is inextricably linked to the famous Matsumoku factory, a name that in the imagination of Japanese vintage enthusiasts is a bit like the Japanese Kalamazoo.
Lorenzo
Westone, we said, was probably the high-level proposal par excellence of Matsumoku production, a brand reserved for the production of high-end and equally high-quality instruments.
Produced from 1983 to 1986, the Rainbow I third version is a high-class semi-hollow, with a central block made of a mahogany / maple / mahogany sandwich, which gives both softness of sound and sustain, giving it a round voice with a great attack. The body is made of Canadian maple laminate, the 3-piece maple neck with rosewood fingerboard is exceptionally comfortable and has absolute playability: chords and phrases come out relaxed and precise, with the utmost joy of the hand. The bridge and the beautiful tailpiece are made of solid steel.
Particular attention has been paid to the electronics: the classic 4 potentiometers, individual volumes and tones for each pickup, are enclosed in steel cans that prevent dust from entering and shield the circuit from interference: in addition to being a very quiet instrument, it is absent the typical problem of oxidation and rustling given by the deposition of dust inside the potentiometers.
The pickups are the excellent MMK75 in alnico II (in the brochure are called Super Twin 750), a classic of the top models made in Matsumoku, which enthusiasts know well as they are among the best reproductions of Gibson PAFs and, as such, very sensitive to the tones of the wood and the dynamics of the touch, with a beautiful and typical round and mellow voice.
Instrument that excels in clean and saturation, it exalts itself in the territories of fusion and jazz and is still perfectly at ease in blues, funky as in rock, thanks also to the perfect construction of the central block and especially to the high playability of the neck, to the well-kept and perfectly shielded electronics and to the splendid and versatile pickups. An all-round professional instrument with a personality and a voice all of its own and which makes versatility its pride.
Specifications:
Version 3 (1983-85?)
As shown in the 1983 catalog – same as version 2, except for – Different shape on the f holes.
The body is laminated maple, 3 ply Maple neck, centre block is Maple/Mahogany/Maple (NDR: there is an error, actually it is mahogany / maple / mahogany
).
Rosewood fingerboard, 24.75 inch scale 22 frets.
Long travel bridge (All steel), Swiftlok tailpiece (More ornate than the early model).
2 covered Super Twin 750 (MMK 75) pickups, 2 volume and 2 tone controls (All pots shielded in individual steel cans).
Available in Antique Walnut and Antique Maroon.
