Westfield LP

[northlight]

They do not have a maple top but then neither did the original Gibson fretelss wonders.

Are you sure about this? Taken from their website :-

"Deluxe Custom version of the E4000, the E4500 adds flamed maple top, fitted neck, gold hardware, extra abalone detail and denser body wood (for richer tone)"

 

[northlight]

I feel for you Bro, hope you manage to get a job soon.

Thanks mate, much appreciated.

 

[whateverlikesgadge]

Are you sure about this? Taken from their website :-
"Deluxe Custom version of the E4000, the E4500 adds flamed maple top, fitted neck, gold hardware, extra abalone detail and denser body wood (for richer tone)"

Yep I'm positive on that one its a veneer only on the flametop models and just paint on the solid colour models.

I have dismantled a couple of these while modding.
The solid colour one I own has no veneer and no maple top.
Take a close look at one when you get a chance.

Yep I'm in the job mkt also, so good luck with finding one.

 

[pawpek]

Next time I do a string change, I'll scrape a bit of the black paint off and see how thick the top is. My guess is just a few mm's, which I bet is just like an Epi.

Good luck with finding a job too.

 

[whateverlikesgadge]

Rally are again a brand already mentioned by quite a few people with wood specs close to a NORVIL made Gibson.

Oops I meant to say "norlin made gibson"

But yeah try scraping off the paint mine didn't have any in the neck cavity but the control cavity was painted.

 

[northlight]

Yep I'm in the job mkt also, so good luck with finding one.

And you mate.

Pawpek it will be very interesting to see what you find... The more i look at your pics, the more i can feel the G.A.S. Never thought i would say that about a Westfield, no offence.

 

[pawpek]

And you mate.

Pawpek it will be very interesting to see what you find... The more i look at your pics, the more i can feel the G.A.S. Never thought i would say that about a Westfield, no offence.

Non taken, but I know what you mean though,

I would love to own this...

08 1959 Gibson reissue £3,600 (price gone up thanks guys!!! )

But got this...

Westfield E4500 copy £159. Hope you manage to get to play one!

 

[pedroelfufu]

hi. got a couple of questions about upgrading my westfield e4500. are the humbuckers 4 wire? I play mostly 60's rock, what would be a good pup to upgrade to for that sound?

 

[whateverlikesgadge]

I would upgrade the pots and caps before going the pickup route.
If the pickups on your guitar are J&B Korean manufacture they are actually pretty good. But other than that for your tastes I would say Seymour Duncans. Either a JB model or the Full Shreds which are actually medium output. The volume and tone pots on the westfield are junk however.

Hope that helps.

 

[pedroelfufu]

I would upgrade the pots and caps before going the pickup route....
The volume and tone pots on the westfield are junk however.

Hope that helps.

Cheers for the quick response. i've seen a jimmy page les paul upgrade kit on ebay, new pots, shielded wire and orange .22 caps. in the description it says I need 4 wire humbuckers. is this the normal amount of wires for a humbucker?
you can probably tell i'm new to all this.

 

[pedroelfufu]

I found out that my guitar isn't a 4 wire from the guy at axesrus. ordered one of his wiring kits with some new speed controls and some shielding for behind the pups. I'll post a picture when I'm finished the work on it. luckily I have some good technicians where I work who will do all the soldering for me. next thing on the shopping list is an orange tiny terror combo.

 

[SoundwaveLP]

It's freakin' awesome! One thing I don't like though is the inlays. I find the multi color reflective inlays make guitars look tacky.

 

[pawpek]

It's freakin' awesome! One thing I don't like though is the inlays. I find the multi color reflective inlays make guitars look tacky.

Thanks, the inlays are abalone. I think they did it to make it look richer. I like them compaired to the Epi plastic ones

 

[pedroelfufu]

So I upgraded the pots, with what look like larger ones. As I don't have a clue about electronics it's the only thing I could tell about them. Had a couple of Sprague drop orange .22 caps soldered in. A new pup switch and copper shielding in and around the pots.
The result?
The sound seems fuller, there's no interferance whatsoever when used with a decent tube amp......oh yes I got the tiny terror combo. It now sleeps with me in the bed while the missus gets the sofa.

 

[whateverlikesgadge]

I'll be re wiring mine with some new caps 50's style soon.

 

[ptate]

Nice Axe.

I just bought a used, early model Westfield Custom (pre-abalone) tobacco sunburst model for next to nothing. "Mint condish" (to quote School of Rock) and it is sweet.

I also currently own two 1970 Gibson Les Paul Deluxes, an '04 Custom Shop Gibson LP Custom, A re-shaped head/logoed early Keiper black beauty loaded with EMG's (hot passives).

I've also owned an early Epiphone (Korean) LP, Epi Custom Plus Custom, Ebony Gibson Standard (1991), 2004 Gibson faded 50 Les Paul and lots of other makes from the 60's - 80's (Antoria to Ibanez)

One thing I can say, is that these Chinese guitars; whilst tonally, do suffer from crap electrics; are generally really well made and play very sweet. Anyone who disagrees is either a guitar snob or needs to gen up on their playing - Don't blame the tools syndrome......!

I use the Custom, Keiper and Westfield on stage with my band and they get hammered (I'm not a delicate player..!). We cover anything from Skid Row- Metallica-Dio-Ozzy (Randy & Zakk eras)) and they scream, look shit hot and play every bit as good as the real one.

Get some new pots/caps in it and it's live with anything.

 

[TeleDog]

Very nice guitar!

Out of curiosity, how much does it weight?

The pickups seem to be the same kind that come with many DIY kits for sale here in the States. The headstock, body shape, everything is exactly like a Gibson, I wonder if they're concerned about a law suit. I don't know, but this is not the 70's and most serious companies at least try to avoid getting sued by the big boys such as Gibson and Fender.

 

[ptate]

They're lighter than a standard custom (unrelieved) Les Paul, but not by much.

Main differences between one of these and the Gibsons are in the detail; here's a few:

Headstock shape.
Smaller and thinner body (marginally)
smaller headstock (marginally)
Tonewoods
Fretboard material (ebony on a real custom)
Edge of frets are open, not bound
Non-NOP inlays
Cheap electrics
Position of Vol/Tone controls

However, you only notice the vast majority of the "little" differences whn you put them back-to-back.

 

[TeleDog]

Problem here is that Gibson will not be satisfied with obscure details that are not apparent to the every day customer.

Even companies that had a headstock only resembling that of Gibson's were forced to comply and drastically change the design.

Either this is just a very small company building from kits (that's what I think) or they are just lucky....

 

[ptate]

Hey Teledog,

Nah, Westfield are established (Wikipedia):

"Westfield guitars are a Scottish based guitar brand, owned by P&R Howard (Music) Ltd.

Experts in budget guitars, they produce and sell acoustic, electric and bass guitars. The majority of their electric guitar models are based on the styles of famous brands such as the Fender Stratocaster and Gibson SG and Gibson Les Paul. Westfield bass guitars are mostly copies of Fender bass models, although a few copies of Warwick bass guitars have been produced..

Westfield guitars were established in 1989 from the owner (and now Managing Director) Paul Howard's garage, turning over £19,000 in the first year. The company has grown to a turnover of £4.6 million in 2005 and now operates out of a warehouse in East Kilbride, Scotland.[1] They are now the largest distributor of musical instruments in Scotland.[citation needed]".

Take a look at their website:

P&R Howard (Music) Ltd - Westfield Guitars

And the parent company:

P&R Howard Music Ltd - Manufacturers and Distributors of Musical Instruments in the UK. Westfield Guitars, Sheridan Guitars, Meridian Products

I'd be happy to be a small kit builder for £4.6M per year............