Product: Westbury Custom
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
04/30/2007
at
11:17pm
by
Gordon
Features
:
10
My Westbury Custom is similar to the Super Custom listed here, as it is an arch-top, set neck, MOP inlaid crowns on the fretboard, medium frets, Gibson-like neck. MOP Westbury name and logo on the headstock. Symmetrical double cutaway body. It also has the german curve on the edge, with a hip cutaway on the upper back, making it very comforatble guitar to play. The Custom didn't have the edging, so no lifting!
I'm unsure of the model number, but I was told this model had two different pickups that work in conjunction with the 6-position switch. The neck pickup is humbucking in dual and single coil modes, and the bridge pickup is humbucking and single-coil modes. The 6-position switch also puts these out of phase for many tonal variations. Standard volume and tone for each pickup, and the requisite toggle switch to one or the other or both.
The bridge is the rectangular long-throw adjustable. The finish is absolutely beautiful. This one is a deep brown - no sunburst - showing gorgeous wood grain on front and back. All hardware is gold plated, now showing signs of wear, but hey, I've been playing this beast for 25 years or more now.
Sound
:
10
The tonal variations of this guitar are remarkable. I can get pretty darn close to Tele, Strat, Les Paul, ES-335, etc. by simple adjustment of hte pickup switch and volume and tone knobs. I especially like the sustaint he guitar has, no doubt due to the excellent wood choice and heavy hardware.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Action is low, but not as low as I could get it, simply because I like to bend and if it went much lower the strings would slip off my fingertips when bending! Quality is evident in that I've never had to adjust the neck in all my years of playing this beauty.
The finish is clear and solid, really protecting the guitar. Takes a lot to ding it, but I do have a few of those now.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
I'll probably have to change the pickup selector switch before long - it's just plain wearing out. But 25 years...
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been playing guitar for over 35 years now. I pump this ax through a Pod, Standel solid state amps (also 35+ years old) and other gear, and it sounds great. I recently put a Roland synth pickup on it and it tracks pretty well for an add-on. I'd love to find another Westbury like this one. I think I paid $300 for guitar and case in the early 80's from a pawn shop in Portland, Maine.
