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A relationship between Dana and SLM ensued, and by ’88, Sutcliffe had his own “line” of Dana Westones outfitted in his shop with his electronics. But it was this sales rep who alerted Tom Presley, guitar-brand manager at SLM, to Sutcliffe and his hot pickups, circa 1987. So Sutcliffe started using those guitars while testing the amps. Sutcliffe would use a guitar with his pickups, but the rep returned red-faced, claiming Les Pauls and Strats didn’t sound good at those settings. One of the people who called on him was the local sales rep for SLM, a non-musician who would seek help in adjusting the settings on his Crate amps. He did a lot of work converting Gibson guitars for use by Delaware rocker George Thorogood. There, in 1978 or ’79, under the supervision of John Marshall, Sutcliffe earned a master’s degree in lutherie.įollowing the Renaissance experience, Sutcliffe began repairing guitars, building custom guitars, and developing more pickups, including the active units that would make him famous. Thus began a lifelong interest in electronics, and his subsequent experience with guitars eventually landed him a job at the ill-fated Renaissance guitars. So he set about making his own replacements.
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“Dana” is Dana Sutcliffe, who at age 13 got a guitar with four of the worst pickups ever made. During this period, SLM began moving some production to Cort, in Korea. With it went the Westone brand, and SLM’s electric line became Alvarez. It’s not entirely clear, but Matsumoku may have continued making guitars until 1990. Matsumoku had started as a builder of sewing machine cabinets, and in ’87, the company was purchased by Singer Sewing Machines. In ’83, SLM entered into a joint venture with Matsumoku, and in ’84 transitioned the Alvarez brand to Westone, which had previously been used by the Japanese manufacturer. Many were made by the legendary Matsumoku Moto plant. Beginning around 1970 – maybe slightly earlier – SLM began importing electric guitars from Japan bearing the Electra brand.
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Louis Music (SLM) for its Japanese-made acoustic guitars beginning in 1966 Alvarez-Yairi models were built in Kazuo Yairi’s workshop, while Alvarez models were built elsewhere. An example of a happy accident is the invention of the Alvarez Dana Scoop.Īs a brand, Alvarez was a name originally used by St. Bad ones are when you bend over, your rear-end knocks over your axe, and suddenly you’ve “created” a headless guitar. While Fender was having its Squiers made in Korea of plywood these were likely being produced in the same factory for SLM from solid woods.The Alvarez Dana Scoop by Michael Wright, The Different Strummer There are bad accidents and there are good, or “happy” accidents. after SLM discontinued the Westone brand.Īs such they bore the Westone-Electra shaped headstock. This is an early 90s Crate Electra solid body electric fat strat style guitar. Images original Crate amp below from ebay:
#Electra westone guitar ebay serial numbers
The post 88 serial numbers coincide with the Ampeg system, but the pre 88 system is a little less organized.”
#Electra westone guitar ebay serial number
However, there were only two serial number systems in place for Crate pre 1988, and post 1988.
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“Unfortunately, there is no equivalent for Crate. Early solid state amps looked like a crate – hence the name. Crate amps have been produced since 1979.