The Electra Forums

Hello Fellow Electra Players,

I purchased the above listed model back in 1983 from a close friend who decided to play Bass guitar. ( He gave that up too )

I played it a lot from 1983 to 1993 and it has been sitting under my bed in its case for the last decade or more.

The real Gibson Les Paul players used to freak at "How do you get that sound out of a "Copy" ?

It is all original and needs some work.

The pot's are a little scratchy sounding and it has a couple of slight dings from the decade or so of use, frets are worn, but over-all in fair condition but not stage ready anymore.

It even has the brochures, tags and instruction booklet still in the case.

I had it strobed in at South Paw Guitars in Houston Texas in 1990 and bought a replacement hard shell case for it. The owner / technician lost the MPC cover obove the neck adjustment.

Do you think it's worth it to put another couple of hundred buck's into it now to restore it to a gig worthy axe or post it on ebay to find a new home with someone who can give it proper care & restoration.

It is a special guitar in some ways but, I would not plug in and tune up with anyone at full volume due to the scratching when adjusting the voume & tone controls.

Feel free to tell me like it is.

Hmmm. Have you tried contact cleaner on the pots at all? Sometimes that's all the pots need.

Is a light re-crown all that is needed on the frets? If so, normally that is not too expensive.

Even if it does need pots I would think it would be worth it to bring up to speed. You'll be hard pressed to find anything in it's price range to compare in today's new gutiar market.

I have had the pots cleaned in an attempt to salvage the originals, it sounded ok for friendly jamming, but not quite clean enough. I think they're scratched if that means anything.

The real problem is that there was too much plug & play re-string with a light polish and repeat and very little done at the right time in the way of good maintenance.

It was too easy to play the replacement Epiphone Les Paul Copy right out of Guitar Center for the next decade. It's starting to scratch out as well.

So it would appear that I need someone to show me how to do the pot cleaning thing myself.

Especially if continuing the "Dusty Floored" Barn Jams.

I did tune it up today and play it "Un-Plugged" for a while, there is a tone there to be appreciated.

I'll inquire with some local Guitar Shops...the restoration may be a good birthday present to myself.

Well, HAPPY BIRTHDAY then!