The Electra Forums

Gentlemen,

As someone who has written for publication of some sort since 1991, I'm a big "book guy". I have plenty of books about guitars --- the Tony Bacon Les Paul books, the recent Stratocaster coffee-table book, "The Beauty Of The Burst", and so on. As I've gone through some of the collections here and spoken to some of the players at ElectraFest, it's occurred to me that we deserve a book as well.

Right now, Electras are a rather small hobby, but there are plenty of guitars out there and they are becoming more valuable by the minute. So although there might be little initial demand for such a book, the mere existence of the book might grow the hobby --- and it would also help support prices of these guitars on the used market.

The people at Lulu charge $39.00 each for a 120-page, full-color, traditionally-bound hardcover.

I would be willing to write the book, to do the interviews, and to do as much of the graphic design as I was competent to accomplish. What we'd need for such a book:

* Interviews with as many of the main players at SLM as possible, which I would travel to do or accomplish via Internet/phone.

* Good, solid, high-quality photos of every Electra we can find. We'd have to agree on some basic standards for size, white background, and so on, and then we could each contribute our own. I would work with "real" photogs where possible.

* A few people to help me understand the history, specifications, and details of each guitar.

* As much information as every forum member is willing to dump on me, in whatever format works best for them.

There would be no markup on the book for EF members; we'd just pay whatever the publisher charges. We could also list the book on Amazon and use the stupendous profits to pay for a party at ElectraFest 2011. I'm guessing that some of the more musically-oriented bookstores out there, like City Lights in SF, might order a copy or two.

Naturally, I think the "Best Of Show Sparklecaster" should be on the cover... just kidding. Probably a Pro Endorser or something that looks uniquely Electra. Maybe a collection of guitars. Maybe Leslie West passed out in a porta-potty. I don't know. That would be for the membership to decide collectively.

The kind of books I'm looking to emulate:

http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Burst-Book ... =8-1-spell

http://www.amazon.com/Stratocaster-Chro ... =8-1-spell

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Electrics ... 363&sr=1-8

I figure with enough photography and stories from the members I could have it done by Spring. What do you guys think?

P.S. I'm completely willing to do this alone, at which point the book will be called "The Exciting Story Of The Electra Phoenix, April 1980 - April 1983".

I would be completely on board and willing to help in any way. I think it's a great idea! I want a first edition!!!!

For what it's worth, me too!!

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Jack, I think that's a brilliant idea. I appreciate you offering you're knowledge, skill, and time. Someone is gonna do this at some point.....and I think it should be you if you can pull it off.

It might just be the first guitar book that is brought forth by it's subject's forum of collectors. There certainly will be no shortage of nice photos for reference.

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JD's Electras

Great idea Jack. Would you consider broadning the scope to make it Electra and other Matsumoku guitars? Some of the other Matsumokus are growing in popularity too. The Aria Pro II basses come to mind, as they have exploded in popularity.

It would give you more material, as well as the chance to cover more of the history and scope of Matsumoku, which I find interesting. The whole craftsmanship in the emerging market of Japan is a phenomenon in itself.

Whatever I can do to help.

"Electra and other guitars of Matsumoku"??

Not all SLM Electras were made by Matsumoku... and not all Electras are SLM... they were just one of many Japanese Manufacturers used. The Matsumoku legacy would take another coffee table book to do justice to.

Also remember that if you dedicated only one page per model (of the SLM brand) the book would be approaching 100 pages alone.

This is a great idea, and I have no doubt that you would take it seriously Jack, but it will be a lot of work and the payoff may be, shall we say "intangible" in many respects. I don't think I'd be up to the task! Mike.

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Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch

I'm worried that Matsumoku is too big a topic for one book. To keep costs reasonable, the thing has to be sub-150 pages.

My template for this is really that "Beauty Of the Burst" book. Perhaps 10-15 pages of history, 10 pages of interviews, and then 50 two-page spreads, each covering a particular type of guitar. We'd also want to reproduce some of the ads.

I'm going to learn as much as I can about what's required to publish this thing in the upcoming week, and then I'll organize the project, hoping to complete it around April of next year.

I would be willing to add my limited knowledge and help also as well as pics. Sounds like a good idea.

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Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

I would order one. Even though I dont have a coffee table.

On the page of "About the Author", You must have a Photo of you, Pro Endorser and Red Eye jamming at the fest. That was a pretty cool site when I tuned in on the fest and you guys were jamming with Electras, surrounded by them along the walls.

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SlmGuy

A really good start would be getting a hold of X189player - the admin on here - as his collection, and knowledge of, Electra would be most beneficial to the project!! He's a good bloke as well...

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

.... and Tom Presley as well.

This sounds like a great idea;

Please let me know if I can provide any assistance;

I have been an Electra owner since 1976 or so with an initial purchase of an X110 Rock Strad;

I know - I should have kept it .............

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

i think this is a great idea.... count me in.....

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Live Better Electra-ly
http://www.therathole.org/leia/visitors_axes/leia/leia.html

This is what I'm currently thinking, subject to change:

* I will try to interview everyone who is willing to be interviewed, SLM people, current owners, you name it.

* I will try to hire some semi-pro photographers to work with the largest collectors out there. Basically I'm going to try to get a well-shot, white-background 10MP picture of every kind of Electra guitar possible and some nice detail shots as well. I'll put ads in Craiglist for photographers; I've had success with this for our race team. So I would then ask the owners to let the photographers in, help them assemble a white background, and let 'em do their thing.

* For the rest of us, I will ask you to drape a white sheet somewhere and take the best pictures you can of your guitars.

* When I have all the photos, I will announce which photos and guitars we're going to use and ask the community to come up with the best, most accurate information on each.

Right now I am thinking the guitars will be featured in order of production, ending with the Electra Westones of 1984. Maybe a page on the Crate Electras at the end, but my goal here is to mostly focus on the early production and the Matsumoku guitars.

As with the "Beauty Of The Burst" book we will ask for action/posed shots of owners with their guitars as well. The owner of each guitar will be named next to the guitar in the book or he/she can remain anonymous. I'm imagining that fifty years from now the Electra collectors will specifically refer to a "book guitar" by the name of the owner.

I've looked around and I believe that this book will further solidfy Electra's position as the "top marque" of the Japanese brands, since there are no Aria Pro/Skylark books. I don't even think there's an individual Ibanez book.

I guess I'm gonna have to gig my X640 some more and see if I can get any book-worthy pics.

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Who needs a Fender Jazz when you can get a perfectly good Spectrum bass for $50?