The Electra Forums

This was my first new purchase. It was espoused as better than the telecaster. pics to come. the other was a later purchase, same model, except green. It's my standard for all playing.

Any comments?

The X199 is a very nice guitar. It bears little resemblance to a telecaster. The tele would typically be 2 single coils pickups with a 3 way switch. The X199 is more like a Strat in shape abd in the 3 pickups - but that's where the resemblance ends. The Strat is almost always 3 single coils with a 5 way switch. The X199 has 2 humbuckers and a single coil with tons of switching options. For its time it was really a unique guitar. I think it is still a VERY versatile guitar and, of course, being an Electra, really well made. Unfortunately for sellers, the X199 doesn't command a great deal of money. They sure are nice though.

The X199 was the top-of-the-line in the Phoenix line with a set neck; much like the Westone Spectrum FX, which also had a single locking, floating vibrato. Lovely, under-rated guitars that are starting to fetch reasonable money.

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Neither look like X199's because of the bridges - I'd bet money they are X189's.

Set neck or bolt neck?? And you're right; the X199 should have a Bendmaster bridge like this according to the catalogue, eh!



... this is the body and bridge of my Westone Spectrum GT; it's a non locking trem.

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

I guess i don't know the difference between a set neck and bolt neck.

Care to explain?

They are both Phoenix, so that has to set a time period.

I see these guitars somewhat frequently on Ebay. Most, if not all, are missing the tremolo/whammy bar.

Any thoughts as to why these bars are missing and, in my opinion, almost irreplaecable?

Well, you've got to unscrew them to put the guitar in it's case..... and not everyone uses a wang bar anyway!! They're not irreplaceable at all; these are pretty close...

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_ta ... o_Arm.html

...and there was a bloke in the UK making these actual bars a year or so ago.

"Bolt neck" is actually a misnomer as they are actually 4 big screws which hold the neck onto the body, usually with the aid of a steel plate; set neck means the neck is glued into the neck recess in the body usually with some sort of tenon arrangement.

The Phoenix were around for a fair while and generally the only way of telling them apart is the neck set up, pick-up arrangement, and bridge - not too bad on Electras as they were nearly all Tekglides; the Westone Spectrums had the same deal re. pick-ups and necks but with 3 or 4 bridge options but then the Westones also have the model nomenclature on the headstock, like this....

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

I've used a couple of these and they work just fine.
http://www.guitarfetish.com/6mm-Floyd-R ... _p_54.html

The X199 I recently bought is a monster of a player. I may be kidding myself, but it just seems to have better tone than the similar bolt-necks I have.

I tend to favor the "kidding oneself" school of thought... I've tried my Spectrum GT and a Spectrum FX back to back through the same rig at stage volume and for the life of me - and the other guys who were there - I couldn't really tell the difference in tone or sustain!! But then again, my ears have taken a battering over the years and I may be completely wrong!!

All Spectrums/Phoenixes are monster players, Jack!!

I will say that my X195 sounds completely unlike any guitar I've owned or played....

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."