The Electra Forums

I've pondered Electras on & off over the years and thru the course of events just recently grabbed myself an X280. To my shock and delight, it looks like it's been sitting in it's (original) case for 30 years! That's right, NO fret wear! Nothing less than perfect other than a barely detectable seperation area on the back of the body. You have to look and feel for it.

Currently awaiting arrival of another gem, but don't want to jinx this by naming it.

Your pages and history are wonderful, love the ads, photos, everything! Gotta mention- in your Index of Models I noticed:
X280 Workingman

Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 04:16 AM - Models
Bolt neck 1 1/2 cutaway with Ash body, walnut finish, 5-piece maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, two humbuckers with black coil covers, chrome hardware.

Of course, scroll down to the printed listing and it specifies mahogany.

One of these days I want to get a X-260N.. these guitars are SO addictive it's easy to build a collection... (of course I'll have to reallocate another corner of the living room or these gems will completely take over)...

Can somebody explain to me how anybody has the audacity (or ignorance?) to ship rare and valueable guitars without, at very least, some kind of case???

Perhaps I'm just getting old and sour, but the new stuff just ain't doin' it for me. It feels like love & magic, not thoughts of $$$$, went into these old babies!

Will post photos later...too much to do.

If I must ship without a case for some reason I will at the very least put it in a gig bag with cardboard over the fret board and guitar wrapped in bubble wrap then it will be placed in a sturdy box made for a guitar and packaged and padded so nothing moves. I have in the past gotten guitars that arrived wrapped in cardboard pieces and wrapped in tape. Luck for me nothing was broken.

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

Some of the early X280's were in fact made of Mahogany, I've only spotted two in the four or so years I've been paying attention, the vast majority are a combination of maple and ash planks laminated top to bottom. It turns out that many of the X290's (Black version) were made of Mahogany, and most of the price lists show a $10 to $20 dollar premium for the X290.

The X260n's deserve a special place in the Electra line, and they do stand out. Functionally the same as the Walnut stained X260 model, but cosmetically different from the ground up. Good choice, but you'll have to be patient, while they are not especially rare, they don't come up for sale too often.

I've shipped and bought lots of guitars without a case, haven't had a mishap yet... (knock on Maple!). I've had guitars without cases shipped with the neck off too, which saves on shipping due to the smaller box.

For a little bit more than you'll pay for a brand new guitar made in China, Indonesia or Korea you can get a 30 year old Japanese guitar... which is a no brainer in my book!

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

You're right- lovingly shipped is different. One always needs to keep in mind the freight worker who's having a bad day & p.o.'d at the world.. A little extra padding goes a long way. Some listings really make me cringe. A rare piece gets a certain age and then shipped off from what shady liquidator?

Thanks for the info on the woods. Much as I love mahogany, I can't help think of it as being soft & vulnerable. I feel a LOT better about ash, and maple in the neck, esp. 3x!

I'm well aware that waiting on a 260, 250 will take patience & perserverence, but good things are worth waiting for. The allure of 'unobtainium'.
Plus, gotta get those bucks back up there (groooan...)

I've got a couple Matsumoku made neckthrus w/brass nuts, one w/brass markers and I sure do love them.

Anyone else nostalgic for the days you could wander off to a yardsale or flea mkt before the internet gobbled up all those hidden goodies?

Not too long ago I enjoyed reading the reviews on Harmony Central, but I think the big reptiles put the kobosh on those- fearing competition of guitars built decades ago!
They must have had HUNDREDS of guitar builders listed!!

You can have quality OR quantity... but not both.

My X290 is mahogany but I think the body is made from several pieces. Nice guitar.