The Electra Forums

Hi there. Just joined the forum as I am about to be a member of the electra club.
Once the ups man gets here I'll be the owner of a "new" 2248 ivory tele style electra.
My question is about the bridge.
Unlike every other pic I've seen, this one has a vintage style square bridge. However, I do know it is original. It is a top loader and I've seen it on a couple black 2238 pics, just not any of the ivory 48's.
any idea about it? Maybe a transitional model?
I tried to upload pics from the seller by following the instructions, but for some reason it wouldn't work. I'm guessing its because I'm on an ipad.
Thx so much! Will post pics once ive got it in hand and cleaned it up.
Thx,
Matt

Congrats and welcome aboard. We have seen the square toploader Bridge on these Tele's before. The earliest examples would have the 'Coke Bottle' curved Bridge plate with the chrome Ashtray cover, sometime later they transitioned to the square style. Another feature of the early models was fretboard dot markers only to the 17th fret, later ones like yours should have dots up to the 21st fret. On the top of the neck there is only one dot at the 12th fret, at least most of the examples I've seen were that way.

The neck width on these Tele's is very skinny, and some players comment that it feels 'cramped' down in the open or Cowboy chord area of the first three frets. This also makes the string spacing very close and people who have changed the bridge saddles have found that the new barrels are spaced too widely. Also note that the scale length is 24.5" like a Gibson, which some players feel is blasphemy, but I kind of prefer... it does change the string tension at concert pitch. The pickups actually sound pretty good, although they are admittedly a bit primitive and unwaxed. Tell us what you think once you spend an afternoon banging on it!

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

Csmatt45 -

Sent you an email with Electra Forum Post Pictures hints -

Hope it helps.

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RCSBlues

Thx so much for the info. So the string spacing is cramped only on my model, or all the 2248's?. I don't think I'll mind. I have a "real" tele I built for the true fender feel. I was looking at this as an intentionally funky kind of guitar to have around.
Just so I have it correct, you're saying that my "ashtray" bridge is fine for the spacing since it is original, it's only people that have tried to replace the saddles that have issues...?
I don't plan to replace them, but if one wanted to, an interesting mod could be to get a set of the threaded "screw" tele saddles, file them a bit shorter to match the width of the electra, and install. The threads of course would also allow you to play with the spacing at the saddles and remain stable. Here are some for ref: http://www.fender.com/series/bridge-par ... e-saddles/
Just a thought!
BTW, I paid just under $300 for mine. Good shape, a small chip here and there.
Did I do alright?

I have not played or measured too many of these, but both my 2238 and 2248 have nut widths of less than 1 5/8". If the original saddles (which were very primitive looking) have been replaced, there is a chance that the E strings on both sides will be uncomfortably close to the edge of the fingerboard. I put a set of Brass compensated barrels on my 'Buck Owens' 2238, and had to file down the edges of them to make them sit closer together:



Here is a picture from above showing just how closely spaced the strings end up being compared to the pole pieces on the Gibson Humbucker in the neck position, you can see that if the strings were as wide as the pickup pole pieces, they would be falling off the edge of the neck on the higher frets:



I think you did well as far as sale price, I fear the days of the $150 "Rock n Soul" are in the past. I trust that you'll have fun with this one! Mike.

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

Might be cool if you popped a p90 in that neck slot

So as far as year... Mine should be '73-'74? All the fender type stopped after '74, right?
Was thinking of something. Isn't the electra nut width 1 5/8"?
If so, this should be the same as all the vintage fenders... Right?
So why would it feel more cramped? Am I understanding wrong, or is the comparison to a gibson since the scale is different?

Mike that is one good looking and patriotic axe -

Thanks for sharing.

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RCSBlues

There were Strat and P-Bass copies listed in the 1977 catalog:
http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapag ... age_14.jpg

No mention of the Tele styles by then, and I've never seen a Tele with the Peace Symbol logo, so it's safe to say they were all made before 1976, yours is probably a 1974, maybe a 1975 with that foil tag.

The width at the nut is under 1 5/8" on both my examples. It is a very thin neck, with a skinny profile. There may have been some variance from neck to neck, but I've read other owners say similar things. That, in combination with the shorter scale, is probably why it has been described as cramped compared to chunky vintage necks that players may be already familiar with. I have small hands, so I personally like the way they feel. Yours is probably showing up very soon, so you'll see what I mean.

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