The Electra Forums

Hello all I am new to the forum and have a bit of an oddity here here. I just got it off ebay and am waiting to recieve it.

It looks to be a X410 Jazz Strad, but notice the headstock - It says Alvarez.
It appears to have had a trap bridge at some point and the PUPS are not original.
The tuners look Electra as well as the peace sign on the SLM truss rod cover.
Has the tortoise binding, gold hardware, maple like the x410.

So is this a leftover that was "finished" by Alvarez?
Did Alvarez intend to reissue some Electra models?
Prototype?
One off?
Did some one sand the original logo off and put on Alvarez? (Trevor Rabin had the Alvarez logo put on his famous Westone Pantera for endorsement reasons)
Any one have any idea?

Alas there is no Alvarez forum, so I'm checking in here and appreciate any comments.

My guess is that SLM was going to see what interest they could draw with a hollow body in the Alvarez line and had the x140 still laying around somewhere, slapped an Alvarez logo and serial number on it, and this is the result.


Here's a link to the ebay add with some pics - I can take brighter ones once I receive it, if anyone is interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... MEWAX%3AIT

Welcome to the Forum. Firstly, you got a great deal! If there were any reference to Electra in the auction title I'm sure there would have been some heavier competition. Maybe Tom Presley will see this and shed some light on things, but I think you are pretty close with your assumptions.

Wave headstock, Electra Tuners, SLM (electra) truss rod cover all point to this being originally a Jazz Strad (X410). The Logo says 'Electric' pretty overtly, so my guess is that they were testing the waters in the Electric range. Nice score in any event, hopefully we'll come up with more info, Congrats, Mike.

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

That's a 410 alright. Looks like the neck pickup has been replaced. If I had to guess I's say the trap was added. Looks to me like the original configuration on there now. Excellent buy. Wish I had seen that.

ya never know what's out there/ Thats the 2nd guitar in a row I got that others would love to have but hadn't seen it because the listing lacked some info - there are still deals to be had it seems.

I can't wait to get it.

Congratulations on an awesome score. I agree that this is indeed the X410 Jazz strad model. The pickups have been changed and looks as if they were indeed experimenting with this model as it has the Alvarez logo. I missed this one and did not see it so Great in finding this one. Everything points to the X410 and they go for far more than you got this one for. I would assume it was converted to Alvarez logo as a gesture for the market but Alvarez decided to go with the Acoustic Electric models instead. This would make this a special one and an interesting conversation piece for certain. Hope Tom can shed some light on this one. Great score, congrats and welcome to the forums.

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

Congrats again Sarc!! Glad you made it in here.

Better get used to this, boys. This guy has a nose and knack for these types of finds.

So specifically about this example. Is it possible it could be a reissue of an earlier style at a later date when Alvarez became a flagship? Or more likely a period piece that was off branded from the line at the time? Sorry if I am repeating earlier ideas but this one is a definite riddle.

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...throw me a frickin' bone here, people...

awesome find ... now I have to add another favorite search!!!!!

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

I search for Westone and Vantage pretty often, even Aria and Greco, but never Alvarez...

The Serial Number starts with A77, so it was made in January of 1977 using I believe the Horshino (Ibanez) s/n scheme. We've seen the transition or 'Cutout' headstock being used until 1976, so this is one of the earlier Wave style headstocks, which would be used up until 1984.

I know the common theory is anything with a wave headstock was made by Matsumoku, but many of the semi hollow have this 'F77xxxx' type Serial Number stamped into the headstock, which always made me feel they were made somewhere else. Matusmoku was after all only one of many quality manufacturers in Japan at the time. Take some better pictures when she shows up, and Enjoy, Mike.

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

This is gonna prove to be extremely rare. When I had my shops, I used SLM quite a bit. Alvarez was (and still is) a SLM product.

I've never seen one of these badged Alvarez, not even in a catalog.

Boy, if I'd seen that auction....

Congrats, and I really mean that. She's a definate keeper.

Lookin forward to some better pics.

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JD's Electras

I'm a big Trevor Rabin fan so I include Alvarez in my searches to find the Rabin Signature guitar (one of which I got a few weeks ago!) and that's how I happened upon this one. This worked out great as I was looking for a good 335 type guitar that wouldn't break the bank. I had started to search some of the Mats brands and was hoping for a Westone Rainbow (with the fuller horns) but found this one, and from reading up on it and your comments, I think I got myself a pretty fine guitar.

It is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow, so I will take some good pics, and maybe change the strings out and see what kinda pickups are currently in it.

Does anyone know what the original pickups for the 410 are? Are they MMK's? or something else? I'm not sure what Electra used in their lines.

Thanks for all the great comments all.

I agree with JD - this appears to be extremely rare - and and what a price;

Congratulations - and welcome to the Forum.

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

Ok, so I got a little info. I emailed the Alvarez site (they had helped me previously with a Trevor Rabin Signature guitar) so I figured I'd take a shot.

They no longer have records of their electrics outside of some scrap catalogs and what some of the folks in the shop remember.

Here's what I got:

"This was a one of a kind sample that Alvarez elected not to produce. If I recall correctly, it came in around the time they decided to get out of the electric guitar business. The headstock shape was meant to mimic the old Electra shape, but this was not something put together from old parts. No other info on this other than it was high quality piece."

I then asked about the Electra truss rod cover, tuners and what year do they think based on the serial # and got this:

"I did not see those parts before, having email/internet issues today. Those are Electra parts, but there was a big gap between Electra going away & Alvarez Electrics being manufactured. They might have put those parts on after the fact, or it could be an earlier proto than I recall. Serial numbers do not date those guitars, so I really have no way of finding any more info that what the guys in the shop & I can recall."

So at least I know it is a one of a kind, but still not sure of the year, and now not sure if the tuners and truss rod cover are original.

Not sure who you're corresponding with... but those serial numbers are very reliable for dating, this guitar (or at least the neck...) was made in January of 1977.




No, it was an Electra, made in 1977, and sometime afterwards the Alvarez logo was applied.


I'll cut anybody slack on 35 year old memories, but it sounds like this guy is talking pretty authoritatively on something that he doesn't really remember... I'd take it with a grain (a whole shaker...) of salt.

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

ugh - FedEx changed the delivery date till tomorrow - ugh

I'll say that the guitar was produced in 1977 but it could have lounged around the offices and shops of Alvarez/SLM for who knows how long before they finally decided to badge/decal the headstock.

I suspect that it is a one-off and may have never been sold commercially. Most likely never marketed anyway.

The SLM TRC leads me to believe that the guitar was not badged for the Alvarez brand at the factory, but afterwards at SLM. I think that they should have gone ahead with an Alvarez 335 style guitar.....and the 410 would have been a very nice choice. They are very high quality builds.....love my 2.

Heck, I would grab up another if the chance arose.

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JD's Electras