The Electra Forums

Just curious if anyone out there has a comment on the serial number of this X410 on the bay. Looks like a 77 model but looks to have an altered serial number. I think it is Hot or was Hot at sometime in its life. Why change the serial numbers otherwise. Did the 77 have the sticker like earlier Electra's or was it a stamped serial? Just curious, maybe it's a counterfit. Who Knows.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0323810613

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

Serial numbers and year of manufacture:

My X340 purchased Serial Number 11587 and

X330 purchased 1979 (think it's a 1977 model as well) – SN 11193.

Both on foil SN tags on back ot headstock;

Some Electras seem not to have the year as part of the SN.

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

Well the font does look funky, but even in the blown up photo I can't tell if there's been any 'doctoring'... I agree that any time I see a guitar with a missing serial number or even case I wonder about it being 'hot'. But to play devils advocate, we are talking about a Japanese guitar here, so I'm not sure why anyone would spend too much time/effort trying to falsify one. Now if it was a Gibson...

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

My understanding on serial numbers is that the practice of including a year or other manufacturing date was usualy that of the manufacturer, not the distributor. Electra used a few manufacturers so it is less relaible than some other brands. I have encountered guitars with missing serail numbers were there was no other reason to suspect they were hot. Stil, it does pay to be careful.

I do have another pic of another X410 with the wave headstock that has a similar stamped SN which appears to be "D776190";

If anyone wants to see it send me a PM with you EM address and I will forward;

Here's a couple of pics of X410's (same guitar?) from this site;

SN appears to be on a foil, although not actually visible:





RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

It could be they numbered them by hand, right?

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Addicted to Matsumoku.

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My 77 X410 has the exact same style (stamped) serial # with the letter "D" followed by 77XXXX. No sticker. The SN on the ebay one looks to have been redone at some point, but who knows why. I'll be real interested to see the final price. I can tell you that my X410 is one of the best playing and sounding semi-hollows that I've ever played. I don't have a closeup of the back of the headstock, but you can see the style in this pic:

Anybody else wonder why the "Rock Strad" (LP) is a bolt-on instead of a set neck? It's appointed identically to the Jazz Strad (335) with the tortoise binding, antique sunburst and unique fretboard inlays, but has a bolt on neck. Wouldn't mind taking a spin on one of those sometime.

Anyone see that Elvin Bishop go for $330? Looks like the pickups have been changed, but that could be one of the better deals this year:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Super-Rare-Vintage- ... 7C294%3A50

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

That Elvin Bishop is a good looking guitar, and it went for a really great price!

My first Electra was a Rock Strad;

It was a decent player; all hindsight now but I should have kept it ....

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

I won the Elvin Bishop - saw the price and couldn't say no!

It's in great shape and is a great player! Why do you think the pups were swapped?

mk

So...looking at the pictures above, the brown neck and burst body are normal...

mk

The way serial nuibmers worked was this: From 1980 on (and -possibly- slightly before, but I've seen no examples) Electras had a serial number stamped on the back of the headstock. They followed the YMM format (like 205123 for may 82) and these were made by Matsumoku. (exception- I have seen a very few odd 80's models with no serial number, not sure why, possibly a replacement neck?)

Before that there was no standard, although some guitars had odd numbers (especially those made by Fujigen and Kasuga) possibly hand written on a silver foil sticker on the headstock.

THe exception is guitars distributed by Hoshino in 76 and 77 followed what is usually called 'ibanez-style numbering' (because Ibanez came from Hoshino): MYY... So your D77... means April 1977. It would have been nice if more models and more years had this, but at least it gives us a date stamp for a few guitars.

Also note that while this is clear evidence that SLM got a guitar with this numbering from Hoshino, Hoshino actually had guitars manufactured by both Fujigen Gakke and Matsumoku, so this is still not a sure indication of origin.

But... the fact that it has a wave-shaped headstock suggests it was made by Matsumoku. The stamped serial number isn't a sure indication either, my Howard Roberts has the same stamping and I'm pretty sure it was made by Fujigen.

Did somebody here win it?

You have a Howard Roberts???????

Lucky dog.

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues