The Electra Forums

Hi, new here. I got a 1984 Electra-Westone Pear Burst LX a while back. Great guitar! Even better than my Fender Heartfield for versatility and total all out rocking! I play in a weekend warrior band. Love this thing. My son loves it too! He also has a band. So that my white beauty doesn't disappear, I found another 1984 Spectrum I am giving him for Christmas. However, I have some questions on these two I wanted to ask you longtime Westone gurus.

First, the one I got him is a Silver Stone. I thought it was kinda ugly at first, but once I polished it up, it doesn't look half bad. More of an Olive tint to it. Anyway, the two guitars are nearly identical but the SS has a different bridge. It is the older of the two per the S/N's. It has more of a Stratocaster Vibrato style bridge. My Pearl Burst has the bridge with the two large screws and you hook the string from the top in the little catches that are close to the surface. The SS is strung from the bottom and. Neither has a nut lock at the top as some are pictured. The back plates that cover the volume/tone knobs are also a little different.

I think they are both LX, but My PB kind of looks like a GT. How do you tell the differences?

Thanks!

The letter codes were used in 85 and 86, before that only the X-code model numbers were used. So your LX is (I think) an X189 or X190.

The model numbers generally refer to pickup & wiring config, in 85 and 86 some models (like the DX/ST's) had different bridges for different models. But earlier the bridge changing was a factor of what year.

For instance, in 83 the X189's had the simple multi-point (strat-like) bridge. in 84 they got the post-mounted bridge. In 85 and 86 they got a post-mounted bridge with fine tuners and a locking nut.

Likewise the name on the headstock changed- in 83 and before they were called Electra Phoenix, in 84 they changed to Electra Westone, in 85 and 86 they were called Westone Spectrum (and the letter series names were added). Still all the same guitar, though with minor hardware differences.

Take a look at the Westone catalogs for 86 and you'll see most of the models that were still around in 86, and their hardware differences:
http://www.therathole.org/guitars/model ... alogs.html


Great axes! Really some of the best.

I think you must be right. The SS colored one starts out with a "4" for the S/N which should indicate it is an '84, plus it has the "Electra-Westone" on the headstock. But it has the simpler Strat-like bridge. I would guess it is a very early '84 model.

My Pearl Burst has the Post Mounted Bridge, and has a higher S/N. Althought it is also an '84 and also has the "Electra-Westone" on its headstock.

The Silverstone is kind of growing on me! I took it to my guitar guy for a final set up today. I like a low action, but it was lower than the PB, and I couldn't get it any higher via the bridge saddles. My guitar guy thinks the truss rod needs a "tweak" as the neck is completely flat rigght now. He got a kick seeing it. He sold them in the 80's and said they are great guitars.

When I get it back, if it plays as good as the Pearl Burst, I may give my son his pick at Christmas. I don't thing the Silver Stone was as prevelant and I kinda like the unusual!

IMHO Silverstone is a more 'mature' color. Although white is timeless, goes with everything (like black).

If your SS has the post-mounted bridge you should be able to raise the posts to gain more string height. Easing off tension on the truss rod will also gain relief, and thus height, but I'd adjust it at the bridge first.

The Silver Stone is really growing on me- now that it is cleaned up!
It had glue on it that I had to wet-sand out with 2000 grit wet-N-dry...then used rubbing compound and finished it with GHS Guitar Gloss. Looks good now.

Since the PB was to be my Christmas present, I may swap and give it to my son and keep the SS! I get it back later in the week from my guitar guy who is doing the fine set up for me! Can't wait to play it.

Here are some pics of the Silverstone before I worked on it. An example of the Pearl Burst is there too. Not mine, but mine is exactly like this one! Also my Mustang and Heartfield and a couple of gig pics...

http://photobucket.com/albums/c196/hotrails02/

You can't go wrong no matter which one of these you pick.

And you probably already noticed that all 3 knobs push/pull
to get a wide range of sounds. From thick chunky to bright bells.

The boy is lucky he has a dad with good taste in guitars.

I think your knobs have been changed but I think they look good.
(see link in first post).

This 83 X189 also has the strat style bridge.

Thanks! He appreciates neat guitars. He also has a 1972 Fender Mustang, and a 2003 Sonic Blue Jag-Stang. I love the Jag as it is a very cool guitar, Crafted in Japan! Plays sweet! He is really musical - 6 years piano, vocals, and now 4 years of guitar study. He and his band write all original music and have played some of the larger REAL nightclubs in the Minneapolis area. FYI, you can hear their music at:

http://www.myspace.com/cigarettemuffin

They have 4 MP3's loaded up there.

I will have the Silverstone model back tomorrow. I have seen the knobs that are on mine on some other pics in the catalogs posted here. But, as long as they all match and are tight, that is what is important. My white PB had 3 mismatched knobs that kept coming off when you tried to Pull. I got a nice looking original style from All Parts. I tried to match the ones in the PB pic I posted on PHotobucket. I will get a pic of ours up soon! These are the knurled knob with set screws so they stay on. They work great and they look good too.

I like your SS a lot! Pretty guitar. I think some more GHS guitar gloss will keep making it look even better! My red Heartfield was really dull when I got it. It has a super deep gloss now and I love looking at it!!

Thanks for the nice words. Check out my son's band when you have a moment and let me know what you think! They are all 17!!

Thanks! He appreciates neat guitars. He also has a 1972 Fender Mustang, and a 2003 Sonic Blue Jag-Stang. I love the Jag as it is a very cool guitar, Crafted in Japan! Plays sweet! He is really musical - 6 years piano, vocals, and now 4 years of guitar study. He and his band write all original music and have played some of the larger REAL nightclubs in the Minneapolis area. FYI, you can hear their music at:

http://www.myspace.com/cigarettemuffin

They have 4 MP3's loaded up there.

I will have the Silverstone model back tomorrow. I have seen the knobs that are on mine on some other pics in the catalogs posted here. But, as long as they all match and are tight, that is what is important. My white PB had 3 mismatched knobs that kept coming off when you tried to Pull. I got a nice looking original style from All Parts. I tried to match the ones in the PB pic I posted on PHotobucket. I will get a pic of ours up soon! These are the knurled knob with set screws so they stay on. They work great and they look good too.

I like your SS a lot! Pretty guitar. I think some more GHS guitar gloss will keep making it look even better! My red Heartfield was really dull when I got it. It has a super deep gloss now and I love looking at it!!

Thanks for the nice words. Check out my son's band when you have a moment and let me know what you think! They are all 17!!