The Electra Forums

Let me start by saying I have no guitar knowledge but you folks here are turning me on to so much about Electras. 15 years ago I took this guitar off the hands of a worthless ex-roommate that never paid his share of the rent. It basically sat around but I never paid much attention until I started playing again. I think it is a X260 but I can only find imamges of X260s with 3 knobs. It needs alot of work but I think it would make a great summer project. The serial number is 011042, the pick-ups are marked MMK underneath. Any info/advice on re-building this guitar would help create another Electra admirer.


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hi kjkerr

welcome to the GG

the guitar you have, is an electra x960. (i have two of them)

... just to confirm, the back of yours should look like the one pictured. don't know if you have any modules, but as you can see they go in the big cavity at the back. going by your serial number, yours is a 1980. other than for what looks to be crack in the body, it looks pretty good ... at least you have all the wee bits for it

as for rebuilding/resurecting it, there are far more knowledgable folk here than me who will no doubt advise you on it... but i would say go for it... they are nice guitars.... even if they are a bit heavy...



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Live Better Electra-ly
http://www.therathole.org/leia/visitors_axes/leia/leia.html

doh... when i first viewed your post, the picture of the back didn't come up.... so... it isn't an x960 as can plainly be seen... but rather one of the workingman models.... x260-290... but i am not sure which one exactly

but i still say go for it

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Live Better Electra-ly
http://www.therathole.org/leia/visitors_axes/leia/leia.html

What looks to be a crack is actually the lone surviving string ( i think a B in the E position..???) needless to say it will be coming off soon. In the back cavity there was something with 2 - 9 volt batteries attached, is that a module? Mine does not have the large cavity.

Can you tell em why it has 4 knobs instead of three as I have seen in a picture of a blond x260n? thanks and Go Leafs..except against my Sabres!

hey kjkerr

we are almost neighbours... i am in hamilton... the other side of the ditch

as for your guitar, glad to hear that that isn't a crack... looks like all it needs is a good cleaning and wood treatment and a new set of strings and it should be one fine instrument again.... the model you have is one that i have only ever seen a picture of once before, and there was a great deal of discussion that went on at the old electra site as to what it was... the issue was resolved... but i forget what the actual model was... the cavity in the back of yours isn't for modules as it is with the x960, but is for on board active electronics of some sort... my guess is that it is kinda like a module, but not interchangable... i have a similar working man, but with only three knobs...


unfortunately, mine had been gutted and a set of cheapy korean pups inserted, so... i can't tell you anything about what the electrics actually did... guess i am not turning out to be very much help (

You were a ton (or tonne) of help. I think I have it pegged as a x270.

Hey, the pickups are original so keep them unless there is something wrong with them.

The keys on that one - I thought I had some originals but I don't (well I do, but they are on the guitar... you aren't getting those). I you need to replace them Grover Rotomatics fit Electras very well. You can probably find a chrome or nickel set on Ebay. They don't look exactly the same, but they are better keys in my opinion and the holes line up perfectly too. The x700 series came with grovers.

If you want a similar tuning key, you can probably check into some of the korean full size similar 3+3 schaller clones if their mounting screw hangs directly underneath the body of the key rather than to the side like a real Schaller does. If I go to the trouble of replacing a part on an Electra, I generally want to use something as good or better. That is why I frequently go with the grovers.

Thorny

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Thorny

thanks again for the info...and thanks to Thorny for the bridge! The guitar is moving forward, if ever so slowly, and is strung up. The pickups pop in and out and without a manual I am struggling to figure out how everything effects the sound. The sustain lasts forever! Needs a professional setup to help with some of the string buzz - but it is moving forward!

Sounds like great progress!

the controls shouldn't be bad to work out, I think I have some materials on this model due for scanning and posting.

Hi kj -

I think I have it pegged as a x270.

I believe what you have there is an X-250 (or 250W), and not an X-270.

Check it out -

http://www.rivercityamps.com/electra/x250.php

I have three X-270's (don't ask) and they all have 3 knobs, not 4. I have no X-250 experience and don't really know anything about the controls on them, but I assume they are a bit more versatile than the X-270 since there's one additional control knob on the 250. Other than that, I believe they are the same; that is, both are powered EQ's with the same (I think) body, neck, etc.

I love my X-270's, which is really why I have 3 of them. They kept coming up on ebay for reasonable prices and I kept fishing around for that really mint one after I got the first one, which had some dings and things (but is still very nice), and got my hands on it.

Very nice guitars indeed. In fact, I just love the beauty and feel of these particular model guitars (like yours and my X-270's) -- they are like works of art to me. That's probably why I had a little trouble resisiting them on ebay for awhile there. They have such a great look and feel; not to mention that they are also super guitars for playing.

Glad to hear that you are resurrecting your guitar. These Electras of the '75 - '84 vintage are just super guitars and I now have eight of them (and I'm not some rich guy).

Thanks for the input. It was in this 1981 catalog

http://www.nwlink.com/~paulcl/guitars/8 ... aSide2.jpg

that led me to think I had a x-270. It does not mention that the x250 has the powered EQ. ..the ad shows the 4 knobs and the built-in power booster. I think I need is an episode of CSI Electras ..those guys figure everything out.

I would like forum members input on the following - I am considering selling my Electra to help fund the purchase of a Gibson Flying V. Which guitar is more versatile? I have always loved the V and currnetly have a project Cort V that has a broken neck.

Yea, I saw that catalog page after I posted. I think either that page is misleading in that the photo is an X-250 but placed right above the description for the X-270, making one think the photo is of the 270...,

or they completely changed the 270 in '81.

I kinda doubt that. I checked my guitars and all three of my X-270's are 1980 models. So I don't have an '81 to confirm that the model stayed the same in '81 (and they didn't add another control knob to it).

Back to that catalog page -- note that it says "No. X250W-EQ Solid Ash Body" and then in the description it says "Active treble/bass."

So there's no doubt that the X250W was an "active EQ" or "powered EQ" just like the X-270. That's what your batteries are for and mine has the same 2 nine-volt batteries in it. They just weren't very clear about it in that catalog layout.

And I think they screwed up the picture.

But I could be wrong.

I assume that since you know the serial number, the foil lable is still intact on the back of the headstock. That's where the model designation should also be but sometimes isn't. I have that exact situation on my 1981Super Rock 2245. The serial number is stamped or engraved in regular typeset but the space for the model designation, which was usually hand-written, is blank. I've heard that it can be rather easily wiped off with household cleaners and such, so maybe that's what happened.

Or maybe it has something to do with the '81 model year guitars. Somebody wasn't writing the model designations on there like he was supposed to be doing?

Strange, but there you have it.

usually an Electra is more versatile because it has coil tap and phase buit in, and many Gibsons of course do not.

It's hard to say when the guitar in question is a classic original- i mean, i'd love a 51 tele, sure, and in that case I do care that it's a fender.. but that may not be the same as a decision about what's the most bang for the buck- i mean, is a 2000$ guitar 5 times better than a 400$ guitar? And the answer to that is really subjective.

That said, I would suggest you consider a good quality Vee copy, like a Vantage Vee, which shows up on ebay all teh time in the 200-300$ range. They're copies of the 2nd gen Gibson vee, and very good. Or the Electra Vee, again, very good- and to my mind a better choice if what you want to do is hot rod the electronics to get the versatility of an Electra.

Or if it's the Vee resonance and sustain you want, and a high quality instrument, and you don't care if it's a Gibson or looks liek one, consider an Electra/Westone Dynasty- it's aVee with tips, and it's got excellent electronics, arguably the best of the bunch we've mentioned.

Now, having said alll that too, ho does it compare with a Korina Vee reissue? Well... if you've gotta have the amber mahogany and all that, maybe you need the real McCoy... or would you be as happy with an Epiphone?

All these considerations bring me around to my own preference, which is to have more cheaper guitars, with more variety, than any one guitar. All my guitars together wouldnt' equal the cost of a 51 tele... but then again, I think I get more fun out of them.

In the meantime, why not get some gorilla glue and fix your Cort? Neck repairs are pretty easy if you take care to get all the grain to line up as it originally did- and the repair will be stronger than new. In fact, the majority of older Gibsons have done backflips and had their neck glued back together, it's a pretty routine repair.

By the look of the grain of the wood on the body of your guitar, I think you have an X-250 model of some sort. That's the main difference between the X-250 and the X-270 from what I've read. I have an X-250. Mine has linear grain running the length of the body, and the neck is a set neck with three distinct pieces of wood lamenated together that is easily seen from the back side. I believe the X-270 neck is one piece of Maple with an Alder body that has more of a swirl to the grain. The grain on the body of the guitar you have shown us pictures of looks just about like mine (straight and no swirls), with a walnut finish. Four knobs and three switches. I'd say you have an X-250 there. Superb playing guitar, and happens to be my personal favorite of my collection for playing slide. You have a good axe there.

Mojobisquit