The Electra Forums

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130235927105&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

Okay, here's my tale of woe.

When I was stationed in the Air Force in San Bernardino in the late 1980's I purchased a cool looking guitar from a young airman who bought it with the intention of learning how to play. He never did and I bought it from him for $125 dollars in 1987. I got out of the service used the GI bill to go to college then medical school finally 12 years later or so I finish residency and head off to my first post graduate job in Wisconsin. Now, as I have a little more spare time I decide to start playing guitar more and end up in a rock band playing cover songs in bars through out the valley of midcentral Wisconsin. When I first joined the band which did a lot of AC/DC I figured I needed a Marshall and a les paul so I went out and got a nice LP custom and a TSL 100 Stack. Now, I figured I needed a back up to my LP and I wasn't sure my $125 Electra was up to the task so I went searching for a SG standard (red of course). As luck would have it at the very highest rung up near the ceiling of our local Music-Go-Round sat a beautiful Cherry Red SG Standard. That guitar is incredible and still my favorite to this day (I have about 20 high end guitars now). Anyway, like a dumbass I had the Endorser with me and I asked if they would consider a trade. Clint the owner and his assistant looked at my very clean Proendorser and said yea these are nice but not worth much the Flame is a foto flame (not real) and they gave me $125 for a trade towards the SG. Now this is 2002. I was glad to get the SG and like I said she's the best guitar I have by far something about that particuliar guitar but I've always sort of hated parting with my old friend. So, I started looking around for another one and darn they are hard to find. I found and bought the one above in the link. My question is was Clint just blowing smoke up my ass about the Foto flame and regarding the Endorser I bought has anyone seen one with Chrome hardware? My old one had gold hardware. I might swap out the chrome hardware if it's not original.

Well, thanks for reading my tale of woe.

Lars Swanson (oshkosh)

Hello Lars, The flame 'veneer' is really thin, but as far as I know it is real wood, and usually pretty strikingly flamed. Here is a photo of my wide flame Endorser with the pickup out, if you look closely you can see the thin layer of flame vaneer, a thick layer of Maple block top, and then the darker mahogany body in the picture. I have the non reduced photograph that you can really blow up and clearly see all the layers.





The tops I've seen have unique qualities, I'd be really surprised if they turned out to be photos or decals. I have seen some newer guitars from the pacific rim that seem to have a 'painted' on flame, but the '83 Endorsers look legitimate.

As far as the one you bagged, it was made in June of 1983, and is only 32 serial numbers away from my wide flame example. The body, neck and paint look to be in pretty nice shape, too bad the photos weren't clearer... however except for the plastic truss rod cover, I see little stock hardware on your guitar (just the messenger here...)

Chrome topped pickups? (pull them out and see if they have 'MMK' stamped on the bottom, I doubt they do, probably gibsons)
Chrome tailpiece and bridge (not stock)
Changed Nut (really clumsy job too from the looks of it, I hope it plays ok...)
Changed vol/tone knobs
Changed Strap hangers
Changed Tuners
Back control covers look black.. they should be gold brushed aluminum

It looks like someone was trying to give it a 'Gibson' vibe. I'd be curious to see if both tone pots still have push/pull functions, top tone is a coiltap (coilcut) bottom tone knob is a phase switch on bridge pickup, or they should be!) Still all in all a pretty fine looking example, please tell us how she plays when you get her. I think someone was advertising a set of MMK45's on here not too long ago, or was that eBay, anyway you might be able to find some stock pickups, but some people think they're only so-so, I like them myself.

Cheers, Mike.


P.S. I'm not indifferent to your tale of woe, it's too bad that you've been lied to twice about these guitars, but it does offer yet another example of the mark these guitars have left on players, and the loyalty they have to them. I love the small necks and multiple tones you can get to quickly on the Endorsers, tell us how she measures up to your (very nice) collection of Gibsons! Mike.

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

Mike,

Thanks for the info. I'll see how she plays and then decide if I need to send her off to be fixed or not. I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled for another one. I'd love to get the black version you have as well. Oh yeah the owner whom I've talked to via email for the last day or so (about 10 emails) informs me that it does indeed have the push pull knob for the single coil. We shall see though. I'm just shocked how much these things are going for. I literally paid a little over a hundred bucks for it. So when I traded it in I didn't expect to get much. Live and learn.

Lars

hi lars. my name is scott and i have a cherry sunburst endorser too. i bought it new when i was young. the pictures of it are on the forum somewhere. my brother bought one shortly after i did but his is the blackburst color. seems they are harder to find. i think he might sell his if you are interested. it is all original and has been played very little. i dont even know if he has changed the strings on it or not.....lol. he probably has but he doesnt even remember. it has the case he got with it too. according to my serial number mine was built in december of 1982. according to his number his was built around march of 1983. we bought them at the same store here in missouri. if you are interested in my brothers blackburst endorser send me an email at clewi1091@yahoo.com and we can talk about it. i bought a randall switchmaster amp with mine and he bought a crate cr-160 with his. mine came with an electra case and his came with an omega case but from what ive heard it wasnt unusual to have different cases with them. im looking forward to hearing from you even if arent interested in buying the blackburst. i like talking about those old guitars. and by the way........you have a very very nice collection of guitars. cya later and hope to hear from you soon.

Scott, thanks for your reply I'll be in touch.

Well, she arrived about 2 hours ago. I must say that guy is a fast shipper. The guitar looks beautiful and plays nicely. Set up is really good the action is very low but really no buzz's. The hardware is as mentioned above all chrome. She's definetly been bastardized but oh well. The pickups sound really good. In fact probably better than the stock ones. However whoever wired it must have forgot to hook up the tone control because moving the tone knob makes zero difference in the sound. The single coil tap (?) doesn't work either. You can pull it up but again it still sounds like a humbucker. So, all in all I'm happy. She plays fine looks great. The chrome is actually quite stunning in person. Would I have done this to the guitar myself. No, but what's done is done. I'm gonna keep her and look for another Stock ProEndorser.

Lars

Lars, glad to hear that she plays well, wondering how you like that neck compared to your Pauls? I've seen SG's with thinner necks, but the LP's I've played (not a bunch mind you) have had really big honkin necks. The coilcut may only work on one of your pickups, so try all the pickup switch positions before giving up hope, I don't know why more Builders don't use this feature. To be able to go from Single to Humbucker in the same song is really convenient.

Those pickups may not even be able to coilcut, but I bet they've been waxed, stand in front of your stack and see how much it takes to get them to feedback!! One of the big complaints about the MMK's is that they aren't waxed, so they squeal pretty bad at stage volumes... they do have some nice wiring capabilities and I think they can sound great, especially the single coil tones.

The Blackburst that Scott's brother has sounds like a real closet classic, and could definitely be collectors grade, tell us how that goes. I bought mine from the original owner, (and it's particularly cool that it has consecutive serial numbers with my thin flame Endorser!), but it has some bad road rash on the back which is a shame because it wasn't really played that much. ah well, I feel lucky to even found one, I think (no proof or facts...) that there were even fewer of the Blackburst Endorsers made than the Cherry Sunbursts, or that they've been misidentified as Omega's or Ultimas.

There were like Three ProEndorsers available about 4-6 weeks ago (see Forum threads, or I could look for them), all at about the same time. One was Arts which we didn't officially hear what happened, and two eBay auctions. One of those auctions ended early and the other auction for a slightly modded Cherry Sunburst went for I want to say $450 (anybody note what Tackaberrys went for?) I think yours has a better finish and much less wear, and if you like the way it plays and the pickups, I think you got a decent deal. Welcome back to the Electra Club! Mike.

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

Mike,

I'm very happy with the new ProEndorser. Granted I'd love to have a totally stock one but I'm sure that will happen fairly soon. I'm keeping my ear to the wall so to speak. Previously I'd only check in on ebay once in a while now I'm doing it daily. So if another one comes available I'm on it. They are great guitars and I'd be proud to have a heard of them. In fact, I want at least one stock X935XCS and and a X935 to round out my collection. Then I will be complete. jk.... I'll never have enough guitars. Muhahahaahhaahahhaha. Sorry I lost it for a second. Yes I love guitars. hehe.

Lars

[quote="proendorser"]Lars, glad to hear that she plays well, wondering how you like that neck compared to your Pauls? I've seen SG's with thinner necks, but the LP's I've played (not a bunch mind you) have had really big honkin necks.



Mike,

I spent almost all afternoon playing the my New Pro Endorser. I had my drum machine going and I was learning some new tunes (Foo Fighters stuff). Anyway, she sounds really nice and the neck is very tiny. I did pick up my standard Les Paul with the 50's neck just to compare and it did take awhile before I felt comfortable with my LP again. I didn't do any other A/B comparisons but I will say I really do like the pick ups on the Endorser they are excellent. I cranked my Marshall and stood in front of the stack and feed back was virtually nonexistent. When I change the strings I'll take a peak and see if I can find any clues as what they are. I'm very very happy with the guitar. I seriously think it plays better than my old one and the pick ups really rock. It really is competition for my Gibsons. I'm not gonna say it's better but again it holds it' own and then some she certainly a real good player and looks outstanding. Well, worth what I payed for it. No regrets there. Depending on what becomes available in the future I plan on buying another X935cs and if it works out Scott's brothers guitar. I'd really like to have the stock versions. So if you or anyone else comes across a X935cs keep me in mind (provided it's stock and in very good condition or better).

Also, I'd be interested if anyone else knows of some other Electra models that are build as nicely as the Pro Endorser. If the other LP like guitars are as good as the Pro Endorser I might want to pick one up too.

Thanks Lars

I don't know how I missed this Forum post;

All of these guitars in the collections are amazing.

Thanks for sharing.

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

Once you're hooked you'll want to pick up a Phoenix or Spectrum as a gig axe!

Nice stuff.

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