The Electra Forums

Hi. I was out cruising around last Saturday, stopping at thrift shops and the like. I happened to stop at a music store that usually doesn't have anything I'm interested in, or wants too much for it--as luck would have it I went in their used room, and back in the corner was a black x290. Looking it over, it had been a couple different colors before somebody repainted it black, with a brush. But they hadn't touched the neck, it was still stock, and marked at $40.00--needless to say, I wasted no time getting out the checkbook.

I got it home and cleaned it up a little, reglued the nut and shot some contact cleaner in the pots and switch, then plugged it in--it took right off. Tweaked the intonation and action over the last couple days and now it's pretty close to my Hamer SBFT, but it gets a very different sound, more like a P-90. Being curious, I got out my Mountain albums and started playing along--very close, and with the big neck a lot of those licks are easier to get.

As i was looking around this site, I finally found the model number for the Leslie West model (x120) and see that I probably have the same pickups in my guitar, even though the wood is different. The pickups are both 45's, funny enough I bought the guitar to put a P-90 into and it turns out to get that sound with stock pickups.

welcome!

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

I have an X290 also and like it a lot. Its interesting to me how different guitars sound different with the same pickups. I have three guitars with MMK45's (an APII TS350 and a Vantage VP795 {I think}) as well as the X290. They all sound different with the APII being the brightest sound, the Vantage the melowest and the X290 being a happy in between. I also have a Yamaha pacifica fat strat that I hotrodded with an MMK45 in the bridge and it realy snarls. Its a great and versitle pickup. I would love to try one in a holow body.

I'm no stranger to Uncle Matt's--I've had a few over the years, a couple Aria Diamonds, a CS200, a Conrad Barney Kessel copy, but finally having a source for info is a big improvement. When I started doing repairs I noticed a lot of brand-specific defects (fixing Orville's mistakes ). Most of the Matsomokus were made to a higher standard, there seemed to be more good ones, and not the odd jewel here and there like other brands.

Last year I got to play a 335-style Electra at one of the local pawnshops--I couldn't afford it at the time, but I made a mental note to be on the lookout for Electras--hence the x290.

Oh, how I can empathise with that!! I hankered after a Phoenix X195 for ages just because I liked the look of it and the odd p'up setup, AND because it was a Matt with all of the quality that that entails but never for one moment did I expect to actually play one far less own one!!
Long story short, I now have one and it's everything I could want in a guitar; Electra at the moment are still sleepers compared with say, APII or Vantage so get 'em while you can kids!!

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

awesome find man! any pics?

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Peavey 5150 w/Bias mod
Custom 4x12 birch cab w/Celestion G12T-75's
Ibanez TS808 OD w/Monte Allums mod
ISP Decimator
Electra X260 Invicta
Ibanez RG320DXQM

Oh, no Sami - let me be very clear here - a very nice man in here heard of my plight and sent me one; so I didn't 'find' it at all!! It is now my main guitar to gig with due to its versatility and to the fact that I don't want to subject my Vantage VA900 to the rigors of gigging any more; it's a typical Phoenix/Spectrum to play - well balanced, comfortable and in a dim light, 'stratty' enough to avoid the drunken barbs generally thrown at 'no-name' guitars!!

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"... and on the eighth day, God created New Zealanders.

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Corsair, you know you don't want that gitar.
You should give it to me, that way everyone wins!

But you.

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Addicted to Matsumoku.

hahaha, yeah that is pretty sweet!!

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Peavey 5150 w/Bias mod
Custom 4x12 birch cab w/Celestion G12T-75's
Ibanez TS808 OD w/Monte Allums mod
ISP Decimator
Electra X260 Invicta
Ibanez RG320DXQM

Oh there it is! And looking very much better than it did when it was at my place.

I'm glad to see the happy ending. Looks like everything gets mirror-reversed down under, eh?

Oh, and Welcome Dervishriff!

It sounds like exactly another case of the mythical Great Deal on a very good guitar. Congratulations!

I thought that I got an all time great deal at $65 on my Workingman but $40, very cool. Come to think of it I did get a case with mine

Here it is a month and a half later and I'm still playing that guitar every couple days--since it's already had a few bumps, I can leave it out on a stand and grab it as necessary.

Living in a college ( more like Party School) town, I often turn up instruments that have fallen victim to unskilled tinkerers. Back in the spring, I found a Washburn MG44 that someone had taken apart and lost the electronics--a 24 fret neck, solid alder body, Floyd and tuners for $60.00. I cut down a pickguard I had laying around, slapped in a couple spare pups and away we go.