The Electra Forums

Lars (or anyone) whats the earliest Pro endorser serial number known ? I have one thats 2122694 (x935c) doesn't that make it an '81 ? (December)

Hello Dave, Scott Lewis' is: 2122685, which was probably made the same week as yours. Serial numbers (as I understand them) during that time period can be read as: ymm#### First digit is last number of production year (1=1981, 2=1982, 3=1983, etc, only used for a couple of years) 2nd and 3rd digit indicate production month (yours being December of 1982) and the rest would be that months monthly production run, or that is how it is generally read. Latest Endorser Serial Number that I've noted is from September of 1983 (309####).

I think that you've proved in this thread that the Blackburst 'Peace Sign' models are the earliest made, but because of those Brass headstock plates, they don't help to date them month-wise.

I wanted to ask you about neck profiles on your (huge) collection of Endorsers. All of mine (May and June 1983 production) have really small neck profiles, which I like alot. I was wondering if the older Blackbursts of yours have a different size neck, or if you could even tell? I've never measured mine with a caliper or anything, but they are all very similarly sized, small. Posts on here state that the Vulcan (clearly predating and related to the Endorser) has a bigger, chunkier neck profile. Personally, I've never played one of those though.

How are those photos of your collection coming? Cheers, Mike.

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

Mike,

All of the Pro Endorsers in my stable have super fast and thin necks-thats one of the reasons that I kinda latched on to this model-my first guitar (and the model I have the most examples in my collection) is a 1971 Gibson SG-which has the thinest neck of any Vintage guitar I have ever handled-The Pro Endorsers are very similar, but backed by a guitar with a LOT more mass and sustain.

BTW...when you get a chance check out auction # 270293374594......

Can you help me identify this guitar ? Its basically a x935 with the MPC circut. At first I thought it was a x930, but it has dot inlays (like the x935) and a regular pickup selector switch (the x930 has the Omega Tone circut)...I must admit I am stumped.......The serial number is somewhat of a mystery too as it indicates a 1980 build !

That is a strange model there, Dave. It sounds like a combo of a Leslie West and Endorser.
I'll check out that auction, maybe we can figure something out.

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Addicted to Matsumoku.

Hello Dave, well you're really rocking the Electra world this week... you've got quite the collector selection on the block: a X-935, a X-935cs, a X-940 Vulcan and now the mystery guitar... Any one of which the members here would consider a pretty nice score..! You've got a good eye. (that's a really cool AR-50 you have too... I had one just like that in the early 80's... only not as clean as yours)

At first glance, I figured your latest offering was a Vulcan X-930, but you're right, the dots are incorrect, as well as the standard three way pickup selector (where did you find all of these great axes!). I think you've described it about as close as you could by saying it's a 935 with the MPC circuit.

Like you mentioned earlier in this thread, there are lots of experiments that didn't necessarily make it into catalogs, also there are tales in some of the earlier forum posts that describe 'One of a Kinds' that would be made for SLM to look at for future marketing, as well as the possibility of a special order (personally, I don't gravitate towards huge Block Fret Markers... so maybe someone ordered a Vulcan that way with dots). The five way selector switch is another thing that some players didn't like. I think I read older forum threads that SLM would convert those to standard three ways by request, and for a fee. (too lazy to look it up right now) It's actually a pretty cool combination when you think about it.

I am quick to admit that I don't fully understand the Six Digit serial number scheme very well, the Seven digit as described a few messages above is pretty reliable and generally accepted by collectors. Maybe someone else could chime in about the dating of that S/N? (085099)

I think you've got a lot of the members here jealous of your 'Stable'!! Some of us can only dream about having that many clean exotic Electras. Seeing so many of them up for sale reminds me that at the end of the day, you can only play so many.... just keeping good strings on them must be a chore. You should talk to SAMI about photo-documenting them on here for posterity's sake.

Sorry I couldn't give you any definitive information on the mystery guitar. Take care, Mike.

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

Mike, the serial number in question is 005099.......its hard to read in the picture because of the flash..

Hello Dave, more (inconclusive) information on your mystery guitar (eBay Auction):

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Electra-NON ... 240%3A1318

I first noticed that the control cover was not a shape used by either Endorsers or Vulcans, then I noticed that usually the MPC cover is shaped like a Parrallelagram, unlike yours that has a 90degree turn, also it is made out of Brushed aluminium, I think most of the Vulcans have black plastic MPC covers. Anyway, digging through the Electra archives, it looks like both of those Brushed back covers were used on the X-960 'Ultima':


http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapag ... 004-050506

I also noticed that your mystery guitar has a Metal Block underneath the bridge, which is seen on the Vulcan, but not Endorsers (to my knowledge, again, people please chime in). The three mini switches below the pots are sometimes seen on the Vulcans (and are standard on Ultimas). It should be noted that the Ultimas have a Ash/Maple slab body (not carved or contoured like a LP).

Soooo, what do we have so far? I think you have a X930 Body (because of the bridge block), with a dot neck (special order?) and Ultima Electronics package... OK, that's making alot of assumptions, but that's got most of the bases covered! I think we can safely say there arn't many of those around. Enjoy, Mike.

P.S. you may want to pull the Bridge pickup out, and see whats written inside the route.

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

My Endorser does not have the 48 in the pickup cavity though it does have the MMK 53s. I posted pics in another thread.