The Electra Forums

I've owned a number of guitars over the years and have yet to find another made as well as my Electra Phoenix X110JB. I've been playing, more "off" than "on" since 1984 and have gone through myriad "boutique" guitars, but have never had any inclination to let go of this particular guitar. It was my second "true" electric, my first being a Harmony LP model, and in that respect holds a special place in my being. Sentimentalities aside, this guitar has stood the test of time and still plays like a champ. I've gone thru any number of pickups, plastered a number of stickers on it thru the years and broke off the "mini" toggle some time ago, but am still "attached" to this beast.
I'm planning on revamping the entire guitar and was hoping someone on here could fill me in on a few of this models specs:

I'm thinking on stripping it down and leaving it natural (body & neck)
Any ideas as to:

1. What type of wood is underneath the black coat?
2. Where I could find a comparable "mini" toggle switch to replace the one I snapped off years ago?
3. Would any "standard" fulcrum tremolo system work as well on this model?

I realize I will be sacrificing both the name and the serial number upon stripping the neck but that's a small price to pay to finally bring out this guitar's full potential.

Razor Ray

Can't answer your specific questions, but if you can, leave the headstock alone, so all that gaze upon it will know it's lineage!

I think you will find the body is four or five peices of ash planks glued together... not sure how that will look natural. Good luck.

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Hey Pro,

Thanks. I was thinking the same thing concerning the headstock, but I do remember a "natural" X110 model and I believe the body is maple? darn thing weighs a TON!

...this one..

http://www.rivercityamps.com/electra/x110vw.php

...and that says ash too! I wonder what the original p'up was; maybe an MMK 45 and as for the toggle, well I replaced all the minis on a Westone Clipper out of an outfit called Jaycar over here so I guess Radio shack or Stewmac; you're spoiled for choice really!
I had to replace the bridge on my X195 and found that a Wilkinson 5+1 fitted the bill to a 'T', bearing in mind that the original on mine anyway was a one piece casting and as heavy as anything, certainly heavier than the Wilkinson!

You are gonna show us this thing, aren't you....??

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

You may want to check out my thread here viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3851&p=19250#p19250 and will see my Phoenix model that I refinished. I stripped off the black paint to find a really nice two-piece Alder body underneath so I was plesantly suprised!

Not sure if all Phoenix's would be the same though. You can sometimes tell what is underneath if you take a close look with lighting just the right way and make out some lines denoting the wood joints (hence pieces of wood) comprising the body.

I also have a licened Floyd Rose locking tremolo and locking nut installed. It was already well "Hacked" and set up for these items so I thought why fight it!

I didn't refinish the neck for the very reason mentioned. I think the logo on the headstock is quite irreplaceable and wanted to keep the original serial number stamp as well!

If your Phoenix is near cherry condition as is, I'd recommend leaving it be! Mine was an Ebay "Hack Job" so felt no shame taking the liberties I had!

The ones with clear or natural finishes are gonna be better quality wood than those that are painted; I can see the join lines in the planks used on my X195 very faintly under the blueburst finish, so perhaps repainting would be the 'go' if it 's not very pretty underneath!?

I don't think anyone in here is going to crucify you for the alterations; like you say, if it's been altered already, then you have 2 choices; either restore it completely or make it a good looking player! I have to say though, I would like a 110, or the Westone equivalent - that would complete my little collection of different p'up spec'd Spectrum/ Phoenix models!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."