The Electra Forums

I have an X185 Phoenix that is in sore need of parts. Does nayone know what would be a good replacement for the Bendmaster Trem, since I can't seem to find a Bendmaster online?

If this is the model you're talking about, then any 6 screw bridge will do; I used a Wilkinson 5+1 on my X195 with good results.

http://www.rivercityamps.com/electra/x185.php

I didn't really want to not use the OEM bridge as it is a one piece casting with an incredibly heavy trem block, but needs must...

However, if you're talking about one like this, then the whole thing becomes problematic;

http://www.westone.info/spectrumgt.html

...as these were only made for 1 year, 1985 before they moved onto the proper Bendmaster FT and Deluxe bridges. I was lucky enough to pick up a complete Deluxe bridge complete with the string locks here in NZ for a good price but you rarely see them on eBay and when you do you gotta be quick.

It would help if you showed us what you've actually got....

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Thanks! it is a 6 hole trem on the body, and the body is about all I have I'm new to this, but as soon as I figure out how to post pics, I'll be more than happy to share. Thanks again!!

Right-o then; any of the replacement 6 screw trems should do the trick; I liked the Wilkinson 5+1 (press fit wand bar!) but there are many out there to choose from so have a wander around Stewmac and check 'em out!

Uploading pix is as easy as hosting them on one of the many servers dedicated to photos - Photobucket, Imageshack etc. - and then copying and pasting the .img link into your post here. And as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

K....let's see if this works......this is my GS (Garbage Special). This is how I got it, so talk about bare bones!!

My Phoenix was just about like that when I first got it. At least somebody already did the work stripping it down. Now all you need to do is perhaps some sanding and prep for painting or staining! Nice artwork on the headstock! Is that carved?

When looking for a bridge, be sure to check the spacing of the mounting screws. A standard "Strat" style tremelo will work here but supposedly there is supposedly a difference between the MIM (Made in Mexico) and the MIA (Made in America) models. Whoever you make the purchase from should be able to help you with this. And of course, you can always dowel the existing holes and redrill for the new bridge if you get the wrong one!

Thanks Ray, the headstock is just a stencil with stain. Truthfully, I may just keep it this way, as far as how it is stained...it kinda grew on me.

I have found that the standard strat trem doesn't work......each hole from where I line it up gets progressively worse until the last hole is about 1/2 lined up and 1/2 not.......have spoken with some guys at Warmoth about maybe getting a 2 post trem installed....haven't heard back from them yet.

My Wilkinson dropped straight in; isn't that strange?! Have you got the OEM p'ups and electrics or is that really all you've got?

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

lol what you see is what I got. This guitar was found in the trash as you see it, so I have no hardware, electronics...and lots of room to play. I did look up the Wikinson 5+1, that may be a very good option.

Are you gonna try for OEM p'ups; I think the 185 had MMK45's and whatever single coils Uncle Matt used. The 45's shouldn't be that hard to get off the likes of eBay if you're patient and most of the electronics will be available off the shelf at Stewmac or Radio Shack or....?! Bear in mind all of the pots were push/pull if you're gonna try for an original set-up and the selector switch was a 3 way, well it is on my Spectrum GT!!
Someone else will have the good oil of what machine heads will fit your headstock; good luck, eh - keep us posted!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Actually, I haven't decided yet on the pups......I've been looking at many configurations for this (and up til now, didn't know the oem pups), but I have somewhat settled on some Rockfields for bridge and neck and possibly a seymour duncan (Duckbuster??) for the middle....with the push/pull for the mid position..

Now tho....ya gone and thrown a wrench into my evil designs

May now just have to go true to form.

If the Strat trem you tried was USA, you could maybe try the MIM version (or vice versa). Either that or you can pick which hole most closely matches the string position in relation to the neck, dowel up the rest, and redrill where you need them. I would use a hand drill for all this though!

My Phoenix had a Floyd Rose previously installed (two holes for the posts) along with the holes for the original tremelo. I decided to go with the Floyd Rose since the neck was already set up for a locking nut. I drilled out the Floyd Rose holes for the metal ferrules and then dowled up the holes for the original trem (cannot see them with the Floyd Rose trem installed). Of course I cheated with mine as I had everything already "Marked" as to where it should go!

Yeah, I will probably check back with the store I tried and see if that was for an import or USA. I have seen the Floyd's that are available and am kinda diggin on those...then just replace the nut with either a graphite, or roller.
A buddy has a Fernandez that has a trem that looks very similar to the Bendmaster....may take a look into that as well.

Bear in mind the original nuts on the Phoenix were graphite and a very good nut to boot! I suppose it depends what you want out of the guitar; I value my Matsumokus simply because they sound a little - or a lot!! - different to what everybody else is playing! In NZ, everybody's on a strat, or an LP, or whatever the flavour of the month is amongst the moneyed classes; Westones/Vantage/Electra/ APIIs' sound quite different and, IMHO, better for it!

You could go for a full restoration, or go for the player and obviously the player will be a lot quicker coming together!! Of course, you could always wire it up as per original with your selected p'ups and when you get MMK's, you could install them with no major dramas.

If you want a FR, then look out for any of the Westone Bendmaster Deluxe or FT equipped Spectrums; they are pretty much a Floyd clone; I believe retro-fitting them can be a touch tricky and requires some extensive routing of the body; hopefully someone in here knows more than i do!!

Whatever you do, good luck and keep us posted!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

lol I've seen LOTS of forums on the MMKs........but it seems that finding them is a totally different story. From what I've read, these pups are probably exactly what I'm looking for............but alas.....someone scarfed them when they took the electronics out!
Anyone know of a suitable replacement for the MMKs?????