The Electra Forums

First there was this
http://jacksonville.en.craigslist.org/m ... 28704.html


Then another guy was so fired up he wrote this
http://jacksonville.en.craigslist.org/m ... 74170.html

I must disagree with this interpretation of the Electra LIne. While some of the early PCM quality may be questionable I have never had any of the problems mentioned with any of the Electra models I have seen and played. In my opinion the opposite is correct. All of the models I have seen and had the pleasure to play were all of top quality manufacture especially the Uncle Matt models. I understand that some of the models were made of parts that were sourced from other manufacturers and this could pose a potential problem. I would put my Electras up against any of the Gibsons from that era and even today as they are all top notch manufacture and quality at a great value. Maybe he had to leave the plant when it moved and he became a music store manager. Who knows but I will stick to my guns on this one and support my Electra Brand

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Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

I suggest you either email that to the guy questioning that guitar's quality, or post it to that craigslist, or both. Either way, the guy wants way too much money for the guitar.

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Who needs a Fender Jazz when you can get a perfectly good Spectrum bass for $50?

Electras varied, there's no question. I've had some Electras which were awful, and some that were superb. And I'm not just talking PCM Electras, but early 70's models. I've had Electra LPs with unstable neck joints that wouldn't hold tune, and intonation problems at the first fret.

I agree absolutely that you can't paint the entire brand with a broad brush and call it all excellent. Some simply aren't. I think every model is interesting toa collector but to a musician some are much better than others.

I do think many people think of the 77-up models (or more accurately, the models Tom Presley had a say in) and their quality is much better. Before that, you take your chances. Ironically, buyers were at least as swayed by the poor reputation of early Electras as collectors are swayed by the great reputation of later ones.

As much as I like Electra, and want to be 'loyal', I have to agree with Aaron, and encourage everyone to be realistic about what they are and aren't.

Woah! To be clear what I posted was NOT my words. I cut and pasted the two Craigslist ads I saw. One was the guitar for sale and the other was a guy so aggravated that he posted on the same CL with his rant. I just thought the group would find that interesting. I am going to just leave the links so that there is no confusion.

I agree that the 77 models and up were the best for workmanship - in any style;

Not just because I am an owner for over 30 years; I was extremely lucky to be in the right place at the right time to make two Electra purchases in the late 70's;

It is unbelieveable that this line will come full circle and be in production again - can't wait!

I have the sensation that Ben Chafin will make the long wait well worth it - for Electras to be on the market again. Kudos to BC.

The Forum traffic sure has picked up tremendously with the advent of ElectraFest - and now this .....

Outstanding!

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

Yeah, I agree; it's nice to see the forum as active as this - good stuff!!

I can't really comment on Electra quality; the only one I've got is a Phoenix and I'd defend that to the death, but the second protaganist on CL does have a point, eh.... we do have to be a touch realistic about our beloved brand!!

That said, the more people out there who think Electra are junk, the better for us!! Go and have a look at APII, Vantage and Westone prices....

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

...

I saw the original CL post for a X220 Omega, sunburst where the seller compares it to a reissue Gibby LP (retailing?) for like three grand, and how this cool 30 year old japanese was worth at least a third of that! Maybe failed logic, but at $1200 he was way off in the current market. Anyway this other guy, unknown internet author posts this to craigs after like three weeks:


Finally, after all of the fraudulent, over-hyped and pompous claims on CL that I have been forced to read over the years, this one takes the cake and I have to reply to it...
I used to sell Electra guitars here in Jax when I managed Marvin Kay's Music store on Beach Blvd. We were forced to sell those TOTAL POC guitars in order to keep our franchise with SLM (St Louis Music) the importer of Electra. Now I realize that these guitars were made by Matsumoku, the same folks that made guitars for Aria Pro II and Ibanez (for Hoshino), as well as tons of other brands imported into this country at that time. Many of these brands were actually FAR better than the American models for various reasons. In Gibson's case, they were moving their Kalamazoo factory to Nashville (1978), and the morale of the union labor in Kalamazoo was down to an all-time low.

In any case, Electra was trying to cash in on the sudden rise in popularity of Japanese quality and we were forced to sell that junk with cheap luan bodies that SLM tried to pass off as "mahogany". That wood was so soft that the strap buttons wee working their way out of the bodies. The cheap pot metal hardware would not hold up, the inlays were cheesey and full of filler ebony dust, and the pick-ups were whimpy. Matsumoku let the importer spec the guitar, they built them to order. I own a number of fine Matsumoku-made guitars from that era-none are Electra.

My main issue with this ad is the comparison of an Electra with a modern day Les Paul, and the thought that this Electra is somehow worth a third of the going price of one. A quick purusal of some online auctions shows that the actual selling prices of Electras (yes, there are some fans out there) is hovering between $200-400, and this includes the later 1980 models that were no longer imitations of American guitars, and were significantly better. The bottom line is...buyer beware!


Which is pretty opinionated (and you know what they say about opinions) not very flattering to the Electra Line, but then about two days ago this shows up:

Electra Guitars at Christmas (Franklin Stove)

I remember back in the day...looking for Electra MPC guitars to keep me warm...they were so easy to use...just remove the batteries and strings (at least detune them to slop) to avoid the neck splitting in pieces and launching thru the screen...and gently lay 3 or 4 in the log holder and put some bunched up newspaper or kindling underneath and set em ablaze! You were guaranteed a good 30 to 45 minutes of warmth and a colorful aurora as the various urethanes and glues and pot metals succumbed to the intense heat of the fire. I remember eggnog and a little rum...and a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg atop the glorious helping of whipped cream set afloat on the toasy mug's elixir...oh-wait-ELIXIR...where did I just see that...oh yeah! Some [Foul Language Used] on Craigslist RIGHT HERE asking $30 for a set and he was not even offering free vaseline! The nerve of some bastards....now...where was I...

darn...lol

Which isn't particularly well written or funny, again, typical CL troll trying to drum up emotion in others. So there's the whole thread unless more CraigsList trolls chime in. I'm with Corsair on this one, less competition, and more for us!

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

The fumes from the burning urethane clearly increased the number of previously dead grey cells. Not that it wasn't insubstantial to start. What was the cheapest MPC at the time, like $500 or so. Why not just burn money it would have less toxic impact. I don't think the price on the original was in the normal range but the bile from the CL guy was stupid and uninformed. I also doubt that SLM made anybody carry Electras so they could have access to other products. That is not he way you get sales in a competative market.

SLM must have had a lot of clout back in the day to "make" retailers sell their model line;

Maybe cousin Vinny paid them a visit and made an impression ........

Fugettaboutit!!!!!!!

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues