The Electra Forums

I don't usually name my guitars, but this one lent itself to that by virtue of it's former owner. I bought this Maple Pro from the elderly brother of it's original owner who past away in 1989 (yes, it's been in a closet for 2 decades). This example doesn't have many miles on it, but storage wasn't exactly kind to it, it has numerous cracks in the finish, I'm assuming from temperature changes, the binding is shrunk pretty badly and cracking away in certain spots, and there is a fairly serious separation of the neck from the heal.

Of course none of this I could see in the grainy CraigsList ad, and the seller (in his 70's!) didn't know what to look for or describe to me over the phone. Seller had listed this with two other guitars, an amp and a Trumpet on CL, the photo was small and blurry, but I could tell it was a blonde Semi-Hollow, and could just make out the Vine Inlay on the fretboard. After contacting the seller and talking to him on the phone I knew it was a Maple Pro. He told me he wanted $250 for it, I offered him $350 plus shipping sight unseen. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. It was obvious he didn't know what he had, and I don't like to take advantage of people, plus he was a really nice old guy, so I'll sleep better at night. Personally I think it was still a steal, but $250 was too little for this cool guitar.

It was shipped in an ancient Guild archtop case that smelled moldy (great...) so I spent a couple hours cleaning Ray up and airing/sunning out the case. While I had the strings off I snapped a couple of quick shots of the pickups out. Put some new strings on it and took him downstairs where I put it through the paces. Quickly found out that the neck pickup didn't work, and I was pretty bummed out. Contacted the seller and he said that he didn't recall his brother having any problems with the electronics... dang. About a week later, after giving up hope on the neck pickup I was rocking out and started to use the selector switch as a Kill Switch (ala Norman Greenbaum) pretty aggressively, and yikes, the Neck Pickup started to crackle through. A couple more minutes of playing around with the switch and the Neck Pickup awoke from it's long sleep, and what a pickup it is! Switch is still flakey, but I was super releaved that these matching serialized pickups still worked.

Enough of the background, here's Ray, Flame is not as spectacular as you typically see on the Maple Pro's, but I like it being subtle and not in your face:


All the chrome is in great shape, and the tuners are super nice, here you can see some of the binding crumbling at the bottom of the guitar:


Not sure if you can see the weather checking on the back, but you'll see a pretty serious neck/heal seam, that I was used to seeing on these set neck Matsumokus, so I didn't think twice about it:


Didn't think twice about it until I tried to slip a piece of paper into the separation, then YIKES:


All I can say is that I've tuned Ray up to concert pitch and had been playing the daylights out of it (very nice weight) including a 5 hour jam session at a buddies house before I even noticed how serious the crack was. I will continue to use it like this (ignorance IS bliss!), part of me is concerned, but another part of me can't stop playing him. I have a feeling that it has separated as much as it's going to, but if anyone has any real life experiences with cracks like this, please chime in.

Here's those gorgeous tuners and the Serial Number F777393:


Neck pickup out, pre cleaning:


Bridge Pickup out, with matched pickup serial numbers 17606:


No distinguishing marks or writing in either cavity. I'm working on a audio clip to post, and having a good time with this one, Ray can be bluesy as you want and get mighty aggressive with the bridge pickup through a tube amp. It was a real conversation piece at our all night Rock out last weekend, a regular Chameleon. Here's the latest family portrait:


Seven Set Neck Electras for ya! It's unusual for me to buy guitars this often, but the market has been pretty good (for buyers) lately, at least that's what I've been trying to convince myself. Enjoy, Mike.

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

Nice!! Good story, too - thanks for sharing it!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

...

Very very nice. I've always liked that model.

You must lead a charmed life dude!

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SlmGuy

Ah, yes... but where are the Phoenixes?!?!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

I almost pulled the trigger on a X155 Phoenix, but to date I just haven't nabbed one, the Electra line is pretty deep, especially when you start talking about the X100 line and all the pointy models.

Jeff, the Maple Pro is a little meatier at the nut than the X810, but overall not too different and even after a couple marathons with it, it's been comfy. Not sure I have the patience or wallet to get all seven different semi hollow bodies like you're trying to do, but always wanted to try the X420 with the coil tap and phase switches built in. The X810 is way more versatile with the five way (tone spectrum) rotary and MPC capabilities, but I just put together an audio clip and the Maple Pro holds its own, I'll post it soon.

What I do like is that the vine inlay matches up with the fret markers on the Maple Pro, unlike the X810 who's inlay is unique, but totally unhelpful when playing! If I hadn't come across this one so reasonably priced, I probably would be totally happy with (just) the X810, but Rays growing on me quickly, I guess I'm a softy for a hard luck case. As far as passing you, it's not a competition is it? What's the old saying... Anything more than one is a collection? And eight out of the 12 modules is a pretty respectable accomplishment man! I'm hoping that the modules don't go through the roof with all the recent press and excitement, would like to pick up an octave unit and the filter follower. Cheers, Mike.

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

Fantastic!

I agree; a great Electra lineup;

You are a lucky man!

A thumbs up for each.

RCSBlues (x7)

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RCSBlues

The vine detail on the fingerboard is beautiful...great score dude

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In the words of AC/DC: We roll tonight...and for those about to rock...we salute you.

That is sweet, Mike! Nice, nice guitar. Look forward to the clip.

I don't know if I'd worry much about the heel split. Like you said, probably gone as far as it's going to, and as long as it insn't detuning itself every time you set it down, you're probably OK. I think I'd keep an eye on it though. Easier to fix now than when she goes *snap*!

Man, I do love those hollow bodies....

Thanks guys, you're too kind. I'll continue to monitor the separation (guess I have to dig out my feeler gauges!), and Redeye you've got a good point there with the whole 'a stitch in time saves nine' thing, I'm just really enjoying picking up a light but resonate guitar and flailing some Pete Townshend chords through it... (the Outlaw screamed Zeppelin and Ray seems to cry out The Who... go figure!). It's tough to take him to the shop when I'm having so much fun, but your words sent a chill up my spine, and reminded me that maybe I shouldn't tempt fate, that it probably just wouldn't be the same if the neck gave out and had to have surgery done.

I'm probably playing him harder than he's ever been played before. Turns out 'Ray' was played soft and soulfully in gospel/church environments until his former owners untimely passing. When the pickup started working again, I shot the seller an email telling him how happy I was that it wasn't anything serious, and casually called it 'Ray' in my email, and I could almost hear him tearing up in his email to me where he called it Ray three different times during the course of his reply, in effect giving me his blessing for the use of the name. He knew that I was a Electra fan and that his brothers guitar would be well cared for and appreciated, sometimes things happen for a reason. Why did he wait 20 years to sell? How did I just happen to see the guitar buried in his saturated North Carolina CL ad? Maybe it was fate, it's been a good experience for both (all three...) of us.

Sound clip is kinda sloppy (hey, we're all understanding kinda guys right?) and I had to start in the 'Both' pickup selection, as that's the trickiest position to get the switch working properly in! I'm going for a 'british invasion' theme, complete with Pete Townshend semi-tribute. I'll try to post that tomorrow if I can get it hosted. Thanks.

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

Here's the Audio Clip for this aged beauty:

http://www.box.net/shared/ye8odlt3f1

Both Pickups:
Ticket to Ride
Can't Explain (continuing with that Rickenbacker Theme)

Neck Pickup:
Can't you hear me Knockin' Jazzy Mick Taylor part
She's so Heavy lead

Bridge Pickup:
Paperback Writer
Townshend Medley

Played through my Princeton Reverb, mellow to start, fired up by the end. Can't really get into alot of detail in only 3 minutes, but you get the idea. Neck pickup has a lot of definition and sounds great cleaned up, or with a pinch of tube breakup.

Switch is still flakey as all get out, I may have to break down and fish it out of there to clean, thankfully it's right next to the F hole, for now it's got character (right?). Tell me what you think of Ray, and if this old church guitar was worth 4 bills!

If anyone else wants to post audio, send me a PM, it's not rocket science! Would love it if the Forum could host the clips (hint hint), as who knows if my cheapo hosting site will always be there... Although their built in player is convenient.

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

Yeah!! 4 hundy; you got a bargain there, pal!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Super.

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SlmGuy

Audio sounds very good;

Ray has a great sound and each clip has great timing;

Thanks for sharing.

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues