The Electra Forums

just getting started collecting these awsome guitars. what are the top ten?

Welcome aboard. What are your criteria? Playability? Looks? (subjective) Rarity? Most Expensive? Versatility? Price vs. performance?

By definition, everything in the Electra line is going to be a good bang for the buck. I tend to really like the post '75 guitars as they are more consistent than the earlier offerings. Anything with a set neck will be a pretty solid player. The X100 Phoenixs are often overlooked as another 'stratlyke' guitar, but I've been impressed with their feel and available options (prefer the hard tails personally), and you can pick some up for cheap.

The Semi Hollows (Elvin, Maple Pro, Custom Pro, Jazz Strad, X810 MPC) are getting pricey, but play/sound as good as (dare I say it) a real 335, usually look more striking, have more adventurous electronic options, and smaller more comfortable necks.

I prefer the original body styles myself, like the Outlaw, Leslie West, one and a half cutaway models (Vulcan, Endorser, X200 models) they look different enough to catch the eye of other players when you gig. I don't really go for the LP styles personally, but they certainly are perennial favorites with many collectors (OK, someday I'll snag an Omega!).

There are no Edsels in the Electra line (well maybe the pointy Dynastys, now I'll get a bunch of hate mail). What Electra(s) caught your attention? Mike.

Here's your top ten! (wink wink)

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

Since DEC. i picked up A 935 cs 100.00 local music store. The guitar center outlawX 730. $300 A X110 phoenix $ 70.00. and what I thought was A westone electra X180 but it might be A X190 for $200.00. No effects. with the Outlaw. the Phoenix are hard to figure out. Rairty.

Welcome to the forums and it sounds as if you are off to a very good start with some nice scores. The Electra line offers so much versatility and playability that any chioce usually works well. I must admit though that since I scored the Elvin Bishop and the X410 Jazz that they are my favorite models but are also the most expensive. I enjoy the phoenix line as well and they are much more reasonable in price range and availability. Good hunting and Rock On.

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

$100 for an Endorser? That's a steal unless it's been hacked up, good deal. The Phoenixs are tough to ID, I find myself confused looking at stuff on eBay, there are like 20 different models.

As far as rarity, that would have to be the proto's and one-of-a-kinds out there. X189 picked up a laminated Phoenix last year, check out the thread, you'll never see another one of these!

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4240

And there are sightings of other strange Electras from time to time. Urban Legend has it that Matsumoku (or other builders) would mock up guitars for potential new models. There are more than a few production guitars that didn't make it into Catalogs, the two that come to me are the Dicky Betts Dot Neck Vulcan and the 2257 Natural LP with 'mini' humbuckers, neither of which are particularly rare but because they aren't in literature seem exotic.

If you're talking about production rarity, that's impossible to say as no records are known to exist (to my knowledge). I've been watching eBay and Craigs List pretty closely for the past two years, and from that I would say that these models don't come up very often:

X910 MPC Explorer (sometimes called the Rick Derringer)
X810N Semi Hollow MPC Natural (see the Sunburst version every once in a while)
2266 Burgandy Pro
X740 Outlaw Maple with Walnut Stripes
X149 Phoenix non-active Laminate version

Two honorable mentions would be:

X510 Concert Pro Jazz Box
X120 Leslie West

Both of which we've seen in auctions, but still kind of uncommon. I don't think they made many X120 MPC's, but they do come up from time to time, maybe people don't like the fat necks? This is very unscientific as it has nothing to do with rarity, just what people are offering lately. I think it was RCS that pointed out that people may not want to sell the really great guitars or the ones that they are attached to, so that skews this type of observational tallying. I'm sure others could offer other rarely offered models. Enjoy, Mike.

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

The endorser has a inch long crack in the veneer that someone put some glue on. The bridge P.U. is a cream colored covered P.U. that isn't very strong. othwise just minor ware. are they super magnaflux?

...hate,hate, hate!! The pointies are the Phoenix in a party frock; they're a bit radical but consummate players...or so I'm told - I'd love one!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Tom Presley has given the Westone forum a couple of production numbers, and says he has information of production numbers for the Westone brand somewhere, so he may have information on Electra as well. No telling.

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

The only two (stock...) pickups I've ever seen on X935's are MMK45 or MMK53's, should look like this:



Man that would be great, if Tom shows up, he's gonna be swamped with questions... I hope he doesn't get scared away. Let's cross our collective fingers, Mike.

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

Yes I agree it would be nice to know what some of the production numbers were for the rare models as well as the favorites as well.

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