The Electra Forums

...but not to Electras.

In 1982, I was 11 years old and my father agreed to buy me a guitar. We went to "The String Shoppe" in Columbus, Ohio so I could look at Strats. The owner of the shop talked my dad into paying $345 or so for something that wasn't a Fender OR a Gibson! I was mortified but over the following 28 years I grew to love my blue Electra X-130.

In the past few months I've decided to expand my collection a bit beyond that original one and I've worked eBay and Craigslist pretty hard, with the assistance of this forum.

I have five X-somethings, pictured here with some of my other guitars:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 ... 1eba98172f

I also recently won auctions for a white 2264 Studio Zephyr double-cutaway and a red Futura, so I'm hoping those show up in the near future. When I reach ten Electras I will probably take a break and let other people win some auctions I purposely did NOT bid on the Tree of Life SG because I saw a forum member wanted it very badly.

Looking forward to talking to all of you about these great guitars!

...

Welcome aboard, nice cross section of the X100 Phoenix line you have there, almost have a complete rainbow... you just need one of those metallic Green X130's, oh, and maybe a X149 or X150 Laminate! Mike.


P.S. there's a X149 Laminate (non active version) on Craigs List in PA currently...

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/msg/1647832306.html

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

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on a very nice collection.

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

Very nice! Welcome aboard!

Not Electra talk, I know, but......what how do you like the robot Paul?

Great lineup! An axe for every mood and style!

Your dark red-brown X130 is a pretty rare finish, yours is the only complete one I've seen (I have a body here as my only evidence). I'd call it 3/81 (but it'll be interesting to hear what Tom says about dates and serial numbers) Congratulations, and sometime it would be nice to get a series of documentary shots of it for the model pages.

I'm pretty sure your blue one is an X135, not an X130. Non-string through is a clue but the multi-layer pickguard that adds a band of white is a tipoff. I bet if you look under the control cavities you'll find it's maple, not ash. I bet the tuners are sealed units like the later Phoenixes, an 'upgrade' from the X130. The interesting thing about this one though is the fact that it's not an 82. Every other 1st series X135 I've seen came out in 82 and had the anniversary plate with model number. If I'm right on the serial number yours was made 9/81, which does make sense as a holiday season intro of the new models. (don't feel bad about the model number though, my forum handle is based on having mis-identified my first Electra, an X185, as an X189 for years).

Your X165 is really interesting with the laminated pickguard and painted headstock. Seems like an 82-only variant of the model? Oh, and it's heavy because the body is maple. I bet it sustains for years.

Good taste, thanks for joining us and sharing your great collection!

Took me a while to come back.

* I absolutely love the robot Paul. I play a little Guns and Roses once in a while and the half-step detune is easy as pie.

* The only reason I think my blue X-130 is an X-130 as opposed to an X-135... it has a sticker on the 22nd fret that says "X-130". I'm certain it's maple underneath. The tuners are sealed, but it is string-through-body.

* If you go back to the original link you will see that I did, in fact, stop buying the guitars at ten. What I have now:

- 109xxx X-130 or X-135, blue
- 109xxx X-130 natural
- 109xxx X-140 blue
- 103xxx X-130 red
- 104xxx X-140 black. This guitar might as well be brand-new. Just pickguard scratches and that's it
- X-165 with broken trem. Need to fix this.
- X-175 in outstanding shape
- X-175 in not so great shape. Both are sunburst
- A red futura that needs some help
- Studio Zephyr, double cutaway, bound, varitone

Obviously I kind of favor those 1981 Strat copies

Welcome aboard Jack.

Very nice collection!

Hey all, I just found you guys and joined up as I have long been a defender of my trusty x940, the second guitar I ever had and still my main guitar (I use it more than my '54 Gibson ES-175)!
My Electra has been on tour with me to Europe 6 or 7 times where I have had people ask if it was a custom-made guitar (you can imagine how much more obscure these are across the pond). My guitar was even in a car accident where the neck was broken almost all the way off and was lovingly repaired by a great guy north of Boston named JC...thanks, Jim!

I love seeing the pics of your collections but I realize I need to start looking around to add to my Electra stock before you all sweep them up!
I'll have to take a pic to upload, but in the meantime you all can see a video of it in action:

http://www.youtube.com/user/UnitedWeTab ... pAs0uUSBX0
I figure if Dicky Betts was an endorser, It's fitting to play that tune on my Electra. (yes, the second guitar part has the phaser on it...)

I am certainly not trying to spam up your forum but I thought you'd dig this great new TAB website (where the above video was produced) I have been working with - http://www.unitedwetab.com

electra-fried,
Dave

Great video; love the X940 - it's a beautiful axe;

I am a big Allman Brothers fan as well;

Check out Elizabeth Reed on the Bandmix tab below.

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

Hi Jack,

Nice collection. I'm a really big fan of the Phoenix style guitars, and you certainly some nice ones. Welcome.

-Andy

BTW - I thought your name sounded familiar. We were talking over CL about your P-Bass and my Electra Les Paul.

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-Andy
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1970's Electra Les Paul
'83 Electra Westone x185
'84 Electra Westone x195 with Kahler Flyer (first guitar ever)
'84 Electra Westone Dynasty
'84 Electra Westone x195
2x 1990's Crate Electra
'90 Westone Villain with Modulus Graphite Neck

Hi RCS,

I am listening to your great rendition of Eliz Reed as I write - nice stuff...good dynamics. Whoever does the second solo has all those great E flats (blues note) added to the dorian vibe which I from the Fillmore east...sweet!

As I see pics of all these great electras, it makes me want to start searching for a second. What'll the wife say??
cheers,
dave

It was probably my brother Gary; he had 5 years of jazz instruction at the time of this performance, and he did most of the arranging with the music for this band.

Most of the time I just played the straight ahead lead patterns, or did what he suggested, and he did a lot of the intricate stuff.

Thanks,
RCSBlues

Hey RCS Blues,

Well kudos to you both for some fine playing!
Hope it's not too hot down there in TX...
cheers,
dave