The Electra Forums

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 8853687710
Do not see these that often especially at this price. Looks to be a good player grade with some character marks. Great price if it indeed stays low. Someone needs to grab this one and bring it to the Electrafest.

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

I love the top on that one!

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Looks nice.

I word to the wise to anyone outside the US: Jacaranda is a CITES listed species and thus can't be imported/exported without a certificate saying that it was made prior to the listing in 1989. You don't want your guitar seized at the border.

The top veneer is like 1/64th of an inch thick, maybe even thinner, but I guess when you're dealing with an endangered species that doesn't matter much. I wonder how the eBay police missed the 'Les Paul Copy' right in the Auction title?

Changed Tuners, Bridge and Knobs at the very least. Those Maxon pickups are nothing to brag about either, Super Microphonic. They will squeal at Vacuum Cleaner volumes, and you can literally speak into them.

I agree that it is a nice looking top, but someone did a hack job on the Tuners, and there is remnants of a poor pickguard install too. Somethings not right with this one, caveat emptor.

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

I checked the uncle matt site and the Aria I bought is a PE 130 according to the 1977 catalogue? I thought the open book stopped in 76?
Also, this has the Jacaranda top.....fantastic , but I've reading the posts about this for the recent Electra for sale on the "bay" .........hope I don't get in pickle over that! Anyway it was built prior to 1989.
One last question I would like an opinion on....... proendorser seemed to poo poo the pickups (Maxxon) and judging by the pictures of my Aria & the Electra they are identical guitars (except the Aria has a setneck).
Would you change the pups? I have a NOS set of PAF Gotohs from 1980 measuring 8.73 K & 8.65K , or a local winder, Jon Moore can wind me a set of PAFs as close as you can get to the original, using original butyrate bobbins, wire magnets etc.

I do not mind the pups so much. I you use lower volumes sometimes they are not as bad. I have not tried to do any shielding of the pups or waxing so I can offer no opinion on that side. Do what suits your ears best if you plan to keep it. If you don't like it and do not want to invest in a pickup change then you can always trade or sell.

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

The maxon's sound ok really, but having owned a pair it is a no brainer why Electra and many other brands went to other pickups eventually. Here is a video of my Jacaranda (with Maxons) and they don't sound too bad at all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVnM2ZfgIAE

Thing is I like to play fairly loud and overdriven, which is a dangerous combination with these pickups, they will tend to squeal and feedback between notes, etc. I just always cringe when sellers will talk them up as awesome pickups... they are your basic unwaxed Japanese pickups, and maybe if you had them waxed they would be better behaved. I apologize if I come off sounding like a snob, but being able to play with a band means that your amp is going to be set louder than a vacuum cleaner!

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

I'll let my teckie & Jon Moore listen to the pups ; I will probably try the Goto's.
PS : Pro Endorser: nice Jacaranda you have.
Ben