The Electra Forums

I bought an X165 off eBay a couple months back. Will post pix of the guitar as I received it in a bit. No major problems that I can tell in rebuilding it just a matter of time and TLC. What I got was basically the body and the neck. The two MMK 45 pickups are in place as is the through body bridge. I started tearing it down last night. The repair/rebuilding issues are:

1. No electronics - so I'll need to find a wiring diagram.
2. No electronics covers - which doesn't worry me that much as I can either modify or cut my own
3. At some point, a previous owner removed the truss rod cover, pickup rings, bridge and neck plate and painted them metallic blue with either fingernail polish or enamel model paint which will have to be removed (and thanks to the folks in the auction watch forum for cluing me in on the right paint stripper)
4. The whole guitar looks to have been stored in a damp place for some time. All the metal that could rust, did rust.
5. While pulling the saddles off the bridge to try and remove the bad blue paint, the metal on the bridge simple fell apart in several places. So a new bridge is in order.
6. A previous owner modified the output jack so instead of a flush mounted jack, there is now a Strat-style oval jack. In creating the hole to mount this jack, he was not at all kind to the body. The plate covers the hole well enough but it's a jagged mess underneath. No going back to the original.
7. The nut was a joke. Someone used a notched matchstick. Kinda ingenious but...
8. Switches, pots, knobs all missing.

So does anyone know where I can get a wiring diagram for an X165?

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae

The X165 had four knobs and dual push pulls like a X935 Right? I found this on the interwebs:

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/produc ... Phase.html


The push pulls in the diagram are on the volume pots, but you get the idea. Good luck, we love to see a hard luck case resurrected, Mike.

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

Yep, that's how it was supposed to be. Great, something to go on anyway. That was going to be the biggest hangup for this build I think. I just finished a Les Paul Junior and am working on a Strat, 2 SG's a cigar box guitar and this guy. I just keep working a little on each as I get parts and info.

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae

Some photos of the X165 when I got it and as I start rebuilding/repairing it.







Notice the matchstick used for a nut!




Broke the bridge getting the saddles off. New bridge is in order.



Neckplate cleaned up nicely with bit of nail polish remover.



Badly hacked output plate hole. No going back to the original now.



Getting the nasty blue enamel paint off the pickup rings chewed them up a bit so I have new ones on order.



New roller tremolo bridge to replace the old one.

Also just got the new nut and pickup rings in. Bought the push/pull volume and tone pots yesterday and the output jack plate. Looking forward to getting this girl back together.

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae

I think that Blue paint is actually Metallic Nail Polish (Wet and Wild 402?), don't ask me how I know. That two point bridge will need studs installed, good luck. Mike.

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

Nail polish or model paint was actually my first guess on the metallic blue. The fact that it came off with nail polish remover as well. The bridge came with all the hardware. I just didn't show it.

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae

It might not be original, but you could fill the poorly done (and completely fugly) output jack hole and go back to the original.

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

Definitely a possibility. When the previous owner cut that hole...with a hacksaw, he also slipped and cut into the body on the back...which we are going to fill anyway.

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae

Personally I think it would look many thousands of times better without a Strat jack plate. If you're going to do some wood filling anyway, you should definitely get rid of that hole imo.

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

Yeah that Strat plate sucks. it would be one thing if it was a well done mod but the only thing this will ever be is a cover up. Filing major holes like that is not something I've ever done before but there is a first time for everything I guess.

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae

The things is, the hole they cut to put that Strat mount in there is at least partly over the the electronics cavity so the body is very thin there of course. And if I go back to the original jack, there has to be something there to support it. Just not sure how to fill that part and make it strong enough to support the original kind of jack.

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae

yeah, and the strat style one was probably put in place because they busted the other one out....

given the strength it needs to support, you'd almost have to plane down the front of the body and put a thick cap on it.

you could fill/cover where it is, and drill a new spot on the edge of the guitar to accept a jack....

_________________
My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

I was thinking of that. There should be enough room elsewhere to put in a regular flush mount jack.

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae

EPOXY

epoxy alone or mixed with sawdust as I've seen some people do?

_________________
By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party. - Gus McRae