The Electra Forums

I picked up this conversation piece today, and would like McB to weigh in before I set a price, although interested parties can PM me anytime:



Has some changed parts, but rare White paint is in nice shape. It came with a better than average headless Westone gig Bag, all three zippers still work!

The changed parts include a pair of Bartolini Humbuckers, a under Bridge Peizo pickup and a changed locking nut, pictures to follow. Each of the three pickups have a volume knob and the upper stacked knob is a global tone control. The Bartolini's have a hard time keeping up with the contact pickup, but that adds a ton of brightness, or attack, I found a good mix by maxing the humbuckers and adding just a pinch of peizo.

Missing parts include the 'Westone' bridge cover and the frets... yeah, someone has removed the frets and filled the grooves. Pretty nice job, better than I could have done to be sure, but admittedly not for everyone. The strings on it are semi flat wounds, and get that fretless sound as you slide up the neck, pretty cool.


You can just see the white wire from the contact pickup leading under the G saddle in this next photo:


July of 1985 build date, and here is a closeup of the new locking nut:


Includes what I believe is the original nut, I think everything is there but the mounting screws, McB? This part alone may have some value to restorers:


Paint has some fading and its share of dings, but really the only paint missing can be seen in this shot behind the bridge on the treble side, looks like the output jack plate has been changed or moved:


Cons:
Frets removed
Changed Electronics
Changed Locking Nut
Missing Westone Bridge Plate
Strap Locks added

Pros:
Above average Paint
Rare White Finish (vast majority of these are Black)
Original Westone Bag
White Dot Markers on top of Neck
Clean example of this interesting 'space age' Bass

Could possibly be brought back to stock, used as a player as is, or (gulp) parted out. I seem to remember McB having a hard time locating a bridge for his refurb, or the ones he did find were astronomically priced (like 4 Bills!!). Having the less common White finish, I think it would be a cool refurb candidate. Tell me what you think! Mike.

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

Very cool. Yes that is the stock top of the neck piece. I was missing the three bolts and clamp piece but got exact bolts at the hardware store and made my own clamping bar... i would just make a new top plate for the tail piece but i can see why youd want it off if you played a lot and needed to change strings quickly. Looks like a nice job on the electronics.
Got any closeups of the fingerboard?


Looks like a good player as is. Especially for someone wanting an easily portable fretless.

I do like the white paint... the quantums dont seem to be as sought after as the rail but they have a really good feel to them.

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I'll post some closeups of the Fretboard tonight. These bodies are so unique, with all the weird angles and multiple levels... I would love to see the template they used. It must have been a real job to cut them out. Or, were they injection molded out of some polymer? I agree that for a little body, it has some weight to it. I can't believe that there isn't more buzz about them.

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

it took me a while to sell my Orange one but the black one saved from being turned into a lamp, sold right away...

They are full wood bodies. the catalogue states that the bodies were "tuned" as well, so there was definitely a purpose behind the angles and weight distribution.

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As requested, here are some more closeups, first of the fretless job, you can feel it slightly if you run your finger over it, but the strings slide freely:



I noticed that I didn't include a picture of the (pretty nice!) back:


And here is a closeup of the jack plate relocation, where you can see the stacked knobs and paint chip also:


Thanks, Mike.

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

I'll let the Westone lads know that you've got the spare locking bits if you want, man?

Shame it doesn't have the OEM pups, though; those Westone bass pickups are really very very good!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

I'll give the buyer first refusal on the stock nut, but that is a kind offer. Not sure what its worth, not looking to get rich or anything. Thanks, Mike.

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

Warrn...... WARRN......


...come on now, you know you want to...

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...throw me a frickin' bone here, people...

The space bass has been sold and is on its way to Iowa, hopefully Mick will add his impressions to this thread once it shows up. He opted to have me send along the original nut, so that's not available either.

I didn't make much on this 'flip', but I had fun holding, playing and documenting it. These bodies are so weird shaped, photographs just barely do them justice. If you've never played one before, you owe it to yourself to check one out up close. They're like nothing I've ever seen before, I'm hesitant to say 'ahead of their time', but definitely an original design and worthy of more attention.

I guess the Rails are actually more desirable, or at least have better resale, which is curious because they only have the one pickup. The Quantum has twice as many (thrice in this case) pickups, has more striking aesthetics, and now that I've owned (and sold...) both models, I prefer the Quantum personally. Cheers, Mike.






I just noticed that these two basses were both made in the same month, so they would have made a perfect pair in the rare white finish... ah well, hindsight is 20/20.

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

I'm already too late for this, and although white is definitely my preferred color, I'm not sure I could cope with all the changes. I mean, I've honestly never tried anything with Bartolinis, but the Magnaflux RB pickups are literally the best pickups I have ever heard on a bass. I'll get a Quantum one of these days.

Also, the Rails don't need two pickups. The only sound you lose out on is having both pickups together, and you can just center the pickup to approximate that. I usually have mine set just ever so slightly closer to the neck.

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

If I get approval for my vacation time at work, I"ll be bringing it back up for EF12.

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it's actually a jackplate replacement. it's a new metal one. the original's were rectangular, and made of b/w 2 ply plastic.

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My Electra Pages
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Hoping beyond hope that nothing gets in the way of my making it up there!

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

Got it today! the pics above don't do the color justice! it's an awesome aged binding yellow. almost a lime-yellow. I need to get a pic against something white!

fretboard is done very nicely...

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pics...

well, looks like there's no easy going back to stock top string lock... when it was converted, the top of the neck was cut off where the strings went through the neck...



still doesn't look the same as in person, but you get a little better idea...


2 of my Westones...

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!