The Electra Forums

Hi, I originally bought this guitar in 1980 for $275 in Woodland Hills, CA. when I was 11 or 12 years old.

I've always tried to keep good care of it. I recently started playing it again. Thanks to the internet I found you guys. Now, I checked the Electra guitar model section but I could not find an exact copy of mine. There also is no embossed model number on the brass plate on the back. Only "Made in Japan". The head stock oyster disign is also a bit different from anything pictured in the model gallery.

I still absolutly love the deep red color and brass of this guitar. I managed to keep it out of the hands of friends and relatives for 30+ years and it still plays and sounds great.

I would love to get some info on this.

TIA.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55312915@N04/7598259518/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55312915@N04/7598258152/sizes/l/in/photostream/

welcome! that is a nice color...

we've seen a few with the logo like yours (old style somewhat linked together), but given that you bought it in 1980 and SLM wan't using that logo anymore, this might give us a lead into those with that logo...

it's most similar to the 2252 model, but that was early 70's...

Long Shot?: Do you happen to remember the name of the store you bought it at? OR have any original hang tags, etc....

_________________
My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

No info on Hand Tags. But I bought it at Woodlowe Music Store (Still in business in the same location) in Woodland Hills on Ventura Ave.

I wonder if there's any old-timers there that would remember what distributor they worked with back in the day to bring in the Electras?

St. Louis Music (SLM)
Pacific Coast Music (PCM)
or someone else...

_________________
My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

here's another with the same style logo..
http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapag ... 024-020458

and I'd almost bet a $1 that whomever distributed yours was the distributor that one of my Corsairs came from....

_________________
My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Seems I had heard Hoshino was involved in some earlier offerings,nothing to back that up though....

_________________
"If it ain't been in the pawnshop,it can't play the blues" R.L.Burnside

as far as I can tell... all of the "confirmed" SLM early pre-'74 Electras with the "round e" logo, were either black or gold painted on the headstock, and the PCM were black on a rectangle of aluminum afixed to the headstock...

the later "PCM" ones mostly appear to be black on headstocks, and most are mid-late 80's based on exact twins I've seen with other logos, and research as to when those guitars were available... (Tanara, Grand Prix, etc....)

_________________
My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Woodlowe Music opened in 1978, so it's not likely this was one that had been sitting around since the early 70's, so it almost definitely did not come from SLM...

now to find out who?!

_________________
My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Gotta say, this is kinda cool to have a 'mystery' guitar...I hope you guys can solve the mystery.

I've sent an email to Woodlowe, so hopefully they will respond!

_________________
My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Well I cane certainly see why everyone would want to try and talk you out of this one as she is a beauty and that color is very nice with the gold hardware. I have seen early on SLM and PCM models with almost the same style logo but not exactly the sameand they did not have the same style diamond in the center. In my opinion with the non wave headstock this would have been an early on model from I would think the 1974-1976 range maybe but with this unique color I am wondering if maybe this was a demo model used to show the dealers new colors etc. I will ewasearch and see what I can find also. Welcome to the forums.

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

I dont know if this helps but when I knock the front of it with my knuckles it gives off a hollow tone so it definetly is not a solid piece of wood.

That does help narrow down the year range and manufacturer as the early models from Hoshino and Fujigen had the hollow spots underneath the bridge areas. A simple way to check is to lift off the back control cover and look and see if it is solid or has a cavity and you may also be able to tell by looking under the pickups.

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

Here's another one with the linked mop logo:

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/msg/3148196588.html

This one is white! Also has a dual triangle diamond inlay on the headstock, although much smaller. Bottom line is that when you've got multiple factories and distributors involved inconsistencies are inevitable. This is one of the reasons that Electra had it's Pawn Shop reputation for so long, that there were so many variations. Eventually SLM figured this out, and by the late 70's models and factories were locked in and the guitars became very consistently built.

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