The Electra Forums

Some of you may have already seen this but for those who haven't: http://www.guitarcenter.com/In-Store-Vi ... 09393701_V

why not get an epiphone for alot less? I think the price is high

I think you will find this to be a much better instrument than an Epiphone. I don't follow these but The price does not look out of line to me.

According to the price spreadsheet, it is about 100-150 too high but the fact is they don't show up very often. It is definitely in the ballpark. I've had an x420 (black) and an older Korean (Epiphone by Gibson) Sheraton. The quality of the Electra is higher and the Sheraton is a nice guitar. If someone is in the Cincy area they could probably talk them down a bit on that price.

An X420 (black) almost won the best in show at Electrafest 2012. It was basically a tie with Mike's Cherry Endorser and lost in the tie breaker. Everyone that picked up and played Randy's "Thelma" loved the feel and the tone. It might be a tad high in price for this one, but it is not so far out of line. A semi-hollow is on my short list of ones that I would have to sneak past my wife if I found a great deal. The store might be willing to come down in price, but GC prices are geared towards the high end of the spectrum.

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"This is the way that pop ends, Not with a BANG but with a box set whose fourth disc you never get around to playing” - Simon Reynolds

"My guitar wants to kill your Mama" - Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention

An Epiphone over an X420VS? BLASPHEMY! Go to the corner at once and choke yourself Seriously,difference between those two is like a Ford Pinto at a LeMans race-not even close.

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

The X420's are very very nice guitars. You'd have to get into Vintage Japanese Epi territory to get close.
The price on this one may be a tad high but certainly not unreasonable.

I only have two examples to go off.

Sometimes GC will negotiate quite a bit on a guitar too. People are asking super high prices for them on ebay but they are not getting them.

The 50s neck profile is the reason I LIKE the 900 series! You'd go crazy over an endorser then, as it has a similar body shape but has a slimmer neck. Not cheap but fantastic guitar. I am convinced although they look nearly identical (except the MPC part) the endorser is Matsumoku, and the 900 series isn't (thick neck, different pickups, other differences).

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Thorny

I am keeping the 310 and the 940s real problem IMO is not the neck. Both guitars have rather hot pickups that dont have a clean out pit unless turned down. I am replacing the pickups in the 310 because otherwise I like the guitar which has the thorny pod and a great phaser module. I also have a dynamic fuzz I will keep with it.

Now I want an endorcer 935 black! Wow didn't know the model exsisted. To me this body style combined with the wave headstock is the best design and look. I guess that's why they picked that model to reissue.

Duncan antiquities are great pickups, I have one in my Les Paul along with a Seth Lover, and I have a set of antiquity P90s in a guitar too. They are similar output to the pickups in the 900 series as far as output but they will have a more vintage tone. Windings should be in a similar range as far as K resistance. I don't know what kind of magnets are in the 900 pickups but the pickups do have some crunch to them.

The magnaflux pickups in the 300 series can vary a bit when you measure them. But I think the metal bars (square poles) in the bridge pickup definitely gives it a bit of crunch that it would not have with a more conventional pole design. Keep all those pickups you remove to put your guitars back to stock if you should ever sell them.

Original 935s came in black burst (a black burst that looks like solid black in most pictures) and in cherry sunburst. It might of had an ebony model, I am talking about the ones I have had my actual hands on. The black burst has a dark grey fade in the center - it is visible in the light. The real 935s had what I'd call a 60s style neck., fairly small. The pickups on that one (on mine) are MMKs, and are fairly high output, even the neck pickup (between 11 and 12K). They are not quite dimarzio SD output, but a lot hotter than a stock PAF or the MPC magnaflux pickups. The smallest electra necks though that I have encountered came on some of the tele copies (possibly strat copies too), and also on the x810s (335 types with MPCs). Those had very small necks.

I think Ben should make a high end model with figured tops and fancy inlays and call it the endorser. It has disappointed me slightly that the real endorser does not have the Electra Logo in abalone and had only the small matsumoku dot markers, when they were so supreme otherwise. I guess if you are a rock star you don't need sequins and flash and can get away with just blue jeans and a Tshirt. The flamed bodies on some are particularly stunning though. I always thought it deserved the whole package with inlays to match the quality though - like the top end PRS or Dean Hardtails, or some other guitars Ben had a hand in - even the select model Deans from that era.

The new Electras are built with the Omega name, and initially came in black and white, although they recently are expanding the colors in the line. The black and white new ones have a neck more like the 900 series, more 50s style chunky rather than a slim neck. I don't know about the newest blonde finished model, or if they will offer different neck size options. I know he will make anything you want on custom order by hand, but that won't be at the same price point. These new guitars have a fairly high output bridge pickup and a more traditional output neck pickup. Guitar necks are so subjective, no one design will please everyone. I gravitate to the medium to chunky ones, and others really like the slim necks. I am glad we don't have the ibanez wizard wide thin neck thing - I don't care for those. But other people LOVE them. So no way to have a guitar fit everyone's list.

I will report on the new Omegas when I get mine. I will get one, and I can't wait to try it. But the question is will I have to wait until Christmas to get it?

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Thorny