The Electra Forums

First of all I want to thank you all for the very warm welcome that I have received from this forum. I am new to collecting MIJ vintage guitars but am very experienced in collecting (of all things civil war antiques for 25 years). I am finding this community to be hands down nicer and just cooler than my previous collecting network.

My first Eltecra is an X410 and when I got it I was amazed at the level of craftsmanship - tortious bindings!!!!! really? and yes it plays nice too. From there I was lucky enough to come across a Tokai LS120 (1981) and I have to say that it plays and sounds better than anything I ever touched. Now I am waiting for an x330 to be shipped and the anticipation is overwhelming. I think I either have or soon will have a problem because I see an Electra and want it.

So, again thanks for the welcome and all the information you are giving me.

hey anyone have a lead on an x340 and/or 350 they want to sell?

Not to poke at you with a sharp stick, but that is the funniest mis-spelling of Electra I have seen so far!

Welcome to our forum, and we are waiting to see the pics of your x330. (and the x410). We love good stories here so don't be afraid to share.

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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

my spelling AND typing both stink. forget when I have type "does not" and my client read a report that says "doe snot".

I will post pics soon although they will pale in comparison to the ones I see on this site!

Welcome to the forums and the world of egas....... Electras rule.

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

WELCOME FYI Eltecra's rule !

Welcome. Hey, I suffer from dyslexic fingers myself. I even will transpose letters in my name sometimes. Crazy.

Anyhow, X340s and X350s pop up from time to time and I really like them because they are not typical finishes really. I like the rosewood look of the 340 - and the nice darker burst color of the 350. They all sound close to the same, since they are built similarly and are just a veneer over arched ply on top of a mahogany back. They pop up from time to time on ebay, and prices vary a LOT. You can expect to pay top dollar for a really fine condition one, but more typical ones should be fairly affordable.

Most typical ones have some kind of issue. My 330 for instance had a pretty good body and finish, but the frets were quite worn (as was the fret board in the "cowboy" chords areas), it had a pickup that didn't work, and the bridge saddles were all seized up. But that didn't deter me too much. Despite it being a "mut" now, it still has the electra vibe with a few minor "improvements" (big improvements over the broken parts). But its electronics (exception being the bad pickup it originally had) were mostly intact - and I got all the controls working with deoxit cleaner. It is a fantastic guitar. The only real improvement I can see that I could do to it now might be a total re-fret - but it plays great even though the frets are fairly low. I would avoid ones that need significant MPC parts that can't easily be replaced. Sometimes finding those sockets, or those 150K pots, or the brass base for the bridge will be tricky and/or really cost you.

One was just on ebay a few minutes ago. I sent them a note with a few corrections and I don't see the listing any longer. It will probably pop up again. I bet they are changing it.

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Thorny

What was that brass bridge insert from?

Just about every MPC had a brass base/bushing that the bridge posts screwed into. You know this, your guitars have them under your bridge. There wasn't really enough wood under the bridge because of that large hollowed out section for the MPC effects. So the base is rather shallow, but allowed the bushings to spread the load over a lager area.

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Thorny

I have one 310 with bushings and one with the plate. I was asking about the brass block bridge plate that was one eBay. Either it was for an odd Electra or some other guitar.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/151225363665

I saw that one - it looks normal to me except it is removed from the guitar. Was it different? It guess it does not matter at this point it is gone. But I didn't need one. They are hard to come by generally - especially if you are the one needing one

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Thorny

My 310 also has the bushings and not the brass block but its a 76 model with the notched head stock. I have noticed the blocks on other models but thought it was some sort of tone upgrade, like a tremolo tone block. It also does not have a brass nut but a plastic nut. Because of the the early build I dont think it would be a Graphtech.

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SlmGuy

So I quess this one has that same large block for the bridge and thats why I couldnt get it out when i did the refin.

Generally yes - it should be the same block. I can't tell from the picture for absolutely certain, but as far as I know they only had one block.

The stock brass block/base for the bridge has two threaded holes on the outside for the bridge adjustable posts (metric, and seems to be a standard size - because aftermarket gotohs and other standard metric import bridges and posts seem to fit those). There are two smaller inner holes with two longer wood screws that go through the block and into the body to mount the block. They are not typically glued in (so if you remove the two inner screws it should come right out). Having posts installed that you can grab onto should allow you to easily remove it.

I think it was done for structural stability more than anything. There isn't much wood behind the posts because the MPC cavity removes a lot of wood out of the back. I would think long posts/bushings might intrude or come perilously close to the MPC cavity. That is my theory anyway. Maybe I am wrong. But I think it was more structural. I know some earlier ones didn't have it. Also Non-MPC guitars don't have it, and if it sounded better I think they'd do it for all of them. Don't get me wrong either, not saying it sounds bad! I really like the sound of my MPC guitars. I suppose it could be both for structural and tone reasons, if the structure was better the tone might be better in many circumstances. I think Tom Presley chimed in on it once, but I don't recall the specifics. I think he called it a sustain block. Obviously what he says it the definitive answer.

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Thorny

The black one has the inserts like a gibby and the sunburst has the block and refin top of thin nitro. Both have brass bridges and nuts.
No perceived difference is sustain.