The Electra Forums

So a couple years ago, Joe (OzarkCannon) got this beast off craigslist I think. This is the "Holed" 2279.
Someone had actually drilled a hole clean through the body, and had put some sort of cover on the back...
the tuning peg holes had been enlarged for a non-stock set of machines as some point.
most of the parts were there, pickguard had a small broken piece missing.
last fret was missing, and jack hole was cracked.

Here's the before shots.















I believe Joe had done some of the sanding on it, and had the plastic Electra logo laser cut/etched into plastic to cover the hole on the front.

Unfortunately it's been sitting most of the time I've had it. I did some work last year on it.
glued up the crack at the jack, replaced the fret, sanded it down, and routed out the neck pickup hole to accept a real RIC pickup.
(I had sent the original neck pickup on to someone else who was doing a restoration)
Since this was never going to be a resto-queen I figured I'd do a few upgrades to it....
I also cut our an area for mounting the plastic logo flush with the face of the body.

Along the way, I've picked up a Black Hipshot replacement Tail/bridge (fully adjustable)
Real RIC pups, a white replacement pickguard, black tuning machines, new pots/jack/switch.

I went around and around trying to decide what color to do it. I have some blueberry I thought about, but I settled on
just sticking with a Provincial stain. after the first stain coat, I realized that it wasn't sanded down enough as some areas wouldn't take the stain at all,
so I had to break out the 80 grit to get past the soaked in original poly...

So now, it's got a coat of sanding sealer over all of it. I installed the plastic logo, and given it 2 coats of poly on the front so far.

The front and back of headstock were also sanded a bit more, and there's 2 coats on it so far as well.






For the back, I'm either gonna leave it open, or put a beveled round cover on it, surface mounted.

so that's it for now... at least it's moving forward....

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Nice, man you have a lot of work in that! You don't shy away from the ambitious projects, that is good. Nicer to see a resto-mod guitar that may just be a killer player than to see a bunch of sad parts not getting used because someone abused an instrument or tried to make a fast buck and sell the parts off. I know, there is a time for all of that. But when I see one trashed I also see what it could be and try to get it there.

I have never had one with a giant HOLE in it though! So EASY for me to say all of that. It started me thinking of what I might have attempted, and I probably would have considered plugging and veneering it (if I could figure out how to handle the binding) or going to a solid color maybe. I have seen pros do amazing things with busted guitars and putting a veneer on it to hide repairs and restaining it to where you'd never know anything had been touched. Look up NTL guitars (Jay Kolanda) in Nashville - his work is amazing. But I have never tackled anything that ambitious though. I don't have some of those skills and tools either, nor do I really know where to find any quality veneers thin enough to lay on it and try to make that binding work. That is a LOT of work no matter how you tackled it. I would have wound up asking Jay for some help if I ever attempted anyting that difficult (like fixing that messed up Derringer model on EBAY right now). So going with a solid color is probably what I would have done. You can cover a lot of "sins" with some cool paint. Just strip your solid color Gibson or Fender and see what you find! I am sure usually it isn't very pretty. I am sure the ugly looking wood/grain gets made into solid finished guitars (it is just economics).

I like your creative solution. I wouldn't have thought to carve out an inlaid electra symbol! That's unique out-of-the-ordinary thinking. I probably could not do a respectable job it as well. So that is a really awesome solution. I am just not as creative as that.

You know, Chris Squire's real Ric had been hacked and modified a number of times he said, having wall paper put on it (or something like that)! Then having it scraped and sanded off, then probably a couple of times more. He said that his bass wound up being rather thin after all that sanding and refinishing. He is sure that it affected his sound, but it still sounds fantastic and his prized Ric - and he used it that way touring and on the majority of his recordings. So, whatever you wind up with will be cool. Maybe it will sound like Chris Squire's!

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Thorny

credit for the inlaid logo goes to Joe. not sure where he had it made at, but it's cool. I was gonna go with a template and route it, but I never got that far. I just old schooled it, and traced the plastic logo, and went at it with a 1/4" wood chisel by hand. no hammer. so I basically carved the seat for it....

and wait 'til you see my other basket case I've been working on! it's gonna be a real junkyard dog.!

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

bass is mostly together. it's all wired. used the original pickguard, as the current aftermarket ones aren't quite suited for this one since I didn't route the neck pup hole any bigger due to how the neck fits... at this point I'm trying to get the hipshot replacement bridge/tail located correctly. it directly fits the stock holes as expected, but the stock holes are not lined up with the neck properly! This one had to be off from the factory too. could be why someone thought it was worthy of boring a hole clean through it

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

forgot to post a pic of the completed project!

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

That turned out GREAT!

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Thorny

Very Nice!

Nice lookin' Mick!

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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

need to sell this bad boy. will include a Gator digital camo case. I bought the case new and it's just sat in my house...

Here's what I have in it for materials.
Purchase price $275
case $80
Hipshot replacement bridge $100
Real (I think) RIC bridge pup ??? (maybe $100, I don't recall)
new CTS pots ?? (GuitarElectronics.com)
new switch/jack ?? (GuitarElectronics.com)
new knobs ?? (ebay)
new tuning machines ?? (ebay)

best bid I got on eBay was less that my original purchase price, but I'd rather see it go to someone here...

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Another great job.

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SlmGuy

Bass is SPF. It's going to a great home!!!

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Who got it?

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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

That would be me and the ole egas again. I have several that I got over the years from Joe and I am now proud to be adding this one as well. Thanks for a super job finishing this one out. Joe would be proud.

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

You just can't help yourself, can you?!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Well my XMAS arrived today and I must say he did as usual an outstanding restoration in bringing this one back from the scrap pile. The photos here do not do her justice as she is much better looking and playing in person. I really like the EG logo and you did an awesome job on the upgrades and finish. Joe would be proud. I will be getting some Hi Def photos up in the next few days. Letting it get acclimated to the weather and humidity here for now. Looks great and Thanks.

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