The Electra Forums

Hey Men.

I traded for this.





Mostly original, tuners are Sperzel locking.

Came with two modules. Epoxy Power OD and a really old Phaser, check the housing. They didn't make this housing for too long, you don't see a lot of them.







Now, my question. Check the card connectors...



Are these after market? I assume so.

Haven't tested it yet, he says that the second bay doesn't work, that it's like a kill switch when on. Wiring issues somewhere. Any advice?

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"GREAT Googiley moogilie Jack...jumpin jehosephat, hot dang and all".
- jdwhealton

What did you have to trade for that Chad?

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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

I traded my 1989 MIJ Strat w/Kahler. He made out better on the deal, but I wanted one of these.

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"GREAT Googiley moogilie Jack...jumpin jehosephat, hot dang and all".
- jdwhealton

I have a X310 just like it , moded head stock and bridge pick up are the same. My modules are a little newer. I think you will like the sound. Its a little warmer and the tone is great. Enjoy and I think you came out ahead .

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SlmGuy

Nice trade on that one. Looks like aftermarket but not 100%certain. All of my MPC have the blue connectors. Nice Axe. I also have a few of those style phaser modules and I like them. They are very light and sound great.

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

Cleaned it up, looks a lot better! Was quite cruddy, so much build up around the inlays, dust was so thick it was almost sticky. Nasty.

Plays great, sounds great. Pickups are a little rough and perhaps a little "thick" sounding, but I like it. Sounds tough.

Headstock is a little faded as some of these headstocks became (a little milky). Headstock design is really cool, I prefer it to the wave. Overall the guitar is in great condition, a wonderful example.

Love the Sperzel tuners, very solid.

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"GREAT Googiley moogilie Jack...jumpin jehosephat, hot dang and all".
- jdwhealton

Nice axe!

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RCSBlues

I have saw pics of both types of connector, Dale and amphinol. I'll check mine when I get home to see what it is.

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SlmGuy

I would really appreciate that, eager to hear about these connectors. The "Dale" connectors don't look original, the logo design doesn't look 70's to me, though it could be.

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"GREAT Googiley moogilie Jack...jumpin jehosephat, hot dang and all".
- jdwhealton

There is a Dale Electronics that sells parts in NYC. They say they have been around for 50 years so they could be original or the source of the replacments. They apear to have a distrubution business too.

Did you check this yet? Curious to hear if this could have been factory...

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"GREAT Googiley moogilie Jack...jumpin jehosephat, hot dang and all".
- jdwhealton

I've never seen anything but the blue connectors and I have owned quite a few MPCs in the past. I would vote that it is aftermarket. But you know, I have been surprised before. There may be a few odd-balls floating around too that may be a few parts here and a few parts there. That is a pretty early one I think. It has the old headstock, and does it have a single or double hinge? Most are the wave headstock with dual hinges and blue connectors. I have put aftermarket connectors in one, but they are also blue.

Make sure your edge connectors on your modules are cleaned with an eraser - they will completely shine. Can't really do that in the socket itself though. Shooting caig deoxit DN5 cleaner in it and putting the module in and out might clean it up. That is what I usually do. You might be able to remove the socket and work a pick/dental tool in and bend connectors tighter if loose. I've never had to do that with these though. Also, I could see a fine sand paper on around the module edge connector and putting that in there might clean a stubborn socket. But like I said, I never have had to resort to this. Does slightly wiggling the module while playing make it cut in and cut out? That will tell you if it is a connector/socket issue.

If that makes no difference it is better to trace your wiring. It should be identical to the one next to it. The hot wire will likely be jumpered over from the other socket as will the ground if I recall correctly. Trace your three wires to the 150K pot. Make sure your 150K pot has not shifted/rotated and it shorting against anything nearby. I see this happen all the time. You can check your switch too - make sure it is working right.

If pickups sound dark, don't forget to check the volume and tone pots to make sure they didn't screw up and put 50K pots instead of 500K pots. It happens all the time. If you do, put 500K pots in there (get the same size import ones, that way you won't have to enlarge any holes and possibly change your knobs). You will find your pickups sound a LOT better if you put 500K after 50K. Still, they should sound pretty good if they are functioning right. Also, you can check the measurements on each pickup to see if they fall withing the normal range - usually 8K or so if I recall correctly. If I don't I can certainly grab one of mine and get a reading for you.

Good luck. Report back.

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Thorny

Single hinge, old style. 500k pots. I'll check the connections later, will track down the issue, I appreciate the insight.

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"GREAT Googiley moogilie Jack...jumpin jehosephat, hot dang and all".
- jdwhealton

Single hinge and old head stock means that is an early one - always possible that the connectors being different has something to to with that. The guitar seems very stock so I don't see why someone would change out the sockets. I have had some single hinge ones - in fact i think i had one or two with no hinge (just screws holding it on). But either way, won't really matter as if one works the other should - so trace things out. So - the other guys might be right and I just haven't had one yet with the dale sockets.

I have also had ones with two battery routes in it and one 9V wired to each connector, instead of both sharing one connector. But since yours "partially" works I am assuming that is not an issue. It would go dead with BOTH modules if no battery was connected to that socket.

Good luck. Not a whole lot to trace out really - so I think you will figure it out.

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Thorny

Sorry I forgot about you, got stuck in the "back to work" cycle. Had to get it out of the case and opened it up, it has the Black Dale connectors like yours. I bought my guitar new in 76' or 77' and it is factory stock, so yours are too. My serial no. 08339, not to far from yours. I've heard these numbers are just numbers but being the same models and year with the modded head stock they are really close. Thats neat, no thats darn cool! You dont see a readable serial on the old ones. Wonder how many they really made like these? The binding on mine has been yellowing for years. Now you do now that these have magnaflux pick ups and not super magnaflux pick ups. The catalog with Frampton on it (I got one with the guitar) has pretty much all the info I have ever saw on the 310.
By using the tone select and phase along with amp reverb and distortion its very easy to get that Robin Trower Bridge of Sighs kinda sound. My 310 has always had a warmer tone. Never had them out but I'm pretty sure the pick ups are not potted.
Again, sorry for the delay.

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SlmGuy