The Electra Forums

Custom finished as a tribute tomthe Aussie infantry who kept my old man - and Arthurs!! - from the Japs evil clutches in 1945 on Bougainville....







I think it's absolutely stonking.... I hasten to add that I didn't do the painting but that the blue is colour matched to my Elctra X195!! I know, it's a tenuous link to Electra but it's all I've got!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

BRILLIANT!

Is that a Westone XA body?

looking great and will go perfect with the other one. Love the paint and graphics.

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

Thanks, lads!!

Jack, no, mate; it's a Vantage Avenger AV 325, so Matsumoku at it's finest!!

Arthur; that was the plan, to have a matching set, as it were! ANZAC guitars, as it were!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

Very nice John!

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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

Awesome

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Thorny

Chaps, I have a problem....

... I've changed the bridge and the nut and now find that the stringpack is wa-a-a-y low, so the question is how do I remedy this? I've jacked up the saddles as far as they will go and fretting the strings gives buzz, so that is a bust. I'm thinking that I'll have to shim the bridge and the nut upwards by about 1.5mm to get clearance which doesn't bother me any - the thing has to work as a guitar, after all!!

Does anyone have any words of wisdom to offer??

As far as I can remember, the strings were very low on the guitar when I got it; perhaps not quite at fret buzz trerritory, but awfully close...

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

If I understand you correctly:

shim the neck so if the guitar is lying on the table (in the "working on the guitar" position), the headstock will go up. This will require less clearance at the nut, and a lower bridge. You will put a shim near the outer two screws in the neck pocket. A little shim goes a long way. Many are shimmed from the factory anyway, so it is no big deal. A guitar pick cut to shape is a good solid shim. Or, a piece of window screen is a good shim and can decouple the body and the neck according to Tom. This can sometimes be a good thing too if there are any unwanted resonances from the coupling.

Now if you do this, you still could possibly need a higher nut, I can't tell for sure.

I may be off base too, but if I am I trust the guys will step in and set me straight.

Good luck!

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Thorny

You bloody beauty!! I did exactly as you suggested and "Whacko!!"... job's a good 'un! To whit...



.. not shown to it's true colouring; the sun is very bright here! It looks just specactular in the flesh, as it were!



With the inspiration for both this and the Corsair Avenger, Flying Officer D.E. Stokes (ret)



92 and still touring the world on is own!



With my eldest daughter showing where it will be displayed...



I love this thing, and with Thorny's help, it plays beautifully - full MMK 45 noise and a brass nut mean it is a little bit rude!! Stringpack perhaps now a touch high (!) but eminently playable!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

aweome

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Thorny

Super nice work on this one and a very nice set. Salute to The inspiration as well and Thank him for his service as well.

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

Great job and once again, love those pool shots. Nice matching pair.
You knocked it out of the park again John!

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SlmGuy

Looks great John!!! Love the matching headstock and that stunning burst.

Above all I appreciate the honor you've shown...

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

Thanks chaps, but remember I didn't paint these; a very talented bloke did, and at less than cost price, I'm picking!!

However, they do represent something very special to me and not forgetting those who've pulled on the colours and picked up a weapon for their country is paramount.... these guitars are depicting a very specific time and place in history, but I like to think that perhaps anyone who sees them might stop and think about sacrifices made by soldiers, sailors and airmen right up to the current events.

As an adjunct to this sentiment, when I picked Dad up from Mooloolaba, he asked if he had time to go and see an Australian friend who flew Boomerangs over Bougainville and was now in a home not too far away. Well, of course we could, so we did. We were told at the desk that Cec was OK physically but that his mental gears were slipping somewhat which bothered us not a whit!! As we walked into his room, you could see he was confused but when Dad greeted him with a hearty "Hi there, Smoky Joe!!" you could actually see the synapses starting to fire - Smoky Joe was the callsign for 5Sqn, RAAF - and we spent a very pleasant couple of hours with him. The point of this rather mawkish tale is, if you know a vet somewhere; doesn't matter where or when they saw service, go and have a yarn with them; they'll enjoy it and you might learn something!!

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

You sir are very much on target with your statement. Most veterans would enjoy the conversation and would also appreciate the time you take to spend a few moments with them. Semper Fidelis

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