The Electra Forums

For those of us who own more than one Electra, I'd like to hear your opinion on this.

What is your favorite sounding Electra? Single coil or Humbuggy, doesn't matter. It's all to your ear.

I probably own 9 or 10 by now (I'm half ashamed to say). Of them all, the one that continues to surprise me is the Blonde Invicta X260. Hands down the best sounding of the bunch. Very clear, has character, dynamic, has sizzle to it on an overdriven channel.

How about you?

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

Well that sir is a difficult one. I must say that the blonde X260 would also be up in my top 3 but I have a few Electras here and there so difficult to pick a Number one. I very much like my LP Jazz Strad and its hollow body brother as well as my Omega models and my Maple Outlaw. Bur one stand out was the 72 Thin line tele with the humbuckers. For the best of both worlds I would say my sunburst Pro Endorser. Tough decision a I like them all.

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

Hmmmm... I've only got 2, and I like 'em both!! i suppose if I had to plump for a choice - on sound alone! - the X195 simply because it seems a lttle more full, if that makes sense....

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

Because even the Australians need heroes."

It is difficult for me also to pick just one. I enjoy the anniversary x135, and like the white Futura. But I will vote for my first Electra - my 2278 bolt neck Corsair bass.

_________________
"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

Well, X310, 2255 and X175. The 2255 (72 thin line) sounds better to me but the X175 for some reason just seems a lot easier to play.

_________________
SlmGuy

Although I don't particularly like the shape of the X185 (H,S,H), or the weight.....I have to say, it's one of the most versatile guitars I've ever owned as far as tonal possibilities. I'm a strat quack kind a guy for the most part, but that bucker punch also available is outstanding on the 185. If I just want to carry around one guitar, the 185 does it for me. I used to always think that the strat was the best of the utility guitars......

On the other side.....the X420VS is my favorite player. Again, the out of phase ability is an important tone for me.

I don't modify older guitars anymore, I try to keep 'em like they were originally built if at all possible. I sold an Electra natural strat (2275N) a few years ago...and have regretted it often since. That guitar would be one of my favorites if I still had it.

Fun to read your comments, interesting to see our different tastes.

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

I just recently bought a beatup Workingman (first purchase in over a year!) simply because I thought it was an early example made out of Mahogany. Only the really early X280's (probably the first few months of production) had Mahogany bodies, the majority would be Maple and Ash planks, and there's nothing wrong with those types of wood, but Mahogany is noticeably lighter. Well she shows up, and sure enough its an early one, Mahogany body and Neck, real Inlay logo on headstock (most were just stenciled on) and a set of these, the real early MMK45's with the mounting nut hand soldered onto the pickup bracket:



I'm not sure what it is, but I really like these early MMK's. Despite this newest guitars' abuse over the years, she still plays like a champ. Here's another Electra that has a great tone to it, former 'Best in Show' winner, Ray the Maplepro:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLa9GnxYXrg

And if you're just looking for tons of versatility, you really can't beat the Endorser:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3odEjmKMqww

Although the lowly Phoenix X190 is a guitar that I can't seem to part with either:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI1qbgTmEDc

Cheers, Mike.

_________________
Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch

To be fair, Mike can make ANY Electra sound like it should be on a hit record.

I'm up to ninety-six Electras in my inventory. But here's the funny thing. The Electra that I have that sounds best to me is one of my X340s. And it's missing! I re-inventoried the whole house looking for it and I don't have it. I'm thinking I left it in the trunk of a car that I traded in or something.

GREAT Googiley moogilie Jack...jumpin jehosephat, hot dang and all. I've been feelin guilty hoardin my 20 or so. Next time the wife starts bumpin me around about wall space and closet space, I'm gonna tell her about you.

Thanks for the kind words Jack, and sorry for your 'loss'... Hope she turns up. I'm thinking this is the virtually unplayed X340 you posted about years and years ago? Any identifiable characteristics so we can keep our eyes peeled for? I guess the serial number would be unique, but those foil tags often fell off, or can be easily removed. I peaked at about 35 Electras, currently have around 20 of them, and would ultimately like to get down to ten or so... it keeps getting tougher to thin the herd.

Thanks to Chad for bringing up this topic, part of deciding which guitars to let go is the sound/ear test, and 'viva le difference' everyone has different tastes. Another totally different topic would be playability, and then you're gonna see a completely different grouping of axes (I would think!). I too have a X260n Blonde Invicta, and she's still with me, made the first cut at least! Maybe I'll dig it out and give it the ole Ear test tonight, Cheers.

_________________
Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch

Chad, you have great talent as a discussion leader.

For great playability and a sweet, pure sound it's the x420. The smallest neck on any of the semi-hollow bodies, and a great, clean sound. It has 61s in it.

For rockin' it up on Saturday nights (whew, been a while!) it's one of two X199s. Her Redness is all stock, and not to repeat what's been said so many times before, that H-S-H set up, especially on the pre-Spectrum models, is pretty darn nice. Very little it doesn't do very well, on any model. All the stock X199s I have sound pretty similar. Not the same for the FXs.

The other X199, His Blueness, is a hot rod. Very little OEM left. I rewired it in the stock configuration, but dropped in a pair of Bill Lawrence p/ups that he only made for a year for Ronnie Montrose, so these were turned by Bill himself when he had a shop here in Tennessee. Sorry if that's a bad thing guys, I just can't help it. And yes, I do have an Electra bumber sticker on my ol'Ford pickup.

To wrap it up, I've had good 45s and better 45s. They made a lot for a long time so there's plenty of variation. To me, the 53s sound like punchy 45s, which I really like. And as noted at the start of this, I think those 61s are just sweet as all get out.

_________________
"... can't seem to hit that Bb right."

That's a good way to put it, I agree, 53's are sort of like punchier 45's! The only 53's I have are in the X935 and Muttly (Phoenix, I installed one, didn't come that way stock). Really dig them.

Onto Mike's post regarding early 45's, very interesting. Early ones tend to sound better to my ears. The 45's in my X260 are amazing. Sound much better than any other 45 I've heard. I think I've had 8 other guitars with 45's, none are which were close to the set in my X260. Without having it here to check, I *think* that the X260 is a 1980, so perhaps those pups were from an early batch?

Regarding feel, right on Mike, separate topic! My X260, X240, and Muttly win for that.

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

Mike, did you dig out the X260 yet? That thing looks immaculate!

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

Oh, and JD... check out my "signature" at the bottom of my posts...

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