Bolt neck double cutaway with maple body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, black hardware, graphite nut and Bendmaster FT two-post bridge, locking nut, two humbuckers, one single-coil pickup with three pull-switch knobs (V-T-T) for coil tap, fat (center on) and phase; and 3-way selector switch.

X198CR (Candy Red)
X198MBK (Metallic Black)
X198PB (Pearl Burst)
X198CB (Candy Blue)
X198BB (Blue Burst)
X198SWG (Snow White Graphic)


In 1985 the X198 replaced the X189, upgraded not only with a new brand and model name, but a new tremolo system with locking nut and Bendmaster FT bridge, whose cast plate held fine tuners. The tremolo frenzy had continued, and although reasonable minds might have argued that a correctly adjusted full-floating bridge out to offer plenty enough tuning stability if used carefully, wilder voices insisted that the only way to go truly crazy and return to tune again was a locking nut, and that meant a bridge with fine tuners. Unlike the cheaper Bendmaster DX, which used a stamped plate which protruded rather far from the guitar body, the FT was slim and low profile.


In the new letter designation system for model ranges, the LX was considered the full professional line, and had the best of everything, excepting only the set neck of the FX series.

Bolt neck double cutaway with maple body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, black hardware, graphite nut and Bendmaster FT two-post bridge, locking nut, one humbuckers, two single-coil pickups with three pull-switch knobs (V-T-T) for coil tap, fat (center on) and phase; and 3-way selector switch.





X190SS (H-S-S)(Silverstone= metallic bronze)

X190BL (H-S-S)(Blue Burst)

X190BR (H-S-S)(brown)

X190JB (H-S-S)(Jet Black)



The X190 was the answer to all those (and there must have been at least a few) who argued that the X185 and X189 were too complicated and unfamiliar what with their H-S-H and all those knobs. The X190 offered much of the same range in what today we would call a superstrat configuration, which made all kinds of sense in a day when playing lead guitar meant all kinds of shredding.


The X190 essentially replaced the X175 by adding that additional humbucker to the X175’s S-S-S. Both share the non-strat Electra Phoenix 3-way switch for bridge and neck pickup and fat switch to turn the middle pickup on.










The above pictures were identified in the old Electra site as an X180, but no mention of an X180 is in any pricelist, and it is believed to actually be an X190. Note the original pickups have been replaced in this example.

Bolt neck double cutaway with maple body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, black hardware, graphite nut and Bendmaster two-post bridge, two humbuckers, one single-coil pickup with three pull-switch knobs (V-T-T) for coil tap, fat (center on) and phase; and 3-way selector switch.






X189RD (H-S-H)(red)

X189RB (H-S-H)(red burst)

X189PB (H-S-H)(pearl burst)

X189JB (H-S-H)(jet black)




The X189 was an upgraded X185, with a two-post tremolo bridge to replace the six-screw vintage tek-lok bridge. EVH had gotten everybody playing with their wang bars, and unhappy because surprise, the guitar would go out of tune.

The way to make deep bends stay in tune properly was to set up a full floating bridge, and that was much easier to do with a two-post bridge, which also allowed greater range. The Bendmaster was an excellent two-post bridge with a stamped plate and cast saddles. Low in profile, it could be equally easily adjusted flush against the guitar body as a good hardtail bridge.

Bolt neck double cutaway with maple body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, black hardware, graphite nut and tekglide (vintage style) bridge, three single-coil pickups with three knobs (V-T-T) and 3-way selector knife switch.


The X175 was a replacement for the X140. By 1983 it was hard to sell a guitar without a tremolo bridge, and the X175 added that plus a strat-style 3-way knife switch instead of the Gibson-style 3-way of other models. Clearly this model was intended to be familiar to someone used to a Fender, and indeed it is the most strat-like of the line.


X175JB (S-S-S)(jet black)

Bolt neck double cutaway with maple body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, black hardware, graphite nut and tekglide (vintage style) bridge, two humbuckers with four knobs (V-V-T-T) with pull-switches for coil tap and phase reverse.


X165PW (H-H)(pearl white)

X165MB (H-H)(metallic blue)

X165GR (H-H)(metallic olive green)



The X165 appeared in 1983 to replace the X130 with updated colors and a tremolo bridge. EVH was just appearing, and suddenly everyone wanted a guitar with a whammy bar, you couldn’t sell one without one, even though most people couldn’t do that much with it. The X165 was the first appearance of black hardware which became mostly standard throughout the line- very 80’s.