Members duncandonuts Posted December 31, 2012 Members Share Posted December 31, 2012 Originally Posted by Lonnie99 Duncan, you got a steal on yours. These regularly get between $5-600 on eBay. They both need cleaned up, which won't happen for a few days. The guy I got the Electra from had it for about 15 years and never realized the bridge pickup ring is on backwards. I love the old MIJ guitars. With the 5 way rotary knob and the two mini toggles there's an endless supply of tones coming out of this thing... Extremely good deals can be still found on Electra as long as you know what years to search for (and what years to avoid) and you are patient in checking pawn shops on a regular basis.The early years of production were very hit and miss as they were being built and sourced for components from just about anywhere in Japan. Around 1976 or so the quality really took a leap forward in terms of uniformity across all the brand models when Tom Presley took over the sales and marketing for SLM which owned the brand and imported them here. That is when the build locations were consolidated to Matsumoku, Kasuga and Terada almost exclusively.If an Electra has the Gibson-styled "open book" headstock the guitar was most certainly made before 1976 at the latest and you need to be careful in what you might be buying, especially with the solid body models. Hollowbodies were built primarily by Terada or Kasuga until after 1979-1980 when Matsumoku took on more of that load as well.Here is one earlier Electra I found which is one of the excellent builds from 1976, many feel it to be about the best work ever done at Electra along with the Elvin Bishop models made around the same time.My apologies for bogarting your thread. I just thought it a good opportunity to share some info.And you look to have picked up a very nice Electra Custom example, BTW... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members duncandonuts Posted December 31, 2012 Members Share Posted December 31, 2012 Originally Posted by Lonnie99 Duncan, you got a steal on yours. These regularly get between $5-600 on eBay. They both need cleaned up, which won't happen for a few days. The guy I got the Electra from had it for about 15 years and never realized the bridge pickup ring is on backwards. I love the old MIJ guitars. With the 5 way rotary knob and the two mini toggles there's an endless supply of tones coming out of this thing... Extremely good deals can be still found on Electra as long as you know what years to search for (and what years to avoid) and you are patient in checking pawn shops on a regular basis.The early years of production were very hit and miss as they were being built and sourced for components from just about anywhere in Japan. Around 1976 or so the quality really took a leap forward in terms of uniformity across all the brand models when Tom Presley took over the sales and marketing for SLM which owned the brand and imported them here. That is when the build locations were consolidated to Matsumoku, Kasuga and Terada almost exclusively.If an Electra has the Gibson-styled "open book" headstock the guitar was most certainly made before 1976 at the latest and you need to be careful in what you might be buying, especially with the solid body models. Hollowbodies were built primarily by Terada or Kasuga until after 1979-1980 when Matsumoku took on more of that load as well.Here is one earlier Electra I found which is one of the excellent builds from 1976, many feel it to be about the best work ever done at Electra along with the Elvin Bishop models made around the same time.My apologies for bogarting your thread. I just thought it a good opportunity to share some info.And you look to have picked up a very nice Electra Custom example, BTW... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lonnie99 Posted December 31, 2012 Author Members Share Posted December 31, 2012 I've owned a number of Electras over the years. Here are a few.X-260 InvictaX-610 bassX-710 MPC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lonnie99 Posted December 31, 2012 Author Members Share Posted December 31, 2012 I've owned a number of Electras over the years. Here are a few.X-260 InvictaX-610 bassX-710 MPC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members duncandonuts Posted January 1, 2013 Members Share Posted January 1, 2013 Those are all really nice! The Outlaws were not to everyone's taste aesthetically, but man could they sustain! Probably had to do with the solid mahogany construction and that they weighted in starting at about 10 pounds or something like that. Do you still have any of yours? I have an x270 which is basically your x260 with an added switch for an 18v preamp for instant overdrive. Electras are making something of a comeback as the rights to the brand name was sold and the Omega model is being reissued...http://www.rivercityamps.com/electra...hp?f=15&t=6871 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members duncandonuts Posted January 1, 2013 Members Share Posted January 1, 2013 Those are all really nice! The Outlaws were not to everyone's taste aesthetically, but man could they sustain! Probably had to do with the solid mahogany construction and that they weighted in starting at about 10 pounds or something like that. Do you still have any of yours? I have an x270 which is basically your x260 with an added switch for an 18v preamp for instant overdrive. Electras are making something of a comeback as the rights to the brand name was sold and the Omega model is being reissued...http://www.rivercityamps.com/electra...hp?f=15&t=6871 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lonnie99 Posted January 1, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 1, 2013 They're all long gone although I search eBay for an affordable x-260 to no avail. I got them all stupid cheap. Paid $50 for the x-710 with case and $60 for the super rare bass, which was dead mint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lonnie99 Posted January 1, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 1, 2013 They're all long gone although I search eBay for an affordable x-260 to no avail. I got them all stupid cheap. Paid $50 for the x-710 with case and $60 for the super rare bass, which was dead mint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Woody_in_MN Posted January 1, 2013 Members Share Posted January 1, 2013 I especially like the Dean. Happy flipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Woody_in_MN Posted January 1, 2013 Members Share Posted January 1, 2013 I especially like the Dean. Happy flipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members petersenb9 Posted January 1, 2013 Members Share Posted January 1, 2013 I think that Caddy is pretty bitching, kinda wish I had something to trade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members petersenb9 Posted January 1, 2013 Members Share Posted January 1, 2013 I think that Caddy is pretty bitching, kinda wish I had something to trade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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