Electra Les Paul

I've been reading the reviews about the "old" Electra Les Paul copies and felt I had to speak my piece about this great guitar. I bought a brand new 1975 Electra Les Paul with metalic gold finish with the cream/black pinstriping. I paid about $150 US. I loved it then and still do. It is probably the prettiest guitar I have ever had. I don't know that I have ever seen one like it (Electra) anywhere, but, I did see the new 50th anniversary edition Gibson Les Paul at Guitar Center a couple of weeks ago. That is the only one I have ever seen that looks just like mine (minus the real gold plated head plate, pickups, tuning pegs and pick guard). The Gibson was listed at $7599 and weighed a ton. Mine is light weight and easy to hold for hours.

I played it every day and performed live at least 2 nights a week for 3 years. Then I played it about once a week for about 10 years. After that, it sat in the case for about 20 years and was never touched. I toyed with the idea of selling it on ebay, but couldn't make myself let it go. Boy, am I glad. About 4 months ago, I started playing with a couple of "old" rock n rollers and use it 2 or 3 nights a week. When I opened the case after 20 years it was just as I left it; same strings and in perfect condition (except for the wear from previous years). I got it out, tuned it up and MAN, I forgot how good this thing really sounded.

I was always somewhat shy about saying I had a Les Paul because it was an Electra, but after playing on some of the newer $2500-$7599 real things, I still like mine.

It stays in tune pretty well and I like the light weight, thin neck and pickups.

It came with the violin case and has held up great for 30+ years.

The sound is big and really sounds like a LP. I used it with a big Carvin amp years ago on the road, and now I use a Peavey Backstage and a new Line 6 Spider Jam. I love it with all of the amps. The guitar is quiet when I'm not playing and really talks when I do.

The front pick up is for soloing and is a bit thin sometimes so I have to set the amp just right, but when I get it, I love it. The back pickup is a little bassy for me so I don't use it much except when I want a more accoustic type sound as a rhythm player. Most of the time I use both (middle switch setting) and it gets a great rhythm sound and fill in lead.

I can get a full sound, thin sound, accoustic sound, and when I want it to, it will get the feedback, bite, harmonic, crunch, or what ever I want.

I don't know much about the pickups except they are old hummbuckers that I wouldn't trade for anything.

As soon as I bought it, I shaved the nut down a lot and filed a few frets to make it play easier, but haven't done anything else to it in 30+ years. Remember, I didn't even change strings for 20 of those years.

The metalic gold finish is still like new, the rosewood fingerboard is great and the maple neck is thin and super easy to play.

The only thing I can say I'm not happy with is the wear on the gold parts. Some of that is age, but the plating on the bridge actually peeled off right after I bought. None of it affects the playing, though.

I played live for three years and didn't replaced anything except the strings. Even after 20 years just sitting in the case, it still plays like new.

I looked at buying a Strat a few months ago, but I just can't make myself do away with the ELP. I think I will buy a new Strat eventially, but will never get rid of the ELP.

Never had to use, don't know if I would be able to find anybody now if I tried.

I have been playing for about 40 years, 30 of it on this guitar. I have used Carvin, Peavey, and Line 6 amps, Peavey Mackey and Yamaha PAs, and cheap, Lyle, Electra, Fender, and Yamaha guitars and basses. I have an Electra Black Les Paul Bass, also. I like it okay, but prefer a Fender Precision bass, but I LOVE the Electra Les Paul Guitar.

Like I said earlier, I used to be somewhat shy about saying it was a Les Paul, but not any more. Partly, that was because when I was younger, I couldn't afford to have one, and no one I knew actually had a real one (or could afford one). The music store kept them hidden so the college kids wouldn't bother them. I acctually had the chance to buy a couple of good Gibson LPs a few years ago and didn't because I thought mine played and sounded as good or better.

I have heard that these old Electras were actually made by Gibson (for Gibson) in Japan. They just called them Electras because they were made in Japan. I don't know how accurate this information is but after playing on the high dollar LPs, I definately claim mine as a LES PAUL. It has everything a real LP has except the price and the weight.

Made in Japan, 1975. Came in it's original violin case which looks quite kitsch but very good quality hardcase. Guitar's model is 2252. One of the last examples of it's kind because after 1975 Electra changed the headstock shape. With a openbook shape (or as some say moustache), this Electra's headstock is identical to Gibson LP's. From a distance, it looks like a real Gibson guitar. Plus, the logo and the name are real mother-of-pearl inlays, not stickers. I can easily say it is a perfect Gibson copy :)

2252 has everything a Gibson has, except this is a bolt-on-neck guitar; but you can never tell. Playability is same as Gibson's and sometimes I find it better because it is a thin-profile neck. Guitar has a very comfortable 22 frets maple neck with beautiful (and very high quality) rosewood fingerboard and jumbo frets. Inlays are trapezoids, again, just like Gibson guitars. I have an USA 1999 Gibson Standard, I can assure you this neck is equal to Gibson necks and sometimes even superior on fast licks. I was shocked by the quality of the neck when the guitar arrived.

Body is mahogany, but I am not sure. Sustain is good but guitar is not as heavy as my Gibson. Main body is all red with good quality 3 ply white binding. This is an interesting point because, to me, neck and body bindings look much better than my Gibson's; it seems that there is more effort on the details in this Electra. Body has old amp-style black knobs; 2 volume and 2 tone. There is also a 3-way selector switch and a black scratch plate (which I removed after 5 minutes I received the guitar). All hardware is gold, of course, they all tarnished as you would expect from a 32 years old guitar, but they still look OK. 2 humbucker pickups are very silent and powerful. Bridge humbucker is not as powerful as my Gibson's but it is very close; neck is nearly the same. I am not sure what make or model these buckers are, but they are very good.

The bridge unit looks quite blocky but it is about the same size as a standard unit. If it was a little rounded it would look like a typical modern tune-o-matic unit. But again from a distance, it looks like a standard bridge.

For a long time I stayed away from bolt-on-neck guitars because somehow I always thought that they did not have good sustain. This Electra is my second attempt on bolted neck guitars and I am really happy that I bought this one. First one was a Fender with a tremolo unit and I really did not like it but this is a very nice one with splendid sustain.

Very good. Now, I don't know who designed these humbuckers but they really rock. I have an Epiphone Custom Les Paul (2002, Korean) which I replaced the bridge humbucker with a Seymour Duncan JB and JB is one of the most powerful pickups. But this 2252 sounds much more powerful than that Epiphone although I did not make any changes. I may be wrong but these pickups probably hand made. There is no background garbage and they are probably the most silent pickups that I've ever seen.

Bridge humbucker is not as bright as my Gibson LP but it is very close and I am really impressed considering I have paid only 225GBP for this guitar because it really sounds like a Gibson. Neck pickup gives a full kicking sound (especially on bends) and it really screams, plus the sustain is outstanding. I am lucky because I mainly use neck pickups while soloing and this 2252 has an exceptional neck bucker.

Guitar is 32 years old but it still looks OK to me. There is usual wear and tear from usage and the gold hardware tarnished a little bit, but there is absolutely no problem in sound and these do not interfere with the playability.

Red body is finished properly and I really cannot find any bad points on this guitar as I am looking at it right now. Everything cut, placed and finished properly. There are no flaws whatsoever.

Action is low without any rattles. Althoug some frets show signs of wear, neck plays beautifully.

This guitar withstands live playing. I had only 4 gigs with this one but it was never out of tune and most importantly, although the neck is thin-profile, guitar does not slip. This is one of my biggest problems on stage because I sweat like a fat-ass while playing under stage lights (no, I am an athletic man and a handsome guy). And most of my guitars slip except his one and my Schecter.

I never go live without a backup guitar.

Other components like strap buttons, tuning pegs, bridge, etc.. look quite solid to me.

I think Electra is out of business :)

I play nearly everything from blues to rock, heavy metal and progressive rock. I like players like Dave Gilmour, Eric Clapton, John Petrucci,etc and I like bands like Dream Theater, Deep Purple, Metallica, etc... I mainly use 3 guitars : an USA Gibson Les Paul Standard (1999), a Korean Epiphone Les Paul Custom (2002) and and Ibanez MMM1 baritone neck-thru guitar (2006). I also have an USA Fender strat and a Yamaha RGX520 but I really don't play them as much as others. I have 2 main amps, a Hughes & Kettner Duotone Combo for live playing and a Behringer Firebird GX-108 for practice. They are both excellent amps.

This Electra 2252 is 32 years old but it is still in good condition but most importantly, it is still a player's guitar. Considering the previous owner told me it is all original, this simply means 1- quality woods, 2- quality components 3-good workmanship. The only thing about this guitar is that the gold hardware tarnished a little bit and it looks quite old but actually I prefer this way, because guitar really looks cool and old components never effect the playability ina bad way.

There are thousands out there paying thousands of dollars for vintage looking distressed guitars (like Fender Custom Shop guitars) and I really find this situation very funny (and most of the times really pathetic). This Electra 2252 is a real vintage guitar and it is still a player's guitar. This guitar plays,looks and feels brilliant and it only costed 225GBP including the hardshell case :) I bought this from Ebay UK and I am not sure if the seller really knew what he was selling but I can easily say this is my best deal ever on an electric guitar. I am not sure if I can find one of these if it was stolen but I would definitely buy it again.

I believe this is from around 1976 - not a bolt-on neck, very nice cherry sunburst top with the tiger-striped wood and mahogany body. volume, tone, and toggle switches which act as boosts, 5-way selector. two humbuckers

very bright and somewhat twangy on bridge pick-up - fairly mellow on neck. I used to really enjoy the 4th position on the 5 way selector for bite.

this guitar was used - but is absolutely gorgeous . . . still! I bought it around 1980, not knowing anything about guitars and got really lucky in how well it was set-up and how playable it was. It has one of the best looking tops I've seen - even the back looks great.

I've had this guitar for over 25 years (except for about 2 years when I sold it and bought it back). My son played it for a while 'til he got his own guitar. Very reliable, very durable.

N/A

What can I say - it was my first love. I've been playing guitar for a living for the past 16 years or so (have several guitar endorsements) and wouldn't part with it - too much sentimental value. Strip away the sentiment and it's still a great guitar!

Found this thing in the back of a music store I used to hang out as a kid. They couldn't run me off so they paid me like .50 cents an hour to sweep the floors and stuff. Minimum wage? Heck, I was like 12 years old so I coulda really had them busted with the "Child Labor" laws and all!

Anyway, it was a miserable POS (Piece of "Stuff") when I got my hands on it. the head was snapped off, frets were missing, and the bridge, tailpiece, and machine heads were gone. Jimmy Page was my "Hero" at the time and I couldn't afford $450.00 (yes, that's right, $450.00 for a LES PAUL CUSTOM "BLACK BEAUTY in 1975!" Can you friggin believe it?) for a REAL Les Paul so this was the best I could come up with. I "Pieced" the thing together with other stuff I found lying around and after about two or three tries, got the head to stay on with full string tension. I believe I was using "Super Slinkys" (.008, I believe) on it. It was my first foray into "Luthier" work!

As I said, back then I was into Jimmy Page and all of the "Heavy Rockers" of the time (Bad Company, Aerosmith, Foghat, The Who, Black Sabbath...you know, all the stuff my parents were deathly afraid I would discover! :-0).

As far as I was concerned, it suited my playing just fine! sounded really great with heavy distortion - hardly ever played it clean unless I was playing the first part to "Stairway to Heaven!" I had one of those little Realistic "Radio Shack" speaker amplifers in which I plugged my guitar into the input, removed the speaker and wired it to the input of my guitar amplifier. Provided KILLER OVERDRIVE AND SUSTAIN!! (Sidenote: Radio shack now makes these with an input and output so it is useable right out of the box. I recently bought one of these for this purpose but they make these amplifiers way "Better" now and it doesn't provide the "Crunch" like they used to.)

I liked the fact that it was MINE!

I disliked the fact that it was not a REAL GIBSON LES PAUL!

Well....mine was, shall we say, put together like Frankenstein's monster, looked like it had been dragged from behind a truck!

To be fair though, I was always playing some of the new models on the showroom floor and they were just dandy! We called them "JAP CRAP" back then but Japan was really putting out a deacent product back then while the American companies were doing down hill...FAST!!!

For the showroom variety, I will give it a 10! My Frankenstein version gets a 2.5!

Mine played really well so long as I didn't get all "Peter Townsend" on it! I rebroke the headstock when I smacked it up against the wall so I DEFINITELY would not do that again! Then again, I don't think I would've done that with a REAL Gibson Les Paul either!

Quite reliable and sturdy so long as you didn't smack it around like my sister's rag doll or whatever!

I got some kewl brochures and stickers and stuff from the sales rep one time when he came around so I think they're really great!

I've been playing for over 30 years now. My stuff has mellowed quite a bit since then. When Eddie Van Halen came out with "Eruption" in 1978, I found a new "Hero" and thus had to get the same guitar he had. I have been a "Strat" man ever since (I mean like hey, if they were good enough for STEVIE RAY, Eric, and Jimi....). Never got my "Real Les Paul!"

I guess I should've asked if it had a warranty (Laugh, choke, gasping for air)!

As I said, I am a STRATOCASTER dude now! 'Cept when I am playing bass or acoustic which I am playing more of these days. I wouldn't mind finding one on Ebay sometime (My wife is patient but has put her foot down on the dozen or so guitars I have now)! Electras on EBay go for about $200 to $400 while the REAL GIBSON LES PAULS are going for about $2,000 to $5,000!!! (Yep, I'm still kicking myself real hard about not being able to pick one up for 450 DOLLARS!!!)!

I do, however, nave an Electra Phoenix model that I bought on Ebay for $26.00 which was in a little better condition than the Electra Les Paul I acquired 30 years ago. I think I did a better job "piecing" this one together and it is now my backup for my Stratocaster.

I would compare the Electra back then to the Agile guitar line they have at Rondo Music! I get really "Tempted" every time I go to their site!!!

1972 Les Paul style guitar that was my first "nice" guitar. I moved up from a Teisco Del Ray! Although I no longer have it, it was the best playing guitar I ever had, and I've been searching for one that plays this good ever since. I traded "up" to a '73 Fender Stratocaster, brand new. It was an absolute piece of junk! I then moved on to a series of guitars over the years.

This Electra was a bolt-on, twin humbucking guitar, red with gold hardware. It had the Les Paul Custom inlay design on the headstock. The body was mahogany, but I'm not sure if it had a maple cap. There were no active electronics like in later Electra's. The headstock also was shaped like a Gibson. Stop tailpiece and tune-o-matic style bridge.

It also came with one of the coolest violin cases.

This guitar had a beautiful twang tone on the bridge pickup; sort of like "Funk #49." With both pickups on it sounded like the Beatles' "Day Tripper." Of course when you are 16 you are more easily impressed with tone than you are in later life. I'm not sure what rating I would give it if I heard it today, but at the time, a 10!

Everything excellent. Not a buzz to be found. Not even any of those short little "punctuation" buzzes that seem to plague every guitar today. You know... the ones they tell you not to worry about if you can't hear it through the amp.

Since I didn't know anything about setting up guitars at the time, and couldn't afford to bring it in, I stuck with the factory set-up. It was perfect.

Solid as far as I can remember. No problems of any kind. The gold wore off part of the bridge pickup.

At the time I had been playing for eight years. Started on a Sear's Roy Rogers acoustic, graduated to a know-name single pickup solidbody that I bought from Woolworth's with my paper route money, and then a Teisco Del Ray. When I got this beauty, I finally arrived. In fact, if you happen to have one matching this description, get in touch and I will be glad to buy it from you! I have never had a guitar that played this good. Some of the guitars I have owned include: 4 Les Pauls, SG Junior, 4 Strats (including custom shop), several Heritage electrics, Epiphone, and Guild and Gibson accoustic, and a bunch others.

i'm not sure if all electra les paul copies are created equal because i've seen some that look quite a bit different from others .. this one i'm reviewin has a bolt on neck ..but it doesn't know it .. it plays like it was the real thing .. it also has the standard les paul setup 2 volumes and 2 tones with a 3 way toggle switch .. it's painted black so i can't really tell if it's made of mahogony or plywood .. but it's held up really well .. i'd say it's around 74 or so because from what i can gather electra went to set necks sometime around 76 .. the fingerboard is rosewood and the inlays are the custom type from the first fret on up and real mother of pearl .. not that mother of toilet seat shit .. the headstock is kinda odd lookin too .. it has that peace sign inlay and the one side is a lot bigger than the other .. looks kinda goofy if you ask me but it's really the only thing i can complain about .. the pickups were already replaced when i got it with gibson pafs and they sound really good .. i originally bought it just to get the pickups but after playin it awhile i knew it would be a sin to dismantle this guitar .. this plays and sounds as good as any gibson i ever had and i've had dozens .. yeah dozens .. that ain't a typo .. and most of the gibson are real good too ..i'm not knockin the gibsons .. i'm just elevatin this electra up to their status because it IS THAT GOOD ... the bridge had already been replaced when i got it but when i changed the strings all the saddles fell out so i put a brand new gotoh bridge on ..while i was at it i replaced the tailpiece too .. i also put a set of ping tuners on it and they're ok but i'm eventually gonna get some grovers and get it over with .. funny thing about this guitar ,if you lay it down and the light hits the fingerboard just right you'd swear the fingerboard was laqured. thats how tight the grain is .. but it's not .. and the way the neck feels in your hand is just perfect .. i can't speak for all the electra's made but i sure got lucky with this one .. the frets are just like you'd expect on an older gibson .. i should know cause i have one ..

the sound is like a vintage les paul ..of course the pafs are the reason for that .. i checked em on my ohm meter and they read 7.45 in the bridge and 7.54 in the neck .. i know the top has some hollow spots unlike a real les paul which is solid through and through so i'm thinkin maybe thats the reason i like this one so much .. it seems like the overtones if you know how to hit the strings just oooze out of this thing .. it's just beautiful .. i play through a bunch of different amps ..a carvin x amp 60watts all tube with a 12 inch celestion ..a roland blues cube , a roland jc 77 , a crate dxb112 modelin amp .. a peavey transfex 208s a peavey audition chorus , and a bunch more .. i also use a small stone, a roland ce1, a genesis 1,a line 6 mm4 and a dm4 ..and a lexicon .. i have to give this catagory a 10 because of the gibson pickups .. i don't know what year they are but i'm guessin the 70's sometime .. i keep hearin all these other pickup makers sayin it souds just like a gibson paf ..well duuuhhhh ..just get a gibson paf ..

well seein as how i got this guitar at least 25 years after it was made i can't say how it was setup from the factory but once i got it it didn't take long to set it up to my liking and it plays great.. it looks like it just stepped out of a time machine .. it looks almost new .. if i can complain a little the frets were just a bit sharp on the treble side but i filed them down and its fine now .. the neck is still a nice tight fit .. no movement at all ..because of the frets i'll have to give this section a 9 .. but thats been taken care of already ..

well as far as durability goes it's come this far and looks like it was made yesterday so i'd say it was well taken care of but i think it will hold up well .. most of the original hardware has been changed though so it has plenty of miles left on it .. good miles too i might add .. if i had to i would use it without a backup but it;s always wise to bring one anyway .. this thing sounds really good but i can't get it to sound like a tele ..

i'm not sure of when and how it happened but from what i believe this was made by the japanese company matsumoku who also made aria and westone .. some fine fine instruments .. but they no longer exist ..or not in the japanese facility anyway .. i called aria about a cs400 i have ( also a great guitar ) and they couldn't answer one question .. when it comes to older jap guitars like this you're on your own .. there is no such thing as customer support from them .. sad but true .. you may not need it though ..they're built like tanks ..

i've been playin for about 35 years or so and i own a bunch of guitars .i buy and sell them all the time ..it's a hobby of mine .. but some i just keep ..this one is a keeper .. besides if i were to sell it i could never get what i think it's worth .. because nobody knows how good these guitars are unless they play one and then again they're not all created equal .. i don't think i could lose this but if it were stolen i'd cry for sure because it's so uniqe .. i don't think it could be replaced so easy .. but if i could get another one just like it i would in a second .. the only thing i wish it had is a set of grovers and i'll do that sooner or later ..

I bought this LP copy new in '73 from a music store in OK. It is a Blond Special Edition "Custom" W/gold hardware, 2 vol., 2 tone-3 way sw. & clear pick guard. I paid $315.00 with the hard case & strap.
The only thing I have ever had to replace is strings although the 3-way is getting dirty & makes noise when switching.

Haven't had the feedback problems most others have mentioned, but I usually kick the amp & trim the Pickups anyway. I've played rock, R&B, Jazz and now contemporary Christian, and have been able to get the "right" sound for the most part with pedals & multi-effects boxes

The factory setup was OK but needed fine tuning at the bridge. Pickups have always sounded good but the volume pots seem to flood at 3/4 and need more control for fast adj. I've played "real" Les Pauls and frankly I like the action better on this. The neck is thinner but still rock solid and flat. No fret noise.

Live Play was good, didn't have a backup & fortunately didn't need one. The hardware is as solid now (12/02) as when I bought it. The gold is wearing thin on the neck pickup but otherwise is still good looking. Strap buttons are solid. After all these years the guitar is more ready to rock than I am.

N/A

Overall I think this is a great value. In fact I bought this guitar twice. Sold it to a friend,a real good friend, when I was hard up for cash in '89 & bought it back in '91. She never played it, just stored it for me and understood. I've been playing since age 10 and have played strats, tele's, LP's & others and for the money this is it.

I have and Electra. White totally in color. I purchased it in 1980. I only bought it because I liked the way it looked. To all of you experts, yes, it is a heavy guitar, and I don't mean cool heavy. I mean heavy in weight. I've enjoyed the music I've played on this guitar as far as pedals and what not. This guitar is versitile in that no matter what pedal you play it with, it changes sound and has a sound of it's own.

I know my Electrica has even given me the sounds of whales when introduced to differnt sound boards and the different effects of reverb. Such a versitile guitar and I know I sitll love and play it today even though I bought it so cheap at $165.00 back in 1980.

A really good guitar but then any guitar has a good and really great sound if you know how to play it. Even if you're experimenting for sound, my guitar sounds great for what I'm looking for.

GW

Its basically like a les paul custom in every way, except that it has a bolt on neck and was made in japan.It even has a Gibson shaped headstock.Beautiful Cherry sunburst finish.Im not sure what kind of wood the body is, but its really heavy.Gold hardware that is fading badly.the binding has turned yellow.I like the shape of the neck a lot, its thick but flat.I got it with the beat up old case it was sitting in for 30 years along with a strap, busted cable and a set of un-opened rusty old strings. if you like les pauls but are short on cash, this is so close it fooled me and almost everyone who sees it.

It really only sounds good with that warm tube overdrive. i am in a hard core/metal band called overdosed spirit, and i will never use that guitar at a gig because it sounds nasty with hard distortion. the sound is paper thin. it almost sounds like a cheap squier being played out of a portable amp on low batteries.And the feedback with the volume on 2 is really annoying.I usually use it with a toneworks ax1g multi effects processor with a marshall half stack.

When i got it one of the bridge saddles were chipped and one was lost, so i replaced it and never got to experience the setup.The top is bookmached unevenly, the line is 3 or 4 inches too high.But the wood is lovely, hardly(if any) imperfections.The neck moves around a lot though, i can feel it shifting in its pocket all the time.

This thing is a beast.i could smash a redwood tree before this monster.

Company? they died out before i was born!

I have been playing for about 5 years,started at 10.Now i own 7 guitars(most of wich i got for free or really cheap).I try to pass it off as a gibson all the time(i covered the Electra with black tape, and it works because of its gibson shaped headstock)but people end up seeing the "made in japan" on the neck and laughing at me.I love this guitar, but not as much as my Danelectro.or my Kramer.Or the ibanez.

ELECTRA WAS A JAP COMPANY IN THE 70'S THAT MADE SOME GOOD GUITAR COPIES.IT HAS 22 FRETS AND A LAMANATED TOP.IT HAS THE REGULAR LES PAUL TONE AND VOLUME CONTROLS.THE PICKUPS ARE ORIGINAL AND HAVE A GOOD SOUND,BUT I GET A LOT OF FEED BACK WHEN I WANT TO GET NASTY W/THE DISTORTION.THE BODIE IS MAPLE WITH A BURLED WOOD NATURAL FINISH. I FOUND IT AT A DALLAS GUITAR SHOW AND IT CAME WITH A SWEET CASE.THE NECK HAS 10 ABALONE INLAYS AND A STRANGE ABALONE SYMBOL BY THE TUNERS.

I LIKE TO JAM HEAVELY (KISS,CULT,ALICE N CHAINS,L SKINNER,MEGADEATH)AND THE PICKUPS HAVE TO MUCH FEED BACK.THE GUITAR IS IN SUCH GOOD SHAPE IM GONA DUMP SOME MONEY IN IT W/NEW PICKUPS.ONE OF THE OTHER REVIEWS SUGGESTED A DUNCAN 59 AND DUNCAN JAZZ.I THINK ILL TAKE THAT ROUTE.THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE NECK PICKUP (NO SOUND) ILL BE GETTING THAT FIXED WITH THE NEW P-U'S.THE LEAD CHANNEL RIPS THOUGH WITH A GREAT ROCK SOUND AND THE GUITAR HAS A GREAT FEEL (VERY HEAVY THOUGH).

THIS GUITAR IS 30 YRS OLD AND THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT THE FAC.SET UP WAS LIKE.MINE NEEDS P-U HELP.SOME OF THE HARDWARE HAS A LITTLE EROSION BUT THIS BABY IS IN GREAT SHAP.THATS WHY I BOUGHT IT.

THIS GUITAR IS BUILT FORD TOUGH.I COULD BEAT DOWN MY FRONT DOOR WITH IT AND NOT BREAK A SWEAT.IT IS VERY HEAVY THOUGH AND YOU WILL BE FEELING IT AFTER A HOUR OF PLAYING.THE STRAP BUTTONS ARE VERY SOLID AND I WOULD NOT HESITATE TO GO GIG IT W/NO BACKUP.

THERE LIKE, WAY OUT OF BUISNESS.NO OPINION

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS AND I HAD TO HAVE THIS GUITAR AT $250 DOLLORS.IT FEELS JUST LIKE A REAL LES PAUL FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST.AND WITH THE NEW HARDWARE IM INSTALLING......ILL KEEP YOU POSTED.THE GUITAR LOOKS KICKASS, ITS IN GREAT SHAPE AND HEY ITS A VINTAGE GUITAR FROM THE 70'S.NOT SOME 90'S ROLLED OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE SQUIRE.IVE PLAYED A LES PAUL AND THE ELECTRA FEELS AND PLAYS JUST AS GOOD.I RUN IT THROUGH A FENDER M80 AMP,CRYBABY WAWA AND YOU CAN MAKE THIS GUITAR SMOKE.I SUGGEST REPLACEING THE P-U'S.

typical les paul controls,2 tone 2 volume, humbuckers, vintage burst

sound is horrible, the entire guitar is microphonic, better pu's would make it sound good

finsh was ok but is slighty chipping, action is low---frets buzz like a barrel of bees!!!!!

must admitt very reliable

company no longer exists, if you get in trouble your stuffed

spend your money on a real guitar not on this peice of Sh*T. Waste of money and time. Id give it -1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Made in indonesia in around 1980.22 jumbo frets with glowing multicolor inlays.solid top.2 volume two tone controls the pickup selector switch(3 way) that every lp has .two humbuckers one of which is a weird cream colored one thats sounds bad-ass and a gold coverd rhythm humbucker wich is also not to shabby.im not shure what brand of pickups they are(probably westone(electra is now known as westone) or gibson im not sure).mahogony with a painted mahogany neck and rosewood fret board that is nice and round like a true gibson.transparent black finish.of course is a les paul body style.tune o matic bridge(lp bridge).locking tuners with marble buttons.medium size neck rounded fret board jumbo frets.also i have a case for it

this thing sounds like a hmmm i cant even explain it its just bad ass.it suits my style very well i play alot of Tool and melow stuff and also deftones.this thing has the best distorion ive ever heard.i usually use a zoom gfx 707 with it.there only one problem if you have like a 60 watt amp and you turn it up past 4 on distorion its all feedback but one you mes with the settings its fixed.this thing has everythin sound wise you can play 80s solo stuff it sounds awesome.metal blues jazz everything is very good sounding.i love this guitar.oh yeah im using a crate gfx 65 amp with it too.

seeing as how it the year 2000 and im 15 i cant tell you how the factory set it up.but right now the action is very fast and smooth as hell.im adujsted it my self so the pickups are adjusted fine too.but since this guitar is 20 years old is not the best looking thing(especially since it was in a closet for 10 years)its still very shiney but scratched up(in places).the gold plating on thre bride is coroding off.the tuner are in good shape though.ever thing else is good it a very well made guitar.

this guitar could with stand being thrown off a mountain i would definatly take it to a show without a backup.thehardwar would never have and problem.the finish besides where is scrated is still very good.the strapbuttons are solid but prone to slip so im getting new ones no big deal.you can depend on this guitar.

seeing as how there is no company anymore(besides westone) ive never spoke to em

ive ben playing for a year.i own a crate 65 watter (the zoom pedals not mine).if it was stolen or lost .id buy it again (if i could find another one at a pawn shop)it would be hard to find another one.i love everything about this "guitfiddle".it sounds great looks great(exept the scratches but they add character).and it very durible the thing weighs 30 lbs.good luck finding one of these guitars but if you do buy it (they usually run around 200 bucks at a pawn shop(its the only place you can find em).

10!...I assume the guitar was made in the 70's...it has 22 med-jumbo frets, Solid bookmatched flame maple top, two vol and two tone, the tone controls are push/pull to offer coil tap and phase-out...Two dimarzio Super distortion pickups, Mahogany bod and heel-less maple neck ...The finish on the neck would get all crudy and sticky from playing so I stripped it to the raw wood and sealed it, its the best feeling neck ever now... Cherry burst finish matching headstock... Full body, neck and headstock binding... I instaled sperzel locking tuners and the guitat came with a brass nut....for maximum sustain

I play everything From Punk to Jazz and this guitar can handle that... I use fender stainless steal strings 12-52 gauge with and unwound third I use a Marshall jcm 600 with a 4x12 cab, Dunlop crybaby, Ibanez delay, and Digitech xp-100 Its a very full sounding guitar it like being infront of the mix only complaints is that for reggae the sound is too full and out front...the phase and coil tap can help easy this somewhat

The factory set-up was too weak for me...I raised the action so the guitar is hard on you but thats how I like to play. The pickups were set up perfect I just adjusted the individual pole pieces to suit my sound. Everthing else is tops and holding up great

This guitar has the durability of a brick shit-house... I don't use a back-up... I instaled dunlop straploks 'cause I jump around alot and those are the best aftermarket acessories you can buy. Never had anything go wrong with he guitar

ever had to take it in for anything

I've been playing everyday for two years If this guitar was lost or stolen I'd do anything to get it back It plays smoother than any other guitar...I like it ten times more than any Gibson les paul thaT i'VE EVER PLAYED

Electra was a Japanese company that, like Ibanez, made high quality copies. I haven't dated this guitar yet, but I believe it to be made sometime in the '70's. This Les Paul is better than many of the Gibsons that were produced during the "dark years" of the 70's. The specs are the same in most cases. It has 22 frets, 2 volume, 2 tone, and a 3-way switch. Stock pickups were a covered PAF in the neck slot and a weird square shaped cream colored humbucker in the bridge. I recently replaced the bridge pickup due to feedback with a Duncan '59. Unlike most Electras, this one just has standard electronics instead of built-in fuzzes and phasers. The body and neck are made of mahogany with a maple top like most LP's. The top has a cool faded cherry sunburst finish with a beautiful flame to it. Really nice tiger stripes. This has to be real because I don't think they had foto-flames back then. The back of the body has a Strat style rib cage cut out(a plus if you play your guitar up very high, but then again, those people don't deserve Les Pauls). The neck is a bolt-on. The tuners are big enclosed metal ones that are better than the standard Klusons that come on Gibsons. They're closer to Grovers. This guitar has really solid construction and I use it all the time.

Now don't get me wrong, I loved the tone of the stock bridge pickup, but it tended to feedback at Jeff Beck volumes. If you're interested in the stock tone, it was really good for blues, jazz, and rock. I use a Legend A60 head(it sounds like a Marshall), that I broke the clean channel on. The dirt channel has a gritty British tone, not a death metal distortion. The bridge was perfect for that raunchy Beck/Page era Yardbirds tone. The neck has a nice creamy tone thru distotion, lotta "woman tone". The volume knobs clean up the gain well. With the Duncan, it sounds even better. Really sweet with no feedback. I'm thinking of replacing the neck with a Duncan Jazz. Since the pickups aren't matched, with the switch in the middle, they're out of phase so you get a pseudo-Fender tone. These pickups are just as versatile as a Gibson Les Paul. I love the tone of this guitar. A little bit toppier due to the bolt neck and the contour in the back.

I mainly had to just clean the guitar and adjust the action and intonation. It just need that and some new strings, and was roaring to go. The top is nice and bookmatched. There's a couple of dings in the top and the side near the output jack. The neck is really comfortable and not oppressibly beefy.

I've played this guitar in my room for months, and played it once at a rehearsal. It holds up excellently and isn't fragile in the least. I wouldn't hesistate using this as my main guitar. I always bring a backup though, in case a string breaks. The only things I've replaced are the bridge pickup and the clear pickguard with a black one(Jeff Beck had a sunburst with a black guard in the Yardies). The hardware is excellent and up to task. As reliable as the rock of Gibralter.

N/A Electra doesn't exist anymore

I've been playing guitar for 4 years and despite having a more expensive main guitar before this(Fender Jagstang, another excellent model), this became my main guitar. It's only recently been replaced, cuz I got a Gibson Jimmy Page Les Paul 3 days ago. If I saw another one in a music store or a pawn shop, I wouldn't think twice about snatching it up. I love this guitar because it's reliable, sounds great, a real beaut, and cost me less than a Squier! The only gripe I have is that the stock pickups fed back at high volumes. If you see one, leave it be and e-mail me to tell me where it is!:) If any magazines want me to do product reviews, email me.