Electra X-155

1982 non anniversary model which was made at the famous Matsumuko plant in Japan. Yellow pearl finish over a maple stratish body shape, with the maple/rosewood 22 fret neck, and the infamous uglyass "hogshead" 6 in line headstock. 2 hums, 3 way, 2 vol/2 tone, coil tap and phase switches (Push/pull tone controls.) plastic Gibsonesgue knobs, front mounted output jack, ang the standard cheesy 6 screw fulcrum trem bridge. It's got all that I could ever want from an "Uncle Matt"!

I love the sound of this thing! The solid maple body gives TONS of sustain, while the pickups wring out every bit of sound possible! The coil tap affects both pickups at the same time, and isn't as noisy as you might think. Same with the phase switch. Pull it, and get funky with that wah pedal!

It does, however have the brightness issue that maple guitars tend to have. It can be VERY bright. but a few seconds on the EQ of the amp, is a small price to pay for such a sweet sound.

Right now, playing thru a Marshall G30RCD, with a digitech RP-200 and a Behringer V-AMP2. This suits my jazzy/pop/rock/psychedic style wonderfully.

You have to remember that this is a 25 year old guitar, so it's not quite at factory specs. Action is to kill for, as is the feel of the neck.
This is an ugly designed guitar. I mean, it's bulldog ugly! From the stupid shape of the headstock, to the dumbass shape of the body's horns, it's ugly. And just like a bulldog, it's so ugly, that it's lovable! Compared to all the strat copies, and gibson clones, this thing has a visual appeal, that make other players stop and ask "What the Hell is THAT?"

Again, it's 25 years old. There are a couple of minor dings and scrapes, and a somewhat more than minor ding in the neck. (Which will be fixed in the morning) The finish is still that wonderful cheesy shiny pearl, that draws your eyes to it. The pickups and pots are pristine, with virtually no hum or crackles. The tuners are great, still holding after so long. Even the trem doesn't throw it out. The solid brass saddles haven't bitten thru my strings yet, which is always a good thing. Only thing that has to go, are the knobs. They pop off whenever I pull the switches for the phase and coil taps. Ah well, $12 got me some black metal ones, with a gold mother of pearl top.

They died, and became the crappies guitar company in the world. That's right, CRATE. The fan sites are the way to go.

There is absolutly nothing wrong with this axe! Fantastic action, with a wide range of sounds, and really cool looks. (If you dig bulldogs that is.) It's a bit on the heavy side, which is always good.

I love Japanese guitars from this time period! The overall guality, can put modern day american guitars to shame!

I currently own a 87 Yamaha SE1212, 85 or so Yamaha SE300H, 85 Guild S280/281, 90 Ibanez S540, early 80's Lotus neck thru double cut, 02 Samick 335 clone, and a 03 BC Rich Mockingbird. The Guality of this guitar is worth the sideway glances you'll get from your band mates!

The first review said just about all and mine is the same as the other 60 tear SLM Anniversary X-155 listed here. Mine has a "gold/yellow" sparkle finish though. Love the versitility.

Extremely well suited since I LOVE fat humbucking sound. The sustain and tone are amazing, I was shocked when I heard it. I even had my wife listen to all my guitars (Ibanez GAX70 with Heritage Schaller humbuckers, early Jap Fender Squire, 70s Ovation Viper,Great old Cort Strat) for verification that I was not hearing things.

Bought in a Pawn Shop and it needed a good cleaning and setup. After I was done it is very nice and easy to play. The neck has a full solid feel, I was able to set the action pretty low and the medium frets are nice. All of the hardware is very good quality but has some oxidizing on the brass bridge.

I am not a working musician, just love to buy old guitars and jam out to the blues in my basement. This guitar is very solid though.

Not applicable. St. Louis Music may still exist but this 1982 guitar is probably an "as is" item

Been playing a total of 3 years. Have bought and sold many guitars including 3 Guild S-100s, a Guild S-300, a Gibson Les Paul XR1, a Fender Musicmaster, 3 Fender Strats, 2 Ibanez Blazers, a Carvin SC90T, a Carvin Bolt, and probably some I forgot. This one may be a keeper, I really like the way it sounds even if it is not the prettiest thing. If stolen I would miss it and be bummed but would not expect to or search hard to find another.

Clean and Cool, yet still packed with goodies! This is an unusual model, Made by Matsumoku in Japan in 1982. The Guitar sports a small plate of the back of the headstock which notes that this is an anniversary model commemorating the 60th Anniversary of St. Louis Music. Looks like a Transition model...by '85 SLM was using the Brand name Westone. This one has the goofy Westone "Hogsnout" six-in-line headstock, but has the late '70s Inverted Peace symbol logo of Electra. The tuners are cast/sealed Gotoh/schaller types, all with the Electra logo. This is a bolt neck with a very nice feel...damned arthritis won't let me play 'dem skinny neck things, and this has a nice, rounded profile, with a really flat rosewood Fingerboard radius...22 Frets. The Body is that Offset double cutaway "Bastard child of a strat that slept with an SG" look. Same as that found on the Westone Spectrums. Based on weight, would guess the body is maple. Coolest...no freakin' whammy...don't like em. Strings through the body. Lots of Brass: Nut, Bridge, Control covers. Two Humbuckers that are styled like Dimarzios...Two rows of Hex-adjustable pole pieces. Two Volumes, two tones, and the tones are push-pull. Oddly, the neck tone splits both pickups, and the bridge tone reverses the polarity. Clean and neat!

I do that blues/classic rock/Petty/jangly country thing, and have yet to find one guitar that morphs all the way around. This comes close...in humbucking mode, the pickups are a bit hot and muddy...they may get replaced. In tapped mode, the sound is tha' tits! Clean and Glassy, Quacky, and shimmering. The action is set up low, so I can pop the board, and there are no probs. Call me cheesy, but I like solid state amps, and use an older Carvin sx200, and some archaic Kustom Lead III, that used to be a combo, but is now just a head. This axe can get really nasty in all modes with the amp distortion, with a Boss turbo overdrive, a DOD Classic Fuzz, or my custom Glenn Wylie Moon Face. Great sustain.

Don't know about factory set up...this was sitting in a pawn shop collecting dust, and missing strings. I just strung it up to hear the sound, and was impressed. May do a setup later. Finish is a cool pearl white. 18 years later-still looks new! Good attention to detail all the way around.

Solid and Blue collar. Can survive the massive sweat that I generate, and still keep twangin'. Wouldn't hesitate using the guitar as a bottle shield. Built like a tank. Solid, reliable, and versatile.

Got it from a pawn shop, it is 18 years old...Brother, there ain't no stinking customer support!

I really like some of the better Japanese Guitars from the 70's and 80's. Have a 79 Ibanez Studio, which has been the main instrument for about 5 years. Also an 86 Roadstar II Frankencaster, and Yes a Terry McInturff Polaris. They all have their place...the Electra belongs on stage in the Beer joints of southern America. Been Playing for about 25 years, and have had a veritable harem of guitars. Like the feel and the sound, and can live with the fat humbucking mode. Love the bridge, and the whole thing in general. Wish it was natural or sunburst, but it is the only one I have ever seen. I like the fact that it has all this switching versatility, without an army of mini toggles. (Had a Carvin LP once, and guys at the jams would razz me about all of the switches). If it got stolen, I'd be bummed, but might hunt down another...afterall it would give me an excuse to shop for some other unique item!