Electra Guitars

[Muredac Ford]

Electrawas a brand of electric guitars and basses manufactured in Japan and distributed in the US by two companies owned by brothers: Saint Louis Music (SLM) and Pacific Coast Music in the 1970s and early 1980s. In 2013, the brand launched a successful comeback led by renowned luthiers Ben Chafin and Mick Donner.

Unlike most other brands of imported guitars which were sourced from a single manufacturer, Electra guitars were ordered from all the Japanese factories and distributors. As a result, early models especially vary in details and quality. Later, as all models came to be made by Matsumoku, Electra guitars offered high quality at competitive prices. However, the brand never entirely lost its association with inexpensive 'copy' guitars and the brand name was transitioned to Electra Westone in 1984 and Westone in 1985. The same qualities make them popular among collectors today.

In 2013 Ben Chafin, former head luthier at Dean Guitars, acquired the rights to Electra Guitars and is now producing new Electra Guitars. The first model available was a reissued and updated single cutaway Electra Omega, followed by the Omega Prime. After rave reviews and a growing roster of artist endorsements, Electra Guitars unveiled a number of new models in 2014 including the Invicta, Talon, Phoenix H & S Guitars and the Phoenix Bass. More about the current company and their guitars, basses, accessories and merchandise can be found at their official website Electra Guitars

In 1976 Electra MPC (Modular Powered Circuits) models featured a pair of cartridge slots in the guitar body, which allowed effect modules to be plugged in and controlled from the front of the guitar. Today the unusual thing is that the effects are on board, but even offering electronic effects to consumer musicians was fairly new at the time and offers an interesting alternate way to do it. There were a total of 18 guitar models which carried MPC circuits. The most notable was the Super Rock, which was a Les Paul copy. There were 12 total MPC modules offered.

In the assortment of modules offered was a "Mini Amp" module, which contained no effects but was a headphone amplifier for the guitar. This mini amp was actually the number 11 Module, Frog Nose. It did nothing except send a fairly weak clean guitar signal to headphones via the jack.

It would take Ben three years to navigate various requirements to obtain the trademark. During this time he built guitar prototypes, generated several possible business models, and consulted with Electra Guitars enthusiasts all over the world. He took cues from collectors of the original instruments as well as working guitar players that still used the vintage Electras.

Looking back at the original Electra Guitars, over four decades ago, a group of creative entrepreneurs wanted to make state of the art, affordable guitars available to musicians. They decided to pool their talents to create a new line of guitars. The challenge was to design, build and market instruments that were well-built and innovative while still being a great value.

Electra guitars were imported from Japan by the Saint Louis Music (SLM) of Saint Louis, Missouri from 1971 to1984 (most MPC models were made by Matsumoku of Matsumoku , Japan) . Matsumokuhas made many popular guitar brands over the years including; Aria, Westbury, Westone,Epiphone, Vantage & Vox to name but a few.

Dating your Electra: Matsumoku made guitars have serial number in which the first oneor two digits represent the year of manufacture. A guitar with a serial number thatbegins in "0" or "80" would have been built in 1980 (this is just aguideline and DOES NOT apply to all Electra models but seems a safe bet for 1977-1981guitars).

The Electra MPC's claim to fame was, and is, on-board effects (more commonly referredto as effects modules). No stomp boxes required. If you want touse an effect (wah, phase shifter, etc) , all you have to do is flip a switch on the frontof the guitar, and turn a knob (also on the front of the guitar) to adjust the intensityof the effect. Twelve different modules were available in all.

Over the years major musicians endorsed the MPC line, such as, Peter Frampton, Leslie West (signature model), ELO, Allen "FreeBird" Collins, Chris Squire (MPC Bass), The Outlaws (signature guitar & bass),and Rick Derringer(X910 model is also known as the "Derringer" model). Despite theseendorsements, the Electra line still disappeared while the SLM went on to produce Westone& Crate products. Today, SLMdistributes Crate, Ampeg, Alvarez & Austin products. So as you can see, it's amisconception that SLMdisappeared or went bankrupt...they just changed.

The first school of thought was that the Electra MPC line were shoddily manufacturedgimmick guitars. Now, twenty five plus years later, they are finally starting to be recognizedfor superior craftsmanship and playability. For years many Electra's languished inpawn shops while buyers focused on vintage Fenders and Gibson's. Now, there seems to be aresurgence in both their value and reputation for quality.

The only experience i had with one was when i was in high school my band was in a studio of a friend rehearsing and there happened to be a blonde LP with maple fretboard and some kind of vine carve into the top. I thought it was an OK guitar but certainly not in the $400-700 category i see them going for on ebay.

Electra was a St Louis Music brand and was built by several different manufacturers from the early 1970s through about 1985. The early Electras were budget guitars that were similar in quality to and made in some of the same factories as the Aria, Univox, Ventura, Epiphone, Aspen, and Hohner guitars being made at the same time. Those are not high quality guitars but are among the better Japanese imports of that era. The later Electras of the mid to late 1970s are professional level instruments. They have a peace sign by the logo. All things considered, $400-700 is within reason for peace sign-era Electras that are playable and in good to excellent condition. I would expect to pay a little bit more for the peace sign-era semi-hollowbodies and hollowbodies.

Generally very good. You could easily pay more and not get as much as they offer (caveat to this: It's been quite some time since I've paid attention to the market price of them. If they're pricing in the $400-$700 category now, it comes as no surprise but it does mean they're no longer the 'gems in the garbage' they once were)

I don't know if the trade name is being repurposed now but they've always been underrated. Marty Friedman of Megadeth used one , Dave Mustaine actually named his daughter Electra (maybe he just liked the name)

The only thing they had working against their perception was irrational marketing bullcensored (superstitions about 'nation of origin' and competitive pricing). If you went to the Fender or Gibson factory and told them to make that exact spec guitar, you'd pay 5X more for the very same thing which, ironically enough, would make the people who dislike them suddenly like them.

I have had a few of the MPC series from Electra. ALL were great players. But the effects ran from "DDAAAAMMMMNNNNNNN..... that's cool!" (the treble/bass module) and "COOOL Beans!" for the Phaser. To, "What the fugaza is up with that? It sounds broken." (Distortion) And "Really???? It's meant to sound like that?" (autowah... shuddering at the memory)

My first electric was this Electra x145. Bought it new in 1982. Have swapped out the pickups a few times and it plays and sounds great. Made in Japan and weighs a ton. Paid $100 on closeout. Great guitar.

In 1975, however, as Electra was starting to focus on original models and develop their Modular Powered Circuit (MPC) boxes they solidified a deal with Matsumoku Industrial Co. factory in Japan to build most of their guitars.

Matsumoku was an integral part of the Japanese guitar lineage and at times was a contract producer for Epiphone, Aria, Victor, Washburn, Greco and Vantage. Matsumoku also had their own brand of guitars, Westone, which they started in 1975.

For a short while the brand became Electra-Phoenix in 1983 and Electra-Westone in 1984 and eventually just Westone in 1985. In 1987 financial troubles got the best of Matsumoku and the factory closed. Manufacturing moved to Korea and Westone lasted until 1991.

Electra X-710 specs: Mahogany body & neck, Rosewood fretboard, Super Magnaflux pickups, MPC modules, One volume and tone control, Two MPC intensity controls, 3-way selector and two on/off MPC switches

In this episode I sit down with solo artist, faithful band member, and prominent session guitarist Brian Stoltz. This is the first of a few episodes we\u2019re doing together leading into the debut of his newest album, \u201CNew World Rising\u201D, out April 2nd.

Brian met the Neville Brothers in 1981, auditioned for the guys and got the gig and five shows later they were opening for the Stones on their Tattoo You tour. He finished out the decade with the Neville\u2019s, did his own thing for a few years, and then started a multi-decade run with the Funky Meters in 1994 His resume reads like a fairy tale, recording with Dylan, Edie Brickell, Linda Ronstadt, and Dr. John to name a few.

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