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Personally I dislike the really cheap Fender Squires.

Hmm... Have you played one yet?

'Cause, that's a pretty legitimate gripe! There's also counterfeit Fenders made in Mexico. A common name for them is a MexiStrat. They are generally worse than Squires!

[–] PMYA 2 points (+2|-0)

I had one as a kid. I remember everything above the 10th-12th fret sounding extremely dull or requiring you to press down with the force of 1000 suns to get it to play the correct note.

[–] TheBuddha [OP] 2 points (+2|-0)

Yeah, they're not very good. In the price range there are Epiphones!

I did see someone claim the Epiphone LP100 was the worst guitar. It's not that bad. They're playable and have reasonable (usually) characteristics.

[–] PhunkyPlatypus 1 points (+1|-0)

Anything with first act stamped on it can go straight into the garbage.

I'm curious though, have you ever heard of Electra-Pheonix?

[–] TheBuddha [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

I have! Way back when I was a young man, I even owned one!

It sticks out in my memory because it's one of the guitars I have given away. I'm probably the only serious guitarist, perhaps doubly so for those who played for a source of income, that has never sold a guitar.

None. I have sold zero guitars. I have never sold a guitar. I will never sell a guitar. You might already know that, 'cause I have said it before. Still, it's kind of important to this story. Kind of...

I've given a few away and one of them was an Electra - and I'm kind of kicking myself today.

Back in the late 70s, I was able to scrape enough money together to buy a guitar I was certain was going to be awesome. The late 70s were going to be awesome!

Oh, how very wrong I was...

Back then, getting effects was pretty damned difficult and expensive. It wasn't easy to even buy a stompbox - and many were made by individuals with varied levels of quality. Many effects were made in the studio.

For example, the 'reverb' that you're familiar with actually used to require a large room, then a special box that was a reverberation chamber, and it finally was able to be mimicked by adjusting the waveform with electronic circuitry.

Well, this Electra came with a covered slot in the back and you could stick these cartridges in there.

I was pretty sure that was going to be awesome. Everyone from Frampton to ELO were saying these were awesome.

The music store only had one model and they had only one cartridge. But, they could order more cartridges and they'd order me a model - which I've long since forgotten the specific model name. So, I ordered one and two cartridges - though I'll be damned if I can remember what they did. I think they did phase shifting and overdrive? Don't quote me on that.

And, it was quite horrible. It was anti-awesome. On the awesomeness scale, it had a negative value. I'm trying to think of something positive to say about it it, but I can't.

A few years later, I'm now in a band and really into the music scene. An aspiring musician had no real equipment to play with and he loved my Electra. I have no idea why, but he did. After letting them borrow it for a few months, I decided I'd just tell them to keep it, because I had absolutely not missed it while it wasn't in my possession.

I wish I'd kept it.

It's an unusual guitar. I am told there's actually a few people who collect them and that they're back in business. I haven't verified a bit of it and probably won't be seeking an Electra to buy.

Still, it was such an odd instrument that I'd like to have kept it and it'd be a wonderful piece in my collection. I can't remember what they called the cartridges that you'd stick in the back and I'm too occupied to go dig deeply. I have to go do a late afternoon/early evening show today.

Do you play?

I have! Way back when I was a young man, I even owned one! It sticks out in my memory because it's one of the guitars I have given away. I'm probably the only serious guitarist, perhaps doubly so for those who played for a source of income, that has never sold a guitar. None. I have sold zero guitars. I have never sold a guitar. I will never sell a guitar. You might already know that, 'cause I have said it before. Still, it's kind of important to this story. Kind of... I've given a few away and one of them was an Electra - and I'm kind of kicking myself today. Back in the late 70s, I was able to scrape enough money together to buy a guitar I was certain was going to be awesome. The late 70s were going to be awesome! Oh, how very wrong I was... Back then, getting effects was pretty damned difficult and expensive. It wasn't easy to even buy a stompbox - and many were made by individuals with varied levels of quality. Many effects were made in the studio. For example, the 'reverb' that you're familiar with actually used to require a large room, then a special box that was a reverberation chamber, and it finally was able to be mimicked by adjusting the waveform with electronic circuitry. Well, this Electra came with a covered slot in the back and you could stick these cartridges in there. I was pretty sure that was going to be awesome. Everyone from Frampton to ELO were saying these were awesome. The music store only had one model and they had only one cartridge. But, they could order more cartridges and they'd order me a model - which I've long since forgotten the specific model name. So, I ordered one and two cartridges - though I'll be damned if I can remember what they did. I think they did phase shifting and overdrive? Don't quote me on that. And, it was quite horrible. It was anti-awesome. On the awesomeness scale, it had a negative value. I'm trying to think of something positive to say about it it, but I can't. A few years later, I'm now in a band and really into the music scene. An aspiring musician had no real equipment to play with and he loved my Electra. I have no idea why, but he did. After letting them borrow it for a few months, I decided I'd just tell them to keep it, because I had absolutely not missed it while it wasn't in my possession. I wish I'd kept it. It's an unusual guitar. I am told there's actually a few people who collect them and that they're back in business. I haven't verified a bit of it and probably won't be seeking an Electra to buy. Still, it was such an odd instrument that I'd like to have kept it and it'd be a wonderful piece in my collection. I can't remember what they called the cartridges that you'd stick in the back and I'm too occupied to go dig deeply. I have to go do a late afternoon/early evening show today. Do you play?

[–] PhunkyPlatypus 1 points (+1|-0)

That's quite a neat tale. Thank you for sharing. I ask because my brother was gifted one from my grandpa back in the early 2000's. When he became disinterested shortly there afterwards it sat for several years until I decided to give learning guitar a shot. This particular model has had Floyd Rose locking mechanisms added to it. Which made me do a bit of research on them back in the day. The whole thing weighs about 9 pounds or so. But I've only found a few people who have heard of either the Electra brand or the floyd rose bits.

I've never seen any sort of slot for a cartridge that you're talking about. Perhaps I've totally missed it, and will check again. but I feel like I would have noticed it at some point over the years.

I do play a bit. I'm pretty self taught and never got serious about practicing.

[–] TheBuddha [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

Not all their models have it. It's a slot on the back, under a black (probably) plastic cover. It's large - maybe 4" x 6"? There's a slider on it that lets you open it and close it and the circuitry cartridge goes into that.

Oh, MPC! They're called MPC! Except, I forget what that stood for and Google is a long ways away.

Hmm... You should play me a merry tune, complete with bitchin' solo, on your Electra! I don't care if you're self-taught.

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