Electra/Westone club

[JIO]

Funny review, sounds like the guy tried to find something to dislike about and gave up, deciding it's okay after all. He got the pickups backwards, though, the P-style is the neck pickup.

Just saw this after posting - yah, the reverse would not be normal. So is the P-pu housed in a 'bar' cover?

 

[Spectrum]

Just saw this after posting - yah, the reverse would not be normal. So is the P-pu housed in a 'bar' cover?

Yeah, from a distance they both look like black rectangles, but up close you can see the pole pieces and tell the difference. Here's a pic of my GT:

 

[Riff Ranger]

Yeah, from a distance they both look like black rectangles, but up close you can see the pole pieces and tell the difference. Here's a pic of my GT:

View attachment 4269942

I don’t know about yours, but mine was the loudest bass I had ever owned.

 

[Spectrum]

I don’t know about yours, but mine was the loudest bass I had ever owned.

Yeah, I think they wound the pickups on these things pretty hot. On my Ampeg Portaflex amp I usually engage the -15dB switch for active basses, because this thing tends to overdrive the input whether you want it to or not.

And although that Magnabass III is based on a P pickup split coil design, it doesn't really sound like a P bass at all to me, this bass has a sound all its own. Love it.

 

[JIO]

Yeah, from a distance they both look like black rectangles, but up close you can see the pole pieces and tell the difference. Here's a pic of my GT:

View attachment 4269942

Nice! So what was all that about "this is a metallic red GT but they only come in black?" Apparently you have that same red metallic GT!

 

[JIO]

I don’t know about yours, but mine was the loudest bass I had ever owned.

Do you have a pic of the electronics? 500k pots? cap?

 

[Riff Ranger]

Do you have a pic of the electronics? 500k pots? cap?

Alas, I sold this one.

 

[Spectrum]

Nice! So what was all that about "this is a metallic red GT but they only come in black?" Apparently you have that same red metallic GT!

I think he said the only option was black, implying "besides red". When I picked mine out at a music shop in the 80s I vividly remember black and red ones hanging on the wall and me having to choose which one would come home.

 

[Nekomata]

I wasn't aware [...] the GT [...] has a maple body [...]

Its Electra predecessor had a maple body,* too. Here's two pages from the 1984 catalogue (source: The Electra Guitar Page):

I like the ergonomics of my Westone Spectrum ST. Maple body, too, but a rather small one. Not heavy at all.

 

[Riff Ranger]

They liked maple for bodies. They got heavy if they got big enough. This 4-string Electra (big maple body) feels as heavy as my 5-string Ibanez ATK (big swamp ash body).

 

[Spectrum]

Along with the Peavey gear that is a very 80s photograph. Like.

 

[JIO]

Its Electra predecessor had a maple body,* too. Here's two pages from the 1984 catalogue (source: The Electra Guitar Page):

View attachment 4270902
View attachment 4270903

I like the ergonomics of my Westone Spectrum ST. Maple body, too, but a rather small one. Not heavy at all.

The two neck package was a great concept.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Along with the Peavey gear that is a very 80s photograph. Like.

Glad you like. The Peavey gear has only gotten ‘80s-er since that photograph. The Ibanez at center is neither Electra nor Westone nor Matsumoku, but it is at least very ‘80s MIJ.

 

[JIO]

No affiliation - just saw this on the bay. "Like new" seems apt here - I'd pop for it but I frankly don't need another bass. Very tempting though, especially with an ebony fb...

Vintage P Bass 1983 ELECTRA PHOENIX String Through Brass Ebony Board MAKE OFFER | eBay

 

[JIO]

no affiliation, but another "like new" Electra - the other one (above) sold

Electra Phoenix X-630 Model Electric Bass Guitar Early 1980's Era A REAL BEAUTY! | eBay

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

no affiliation, but another "like new" Electra - the other one (above) sold

Electra Phoenix X-630 Model Electric Bass Guitar Early 1980's Era A REAL BEAUTY! | eBay

Wow!! That’s truly worthy of the “like new” description!

 

[JIO]

Wow!! That’s truly worthy of the “like new” description!

Yah, it's funny because these basses as good as they may be will never be worth as much as same era Fender/Gibson etc basses, regardless of condition. So it comes down to being a major 'score' for those who know/like them. And in a nice HSC for that price? Someone will be very happy with this bass.

 

[Spectrum]

I really wish I could find a hard case for my Spectrum. Back in the day I didn't even know such a thing existed.

 

[JIO]

I really wish I could find a hard case for my Spectrum. Back in the day I didn't even know such a thing existed.

I knew about HSC's but didn't know about gig-bags until much later. I think a few readily available HSC's (Roadrunner, Gator etc) can be found for a reasonable cost that would work to fit your Spectrum bass. Not a 'moulded' case, but still a protective HSC.

 

[Spectrum]

I knew about HSC's but didn't know about gig-bags until much later. I think a few readily available HSC's (Roadrunner, Gator etc) can be found for a reasonable cost that would work to fit your Spectrum bass. Not a 'moulded' case, but still a protective HSC.

I have a Reunion Blues which does the job.

I knew hard cases existed but the dealer I got my bass from didn't have them and never mentioned it. In the 80s those cheap tolex guitar cases were really common, and I got one for a Jazz that my Spectrum fit in. I padded it with some foam and used it for years, but it was never very good. The hard case that came with my Rickenbacker had a cracked foot, so I got one of those snazzy deluxe cases to replace it. After smooshing some interior padding around, I was able to make my Spectrum fit into the old Ric case, so I have a few options now. But it'd be nice to have the real deal in good condition for completeness sake.