1987
This is a 'dusty' picture I've just found of
the 2nd Electra made and is only
one of two MK I models in existence - with the rounded horns and the
'Standard' Royal Headstock for that time.
( The original prototype
was built in 1986. Her headstock
had no banding.)
She has a one piece Mahogany
body, one piece Mahogany neck, Rosewood
fingerboard and Ebony head-face. She also has 'Lightning Bolt' MOP fingerboard
inlays and..... Guitarist '87 in MOP inlayed in her headstock.
She has a chrome Kahler
Pro unit, Schaller mini-machines and a set of
3 Royal Pickups made for us by David
White, tone & volume
& 5 way slot type switch 'thru-the-body'.
Colour - Red
Pickups
The neck pickup is a 'Cream Dream',
the middle pickup is a Vintage
voiced 'S-Type' and at
the bridge is another custom pickup
with a very
high output and 'flanged pole-piece blades'
which 'alter' the magnetic
field from it's 'usual' configuration.
This innovation spawned 3
models of this type, each with it's own
distinctive 'voicing'.
This type was called the 'Fireblade'
in either T-1, T-II
or T-III
format.
I still have one of these somewhere - I'll try and dig it out for a photo !
I believe that this guitar had the Prototype Fireblade
T-I pickup on board.
Please go to Hardware
for more info on "Royal"
Pickups & Kahlers.
This Guitar was made for a
Guitarist
Magazine Competition in 1987.
She was also the Centre-piece
of the Guitarist 'Stand'
at the Guitarist Exhibition
in 1987.
There are some articles in at least 2 Guitarist Magazines
from that time -
if anybody has copies I would love to have some scans if
possible..... Thanks.
Please E-mail :
- kev_royale@yahoo.co.uk
( Unfortunately, due to moving offices, Neville Marten at
Guitarist Magazine
can't find the originals.)
I'm afraid that the picture is a little
'rough' - it's been in a box
in the workshop for at least 15 years !
I'll try and get rid of the 'glitches' to give you a better picture at a later
date.
* * * * * * * * * *
THE PROTOTYPE MK I ELECTRA
June 2005
- I've just been sent some files by Trevor
Raggat (Thanks very much Mate).....
.....including a scan the entry form for the Royal
Guitarist '87 Electra Competition for
the Guitarist Magazine Show.
Here is a rather compressed
pic of the guitar.
This is the only photo I have of it... scanned from
an old magazine copy.
This guitar was made in 1986 and was the guitar
that I 'ironed' out all the problems with drilling the holes !
That was some task !!! ;0)
The largest hole is actually tapered (more
like a cone), as I was drilling it with a brace and
an old fashioned adjustable bit.....
this method started top 'pull in' the adjustable blade and reduce the size of
the hole - probably due to the hardness of the wood.
Not much I could do so I just carried on going ;0)
I then figured out a much better way of doing it !
Prototype Electra 1986
A few modifications.....
You can also see that I changed the size of some of the holes in the 'Guitarist one', as the small holes were just not possible to finish properly !
The Lightning Bolt inlays are also larger on the Competition guitar.
There were David White Pickups on the Prototype and Royal Pickups on the Guitarist '87 Guitar.
Here below is the original entry form !
I'd forgotten completely about this picture and piece in Guitarist
magazine in 1987.
Thanks again to Trevor Raggatt for digging out these bits of info. Much appreciated.