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=> Here is a great looking and playing US - Japan collaboration from the early 'golden years' (1972-75)... Beautifully crafted at the famous Matsumoku factory shop, this rarely seen 'Electra 2229' - AKA - the "Super Professional" - was an early 'top line' offering to the American instrument market. It is in truly exceptional shape - at 45 years and counting! With a straight neck; gorgeous, aged spruce top - pro setup - and premium custom shop features - we think it's worth a closer look... We couldn't even find 'finish checking' (typical of this color scheme)!
=> Otherwise “excellent”, but for some wear of the gold plated pickups, we have rated it "very good" overall - or "excellent" for "players"...
=> With many premium features and '15 frets clear' to the body - we think this closet classic is 'punching way above its weight'! The slender neck will be especially comfortable for smaller to medium hands... A two by 16” thin hollow body without a center block makes her lighter and more 'player friendly' than a semi (like an Es335)... Action is set up nice'n low, for chording or single note lines - up and down the fretboard!
* * * Please note - even though this Electra is fully hollow - we have added it to the "semi-hollow" category because of many tonal and structural 'overlaps' between these guitar types... * * *
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Where is this import from?
=> Conceived by the St Louis Music Company, of Missouri, USA - this Matsumoto, Japan made "Electra" was spec'd in America for the professional of its day... Starting with a fully hollow design - inspired by 'Gibson's es 330', or Harmony's Meteor - the '2229' features a pair of custom designed 'humbuckers' - routed into a premium spruce soundboard (instead of maple with single coils - although we do love "p90s" or "Goldtones"!)... These were 'newly voiced' pickups that appear to have been introduced on this model... Asian makers like Maxon had started to produce Alnicos and ceramics that could go 'toe to toe' with America's best (at the time)...
Who was (is) the "Super Professional" marketed to?
=> Ideal for blues; jazz; 'jump'; rhythm backing; seventies rock; and more - the '2229' manages to combine good looks with a wide range of tonal potentials... The stunning woodcraft itself (of course), is testament to the many US players who have long since included Japanese instruments in their arsenals... .
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Both the journeymen and hobbyist-collector will find reasons to like the Electra 'Super Pro'...
=> Read on to know more...
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Electra goes 'first class':
From its fine grained spruce top, and book matched 'flame' back - to the gold plated hardware, and gig worthy electronics - this axe delivers at a high level... Years back, Gibson dropped spruce for cheaper maple tops. 'Everyone else' followed (If we’re talking archtop thinlines!). Lower end Gibsons (and their copies) are usually sporting straight maple (with poplar), or birch bodies; 'plain Jane' finishes; dot necks; chromed hardware; and minimal binding! 🤔
This 'Electra' (on the other hand), is showing off a 'custom shop' finish - over premium spruce and maple tonewoods; full bindings; fretboard inlays; and gold plated hardware throughout! Everything - including the enclosed 'button tuners'; vibrato bar; and the 'full cut' tone pots - works really well... Credit St Louis Music, and the legendary craftsmen of Matsumoku!
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=> The Japanese 'art of guitar' and attention to detail show up all over this instrument. Notice the "V", "T", and "1-10" markings (painted onto the control knobs); the extra long, 'ergo styled' whammy bar; the amazing fades in the goldburst top - and not least - the two-tone 'flamed' back...
How's it sound?
Per SLM and the "Electra" philosophy - the 'Super Pro' cuts its own path - overlapping several different soundscapes... You get a surprisingly generous range of rock through 'retro' tones... The fully hollow '2229' definitely leans more 'woody' and resonant - when you need it to! The forty five year old spruce top has 'opened up' (bigtime!) - driving an 'overtone rich'; sometimes more 'acoustic' sounding 'palette'... Texas blues; retro and jazz standards; alt country rhythms; 'psychadelic' through Motown - and 'hard rock' stylings - are all within range.
=> Switch on the 'overdrive', and look out! A 'beast of prey' is lurking there! Thick, and creamy musical sustain - with plenty of grit, and edge - is just a channel away... Don't forget to scoop your mids!
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The 'extra full' midrange harmonics (from the spruce top) are what you want for your more 'trad' numbers, of course (but of course, you can dial them back for the heavier stuff!)!
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The strummed rhythm chords from this guitar are very reminiscent of some of the classic 60's folk and ‘psychadelic’ rock pioneers (Moby Grape, Byrds, etcetera...); also some of the later "country-rock" and "alternative" bands... There is lots of ‘jangle’ and really clear mids.
What’s under those pickup covers?
=> As mentioned, the "Special Formula Gold" pups were from a 'new' proprietary design - and yes - really high quality at this early stage of Japanese guitar evolution (despite their somewhat funky and also 'new' adjustable housings)... These potent twin coils can cover sonic ground typical of the Guild Starfire; Epiphone Sorrento; Gretsch Anniversary; trapeze tail '335'; Gibson Es330 - and many other hollow bodies! They are clear voiced and articulate enough - with gain to go "MC5" should you want to! .
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The neck pickup is airy, and really 'full frequency' - even a bit Robbie Krieger (Doors) like... And the bridge: nicely saturated and slightly 'pushed' trebles (a la Keith Richards maybe(?))... The latter has lots of 'top cut' and natural compression - great for straight up country-blues; classic Stones; over-drive; slide - or blending with the neck... Enough gain to work as a 'standalone' too... Setting your selector switch to the middle opens up classic rock; '60s pop; funk; r&b; and many more subtle options...
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But - if you're a fan of retro, roots, and 'Americana' - the neck setting is amazing! Swing jazz, rock-a-billy, and ‘alt country' (eg REM, the Flying Burrito Brothers) all sound really good - with lots of midrange and chime!
=> Rounding out the tonal toolbox, are 'humbucker honk' (both pups up), and 'country twang' (mostly bridge)... Ultimately, many styles are possible.
Onboard volume and tone adjustments are rewarded with gradual (but full) shifts in loudness, dynamics, and pitch emphasis.
Special features:
=> Rare for a Japan production of this era, are the dual pole piece and pickup height adjustments. These were likely first generation, given the somewhat incongruous choice of both adjustable flathead and machine screws! Bottom line - they all work about as well as your $4000 '68 'trap tail' Gibbo's' do (so why not save yourself about $3000 and put up with these mismatched set screws?)! FYI - these are now adjusted for medium-light, 'round wound' strings.
Japanese craftsmanship lays down the gauntlet for Gibson:
Per the common standard for earlier Japanese guitar exports - a bolt on neck was spec'd... But of course, this could also be said of many of the 'better' Danos, Harmonys, Aria Pros and Fenders - coming out of Chicago, Corona, and (of competition from) Japan...
"Set neck" Asian electrics became common as the new exporters gained confidence that their guitars would arrive intact, following the rigors of overseas shipping! A few Japanese HBs even wound up both glued and bolted! "MarinGuitars" has such a 'lawsuit' "Es345" copy (meticulously craftedfor the respected "Aria Pro II" label!)... Both our this one and the Electra, sound and play beautifully - neck bolts and all! Sustain is enough for most anything but (maybe) metal..? Neck resets (if you need to) are certainly easier! Fit and finish are easily as good as Kalamazoo! 😜
=> At the end of the day, the Electra '2229' stands on its own merits. It's not a "clone" - nor meant to be, and it will be "your sound" - with plenty of ways to go...
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Why St Louis Music and Matsumoku?
During the late sixties and early nineteen seventies, US instrument companies were 'looking for an edge'! 'Times were a changing'... Japan had gradually become an export powerhouse (to the US!)!
=> The St Louis Music Company of Missouri, sought out the superlative Matsumoku factory-shop (of Matsumoto, Japan) to begin making their newly conceived "Electra" line... The project was so successful, that years later - many more new "Electra" badged models were built for a few other 'stateside' contractors... With attractive, innovative (MPC project), and ‘player friendly’ features - the Electra logo was soon synonymous with "'pro quality" at an affordable price! 😏
=> So while corporate buyouts added cost and compromised quality among Fender and Gibson models - US players were jumping on 'value brands' from across the ocean... Models like this "2229"; the "Elvin Bishop"; and the "MPC" (on board effects) series Electras became 'cult classics'! Some American musicians of note even became endorsers of Japanese instruments - and a few are still identified as such to this day! Now - vintage Matsumoku, Fuji Gen, Terrada, and many others, can be found listed for as many 💰 as some of their U.S. competition! 🤑
Current condition:
=> With a very comfy pro setup by John Peterson (at Amazing Grace Music of San Anselmo, Ca), this Japanese gem is ready for action! The expert's touch has her playing very well indeed! You won't be disappointed! 😍
Per its style strengths, the '2229's' action is set low - but with clearance enough to allow the strings to 'drive' the soundboard a bit (per hollow body protocol). Maybe not a full on 'shredder' - but the long, very slim tapered 'c' neck will get you decent speed up the fretboard! 😝
Everything is very much in order... And there are miles of sonic territory to be explored! 🙂
=> All in all - this instrument is one of the best kept vintage electrics that we have ever seen at MarinGuitars. It appears completely free of major scuffs; deep scratches; and body or finish cracks! Only the gold plated pickup covers show much use at all... A true Japanese rarity - and an absolute "best buy" in the semi/hollow body class!
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Detailed specs:
=> Manufactured: Matsumoku factory, Japan, 1972-75 (designed for St Louis Music, USA).
=> Woods: aged premium laminate spruce top; highly flamed maple back, and maple rims; three piece maple lam neck; rosewood fretboard;
=> Finish: Cherry-gold burst front; Two tone flame back. Natural blonde neck and headstock with black laquer facing.
=> Electronics: Electra proprietary "Special Formula" humbuckers; 'LP' style volume and full frequency cut tone controls;
=> Matsumoku stock proprietary design 'Bigsby' type vibrato bar;
=> Enclosed, gold plated button tuners;
=> Bolt on neck with fully functional steel truss rod;
=> Adjustable tune-a-matic style 'floating' bridge;
=> Medium frets in very good shape.
=> 24 3/4 short scale, with a barely 1 9/16ths nut - on a narrow 'C' taper neck; 15 frets clear; better for small to medium hands.
✔ Sold with the original hard shell case! FYI - the 'deluxe leather edge trim' has shrunk over the years, and no longer tracks the metal frame perfectly (ie is partly separated in a few spots) - but this does not effect internal functionality.
=> Overall condition (as mentioned above): "excellent" player's - or "very good to excellent" collector's - (some wear on the pickup covers). May be some micro scratches, but they are not obvious in the pics or from cursory inspection. Overall, an amazingly well cared for 45 year old guitar!
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A ‘so so 2229' demo:
=> Youtube has someone demo'ing an Electra 2229” - but we add that ‘ours’ has been substantially adjusted... So no ‘harshness' from the treble pup (as mentioned by the reviewer) - and a nice flat neck... He somehow overlooks the “adjustable” engraving on the bolt neck plate - and even most of the warmer jazz and 'retro' tone palette (available on the ‘clean setting’)! Our distortion-sustain also sounded much more full during ‘play in’ and testing... Could have been our Carvin (Boogie junior clone) test amp possibly...
Anyway - the Youtube vid will give you some general idea...
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Why you should buy this instrument!
This is a true 'time capsule' guitar on condition - and a 'higher end' model we've never seen before or since on the open market! On playabilty and spec - this Electra sits head and shoulders above many full HB competitors - both then and now... Early 1970s Japanese aesthetics and bolt-on neck notwithstanding!
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* * Two sets of fresh strings will be provided (lighter and medium-light) - so don't forget - this guitar has a 'floating bridge'... It will lose its intonation (correct tuning) if you remove all of the strings at the same time!
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> FYI - if you plan to use the trem bar a lot - you might want to apply some double sided poster mount tape under the bridge base (when it is correctly intonated of course!).
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=> If you're currently missing a Japanese vintage axe in your arsenal - or just looking for something unique that can go ‘retro to modern’ - then look no further!
Thanks for stopping by; and happy jamming!
- David at MG
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| Listed | 6 years ago |
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