Secret Agent Pickup

Alright guys, I want to pick your brains regarding pickup identification. I just recently bought a project Electra/phoenix off eBay. Yeah, yeah, I know this is Westone turf, but they both came from the same daddy anyway, right? I'm pretty sure it's an X185. So I need hardware for this puppy and was wondering if the Electras had the magnaflux pickups and the bendmaster bridge like the spectrums. Is there a fool-proof way of visually identifying the magnfluxes that are listed by sellers that don't know what they are? Pickups are listed by the thousands on eBay, there's gotta be some orphans on there that want A 'Mat' home. Were they ever marketed under another tradename. Did Matsumoku manufacture their own pickups and the Bendmaster. I'm trying to find a more clever way of getting the proper hardware. Before you guys post about using DiMarzios or SD's, I want the original sound. I want the real deal. I may be a newbie but I'm a purist when it comes to this type of stuff. Thanks!

OK, first up, show me the beast; I have a Westone Spectrum GT - all hail Polly!! - that has MMK45's in the h/b possies and a Matt single coil which is quite hot. The bridge on mine is a 2 post floater but it's NOT a Bendmaster FT or Deluxe bridge; it's probably the fore-runner to these as it has no locking nut or behind the nut string lock. Actually, looking at the Electra site, I think your bridge may just be a 6 screw Fender type one, like the one on my X195 which I had to replace with a Wilkinson 5+1 because the OEM bridge was munted.



...does the bottom one look even vaguely familiar? And here's a page on the X185. I think I've seen the MMK45's referred to as Hammer I's, amongst other things, over at the Matt forums, and here's another page to look at!!

The only sure way to get the OEM is to keep an eye on the 'bay and be prepared to pay good money for the pups; the hardware, well, that's anyone's guess! What are you short of? And we NEED to see this...

Here is a link to the eBay photo:http://i2.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/1c/fb/7c0e_1.JPG. Hope that works. I'm quite sure it's an X185 of X189 based on the H/S/H p'up config. I should be receiving it today and will get pix up asap. Thanks

So far I've managed to appropriate an MMK 45 on ebay. That was a lucky find, as it wasn't listed in it's title, and I just happened upon it while browsing, seeing the blue 45 stamp on pickup rear photo. I'm still looking for one more 45, but I'm more concerned about the single coil. What is/are the model number(s) on this Mat pickup? Is there anyone who would be willing to part with one? So far I've got everything but the p'ups and the reverse taper knobs, which Mr. Blair is working on at the moment. Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

Aside from saying it's a Magnaflux IV, I don't know what to tell ya - the single in mine has no markings on it anywhere! Good effort with the 45, though - well done!
The link didn't work for me so would you post some pix for us all?!

Are you still looking for an MMK45?

Yeah, I do. The one I have is all black. What are you asking?

Thanks, Chris.

cnevins wrote:Yeah, I do. The one I have is all black. What are you asking?

Thanks, Chris.

I put it in a lot of pickups on eBay.

corsair wrote:OK, first up, show me the beast; I have a Westone Spectrum GT - all hail Polly!! - that has MMK45's in the h/b possies and a Matt single coil which is quite hot. The bridge on mine is a 2 post floater but it's NOT a Bendmaster FT or Deluxe bridge; it's probably the fore-runner to these as it has no locking nut or behind the nut string lock.

The Westone Spectrum GT - FINE AXE INDEED - is the identical successor to the last version of the Electra Westone X185! I have an Electra Westone X185, and can safely say that it too is just brilliant. Indeed the bridge is a Bendmaster type (same as the GT) without FT's or locknut. There's absolutely no need for those bits either, as it stays in brilliant tune! The Electra Westone version was around for maybe 1983, definately 1984, but re-branded as the Westone Spectrum GT, for the 1985 relaunch when the Electra and Westone ranges were finally merged.

Not shown in any catalogues, but the GT did last up to at least 1986, as there was one on fleabay a few months ago with a 1986 serial number.

The only difference between the Electra Westone X185, and the Westone Spectrum GT, are the branded items: Heasdstock logo, neckplate and tuners. That's it! Even the maodel number is the same (X185)

Actually, as a final point, the last electra versions had a rectangular centre pickup late (same as ther GT), but the earlier ones had an elongated oval plate, as well as a bog-standard strat type trem bridge.

Guy

Hells bells - g'day there Guy!! I thought you'd abandoned us... I was sad.... really...

Actually, as a final point, the last electra versions had a rectangular
centre pickup late (same as the GT), but the earlier ones had an
elongated oval plate, as well as a bog-standard strat type trem bridge.

...exactly like the difference between the X195 Phoenix and the X185 Spectrum above...

Hi Corsair - no - just been toooooooo busy recently!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad nooze, but I have to admit that I've been playing my Ricky 4001 a lot recently, with my new band "The Vulcan Creedlers". I do keep my Spectrum ST bass, drop tuned to D, in order to play Delilah in the corrrect position! Our new singer couldn't sing it in A, so we dropped down to G, and when you've been playing it on auto-pilot for 20 years, no matter what you do, those damned fingers will NOT go to new positions!

As for the 4001, I put in a couple of Rickenbacker-specific Bartoilni pickups that really sound awesome! They keep the Ric growl, but add loads more ooomph!

As for oooommppphhhhh, The Spectum St does a damned fine job too!


Guy