Fat Boy Productions | Its All About The Music

I've been reading the reviews about the "old" Electra Les Paul copies and felt I had to speak my piece about this great guitar. I bought a brand new 1975 Electra Les Paul with metalic gold finish with the cream/black pinstriping. I paid about $150 US. I loved it then and still do. It is probably the prettiest guitar I have ever had. I don't know that I have ever seen one like it (Electra) anywhere, but, I did see the new 50th anniversary edition Gibson Les Paul at Guitar Center a couple of weeks ago. That is the only one I have ever seen that looks just like mine (minus the real gold plated head plate, pickups, tuning pegs and pick guard). The Gibson was listed at $7599 and weighed a ton. Mine is light weight and easy to hold for hours.

I played it every day and performed live at least 2 nights a week for 3 years. Then I played it about once a week for about 10 years. After that, it sat in the case for about 20 years and was never touched. I toyed with the idea of selling it on ebay, but couldn't make myself let it go. Boy, am I glad. About 4 months ago, I started playing with a couple of "old" rock n rollers and use it 2 or 3 nights a week. When I opened the case after 20 years it was just as I left it; same strings and in perfect condition (except for the wear from previous years). I got it out, tuned it up and MAN, I forgot how good this thing really sounded. I was always somewhat shy about saying I had a Les Paul because it was an Electra, but after playing on some of the newer $2500-$7599 real things, I still like mine. It stays in tune pretty well and I like the light weight, thin neck and pickups.
It came with the violin case and has held up great for 30+ years.

The sound is big and really sounds like a LP. I used it with a big Carvin amp years ago on the road, and now I use a Peavey Backstage and a new Line 6 Spider Jam. I love it with all of the amps. The guitar is quiet when I'm not playing and really talks when I do.
The front pick up is for soloing and is a bit thin sometimes so I have to set the amp just right, but when I get it, I love it. The back pickup is a little bassy for me so I don't use it much except when I want a more accoustic type sound as a rhythm player. Most of the time I use both (middle switch setting) and it gets a great rhythm sound and fill in lead. I can get a full sound, thin sound, accoustic sound, and when I want it to, it will get the feedback, bite, harmonic, crunch, or what ever I want. I don't know much about the pickups except they are old hummbuckers that I wouldn't trade for anything.
review 3

I have been playing for about 40 years, 30 of it on this guitar. I have used Carvin, Peavey, and Line 6 amps, Peavey Mackey and Yamaha PAs, and cheap, Lyle, Electra, Fender, and Yamaha guitars and basses. I have an Electra Black Les Paul Bass, also. I like it okay, but prefer a Fender Precision bass, but I LOVE the Electra Les Paul Guitar. Like I said earlier, I used to be somewhat shy about saying it was a Les Paul, but not any more. Partly, that was because when I was younger, I couldn't afford to have one, and no one I knew actually had a real one (or could afford one). The music store kept them hidden so the college kids wouldn't bother them. I acctually had the chance to buy a couple of good Gibson LPs a few years ago and didn't because I thought mine played and sounded as good or better. I have heard that these old Electras were actually made by Gibson (for Gibson) in Japan. They just called them Electras because they were made in Japan. I don't know how accurate this information is but after playing on the high dollar LPs, I definately claim mine as a LES PAUL. It has everything a real LP has except the price and the weight.