A lucky find!!

[lizardite]

I never even heard of elDegas until I saw this LP Custom advertized on eBay with no reserve. Based on what I saw on this website and wikipedea, I decided to take a chance and try to pick this up. Ended up getting it for $250. I tried to get a complete photographic record of the guitar before the techs looked at it. Seemed to play nice. I asked them to tell me what kind of pickups were in it when they set it up. They told me they are Maxons. Despite the fact that this guitar is almost 40 years old, and a Japanese knockoff to boot, it has very good tone all the way down and unbelieveable sustain.


Here she is, fresh out of the mailing box, after a cross-country trip to San Diego.


A better picture of the body front - looks like a Black LP custom alright.


Bridge area shows extensive corrosion of the brass coating, but everything works great.


Head look great and the tuners though outwardly corroded are completely functional



Made in Japan

[charles]

Enjoy it!

[mikedem]

Nice find - where , I say where again do you guys find these!!

I tried to buy an El-Degas Strat copy from Newfoundland this week and the guy replied back to my email ( I offered his full asking price plus $50 to ship after seeing it should cost @ $40 to ship) .
His response was

ARE YoU NUTS- NO!

enjoy your new axe!

[lizardite]

I forgot to mention that the guitar is about an inch longer than a normal LP - as a result I can't fit it in the Gator case I have, so if any of you have any ideas on what kind of case might work that would be great. I'd rather have something that is a bit more protective than a gig bag for this old beauty.

[charles]

I forgot to mention that the guitar is about an inch longer than a normal LP - as a result I can't fit it in the Gator case I have, so if any of you have any ideas on what kind of case might work that would be great. I'd rather have something that is a bit more protective than a gig bag for this old beauty.

I haven't seemed to have that problem with any of my ED's - you should be fine with any case that fits a Strat I would think (but you'll want to do some measurements just in case! pun not intended... or is it? )

What's the length on that LP copy? I'll compare it to the ones I have in the stable.

[Barry]

Hi lizardite, what a Black Beauty! You've got one of the good 'uns!
Tarnishing and coating wear is normal for this age guitar but most of the stuff can be replated or replaced if it's an eyesore to you. I'll bet she plays like a dream. Great buy!

[lizardite]

Thanks! The way I figure it, it it ain't broke, don't fix it. And by the way, it does appear to fit in my Gibson LP case, so that may be a way to go.

[lizardite]

I do have to say that the truss rod cover looks newer than the instrument, and doesn't fit quite right - the close-up gives it away. I'm thinking it was changed sometime later on. So now I am doubting the veracity of the "Custom" label. Doesn't really matter though - you kind of expect an old pirate to have an eye-patch, if you catch my drift. I may replace it if I can find an original.

[Barry]

I do have to say that the truss rod cover looks newer than the instrument, and doesn't fit quite right...So now I am doubting the veracity of the "Custom" label...if I can find an original.

Well, if that's the only thing the previous owner did to it, you're lucky! So many people scrape off the El Degas logo and that's a real headache trying to restore. You may have to learn to love that TRC though, not likely that you'll find an original.

[lizardite]

The total length of the el Degas is 39 and 3/8 inches, as opposed to 38.5 inches for my Gibson LP Studio. The bodies are the same at 17.25 inches. So it's all in the neck.

[charles]

The original truss rod covers are none too pretty anyway. Looks like the previous owner just wanted to make it look more like the real thing.