Age question

[Robbie]

Hi all. What a great forum for an intersting instrument manufacturer(s).

I recently picked up a black beauty les paul replica at a local pawn shop and am wondering if anyone knows roughly when this thing was made. Essentially, if you block out the inlayed elDegas name on the headstock, you'd have a hard time telling that is wasn't a Gibson.

The eldegas name is also an inlay and has the line joining the D and e. This guitar has a set-neck, the body is a two layer sandwich made of mahogany (brazillian from what I could tell from the chips in the finish) and the neck is made of the same material.

There is also a pickup coil tap switch located among the volume and tone pots, but this was not connected. The pickups look about the same vintage, but the connections were taped in so they may not be the originals.

My thoughts are mid to late 70s MIJ somewhere, but I'd like an opinion or more specifics by the experts if possible. Were the set necks built at a certain factory only?

Compared to other el degas' that I have had (white bolt on les paul) and MIK super strat, this is an extremely well build and well playing instrument.

Sorry for the lack of a pic. Hope the description is helpful.

[charles]

Unfortunately no records of the brand really survived, so we El Degas-philes run on educated guesses based on the limited knowledge there is to be had about the brand. The most unfortunate thing in my mind is the lack of firm details on which factories produced which models, so I cannot help there (though on some models we can again make educated guesses).

The inlaid-logo ED's are MIJ, from sometime in the 70s; and as you have seen they usually are on copies that go above and beyond the usual bolt-on LP config (though I maintain that my fav ED I've ever owned was a tobacco-burst bolt-on LP with stock Dimarzios). I usually attribute these to be the higher-end copies from the brand, but of course the last 40 years are kinder to some instruments than others so it's not an automatic rule !

I also have a couple of the set neck LP copies and I would have to agree that they are really excellent to play. I'm very happy to hear that you recognize the instrument's playability and build quality. Enjoy her!

[Robbie]

Charles,

Thanks for your thoughts. The lack of clear information/documentation certainly adds to the mystique of these instrument, but probably also keeps their market value down.

I wish I had kept that white bolt on LP custom copy I had 20 years ago. It had the same headstock inlays as this black one, was of high quality, and of course, was much mroe pristine. When I saw that black one and it was a set neck I simply had to buy it despite looking a bit rough. After some new hardware, a bit of a colour sand and some fret work, it cleaned up quite nicely, but certainly doesn't have a perfect finish.

I think one of the pickups it came with may be a dimarzio super 2 judging by the DC resistance and appearance, but it has no clear markings on it. Where these ever factory installed in the EDs?

[charles]

I don't mind the market value being low - means I can buy more

Dimarzios were a factory install on many models. It's a very nice bonus to get 70s Dimarzios on some of these old guitars