help with a ElDegas

[oldgrinch]

Hi new here i just purchased a ElDegas cant find a model but on the neck plate on back is scratched EDG 5 MR . Is anyone familiar with this model if indeed that is the model n if so what year do you think it may have been made? or any other info about it please. Its a strat style with 2 single coils n one humbucker a floyd rose style bridge with locking nut.triangle style inlays on the fret board a dark grey metallic finish on the body. It sounds better than any of my newer guitars and its not a bad looking guitar. thanks a lot.

[charles]

Sounds like one of the later MIK superstrat setups. Likely from the 1980s. Some photos will probably help us to ID it a bit better, but be aware there is next to no info available on the later MIK electric models.

[oldgrinch]

not a good pic hope it even works ill put more up tomorrow of headstock etc --thanks


http://i.imgur.com/o25KcbE.jpg

[charles]

Hard to tell from the photo but that might actually be the El Degas copy of the Jackson Soloist. I've been dancing around the idea of picking one of those up if I come across one for sale (happens once in a while). These are 1980's MIK (made in Korea) models.

[oldgrinch]

Hi.Yes now that you say that i looked at the Jackson soloist pics and its a spitting image of it so most likely you are right. The only difference is mine was a heck of a lot cheaper I only paid 75 dollars for it lol. A little cleaning and some contact cleaner and a new set of strings and it plays wonderfully. Ill try to get a few better pics of it later on today.Thanks

[oldgrinch]

There are 5 pics in this album hopefully thy will give a better look at the guitar and what kind of shape it is in. I was lucky to find this one.

http://oldgrinch1.imgur.com

[Barry]

Hi oldgrinch.
Not my personal cup-o-tea but that looks to be a top quality build, and is in beautiful condition with all her naughty bits still attached!
Congrats on an excellent find.

[charles]

Can't go wrong at 75 bucks!
So long as the Floyd Rose is stable, you are set! Enjoy it.

[Barry]

...So long as the Floyd Rose is stable, you are set!

If it's a genuine FR and properly set up it will be fine. Where things tend to go pear shaped in my experience, is with the "licenced" versions often seen on off-brands.
The main difference lay in the quality of the steel. A FR uses hardened steel on the knife edges which keeps everything solid. On the cheaper versions the steel tends to "mush up", leading to tuning instability.

[oldgrinch]

yeah ive never been a fan of floyd rose set ups but ill give it a go n see what happens. It just seemed like too good of a deal to pass up n not try it.An old guy had it from new i guess n had it stored away for a long time i dont think he ever did play it much. so far it seems to have my other brands of strats beat as far as sound goes.I didnt mention for the 75 dollars he threw in a soft case a black leather strap a guitar cable and a distortion pedal. one of the better deals ive made on a guitar. I may be keeping my eyes open now for any more ElDegas that pop up for sale lol

[Barry]

[oldgrinch]

hey guys.Im going to look at a Univox guitar tomorrow also from the 70's(think the name Univox may have ended in 78) or early 80"s same story as the ElDegas built in the same factory moved to Korea bout the same time, made copies of other companies guitars etc.You probably know more than i do. So im assuming they are probably similar in quality. Im only thinking bout getting it as its from that era n i dont see em very often. Its not going to cost me a lot so i wont be losing anything. Ill update here if you like once i get the thing, if i do.

[charles]

Best of luck. I don't know of any formal connections between El Degas & Univox but there is some possible the same manufacturer(s) may have made both brands at some point... Your guess is as good as mine.

[oldgrinch]

No i know ElDegas and Univox werent related companies. Univox made guitars with the univox name up until about 1978 as far as i can find out in the same factory that eldgas were made then they put out the Westbury brand of guitars after that. you can read the history here if ya want. http://www.univox.org/history.html anyway im going to go have a look at it this morning see if its worth bothering with.

[Barry]

Univox was made by Matsumoku, that much is correct.
But I've never heard of any definitive proof of ED's being made at Matsumoku, although I've had a strong suspicion that many of the early to mid 70's electrics in particular might have been. FujiGen is another strong possibility.

The Univox site you reference is incorrect about the demise of Matsumoku. There was never a "disastrous fire" or earthquake, or any other such calamity. Their parent company Singer, simply pulled the financial plug and they went bankrupt in mid-1987.