El Degas F302

[dede1]

I bought this acoustic in 1973 brand new and have owned it ever since. I bought this guitar in Montreal QC on the advise of a friend that was adamant I purchase this beauty. It has the hummingbird pick guard emulation . I would like any information on this guitar anyone can supply ? If pictures are required I can read the post on how to go about it and try it out .

edit: Photos!

[Barry]

Hi dede1.
Oh yes, pictures please!
Although the serial number doesn't indicate it, I'm hoping it's an MIJ "Hummingbird" clone.
I have the "Dove" model and I've always wanted to find the other bird to go with it for years, with no luck.

[charles]

An F- series Hummingbird, eh - it should be an early model Gibson copy, MIJ (Made in Japan). I'm looking forward to seeing it.

If you have trouble inserting photos from a Photobucket account, just pop me an email and I can give you help (but the photo tips thread should have info you need); or with a link to your photos and I can edit them into your post.

[charles]

Photos added!

Interesting that the back of the headstock is painted black. I expected to see it the same finish as the rest of the neck.

[Barry]

Hey thanks for the pix dede1!

Charles, are you sure this is MIJ? I'm thinking MIK.
If it is Japanese, it looks like it was made by a different company from my 'Dove'.

I'm sure it's a nice instrument but I confess that I am a little bit disappointed in the details:

• no MOP logo
• no vertical inlay on the back
• lesser quality machine heads
• no MOP inlay on the bridge
• black paint on the back of the headstock *

* The woods and general build quality appear to be very good, but I am very suspicious of that black paint. This is frequently done to hide a headstock repair, or a bad looking scarf joint. If the guitar came from the factory this way then I would say it is definitely not MIJ. That's not the way they would have released it. If the guitar is a second hand purchase then I strongly suggest that the headstock had been broken and repaired. Nothing wrong with that incidentally. But you should be aware nonetheless.

dede1, I would also recommend that you replace that adjustable steel bridge with a solid Tusq saddle. I recently did it to mine and the improvement in volume and tone is astoundingly good. Here's the link to my post: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1802

[charles]

It's MIJ, but it's not the inlaid-logo ones that are generally known to be the higher-level copies made for El Degas.

I also think that black paint masks a repair or modification, but it would not have come from the factory like that. If it did, it is literally the only one guitar I have ever seen come that way (so, I would put my neck out there and say that it did not).

[Barry]

Right. It should have been sold as a factory "second" or "B" quality. If it wasn't the seller was not being honest.

[dede1]

Thanks to Charles for posting the pictures .
Can someone explain what is a scarf joint ? As for the guitar as I stated in my post it was bought new from a music store in Montreal back in 1973 ( I believe the store was located In Montreal North , but memory is failing ...lol ) and for many years I has the original cardboard box it came in but time took a toll on it.

[Barry]

...Can someone explain what is a scarf joint ? ...

See here: http://www.sweetwater.com/insync/scarf-neck-joint/

There is nothing wrong with such a joint. It is perfectly solid and reliable. It is simply a way of producing necks cheaper and makes more efficient use of material. A solid piece neck is preferred by many "purists" but it does waste a lot of wood in the process of creating it. This of course also adds to the manufacturing costs.

Most neck scarf joints are found around the 2nd to 4th fret and are easily identifiable. That's what makes me suspicious about that black paint on the headstock. I stand by the assertion that it was likely a repair.

[JammyJammy]

I have the same guitar ,it has the exact same black head stock https://flic.kr/ps/3X5hVb

[charles]

I have the same guitar ,it has the exact same black head stock https://flic.kr/ps/3X5hVb

The black paint may be to cover a headstock repair, or may have just been for aesthetics.

[Barry]

Wow! From 2015?
Way to resurrect a Zombie thread!

[Mark T]

I have the exact guitar. It also has black head stock. It was purchased brand new.

[charles]

I have the exact guitar. It also has black head stock. It was purchased brand new.

Black on the back of the headstock like the examples in this thread?

Perhaps this model emulates a specific era of Hummingbird that I'm not aware of that did that aesthetic treatment with that black painted back of the headstock?? You don't see that on standard Hummingbird models from Gibson. I dunno.

[Barry]

Sheesh! Looks like this zombie thread is determined to keep rising!

Perhaps this model emulates a specific era of Hummingbird that I'm not aware of that did that aesthetic treatment with that black painted back of the headstock?? You don't see that on standard Hummingbird models from Gibson. I dunno.

The technical term for this cosmetic treatment is "Stinger", and yes it does show up on Gibson models form time to time. But as far as I know it was not a standard feature on any of them.

I dunno why it appears on this particular ED model either. Just an aesthetic decision on the part of the manufacturer I guess, which doesn't make much sense since the back of the head stock has to be painted as well adding to material and labour costs.

Stingers are more commonly seen as camouflage for a head stock repair hence my original comment.