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New el Degas to show case

Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:55 pm
by dpdurbin
Hello,

This el Degas was my Grandfathers for I don't know for how long which I inherited after his passing in 1994. I tried doing research on el degas but came up short.
Its been a fine guitar great sound with great action along the neck.

this guitar features a bolt on neck. 2 humbucket pick-ups one three way switch to choose between pickups, separate volume and tone controls, but also a separate 6 way tone switch.

Any other information is always welcomed enjoy the pics

Re: New el Degas to show case

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 12:55 pm
by Barry
Hello dpdurbin and welcome!
That's a beautiful guitar you have there. Looks to be modeled after a Gibson ES-345 style, right down to the 'open book/moustache' headstock and the varitone selector switch (I think B.B. King's "Lucille" featured that as well). However, yours has a trapeze tail and not a stop tail which is normally, but not always, found on a hollow body, more like an ES-330/340 style. You'll have to tell us if it's hollow or semi-hollow since we can't tell from the pix. This is possibly a hybrid rather than a straight copy; El Degas was famous for making a perfect reproduction one time, then mixing it up completely the next!

Since it has a bolt on neck it would need a solid block of wood inside the body, I'm guessing it's solid down the centre. It would appear to be from the late 60's or early 70's but Charles may have more specific information on it when he catches up with this post. Some pix of the back of the guitar including information stamped in the neck plate might help identify the manufacturer. And if you look through the 'f' hole is there a sticker visible inside the body? It may have a model number starting with GB, and the place of manufacture.

But the important question is...how's she play and sound?!

edit:
Just after I posted this I saw your note on Charles' post in the Buy and Sell Forum http://www.eldegas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11 So it does appear to be a ES345.
Are you only interested in selling it?

Re: New el Degas to show case

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:19 pm
by charles
You don't find model #s on the electrics, so a label in the f-hole is out.

It is a 345 copy with the 6-way Varitone. The trapeze is nice but it was not my cup of tea.

Barry's assessment of late 60's or early 70's is probably accurate. The radiused (rounded corner) edges of the fretboard where it is at the body is normally a sign of the early MIJ copies. Later on they were non-radiused (sharp corner).

Re: New el Degas to show case

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:35 am
by kent
I just found this one in a foreclosed home along with a 76 les paul custom a, 78 fender precision bass & a Korg titan 61 studio synthesiser. I installed new gibson classic 57 pickups,shimmed the neck & replaced the saddles & now its a great guitar! It sounds amazing