Help needed to identify Les Paul copy

El Degas Marketplace
Post Reply
Cerco
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:01 pm

Help needed to identify Les Paul copy

Post by Cerco »

Hi everyone,

'Someone in my home town is selling their El Degas (Les Paul Copy). I'm trying to gather information before going to view/try it. It looks very similar to many of the photos posted in the Forums (black finish, gold twin Hamb. and tuners), escept for the logo on the headstock. I've noticed many differrent pattern for the diamond shape logo. The one I'm looking at is a 4 piece: an L shape on the right and triangle on the left on top and the bottom part is the mirror image with the L almost touching (see picture).

Image

From the Logo shape, can you tell (approximately) when and where (1970's or 1980's, Japan or Korea) it was made?
The owner is asking $275, and the guitar (from pictures so far) looks in very good shape. A bit too good in fact for a 30 year old (unless it's been sitting in a corner of the house for all these years!).

Here's what the body looks like:
Image

Thanks for your help.

Cheers
User avatar
charles
Site Admin
Posts: 1709
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Help needed to identify Les Paul copy

Post by charles »

The differences are due to it being a later, Made in Korea, El Degas. Logo style is a dead give-away. Most likely from the 80's, but I cannot be sure about that.

Is it a set neck? I have an El Degas Les Paul that's a MIK and it is set neck. Sharpest fret-ends you ever saw. But I do like it!
I started ElDegas.com many years ago to help celebrate and inform about El Degas instruments. It all started with a used Ric 4000 bass copy I bought in circa 2000.

El Degas stable as of 03/2022: 42 :shock: (13 bass, 26 electric, 3 acoustic)
Cerco
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:01 pm

Re: Help needed to identify Les Paul copy

Post by Cerco »

Thanks for the info.

I saw rhe add in the morning and the item was sold by the same afternoon. I never even got a chance to see it in person. Must have been to someone's taste big time!

As far as the neck is concerned, I have no idea as the add didn't mention if it was bolted on or set and the poster never replyed to my querries as the guitar sold right away.

I'll keep looking at those adds. You nevre know what you can find.

Cheers.
User avatar
charles
Site Admin
Posts: 1709
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Help needed to identify Les Paul copy

Post by charles »

I'll bet
a) it was set-neck :D
b) the new owner is applying a badly printed label with "Gibson" on it already :(

Hope I'm wrong on b) :cry:
I started ElDegas.com many years ago to help celebrate and inform about El Degas instruments. It all started with a used Ric 4000 bass copy I bought in circa 2000.

El Degas stable as of 03/2022: 42 :shock: (13 bass, 26 electric, 3 acoustic)
User avatar
Barry
Posts: 1038
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:31 pm
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
Contact:

Re: Help needed to identify Les Paul copy

Post by Barry »

charles wrote:...Hope I'm wrong on b) :cry:
Me too!
Beautiful LP. Tough loss Cerco.
Cerco
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:01 pm

Re: Help needed to identify Les Paul copy

Post by Cerco »

Thanks for the info.

Found out the seller had many other guitars for sale (Ibanez, El Degas and something else I can't remember), all 70's, MIJ, or so he says. All his guitars had the same description: "VINTAGE 1970 XXXXX (insert guitar name) LAW SUIT ERA GIBSON XXXXX (insert model name) COPY". Considering he was claiming a made in Japan, 70's LP copy for a Korean, 80's one (even if it was a nice one), I don't think I would trust this guy any further than I can trow him. I wonder how many labels he's applied on guitar heads in his lifetime.

Anyhow, I'll keep on looking for that rare bird!
User avatar
charles
Site Admin
Posts: 1709
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Help needed to identify Les Paul copy

Post by charles »

It's very likely that due to the utter lack of info on these guitars and the lack of info on the guitar itself, the guy didn't know what he had (and assumed the best situation to garner the most money upon resale :twisted: )
I started ElDegas.com many years ago to help celebrate and inform about El Degas instruments. It all started with a used Ric 4000 bass copy I bought in circa 2000.

El Degas stable as of 03/2022: 42 :shock: (13 bass, 26 electric, 3 acoustic)
Post Reply