eldegas.com

I bought an MT 10 yesterday for next to nothing. After cleaning it up, putting on new machine heads and re-stringing it I think I've got a pretty decent acoustic.

Does anyone know anything about the MT 10. I know it's made in Korea, so I don't think it's one of the higher-end models, but it seems put together quite nicely. Is this a Martin clone?

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Yup!
Welcome to the party motive.
How about a pic or two?

In total, this guitar cost about $50. Now that I've played it a little I think it was quite the bargain. It has a nice, bright sound.

I'm no stranger to El Degas guitars. My dad bought me my first guitar, a beautiful brand new Les Paul copy, when I was 15. I gave that guitar to my son when he turned 16. Unfortunately he never took to it, so I'm going to try to "borrow" it back from him for a while.

Here's the pics of the new acoustic:

Oh, swe-e-e-et! What a score.
If you look around this site you'll see a lot of comments (mostly from from Charles, the resident expert) about the varying degrees of quality in El Degas guitars, particularly the Korean versions. Overall, I think the Japanese versions were more faithful copies and generally had better quality control.

But it looks like this one is a definite keeper!! When these guys did it right, they did it right!
And hey...50 bucks?! As I've said before in these forums, you lucky bugger!
Now...go get the LP back!

Cheers!

edit:
(Just cogitating a bit more...you didn't by chance happen to get his from a recent ad on Craigslist Toronto??
If you did, I'm going to go now and sharpen up the knife with which to cut my wrists. I answered that ad a day after the posting but was told it was already sold.)

Sorry man, but you better not sharpen anything. Yes, I did get that guitar off Craigslist toronto. It's the same one you were after.

AAARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Tension reliever. Had to be done.
(sniff. sob.)

That's a nice Martin clone.

Knowing next to nothing about actual Martin acoustics, I can't tell you what model it replicates or how faithful it may be to it....

I also know nothing about Martin guitars, except my brother's Martin sounds amazing. I don't think this El Degas is in the same category, but it does play nicely and sounds good.

Well, ya know, nuthin' would sound as good as a real Martin, or a real Gibson! Ya can't beat the quality of wood used and the embellishments. But that's why God made El Degas for us poor people

If you look at my El Degas "Gibson" Dove, it's the same story as your "Martin"...looks beautiful, plays beautifully, but...compared to the real thing, it's not a Gibson and doesn't have the same voice or presence. Mainly I guess, because the Gibson has maple back and sides rather than mahogany.

The model numbers used by EL Degas don't seem to correspond to anything identifiable either, except for the prefix which gives you a clue about the manufacturer that they're cloning. If you've got nothing but time on your hands you can wade through the Martin site and try to figure out what you have:
http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/choosing/model.php

Maybe you can narrow it down by virtue of that stunning wood work design on the back? Although that might be something they took from somewhere else. El Degas--always an adventure (sigh)
Good luck!

Hey motive,
I've been doing a bit more research on acoustic guitars in an effort to try and make some sense out of El Degas's apparently nonsensical model numbers. The Martin clones are particularly frustrating to pinpoint 'cuz there are so damn many models that they could have been based on!

I haven't found any "ah ha" moments yet but in addition to the official Martin site mentioned above I've been looking at this one which has a ton of information on "vintage" acoustics.
http://www.guitarHQ.com

Concerning your model MT10, I can't be certain, but it could be based on the 1910 Martin Style 45 guitar specs which features a "snowflake" fingerboard inlay pattern similar to yours (except yours has dots I'm assuming?):
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/style45.html

This Korean El Degas clone differs of course in many ways but it looks like this might at least be the body style that it's based on, and would therefore make sense of the "10" in the model number. The diagonal back design seems based on another model altogether, so it looks very much to me as though the MIK versions tended to be a composite of different model elements rather than a direct clone of the original as the MIJ versions seem to be. A result perhaps, of overseas manufacturers being overly cautious after the so-called "lawsuit" publicity?

more info on lawsuit viewtopic.php?f=4&t=64

Hi All, its cp dave again. Just to mention that most of all of the MT model clones were made of solid spruce tops and solid back and sides. The MT-10 you have is a real GEM. If you go to GUITAR MUSEUM you can see more of a selection of the older Martins. My MT-15 12-string looks just like a Martin 12-string D-28 in a newer model. I've set it beside one in a store and the only difference is the name. It looked just like a Martine. Back and sides and top.Lot of the guitars were made with brazilion rose wood and spruce tops. thanks all cp

My first Git was an MT10 which I got back in '77. Love it.

cantwellm wrote:I have an MT 10 I bought 2nd hand near mint for $25 in 1978. Exactly like your pic. Funny thing happend this past summer though. I went on vacation for two weeks leaving it on its guitar stand and when I came home the bridge was cracked. humidity? I dont know but you'd think it wouldnt self destruct after more than 30 years...

So I took it in to the local repairman who said it would cost more to repair than the guitar is worth - that I could pick up a new $400 guitar which would sound just as good...he convinced me that this wasn't a solid top guitar....??

Considering this is the first guitar that I have ever owned (until yesterday) I was kinda surprised and heartbroken...

Maybe I need to find another repairman?

I guess it never hurts to get a second opinion...

cantwellm wrote:...when I came home the bridge was cracked. humidity? I dont know but you'd think it wouldnt self destruct after more than 30 years...

Hi cantwellm. Really sorry to hear this.
Acoustics do need a certain amount of vigilance as far as the humidity is concerned. Most can only put up with so much expansion and contraction until something nasty happens. The safest place for a good instrument like this is usually in its case, preferably with a humidity box.

That said, however, you are not specific as to what you mean by "crack". Has the wood split completely through? If so, where exactly? Is it affecting the bridge pins or is it away from them? Most splits can be repaired fairly successfully. If the bridge has lifted it usually can be glued and clamped back down.

A new bridge can be installed but it's more labour of course. Care must be taken in removing the old one and the glue holding it, then the new one must be attached correctly. A picture would be helpful here to make any comments more meaningful.

Since I originally posted this message in September, I paid a vist to my uncle in Liverpool - Billy Toner - a fixture on the pub music scene for the last 40+ years...he gave me his Yamaki (Joodee) YW40M. Great uncle. Great Guitar. But I just dont know anything about the Joodee brand...Anyone out there help me out?