eldegas.com

Howdy Fellow Degas lovers. I can't believe that I finally found this!!

Not long ago, I mentioned the acquisition of this same model here on the forum. It's been a great guitar for me. it's the set neck model. When Charles mentioned that there was an earlier one made with a neck through, I've been on the hunt since then, (about 3 yrs).

Here it is, I just picked it up in SW Ontario. Pretty good shape,

anyone got news on such a small short S/N? ?? 980?

love to chat about it. OH and what do ya'll think the set neck version would be worth?

Now all I have to do is get back my set neck explorer that I sold in Spain in 2002!!!

Congrats!

The 980 could be the model or stock #. You don't find serial numbers on the electric models.

So Charles, what age do you peg this one at? Any other thoughts?

sambonee wrote:So Charles, what age do you peg this one at? Any other thoughts?

Likely mid to late 70s, but I'm not sure.

One of my favorite models they ever made.

Sweeeeet Sean! Beautiful catch.
I've seen that crescent design on the logo and fretboard somewhere else but can't remember where. (I think Frenchy may know if he ever shows up...he's been away from all his usual haunts lately).

Damnnnnnnn that is beautiful!! Congrats!

So basically I wanted to get this one like my last one (the set neck model). I had put custom HBs in there so they had to come out. The wiring in these is not a walk in the park either. My motor city black belts are the best HBs I have ever heard.

I went to toronto's 12th Fret and spoke with the pro repair guy there. Among the best techs in Canada surely. He was so generous with his time, that he even tightened the truss rod to perfection. It probably has the best action of all my guitars now.

I am thinking of removing the brass nut. Otherwise, it's amazing.

I improvised a 3 track song at my office playing thought the JamVox interface. It has a 4" speaker. The recording was done using the mic on my iPhone into the MTSR free app and mastered and mixed on te recent version of Audacity.

It's at www.soundcloud.com/seananthonyhurley

LMK what ya think.

sambonee wrote:...I am thinking of removing the brass nut. Otherwise, it's amazing.
LMK what ya think.

Don't do it unless you want to lose sustain. Brass at both ends=a high sustain system (but on the bright side) Replacing it will make it more mellow but you can't get better than brass for that sound.

Thanks for posting the sound clip! I always love hearing these El Degas'es in action.

Hey Sean, thanks for dropping by the shop today. It was great to meet you, finally!
And a special thanks for bringing this beautiful guitar into the shop!

For those who haven't been lucky enough to experience one in the flesh I can tell you it is one amazing machine! Sean put it through a Marshall JVM on clean setting and the tone and sustain was out of this world. Of course now I have major GAS for one of these (thanks a lot)!

The neck-through model of this guitar is seriously great.
Unfortunately, mine in sitting without pickups at the moment - I had better get on that

I would suggest the motor city pickups that i put in mine. I got 5 lead HB THEIR BLACKBELTS. Ordered alnico 2 magnets and under wound. With covers

The closest thing to real paf's on the fave of the earth.

Good suggestion. However, I have the pickups already for this guitar but put it on the backburner for a long time to put them in. Slipped my mind.

I believe the age of this beautiful El Degas of your`s to be more along the lines of 1979-1981? A buddy of mine bought one brand new around that time. I recall because it was the age when I first got my driver`s license at 17. Somewhere in a box in a closet I swear I have an old guitar magazine with an full page advertisement for this particular guitar....

It could certainly be from that time period. Unfortunately no records really exist to tell us exact dates, so we have to deal in vague timelines and somewhat educated guesses .

If you come across that magazine advert definitely let us know!