About the only thing we know for sure is that the El Degas brand was a "white label" distributed in Canada by B&J Music (still in business incidentally but no records of the ED brand survived--we checked). White label means that there was no single supplier of these instruments. They were made by a variety of Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, and even Romanian(!) companies. The consensus is that the Japanese made models were superior to the rest, with the general quality deteriorating as the point of origin moved further away from Japan.
The list of potential Japanese makers of the time (late 70's to early '80's mainly) is many and includes, Matsumoku, Fuji Gen, Hoshino, Kandashoukai, etc. Rather than list them all I refer you to this informative article which talks about them in some detail: http://hubpages.com/hub/Japanese-Manufa ... 50-to-1980
As if this isn't enough confusion, I came across this article which also engages in speculation on the origins of the El Degas brand: http://www.myrareguitars.com/bcm-el-deg ... ass-guitar
In it, one person states categorically (without proof) that it was Matsumoku and Fuji Jen(sic). Another one states emphatically that it was Hoshino "on authority" of someone named Steve Brand who purportedly worked for them. Again, no proof or reference.
But what made me roll my eyes was this excerpt which claimed that the ED brand was absolutely created in France by a Parisienne Luthier!
I started this thread in a effort to try and consolidate information the subject. It might be helpful to add links to existing posts in this Forum.I’m french master luthier. I was surfing on the net when I discovered people talking about El Degas. I can give you the exact history of this brand, because I lived it.
The brand was created in Paris by my boss Gérard Charnoz (Musicologist), who was owning a guitar shop and his brother Jean-Luc Charnoz was luthier and harpsichord maker and I learned lutherie with him. That was in 1972. Because the shop was specialized in acoustic instruments and at the same looking to new products at a time Japan was starting the guitar industry. The brothers created 3 brands : EL DEGAS, D’ANGELICA, MOUNTAIN. all amde in Japan, intially for the needs of the shop. years after, the shop closed, but the brand survived. As I worked in the shop and the workshop during years, I can confirm you all this. We have sold bulks of El Degas…etc. Hope this information is usefull for you. All the best to all the members.
Last edited by Kamel Chenaouy; 01-17-2014 at 12:10 PM.
This orphan brand now seems to be almost taking on the status of Urban Myth.
El Degas is the Loch Ness monster of the guitar world!
