
An old Les Paul gold top of Navigator. Les Paul logo indicates this one was made in 1970s.
In those days, Navigator was special for me. I always browse Music Life magazine(Japan). Greco and Aria Pro II always put showy advertisement on them. Navigator’s ad was small and simple but told me quietly that it was special. I bought a guitar at ESP in 1985 for the first time. ESP already had become large company and extended sales overseas.
According to the NAVIGATOR Electric Catalog(2) published in 1976, each model had nickname.
Stratocaster large head model : ESPARTO
Stratocaster small head model : ESPARTO MK2
Telecaster model : TELESPO
SG model : SGUDEL
Les Paul Standard model : LESPA STANDARD
Les Paul Custom model : LESPA CUSTOM
You can see the nickname on its headstock if Fender replicas. Gold top model is not on the catalogue, but may be one of LESPA. The nickname of SG replica “SGUDEL” must be a joke. SGUDEL(Sugudel) means ”appear soon” in Japanese, a smell of dirty joke.
“0080” is engraved on the headstock, but I don’t know what it means. I once saw similar Navigator gold top with the same number. So it must not be a serial number.
Feeling of the finish, fine craft of the binding, touch of the fingerboard and the neck are more marvelous by far than regular products of the other companies. But body was made of 2-piece mahogany, and neck heal was added.
Copper rust makes many dots of pale green. 4.45kg(includes strings). (Updated 2016.8.26)
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