Navigator Les Paul Goldtop (1970s)

This early Navigator Les Paul Goldtop dates from the 1970s, identifiable by the use of the “Les Paul” logo on the headstock.

For me, Navigator has always held a special place.
Back in junior high school, I used to pore over Music Life magazine.
While companies like Greco and Aria filled its pages with colorful, attention-grabbing ads, Navigator’s ads were small and subdued — yet they radiated a quiet sense of quality, as if the guitars spoke for themselves.
When I finally made my first purchase from ESP in 1985, it had already grown into a large, internationally expanding enterprise — far removed from its humble beginnings.

According to the 1976 Navigator Electric Guitar & Bass Catalog (Vol. 2), each model was given its own distinctive nickname:

• Stratocaster (Large Head) – Esparto

• Stratocaster (Small Head) – Esparto Mk II

• Telecaster – Telespo

• SG – Sgudel

• Les Paul Standard – Lespa Standard

• Les Paul Custom – Lespa Custom

On Fender-style models, these nicknames appeared directly on the headstock (except for the Esparto Mk II, which simply read Esparto).
However, Gibson-style models carried no such markings.
Interestingly, the Goldtop variant does not appear in that catalog, though it clearly belongs to the Lespa family.
And as for Sgudel—a playful pun meaning roughly “comes out right away” in Japanese—it must have been an inside joke among the staff.

The headstock bears the number “0080,” though its significance remains unknown.
I’ve encountered another Goldtop with the exact same number, suggesting that it’s not a serial number in the usual sense.

In terms of build quality, this guitar exudes refinement — the finish, neck feel, fingerboard wood, and binding craftsmanship all convey a level above typical production models.
At the same time, certain aspects mix high-end and budget features: the body is a two-piece mahogany, and the neck joint has an added heel section, a construction more typical of cost-conscious models.

The gold finish contains brass powder, which has oxidized over time into a fine pattern of green verdigris speckles, giving the surface a wonderfully aged character.

Weight: 4.45 kg (including strings)
(Updated August 26, 2016)