I814310

Environmentally friendly packing

I was a bit surprised when the Japan Post guy showed up on Saturday night and handed me the package on the left. Usually guitars show up in at least rectangular boxes of some kind. Fortunately the cargo was intact. This 1981 Greco SE-500 looked to be in very rough shape from the auction pictures so I was thinking it would need some serious work, or at worst be a source of some nice parts.


I814310, with the bridge riding exceptionally high due to the 6 screws being a cm out of their normal position. 

3TS SE-500 1981

Not looking too good

The action looked like something was not going to end well but after adjusting the bridge and the truss rod nut the action is just perfect. The frets are in great condition and after a good cleaning of some unidentified gunk this SE-500 is back in action.

Before 

After, weighing in at all of 3.1 kg. Lightest Greco strat I have had.

In bits and pieces for some cleaning and inspection

3TS finish, except under the pickguard. Why waste paint?

Number 5 for SE-500

Stamped steel saddles

Back in the land of the good old Greco

Aoyama Oyaji has returned back to the Aoyama base since last month and no sooner did the dust settle than I bought couple of nice Grecos from the early 80's. Both have a little bit of good old fashioned playing wear but with a string change and a cleanup are back in fighting shape.

1982 Greco TE-600 (guess) and 1983 EC-57-60

The tele in the black and gold style is an April 1984 tele which means the end of the line for Greco Fender copies since the partnership with Kanda Shokai and Yamano Music with Fender USA and Fujigen started up around that time.  This is a tone monster with some very nice tele pickups inside and great sustain. From what I can tell under the poly finish is a 3-piece sen ash body. There were a few of these D82**** models out there including the one pictured below from a few years back which suggests a free for all on the production floor or perhaps alternately these were new models planned for the 1982 "Mint Collection" era that didn't make it past the month of April 1982.

April 1982 SE-???

The Mint Collection EC57-60 is a version of the original 50's era Gibson black beauty Les Paul Custom that gives the warmth of the all-mahogany body construction, along with the weakness of the non-volute headstock. Fortunately this one has survived with no damage except a couple of finish chips on the neck.

It is just over 4.0 kg which is quite light compared to the two example I had before which were 10 pounders. The three Screamin' 1982 pickups give the three neck / out of phase middle+bridge/ bridge options.  It would be lovely to have an ebony board with MOP but this rosewood board is nice and at the price point there really are no complaints.

Classy pair of 30-something Grecos

Greco 8's Black + Gold