Date my Greco

[Modulus]

Hi there, I’m new to this forum and to Greco guitars, I have what I was told a Greco EG-700, no serial number, pickup code is 26130, can someone help me date this guitar and is it MIJ..let me know if more pics are required. Thanks,Joseph

 

[Modulus]

Just to add to first post, it has no paint shielding in pickup cavity..

 

[Sigmania]

Do you have pictures of the pots? They sometimes have a date code.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

As per usual, good pictures of the neck PU and control cavities, back of body and headstock, close-up of the fretboard are needed to identify anything.

 

[Modulus]

Her are more pics!

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

There are 3 types of "no serial" Grecos: 1. Pre-1976, 2. Made by Tokai and 3. Post-1989/90 made by Cort in Korea.

1. the control cavity, the closed-O logo and the PU codes (if read correctly, some requested pics are missing) are matching this. These "lot number" pots usually don't contain date information and the code seen isn't reliably deciphered yet AFAIK.

2. is out by the control cavity shape.

3. is out by the control cavity shape, the logo (not quite sure, apparently there are later 90s closed-O MIK Grecos) and tentatively the fret nibs.

The 1975 Greco logo has the little bunny tail loop on the 'r', which apparently changed in 1976, so 1976 would match the Nishin Onpa stamps. The only model that came with Grover tuners was the EG-900 but I can't imagine they would've slapped them on in such a crooked way. Fretboard wood can't be easily identified from that little visible bit of fretboard but it looks more like rosewood, whereas the catalog claims the EG-700 would be ebony (huh?). So identifying the model is above my pay grade.

 

[Modulus]

Grover’s were put on by previous owner

 

[Modulus]

I also wanted to verify if it was MIJ..

 

[Chris_P]

As Homer pointed out, it's a pre-1976 model. That time, they where all made in Japan. The lower models like EG480 have a semi holow body, these years even with a bolted neck. Yours is massive as far as I can see, so it's at least a EG700. From EG800 on, the hardware would be golden, also the PU's would be different, e.g. embossed in the back 'PU-0' for the EG800.
So it's pretty sure what it claims to be, a EG700. The pickup code gives us the date: 30ies of January 1976.

 

[Voidoid56]

These "lot number" pots usually don't contain date information and the code seen isn't reliably deciphered yet AFAIK.

The current theory when it comes to interpreting these codes is that the first two digits of the second row is month and year. 1 -9 for Jan - Sept, then J, K and L for Oct - Dec (i e the 10, 11th and 12th letter of the alphabet). The second digit is the last one of the year. According to this, the two clearly visible pots in the above guitar are Dec 1975 (L5) and Jan 1976 (16) which fits the Jan 30 1976 pickup date as well.

So far, this interpretation has worked very well indeed with guitars dateable down to the month by other means, but research is (as always) ongoing...

 

[Sigmania]

The current theory when it comes to interpreting these codes is that the first two digits of the second row is month and year. 1 -9 for Jan - Sept, then J, K and L for Oct - Dec (i e the 10, 11th and 12th letter of the alphabet). The second digit is the last one of the year. According to this, the two clearly visible pots in the above guitar are Dec 1975 (L5) and Jan 1976 (16) which fits the Jan 30 1976 pickup date as well.

So far, this interpretation has worked very well indeed with guitars dateable down to the month by other means, but research is (as always) ongoing...

You have a wealth of information. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

 

[guitar hiro]

OP I'm guessing your date code 26130 = January 30, 1976

6 = year
1 = month
30 = day of the month

remember though; pickups are interchangeable so, they could be original to your guitar, or not.

 

[Voidoid56]

You have a wealth of information. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Well, like I said, it's a theory... or rather an hypothesis with a very good chance of graduating into a theory. I guess we all need to do the empirical thang and keep checking when these codes show up. But the interpretation has held up very well indeed so far.

 

[jimmypringles]

Her are more pics!

don't know the year but it looks stolen to me. looks like someone intentionally erased the serial number and restained that area of the headstock. I could be wrong though.