Did Greco make Goldtop LPs with P90s?

Voidoid56 · May 29, 2012

I've caught the MIJ bug but good after purchasing a Tokai Springy and a Burny LP Custom, both brilliant guitars. So, I'm looking to build me a little collection over time, and I'm considering my next move...

I'm leaning towards an ES335, but I'm also interested in getting a guitar with P90 pickups. I'm not that into LP Juniors/Specials, a Townsend/Santana-at-Woodstock SG might be an option, but I'm most of all drawn towards an mid-50s style Goldtop, preferably WITH a playable tailpiece and a tune-o-matic bridge. I'd like to stay in the "lawsuit era" (say 1978-84) and I'd love for it to be a Greco.

The only trouble is that MIJ P90 Goldtops seem quite rare? Most GTs I've seem have had '57 style humbuckers. What model (if any) should I look for? How about the other MIJ manufacturers?

I'd be very grateful for any pointers!

Thanks,

Hans A

jacco · May 29, 2012

Greco did, but are somewhat rare, here's my 1980 EG800;

Other MIJ brands who did this combo are Burny, Aria ProII (quite common but less so in GT), Tokai (LS75, even more rare than Greco)

Voidoid56 · May 29, 2012

Ah. Beautiful instrument. Thanks a lot for the info, now I have some models to google.

What's the neck profile like? Good pickups?

thanks again!

jacco · May 29, 2012

Neck thickness at 1st fret 22.53mm, at 11th 25.05. Just a tad less thick than an EGF, also a bit less shoulder but still easy within a 50s profile.
These have 300 pots so pickups sound a bit dark, a pot and cap swap will do the trick.
Correction on the LS75, I meant a LS70.

Voidoid56 · May 29, 2012

Ok, thanks. Seems like a manageble neck size. My hands are a bit on the small side, I somewhat prefer '60-sized necks on Gibson-style guitars. Hence my lack of enthusiasm for '50s Juniors...

That's funny, googling Tokai LS-75 DID actually bring up a few pics of P90 Goldtops? Having said that, LS-75 also seems to be the name of a later or current Tokai LP Standard model? But thanks a lot for the errata!

The black art of cap and pot replacement is rather beyond me at the moment. But I'm getting there.

jacco · May 29, 2012

LS-75 is the all gold version, one of the most rare ones

jacco · May 29, 2012

Ah yes, I forgot, indeed the late 90s/early 00s models were LS75 as well, here's my former 1997 LS75

jacco · May 29, 2012

And while we're at it, my former 2005 Navigator

marcusnieman · May 29, 2012

1954 and 1956 model Tokais. The 54 is a 2008 custom order and the 56 was a 2003 LS80S. Necks on these are very comfortable - somewhere between and 50's and 60's profile

Koubayashi · May 29, 2012

1982 Mint Collection

Voidoid56 · May 30, 2012

Many thanks, everyone, spectacular guitars!

I realise this is OT for this particular forum section, but since we're talking anyway: does anyone have model designations for Burny's GTs, preferably those from around 1980 or so?

jacco · May 30, 2012

Burny RLG60, introduced in 1982. The few examples examined have a maho top.

Voidoid56 · May 30, 2012

Excellent, thank you.

Koubayashi · May 30, 2012

jacco said:
Burny RLG60, introduced in 1982. The few examples examined have a maho top.

Yupp..
I had around 10 or so and every one had (well, still have) mahogny top.
Sounded good but deeper and lower than P90 with maple top.

Voidoid56 · May 31, 2012

Well, my Burny Custom has a maple top, so I guess a maho-topped GT would kind of balance it out?

Seriously, these deviations in materials is sort of fascinating in themselves, considering how accurate replicas some of these guitars are in most other aspects. And it's seems to vary from instrument to instrument despite identical model designations in some cases, right?

jacco · May 31, 2012

Koubayashi said:
jacco said:

Burny RLG60, introduced in 1982. The few examples examined have a maho top.

Click to expand...

Yupp..
I had around 10 or so and every one had (well, still have) mahogny top.
Sounded good but deeper and lower than P90 with maple top.

Did you have only early 80s models then Fredrik? The Dyna models I have seen all have a maple cap.

Koubayashi · May 31, 2012

jacco said:
Koubayashi said:

jacco said:

Burny RLG60, introduced in 1982. The few examples examined have a maho top.

Click to expand...

Yupp..
I had around 10 or so and every one had (well, still have) mahogny top.
Sounded good but deeper and lower than P90 with maple top.

Click to expand...

Did you have only early 80s models then Fredrik? The Dyna models I have seen all have a maple cap.

Early 80s.
They all have mahogny.
I had some Dynas as well but in general I think the building quality is so so.

gordon · Jun 20, 2012

Friend of mine bought a 79 Goldtop P-90 Greco a while ago.
The guitar is nice but the pickups were a disappointment. Very microphonic, virtually unplayable in a live situation. We could not decide if they had been replaced, wiring seemed like factory.
After replacing the pickups, the guitar was a keeper.

jacco · Jun 20, 2012

No codes on the pickups? Pics?

gordon · Jun 22, 2012

couldn't say now, they are gone we didn't pay attention back then

Did Greco make Goldtop LPs with P90s?

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