Who here is a Greco collector?

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tokaiguy

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:D Anyone here a Greco freak? I ask because I have come across two fine examples here in the U.S. at very reasonable price's! :eek: One is an 82' Black Beauty three pup Custom and an 83' Flying V black with white gaurd very Schenker looking 8) If anyone is interested e-mail me directly and I will reveal all. They aint mine, I have no intrest in the sale of these , I just know where they are and want to help a brother out! 8) My toy box is overflowing according to Mrs TG, so I'm not going to push anything at the moment! But she misses my 66' Tennasean I sold 2 years ago and wishes I still had it! :eek: So as you can see I got a whole other plan on the drawing board :wink: TG
 
I have three late 70`s strats that are very nice. I like old Grecos and was turned onto them after reading about them on other sites by Japanese guys... they are sought after here in Japan. Evidently 70`s and early 80`s are the ones people want . The high end models are very good quality.They usually don`t last long when they show up used. My 3 are made of sen wood.
Heres my latest...
http://www.rivuletguitar.com/electricguitars/others/othersstock033/electricorhersstock033.html
 
:eek: That's a beauty! I only have one Greco that I found in Ocala Florida at a small town pawn shop, I love it! A quality strat that I bought for near nothing! :D The more I think about the Black Beauty with the 3 pup's the more the wheels in my head grind away. At $599 US I might have to jump on it! :oops: I have some $ stashed for just such an opportunity :p The V is going for $550 :wink: TG
 
thanks... you can see the seam on the upper bout, it`s a 2 piece body. I`ve seen some SE-800`s made of one piece. Not sure if will be able to see the pics here but give it a try...
http://teaser.fc2web.com/framepage.htm
some really nice pics of older MIJ`s.
You can get the year of manufacture from the serial number, generally the first 2 digits are the year. Mid to late 70`s early 80`s are outstanding. Have never seen an earlier model so I can`t speak of the quality of those.
 
Yeah, I have an Greco 81' SG Special that I got from Andrew Mechling. It's a killer guitar and such an accurate replica of a 63'-64'. It has a 2 piece body but it make no difference, this thing rocks. Light too.

Greco' replicas are so underated and originally came from the Ibanez factory I believe. I've had several players try and grab her from me lately.

Sneaky,

Didn't they also do a LS200 type Les Paul with a one piece back and neck and a 2 piece solid flame top? :D You see a lot of the laminate top 2 piece back versions on ebay but not the high end model.

I also had a Burny 58' Les Paul Special that was killer and so accurate that if you covered the logo's you could hardly tell them apart. It was wrenched off me by a local Japanese guitar poacher! :D
 
yes they made a high end model, the 1200 I think. It is as you described and these days, a mint version sells for more than it did new . They appear on the Japanese auction site I hang at occasionally. Old Burnys are real nice as well... there certainly was something special going on back then with MIJ`s.
heres a nice one though the color looks a bit off in the pic...

http://www.digimart.net/gk_detail.do?instrument_id=DS00016442
 
Very nice. Does that one have a solid 2 piece top and back or are there any laminations going on?

Looks like a 17/18 degree headstock angle too?
 
as far as I know the 900 series has one piece back and maple cap, not veneer. The higher series has more flame and / or other p`ups.
 
I'm also a big fan of Greco's. I currently have a 70's Tele replica (made in 1980) that I picked up for just $235 on ebay. Of course there was a $110 shipping charge but still a bargain. I A/B'ed in with my new '02 US Fender tele and sold the Fender tele the next week. :lol:

I used to have a '78 SA-900, which is Greco's ES-335 copy. Verrrrry nice guitar. Talk about mojo...Unfortunately, I decided that the 335 guitars just wasn't my style so I sold it. I'll probably regret that one.

I also have a '89 LP Custom 3 pickup model. Just picked this one up. I have to say that the quality, fit, and finish is not as good as my older Greco's. Here's a pic...
http://www.astro.cornell.edu/~shannon/lp3body.jpg
I really feel that there was a period, say '77-'83, that was a golden era of Japanese guitar craftsmanship. This holds true with the Tokai's I've owned as well.

That '82 Black Beauty would be very tempting but right now I'm broke as a joke. :cry:

I've searched high and low for Greco info and let me tell you there not much out there. Here's one link I've found of the full '81 Catalog that will get your mouth watering...
http://psyco.jp/greco/cata13.html
...Wish I knew japanese.

cheers,
T. aka Carlovee
 
heres a place with lots of info about Matsumoku... think i spelled that right... look around the site, theres tons of stuff to see.
http://www.therathole.org/guitars/guitarlist.html
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3703769293&category=47072&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1

Recently won fella on flea-bay and I have to say it looks even better in real life.
 
I have a Greco, SG standard, LP Custom, LP Jr TV dbl. cut....and a Burny LP Custom and a LP Standard...
I got rid of most of my Gibson and replaced them with these....

I would like to find a Greco Rickenbacker 12 and a Greco Gretsch 6120 copies but I heard these are pretty rare and lots of $$$...
Ive been also looking for a SG special with p-90s but havent had any luck tracking one down.

does anyone know a good vintage greco/burny dealer in Japan, besides the sellers on Ebay?

I just won a black Memphis late 60s style 335 that appears to be made by the same folks that make Tokai, burny or Greco ??
not sure? :-?
the quality is pretty close to my Grecos and Burnys...
Has a Gibson style truss rod system. with a glued in neck.

The only thing that is wrong is the headstock its more Gretschish, like the newer Tokais....
Anybody seen these or have information?
 
http://www.firstmail.com/guitars/bookmark.htm
Hi Doombuggy, have a look at these Japanese outlets,you may find something.I can recommend TC Gakki.
Hope it's useful

pb
 
I have a Greco with no label inside, no serial #. It has the open book headstock with the later Greco inlay instead of the Gibson Flower pot. It is a dead ringer for a '59 ES335, right down to the long pickguard. Aged hardware, one piece neck, incredible player, wonderful tone. (does it sound like I like it?)

Winnie
 
oldflame said:
Greco' replicas are so underated and originally came from the Ibanez factory I believe. I've had several players try and grab her from me lately.

To my understanding
Greco was Fuji Gen Gakkis' own brand of guitar.
Fuji Gen Gakki also built guitars for Ibanez, Yamaha, Fender Japan,
Gibson (Orville, Orville by Gibson, Epiphone Japan, Epiphone Elite), Burny/Fernandes, as well as countless others.

So, I find it ironic when you see Orvilles go for $800 and more, but a identical Greco only catch around $400.
If you truelly must have the Gibson connection go Orville. Otherwise save a few bucks and buy the Greco.

Kent
 
Greco was Kanda Shokai own's brand,that became Fender Japan then as far as Fender replicas concern.Gibson replicas could be Orville(there were a lot of similitudes between 335 style Grecos and Orvilles)but I feel Orville is Epiphone Japan.In fact when Orville were out Epiphone Japan were in,then Epiphone Japan became Epiphone Elite.
 
heres a site with some info on Greco as well as other makers.


http://www.therathole.org/guitars/guitarlist.html

Epiphone Japan is still making guitars apart from the Elites. Matsumoku was involved with Grecos for the early years too.
 
luis said:
Greco was Kanda Shokai own's brand,that became Fender Japan then as far as Fender replicas concern.Gibson replicas could be Orville(there were a lot of similitudes between 335 style Grecos and Orvilles)but I feel Orville is Epiphone Japan.In fact when Orville were out Epiphone Japan were in,then Epiphone Japan became Epiphone Elite.

Isn't Kanda Shokai a music store? Not a manufacturer?

Yes, every one knows that Orville by Gibson and Orville became Epiphone Japan and then Epiphone Elite. These are brand names not manufacturers. Gibson just kept changing the names for some odd reason.
Personally I think Gibson should have released the Epiphone Elite (Elitist) under the Orville name instead. I think the Elites would get more respect then.

My understanding is that Fender japan, Orville (as well as Epi japan and Elite), Ibanez, Greco, Burny were all manufacturered in the Fuji Gen Gakki plant. Save the some of the Semi Hollows which were made in the Tarada (or something) plant.

Ibanez and Greco are most notable for this since many Ibanez models were also released under the Greco name as well. The Iceman being one of the most recognized Ibanez and Greco shapes.

kent
 
i have a 77 greco les paul custom black beuty and a greco sg.im trying to find out what year it is because there are no serial numbers
 
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