Greco Explorer non catalog model

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Chris_P

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Hi all,
I would like some more information about my new Greco, imported from Japan.
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The serial number dates it to 1985, but pot dates are 1982.
Assuming it's made 1985 makes it a EX80 instead of EX800, just because Greco adapted the numbering scheme from Tokai. But then it's optically a kind of a mixture between the catalog models. It has the flamed scyamore top but additionally the picguard. Also look at the arrangement of the pots, which is tilted like EX800 and not the EX800H. (Same later fot EX80 and EX80 H).
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In 1981 the specs are 'mahagony back'. I'm no expert in wood, but the body is not mahagony. The neck could be mahagony. Also the pickups are not stamped, but should be 'Double Trick' (and sound great).
And I think I found a matching model in the Tokai 1984 catalog, the TEX80. Could it be Tokai made?
 
Could it be a March 1992 pot date?

Does it look like the pots might have been replaced?

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Two pots are 23 K and one 27 K. It doesn't look like they are exchanged, but who knows. The pots from the early 90s have the two lines closer together, the 504XXX is much lower, at least the ones I have seen so far.
 
The pots from the early 90s have the two lines closer together, the 504XXX is much lower, at least the ones I have seen so far.
Are you sure about that?

I thought the ones with the vertical lines are from earlier?

Next date code up:

The "vertical lines" code is found in Greco Fender copies from about 1977 to 1980, and no doubt in other guitars from that period as well. Not in Tokais, however, as far as I know. Please note that I'm not really up to speed when it comes to Tokai Gibson copies, though.

This code format has the month and year reversed compare to the YM X format: the month first, then the year. The months are also given differently than in YM X, using 1 - 9 for Jan - Sept, then J, K and L for Oct - Dec ( i e the 10th through 12th letter of the alphabet).
The month and year is followed by one, two or three vertical lines, and finally a 1 or sometimes another vertical line. The final digit is always in the same position, so if the vertical lines are fewer than three, there will be one or two spaces ahead of it.

I'm not sure if there is any practical need to find an interpretation for the vertical lines, but there is one that seems to fit rather well. It has to do with a Japanese tradition of dividing months into thirds, called jun. Two ten-day jun are followed by a third that's 8, 10 or 11 eleven days long depending on the month: upper, middle and lower jun.
Like I said, it sort of fits. Would you need to subdivide date codes into periods that short for QA purposes? Well, other manufacturers don't seem to have thought so... but then again, US manufacturers often dated their pots by the week (and still do, I think?).
Who knows? It's an hypothesis at least.

View attachment 1098
1977 Greco SE: 97 for Sept 1977, single vertical line, two spaces and a 1. Note the "parts number" above it. 7 or 4 in the penultimate position could differentiate linear and log pots, 4 is found on tone pots.

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1978 Greco SE, K8 for Nov 1978. Two vertical lines, one space and a 1. These have the plaintext kOhm and log-lin info.


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Mid-1979 Greco SE-800, one pot is February with two lines, the other March with one line. The final digit has no clear "hook" to indicate that it's a 1.


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Nov 1979 Greco SE600J. Semi-obscured, but we see the J in use for October and at least one vertical line.


I have seen the ones like yours go up to 1992 then they seem to stop.
 
Top looks like a veneer

With a flat top guitar like an Explorer, that's pretty much the only option ;)

No idea on dating this guitar, it's a beautiful mix of styles. The pickup route is a bit odd showing some unfinished raw wood. I can't remember ever seeing that on a Greco.
 
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