For many, the SE-500 is the sweet-spot of the range - it may miss out on the little details that emulate the iconic Fenders from various eras, but it is essentially an evolution of the original 430 range which was what Matsumoku suggested a Stratocaster ought to be. By 1977, the range of Grecos was very well defined - Fujigen was producing a complete range of Strats to appeal all budgets and styles - the 500 was still the mainstream offer to folk who were not too focussed on era details, and just wanted a great quality comfortable guitar. These are ideal donors to create a really perfect spec - combining a lightweight body with some higher specification pick-ups and interesting wiring options.
 
Some colour schemes just work without trying - a beaten up old black plate on natural body rarely fails to get the head nodding in approval. The original faded knobs and purposeful uncovered pick-ups make for an iconic stage guitar, or the one you hold for the album cover shot.
 
The pick-ups in this guitar are a set of PU-119 Excels from a 1979 SE-600J and have that powerful definition they are so well known for. 5-way switches were about to become the default for Strats - getting the in-between sounds either involved fishing for the precise position with a 3-way and hoping it stayed there, or repurposing one of the tone controls to fade in the middle pick-up, sacrificing its presence in the sound palette for a tele-esque bridge and neck sound for the middle position. The lower tone control makes it very convenient to fade in the middle into each of the 3 positions and tailor the degree of blend. Rolling the control all the way on and off is the work of a split second so it can resemble a switch, but has the very useful function of finding the precise amount of middle inclusion you need. You may know this as the Hendrix, or the Wild Bill wiring (Bill Lawrence). It is a relatively straight forward modification and allows the majority of the guitars original wiring to be used and existing original components can remain with the guitar.
 
What that ultimately means to the player is that the wonderful action of the original DM-30 switch remains - modern switches, even Fender branded CRL switches do not feel as precise. The degree and quality of engineering of these old Japanese components is sadly missing in today's market. If we can keep them, we do; and this one does.
 
Beyond the timelessly appealing aesthetic of this guitar, the performance it offers is phenomenal. PU-119 tones, the Hendrix circuit, the perfect balanced lightweight comfort (3.43kg 7lbs 9oz), and the comfort of the early 70s style neck profile will not disappoint. The cheque will not bounce - it's all there. You may appreciate the soul of this guitar before plugging it in - the acoustic ring and snap means this is the guitar you pick up and play even when the amp can't be switched on.
 
Vintage guitars of this era tend to be many thousands of pounds - not so this one. No headstock tax, just a phenomenally great guitar from an era and country that understood quality.