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This delicious guitar started life in 1974 as a Greco SE-500B and features very early PU-100 pick-ups (usually reserved for the 600 and 800 models) – the vintage output with that wonderful Maxon airy sparkly quality. These pick-ups still featured in the very premium SE-800 models until the early 80s when Fender couldn’t beat them so joined them.
 
Usually, the early / mid 70s models are quite heavy – this one isn’t. Tipping the scales at 3.4kg, it has a very premium handshake. The neck is the familiar early 70s C profile engineered construction. We have re-fretted and refinished it – now we have Jescar 55090 tall narrow frets and a very mildly lacquered finish. No stickiness, but not rough, not worn out. A new Chrome Gotoh 510 tremolo is now fitted in place of the old traditional Fender style unit – these add a super-premium quality as found on the most expensive luthier-built guitars from Japan. They add ring and sustain; they have a sensational sensitivity and let you dive bomb too. At the other end, enjoy the period correct Schaller tuners only ever fitted to 1977 Aria ST-800 models. This headstock has only ever had these tuners – factory fitted Schallers in 1974.
 
The first owner elected to remove the black paint and enjoy the wood grain. This was done properly – the grain is filled and the finish is smooth. There are a couple of dings and knocks, but at 52 years old, this guitar still looks great.
 
Despite a 3-way switch and traditional control layout, don’t go thinking this is restricted to 3 tones. Without fundamentally altering the aesthetic, we have given this guitar a massive range of tones. The 3-way switch provides a Tele selection – neck, neck and bridge, and bridge and the lower tone control will blend in the middle to give you the traditional in-between settings, but allow you to tailor the amount of middle. The middle tone control is a master tone, and the volume knob is an S-1 switch, which when activated will change the guitar’s character completely. With the selector at the neck position, you get the neck and middle in series – a bluesy gritty thicker tone which drives a valve amp impeccably. At the bridge position, you get the bridge and middle in series to add a huge punch to a lead tone. In the middle, the neck and bridge join in series, and the middle provides a bit of spank to give a bit more depth to the tone.
 
Beyond the timelessly appealing aesthetic of this guitar, the performance it offers is phenomenal. Bright tones, darker tones, the Hendrix circuit, the perfect balanced lightweight comfort (3.4kg 7lbs 8oz), 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, and breathed on by a guy who spends way too long turning imagination into reality with a soldering iron.