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Greco JB-450, Oldie but goodie < Back Greco JB-450 Pre-Serial Number The JB-450 was the premium model of this year - the maple fretboard a fairly expensive option over the rosewood of the JB-420. Some of the really early 1970s instruments are considered toys rather than serious instruments, but this is a serious instrument with a comfortable weight, fine sounding pick-ups and a proper constructed neck. These traditional jazz bass pick-ups more faithfully represent the sounds of a Jazzer than the mini humbuckers of previous iterations. They have a rounded deep clarity, and are too decent to upgrade. There are signs of life with this 52 year old bass - the chrome is pitting, (don't folk pay huge money for this look?) and there are a few parking knocks as you would expect. The original scratchplate has been sacrificed at the alter of Jaco Pastorius, and we have fitted this very appropriate plate. It plays very well, intonated perfectly, and has a friendly action that could be lowered even further if required. The truss rod has plenty of movement either way, and this just feels like a good old Jazz Bass - much more character than a new one, and for equivalent value, this one is of significantly higher quality construction. They were built to different standards back then - this is why we love the 1970s MIJ era. They never fail to impress; offer great value for money; don't need separately insuring, and are probably not even half way through their lives. This one could feasibly and justifiably be upgraded with modern pick-ups, a modern bridge, modern tuners - of course this would be fantastic. But this is good enough to provide good service as it is. Price SOLD Availability Sold Recommendation Fine as it is, suitable for upgrade fun though Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1973 Pick-ups Maxon Selector n/a Bridge Original Board Maple Weight 4.4kg; 9lbs 12oz Modifications Fancy scratchplate ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos

Greco SE-600N, California Jam vibes? < Back Greco SE-600N F782908 By 1978, Fujigen was setting the bar for a quality Strat and as CBS accountants were sucking the soul out of Fender, Fujigen was on the up and up. Controversial opinions are that in these years, MIJ was the better guitar - at least more consistent in quality; and certainly more affordable. The Japanese market was still going nuts for demand, and Fujigen capacity was largely being soaked up by domestic demand which is why Grecos were a rare sight outside Japan. The SE-600 was a tribute to the early 70s, whereas the SE-700 harked back to the mid 60s and the SE-800 looked a decade further back. The 500? Well, that was for folk who just wanted a great Strat. It is true that we are missing a bullet rod (the 450 and Super-Real 700s would give you that), but everything else screams 1973, and California Jam. Eagle eyed catalogue experts will equip the 600s with PU-100 pick-ups, but by 1978, Excel PU-119 pick-ups were appearing more and more often in the mid-range guitars - this 600 has a set of sublime PU-119s. A bit more output, and a lot more in the lower frequencies that often cause the comparison with Texas Specials. A Slim C neck profile feels very comfortable, and 45 years of playing have given this a worn-in and familiar comfort - the handshake is fantastic. Impossible to pick up without a few minutes playing - even if no plugged in. As with all the premium models, there is a very solid steel block on the tremolo, that when set to float a little, will ring and resonate beautifully. This is carried through to an amplified signal - the sustain is just right for all types of tone - those resonant high frequencies can be muted with the tone controls if a jazzy tone is called for. It's got plenty of scars - nothing remotely horrendous - just adding to the character of this fine guitar. That angry looking crack on the end of the headstock has been checked out, we have photos of the integrity of the headstock - quite often, cracks in the lacquer look a lot worse than they are on the natural finishes. You can say it was when you attacked a pedestal camera! We'd be happy to send this off to a new owner just as it is, but it could be the perfect guitar for an upgrade project - we can be even more 1970s and put some Jescar 55090 frets on; put a Gotoh 510 tremolo on it; whilst the Excels are dreamy pick-ups, we could put something either hotter, more versatile, or anything you wish in there - a glorious stage-worn natural Strat is the ideal back-drop for anything. Contact us to discuss the options and the resulting price. Price SOLD Availability Sold Recommendation I don't believe he smashed the Natural Strat... Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1978 Pick-ups PU-119 Selector 3-Way Bridge Original Vintage Tremolo Board Maple Weight 3.70kg; 8lbs 4oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

Greco SE-450S, Lose the headstock tax < Back Greco SE-450S CC805067 The first couple of years of the 1980s must have been exciting at Fujigen - Fender were in town and had decided that if you can't beat them, you have to join them - Fender Japan was in sight. The late 1970's had produced incredible quality guitars at very worrying prices for the Americans - all the modern developments of the CBS era were being delivered - 5-way switches, bullet rods, 3 point micro-tilt neck fitment - all present in the Greco range alongside the traditional pre-CBS styles. 2 models in the range featured these CBS style developments - the SE-450 and the SE-700 - the latter being one of the best kept secrets and a firm favourite amongst our customers and visitors. The SE-450 was the entry level post-CBS era tribute with the PU-S5 pick-ups (an iteration of the ever-popular PU-100), the 5-way switch providing the parallel in-between tones, and the 3 bolt neck. Some 450s were sen ash, some were alder - this one being the latter and a flyweight at 3.18kg (7lbs exactly). Where the Early Sixties 700 had a thick slab of Rosewood and a late 60's neck profile, the Spacey Sounds 450 had maple, and fans of the MIJ JVs and Squiers will immediately recognize the slim C neck. A few years later, this guitar would have be sold as a CST-50 Squier by Fender. Have you seen the prices of those today? With this one, you don't pay the headstock tax. As the 1980s rolled on, the warmth and character of the alnico pick-ups were falling out of favour against the ice-picky more punchy ceramics - the all of nothing types that were feeding long floor pedal chains and solid state amps. These older alnico magnets were developed for simpler days when it was you plugged into an amp. Of course, this feeds an OD-1, or a Maxon 808 perfectly well, but delivers marvellously with just a cable and a small valve amp. Now we going full circle, plugging into a Focusrite and doing all the clever stuff on a computer screen, these old pick-ups start to make sense again. I can't think of a better guitar to begin a journey on, or to develop intermediate skills. Starter guitars bought with a mouse click and delivered in 24 hours serve a purpose, but will quickly let you down. This is the sweet-spot, and will serve you for many more steps along the journey. The seasoned professional here happily admits he would gig with this in a heartbeat. A previous owner has had a tiny section of the rear of the headstock removed - either for an unusual approach to an F chord, or perhaps a Japanese icon of the time had done this and therefore it became necessary - we're not sure. Make sure you see that in the photos, but know that it is invisible from the front, and doesn't affect the guitar's performance. Black on black on Sunburst makes up for this! Price SOLD Availability Sold Recommendation Enjoy as it is Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1980 Pick-ups PU-5S Selector 5-Way Bridge Vintage Tremolo Board Maple Weight 3.18kg; 7lbs 0oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

Greco SE-800N, Putting the real thing to shame < Back Greco SE-800N D781380 These higher-end premium Grecos are no longer a well-kept secret. The SE-800 was the top of the tree for Grecos in 1978 - the really well-heeled could open the Project Series catalogue and order the SE-1000 and SE-1200, but the SE-800 was the discerning choice. A real 50's style replica - very slim C neck, light as a feather, small headstock and bright airy tones from the 3-way, the beautifully engineered DM-30 switch allowing those in-between sounds to be found without the aid of a matchstick. Just a couple of parking knocks to give its age away, this has obviously been cherished. This is a super-light guitar - just 3.15kg (just under 7lbs); the lightest 800 we have ever had. So, it looks fabulous, it feels fabulous - all the parts and components are original. The pick-ups are good old PU-100 units, so bright and airy and very keen to clip that AC30 or equivalent. The grade of steel used for the bridge and more importantly the block, is higher than that seen on lower models - the ringing sustain from this guitar needs to be experienced to be believed. Whilst it is tempting to install the PU-119 higher output pick-ups, or something boutique, don't. The original PU-100s suit this guitar perfectly. Played side by side with a 1978 SE-500, we have to conclude that a higher grade bridge, the density of this higher grade ash makes a huge difference to these PU-100 units. This is a totally different class of guitar. It has balance, the handshake, the dynamics that even our resident US Professional and Vintage II Fenders can't match. Early 50's style neck, a 7.25" radius, Schaller tuners, 8 hole creamier than cream plate - this is one of the collection, or that special one you daren't take on the road. Or take it, that's what they were for after all. But finding a 1978 guitar in this condition that feels this delicious, for this kind of price is nothing short of miraculous. I bet a Fender will be a grand more than this one, and that will have a 3 bolt neck, and have a massive headstock. This is due in with us Mid-March - these SE-800 models are usually snapped up quickly, so get in touch quickly if you think this should be yours Price SOLD Availability Coming soon Recommendation Enjoy it as it is Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1978 Pick-ups Maxon PU-100 Selector 3 Way Bridge Original Vintage Tremolo Board Maple Weight 3.15kg; 6lbs 15oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

Greco SST-88, Modern MIJ at its finest < Back Greco SST-88 A004098 Japan continues to produce very high quality guitars - most of the brands we know and love from the 1970s and 1980s still continue to this day, but only a few continued into this century with Japanese made products, and the quality that Japanese guitars are so well known for. Ibanez, Burny and Greco continued MIJ lines alongside History, ESP, Seventy Seven and a few others. If you had the budget and respected that quality costs decent money, then these guitars were available; albeit mostly to the domestic Japanese market. Outside Japan, we had MIJ Fender and selected Ibanez models to satisfy us. We were missing out. This is one such guitar - a Fujigen produced Greco SST-88 in non-gloss black, a rare finish for a rare guitar - most were Wine Red. A Black SG is always a fine looking thing - the lack of gloss gives it an even more menacing look. I suspect this is one of the only SST-88s to leave Japan, they were built in tiny numbers to start with. A featherweight at 2.55kg (5lbs 10oz) and still with its Classic Screamin' pick-ups, the sounds this makes are not featherweight. Tracing its roots back to the Mick Ralphs line, the Screamin' humbuckers were ceramic magnets and here we have 2 different outputs - the neck is a Classic Screamin' output of 8.4k, just like the units in the reverred EG ranges from the mid-80s, and the bridge unit is a whopping 15.95k; so we have set it as low as we can to best match the neck unit. Just know that a turn or two on the height adjuster will deliver ridiculously loud lead tones. Fujigen produced their own pick-ups (they acquired the famous Nisshin Onpa factory in the early 80s), and these pick-ups are found with brand specific names in the History and FGN ranges. In fantastic condition, this sounds as wonderful as it looks, and surprisingly versatile in the middle position. No headstock tax here - you are just paying for a fantastic example of a properly made guitar. Price SOLD Availability Sold Recommendation Enjoy as it is Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 2012 Pick-ups Classic Screamin' Selector 3 way Toggle Bridge ToM Board Ebony Weight 2.55kg; 5lbs 10oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

Greco SE-450, Fender before it was Fender < Back Greco SE-450 H773531 Always a firm favourite here, a white Greco with the added bonus of a Rosewood board so a proper 1960s look! The necks on the Fujigen guitars are a much slimmer C than the earlier Matsumoku models from across town. The pick-ups are original to the guitar and by mid 1977 had evolved to PU-100s, retaining the snappy and airy brightness of the older units, but with 8.07 to 8.22k DCR instead of the 5.8 - 6.0 we see on the pre-PU100 evolution. A real outstanding feature of this guitar is the 3.34kg weight - compared to many of the guitars from 1977, it is particularly light in weight which makes it a real pleasure to play. The 450 model had a slightly slimmer body - just a few mm, than the 500 models. This is the type of guitar that will hook you in before you even plug it in - it has an acoustic ring we only experience with either expensively upgraded models, or very high end Fenders. This one has been maintained very well throughout its life, the slightly faded white paint gives it that proper vintage look. This is a prime example of a mid range guitar competing admirably with premium models - it has an amazing soul - I bet you're Hendrix in less than an hour on this one! Price SOLD Availability Sold Recommendation Learn some Jeff Beck Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1977 Pick-ups Maxon PU-100 Selector 3-way Bridge Original Vintage Tremolo Board Rosewood Weight 3.34kg; 7lbs 6oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

1977 Aria Pro II ST-500, Proper old warrior ready for battle < Back 1977 Aria Pro II ST-500 H770992 A very rare spec - a natural ST-500 with a Rosewood neck needed a Custom Order form filling out at the Japanese music store - this could quite easily be mistaken for the ultra-rare ST-800 model, but the machine-head style and body construction place this as a guitar built on a 500 platform. This neck did find its way onto the 600B model a few years later. Arriving with us in what is technically known as "a right old state", we have given this old warrior a full refurbishment - keeping as much original as possible, as these ST-500 models were incredibly good; punching well above their weight even when new. The neck has been completely refinished, and now has a set of Jescar 45100 medium jumbo frets. Whilst feeling and playing like a brand new neck, it looks convincingly old and matches the rest of the aesthetic. It's set up like our mate Rob's '63 Strat that he stripped the Fiesta red off in the mid 70s, (and wished he hadn't). The small headstock makes him think its his, as most Strats in this colour scheme are firmly CBS. Most importantly, it plays beautifully. The pick-ups are original to the guitar and have that characteristic brightness and power of the SP-II units. The controls are original to the guitar, refurbished and fully functional. We have refurbished the bridge unit and given it a new tremolo arm and output jack on its original boat. There is a substantial shim in the pocket made of layers of 1977 Japanese newspaper (really!), and loads of room both sides in the rod if you want to set it up in a more modern fashion, but give this a go before you do The battered up body is limited to the finish - there are no big chunks of ash missing - it has just been biffed around all of its life, and doesn't seem to mind. Any cracks you see in the photographs are in the polyester finish. The 3.38kg (7lbs 7oz) feels light and balanced, the typical Matsumoku construction and the new frets make it "zing" and ring acoustically before you plug it in. The "old one you'll never sell" is for sale for someone to be able to say that again. Price SOLD Availability Sold Recommendation Enjoy it Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1977 Pick-ups SP-II Selector 3-way Bridge Original vintage tremolo Board Rosewood Weight 3.38 kg; 7lbs 7oz Modifications Refretted (Jescar 45100 Medium Jumbo), refinished neck ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

Greco TE-600 1974, One that worried Fender < Back Greco TE-600 1974 Pre-serial Number Our love for Matsumoku built TE-280s and 350s is well known - we rave about them all the time, and for good reason. Fujigen were quite keen to get in on the act too, and from the mid-70s onwards, produced some incredibly good quality Teles and Strats, culminating in a partnership with the big boys themselves to form Fender Japan. Matsumoku were always keen to impart their own personality onto Fender ideas - it is what makes them so special, and relevant alongside the attempted facsimiles, that are now often and genuinely considered to be as good, or better than USA made originals from these years. That's controversial, obviously. This particular guitar is a Greco TE-600 model - the top of the range Tele from Kanda Shokai's range. The idea here was to make an absolute identical copy of a Fender - this is an early 74 build and came with the familiar Maxon tele pick-ups of the time. In the past, a previous owner has replaced the neck unit with a 2-conductor Seymour Duncan Vintage Rails - a very nice low output unit that retains the single coil sound with a little more clarity. The bridge unit puts a smile on your face with its snarly aggressiveness - back the volume down to smooth it out a little. The woods (ironically sourced from the Matsumoku conditioning plant) are top drawer - you can see the gorgeous grain under the blonde finish. The top-drawer star-tuners remain, and are a reminder that this was the top of the range model. A previous owner had grand plans for this Tele - behind that little white string retainer plate on the reverse, are a few further modifications that were either given up on, or mind was changed half way through. Just a few holes drilled for a reason we can't fathom. You can't see it, feel it, hear it - it is simply a bit of the guitar's history - we can forgive it, hope you can to. Price SOLD Availability Sold Recommendation Enjoy the quality Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1974 Pick-ups Vintage Rails and Maxon Selector 3-Way Bridge Original Board Maple Weight 3.58kg; 7lbs 14oz Modifications Seymour Duncan Vintage Rails ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

Greco SE-600 (Electrics Upgrade), Taking Maxons to the limit < Back Greco SE-600 (Electrics Upgrade) Pre-serial number 1974 was the year that Matsumoku really started to emulate the Strat. This one comes with its original 'star' tuners and Maxons - the latter having an unmistakeable set of tones. We are always so smitten with the Maxon sounds - bright and airy, always cutting through even amongst the humbuckers. We also adore the Maxon humbuckers on the early EG range - they have a remarkable growl. Therefore, with a minor modification, we can have both, and we are delighted with the results. This is the 3rd 1974 SE-600 we have had since we started and they have all been super heavy-weights - you'll have lighter Les Pauls in the rack. If a heavy, and I mean really heavy, Strat doesn't put you off, read on, as this is a guitar that will cover a lot of bases that previously required 2 guitars, or a mega-bucks one with huge headstock tax. When I say heavy, I mean 4.6kg - that's over 10lbs in old money. It's sen ash, so nothing exotic - there is no gold stashed in it. It is just a dense bit of ash. All the better for it. I have converted this one to a 5-way selector (we have cut a new plate for it but retained the little truss rod adjutment hatch as this is a solid good idea), and replaced the pots with new premium CTS items - the lower tone control being a push pull that engages a different pick-up configuration with the 5-way. Pushed down, we have a traditional Strat configuration - the 3 magic Maxons and the parallel tones too. Pull this up and position 3 will engage the neck and middle Maxons into series - very similar to that lovely neck Maxon humbucker on an EG Les Paul model. In the bridge position, the bridge and neck Maxons are joined in series and we get a really nice ES335 middle position tone with a bit more bite - a very decent lead tone indeed - much more mid-range than the bridge Maxon on its own. In between these 2 positions is the neck and bridge in series; that in parallel with the middle. If you like the "in-between" parallel tones on a Strat but always lose yourself a little in the mix, then this is the position that brings you back in no uncertain terms. In the remaining selector positions, you get the neck on its own - always a glorious option with a Maxon. Versatility without too much complexity, and this is very quick to familiarize yourself with. 1974 SE-600s had a slightly slimmer neck than the lower order models, and they do have a premium feel to them - the tuners and tremolo also being higher spec. Star tuners on the back of the headstock meant you had the top of the range. We have never seen a broken or worn Star tuner - they will outlive us all! Of course it has a couple of knocks and scrapes to remind you it is 50 years old, but it still feel like it has another 50 plus ahead of it, and now you have a hugley more powerful set of tones to accompany your vintage Strat. Either get down to the gym and prepare yourself for this guitar, or wear it instead of going to the gym. Either way, you'll end up up better off! Price ON SALE! Click Buy button to reveal latest price. Availability 1 at Ketteringham Hall Recommendation Leave the Gibson at home Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1974 Pick-ups Original Maxon Selector 5-way Bridge Vintage Fender-style tremolo Board Maple Weight 4.6kg; 10lbs 2oz Modifications Series options with push-pull ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

1974 Greco SE-430, Last of the 430s < Back 1974 Greco SE-430 Pre Serial Number This is a very rare opportunity to have an early Matsumoku Strat with the engineered neck and the added bonus of new Jescar 55090 frets - another 10-20 years of just routine servicing for this one. If you haven't experienced one of these Harayama necks yet, I urge you to give them a try - people of all tastes in neck seem to love them. Even Caleb likes them, which is a relief as he bought 2 of them. Obviously this looks amazing - timeless faded white with 20 a day Marlboro Red stained plastics. No wheezing and wheeling around an oxygen tank for this one though - the Maxons are still doing their thing - bright and airy, and cutting through in all positions. There has been a DM-50 out of an Early Sixties SE-700 on my desk for about a year - waiting for a worthy candidate for retro-fitting. This is it. No doubt. So we have all the traditional Strat tones, and you can quack and cluck as well as bite and snarl. The 9.5 radius neck feels a little flatter then it is, but that is the neck shape making itself known. The rest of the hardware is original and in rude health. The tremolo bridge may look a little pre-historic, but it works every bt as well as the Fender style ones that followed. Great looking, great sounding, fastidiously restored and prepared for another 51 years. Maybe more. These were made to last. Price £995 Availability Sold Recommendation Find a place in the rack for this one Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1974 Pick-ups Maxon Selector 5-way Bridge Original Matsumoku Vintage Board Maple Weight 3.76kg (8lbs 5oz) Modifications Re-fret (Tall Narrow) and 5-way switch (DM-50) ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

1977 Greco SE-700W Early Sixties, Earlier weightier Early Sixties model < Back 1977 Greco SE-700W Early Sixties I774760 The Greco SE-700 was the premium big-headstock model of the range in the 1970s. In 1977, there were 2 SE-700 models in the range, a small headstock maple neck version with PU-100 pick-ups and a 3-way switch - these were built in tiny numbers. This is not one of these, it is the more familiar and highly regarded Early Sixties model, with the PU-119 (Excels) and the 5-way switch. These are every bit as good as their well deserved reputation suggests. Each of the 5 positions (including the middle on its own) has a distinctive character and there is no weak position amongst them and all respond well to subtle control changes on the guitar and the amplifier. The controls and switch are all original, in fact everything on this guitar other than the strings remains original - the bridge and tuners are all in great aged condition - most importantly perfectly functioning. At precisely 4.40kg (9lbs 11oz) this has, despite the Early Sixties moniker, a very 1970s weight and feel to it - the aged white finish fading to cream gives it that authentic vintage touch too. It isn't completely flawless, there are signs of life, but nothing to detract. 1977 Grecos regularly seem to have a lot more weight to them that earlier and later years - we'd class this as a 'heavy strat' - there are other lighter models here if this is a deal-breaker. The serial Number on this one is I774760, a late November 1977 Fujigen build from the time they were really showing off to impress the boys from Corona prior to the partnership. A Fender guitar from this CBS era is hit and miss - there were some real howlers, and even the good ones are likely to have been upgraded by now. During this era, Fujigen and their contemporaries were just the opposite - getting better and better. We adore all SE-700 models, and have a special soft spot for this one as it bucks the trend and has its extra kilogram and wears it very gracefully indeed. There is scope for further work to this guitar - even though the frets have plenty of life left in them, a set of Tall Narrow on this neck; together with a Gotoh 510T tremolo upgrade turns this already fantastic guitar into Custom Shop eater - but without the catastrophic price tag. We don't see the need to upgrade the amazing PU-119 pick-ups, the only worthwhile upgrade would be a set of Haussel Desperados but definitiely give these Excels a chance beforehand. Their reputation is well deserved. Price £1,195 Availability Sold Recommendation Lovely as it is, but there is scope. Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1977 Pick-ups PU-119 x3 Selector 5-Way Bridge Vintage Tremolo Board Rosewood Weight 4.4kg; 9lbs 11oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 04:39 Play Video Play Video 04:50 Play Video Play Video 06:36 Play Video Play Video 04:01 Play Video Play Video 08:18 Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27

Ultimate spec of Greco with added modern twist < Back Matsumoku DB-600 Price £1,195 | SOLD Add to Cart Chat with Us Missed out on this model? Talk to us for a rebuild! 2 things really stand out about this 1979 Greco - obviously it is a glorious looker - a proper stunner of a guitar with that deep lustrous finish, and the glorious wear on the fretboard. Many 45 year old guitars don't take a polishing particularly well, they wear their hazy lacquer with pride. Not so with this one, you would be forgiven for thinking this was an SE-800. The second stand-out quality is the versatility - we'll come to that in a minute. In 1979, the SE-600 had the small headstock, the slim C neck profile, and PU-119 Excel pick-ups. Catalogue geeks will spot an 8-hole guard where a 1979 model would have an 11 hole guard. Are we sure it isn't an 800? The neck profile and lack of brass cavity liner tells us otherwise - the spec really resembles the 1980 catalogue SE-600 model, the date stamp on the guard is 23rd December 1978, but is prefixed with a 1, so quite possibly a specification being developed. When the guitar arrived into UK from Japan, it was looking tired - exhausted would be a better description. The board wear and parking knocks are never an issue, but the cracked and broken pick-guard, the sweat-eroded and seized saddles and tuners had obviously spelled out 'final retirement'. But removing the worn out hardware and a gentle clean revealed that this guitar should and will go on for many years to come. Guitars in that condition give us the opportunity to transform them into range-topping specifications, and add some modern versatility missing when new. The guitar looks so damn good, plays so comfortably, and has 3 Excel Maxons in rude health. So, here is what we have done: New 'close as possible' colour pick-guard with spring cover, and a selector slot to accommodate a DM-50 5-way selector to get the full Strat tone palette; new CTS premium pots and a redesign of the controls to provide Master Volume, Master Tone and a Power Dial. A what? A power dial. This works on the neck setting and bridge setting. With the knob set to zero, you will hear the PU-119 with all its high definition chime and clarity, as originally intended. Roll to 5 and you will reduce a section of the mid-range frequencies to remind you of an earlier low-output Maxon; and roll up to 10 for a mid boosted tone, knocking on the door of a humbucker. No batteries, no preamps complexity, just some imaginative wiring. An evolution of the Matsumoku PEQ controls perhaps. The bridge is a new Gotoh 510 unit - these are fabulous units and fitted to mega-bucks boutique guitars from Japan. The arm is a screw-in type, and the free-swing can be set with a grub screw. Tuners are new Gotoh SDS510 units to match the bridge. Only the best for this. Everything else is restored and original; once again we declare the best of new and old in perfect harmony. Details The Look Don't think we have ever seen a better looking sunburst. Headstock Small headstock with new Gotoh SDS510 tuners Neck Slightly slim C and wear all natural - keep adding to it Pick-ups Original PU-119 Excels Bridge A brand new Gotoh NS510T - our very favourite tremolo bridge for these old Grecos. Controls DM-50 5-way selector; CTS premium pots; lower Tone control is a passive power boost Gallery ← Previous Next→