1973 Greco SE-500N

This is a fine example of a pre-serial number Matsumoku Stratocaster destined for the home market in Greco guise. Despite being significantly cheaper than the imported US equivalent, this guitar represents incredible value for money compared to the “real thing” from 1973.

The neck profile is a substantial C, unlike the later and better-known JVs, the scale is as you would expect unlike some very early Strat clones. The pick-ups are pure Maxon – bright and airy, and the scratchplate still carries the original 1meg pot for the volume and a pair of 500s for the tones. This will upset the purists, but these pots get the best out of the Maxons. The original 3-way switch remains and has had sufficient use to allow us to find those in-between settings.

The grain on this pancake body construction is sublime – up close it has a few knocks and dings from 50 years of use, but it wears them well.

This guitar has been a busy one – the frets are worn to absolute limit, yet it still plays sublimely – those that like a low action on their Strats will adore this one. We think there is a year or two left in these frets and this will be a rhythm guitarists best mate for a while until a re-fret is finally due.

When guitars with worn frets arrive, we often just put on a nice new set of tall narrow, or some nice fat 70s Gibson frets to give it that real 70s feel; but this one we will leave to the next owner to decide – the last year of service these provide will be a fantastic year.

Or, we can give it the Dave Edwards treatment and convert it to something resembling one of Rory Gallagher’s fleet – some fancy pick-ups, some unusual tonal variety – even a pair of humbuckers.