Greco Vee-Strat

1984 was a revolutionary year for Fujigen - the Fender JV was in full swing; the Boxer range was moving beyond tradition; Greco were heading into their hair-metal phase, and Fernandes catalogues were 130 pages long. The world was on fire and buying a tradional Strat was difficult as the shop windows were rammed with the future.

This flyweight oddity is not seen in catalogues of the era (tell us if we're wrong) and matches a super dinky slim-line strat body with a Flying Vee neck. 22 frets, bolt on for convenience, 1980s Blueburst finish. super skinny neck and so light that it floats away. The SQ3 pick-ups found their way to the Greco-Guitar Device (with Spirit Energy) production lines from the JV area and have that bright spanky sparkle that the Squiers of the era were so well known for. Not a ceramic shove, just a bright hi-presence tone, fine on their own, but lacking a lot of punch in the parallel positions.

This thing has a Flying V neck, and so needs some proper punchy tones to back that up. In went a Schaller Mega-switch (Type M) and the pick-ups linked in series instead of parallel. The middle position connects the neck and bridge coils into series for a really lovely alternative lead tone. This guitar gives you the single coils you use the most, and 3 more useful and interesting thicker tones begging for a huge helping of drive. Then the killswitch comes into its own.

It is 3kg - it almost floats away, but has a set of tones that defy the featherweight nature. Fans of 80s and 90s MIJ super-Strats will recognize the super skinny neck profile and medium jumbo frets. a 41mm nut feels familiar - never crowded, and the 9.5 radius gets you close to shredding comfort if that's your thing.

This is good enough to be your only guitar - it isn't a toy - the designs coming out of Japan at this time were brave, modern and massively better quality that "budget guitars" today. Probably suiting a heavier style in general, the trad Strat sounds are also there.