Greco EG800C, cherry sunburst, made in Japan 1981. LP Custom style guitars always look cool, but in cherry sunburst with four decades on the clock, the swagger really goes to another level. By the mid 70s, Greco were making some remarkably accurate and undeniably excellent Gibson-style guitars at the famed Fujigen Gakki factory. This one dates to 1981, around the same time Gibson and Ibanez's US parent company Elger were locked in a legal battle and a year before the launch of Fender Japan, which was made at the very same factory. All that history aside, this is a terrific guitar. The neck is a comfy rounded shape, the body is resonant and balanced and the quality of woodwork and finishing touches is outstanding. The visual details are tasty: split diamond headstock, seven ply binding, aged block inlays, top hat knobs, gold hardware... it's all there. It sounds enormous: thick, juicy lows and creamy, plump mids. There's a pleasing balanced darkness to the neck pickup and a riotous wail from the bridge pickup, it's very convincing. Being an EG800 model rather than the more common and less expensive EG500 or 600, this one has a gorgeous high grade maple top, a one piece mahogany neck and a tightly grained non-sandwich mahogany body... the good stuff. There's a lot to love here and I feel it's a pretty safe investment: these are getting less and less common and hence appreciating pretty quickly, plus it'll surely put a smile on your dial daily sitting at your place.

Model: Greco EG800C
Made: Japan, Fujigen plant, Feb 1981 (serial B816008)
Finish: cherry sunburst, gloss poly
Body: mahogany, three piece non-sandwich style, two piece plain maple top
Neck: 1-piece mahogany, rosewood board, 24.75" scale, 12" radius, '60 profile
Weight: 4.360kg
Mods: none
Pickup: Greco PU-2 humbucker x2
Case: basic gig bag

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has dents and marks on the top, scratches on the back and some scuffs on the front; nothing nasty. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples on the back only. The back has some dents in the middle of the body and around the control cavity, as well as a chip in the elbow area and widespread scuffs around the whole body. The sides have scuffs around the whole body as well as some dents and dimples from the elbow area around to near the jack. The front has some dimples behind the bridge, near the knobs and in the elbow area, as well as some standard play wear on the guard and horns. Overall: good condition (7/10)

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. The frets have some normal wear including minor pitting, but they're pretty even with no major buzz issues, 7/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 10/52 Moonshiners strings.