(SOLD) Greco SA-500 Semi-Hollow Brown Sunburst 1980
Greco SA500, brown sunburst, made in Japan 1980. The pictures are going to speak a lot louder than words, but hey, here goes. This model is Greco's take on the downsized 335, so it's similar to the Gibson ES339 in size, although it pre-dates the Gibson model by a few decades. The body is a superbly bookmatched laminate white sycamore with a centre block; it's a spectacular looking on both top and back. The burst finish has aged gracefully, and paired with the golden binding and dark chocolate rosewood board, this looks stunning. The neck is a slim, straight and comfy round shape; it's extremely easy to play and you can feel the love and precision that's gone into the build. The Maxon humbuckers deliver a super articulate, warm and nuanced take on the PAF style tone; there's a mile-wide midrange with an airy and complex character to it. This sounds superb both clean or overdriven, it's an absolute tone monster. CNC routers didn't arrive at Japan guitar builders for another couple of years, so this beauty was shaped and caressed entirely by hand... it's definitely a testament to the craftsmanship of the legendary Fujigen plant luthiers. Don't buy it, I'll keep it... okay?
Model: Greco SA-500
Made: 1980, Japan, Fujigen factory (serial E804334)
Finish: brown sunburst, black 4-ply guard, aged cream double binding
Body: laminate white sycamore, book matched, centre block, 360mm width, 42mm depth
Neck: 3-piece maple set neck, 43mm at nut, 24.75" scale, 12" radius
Weight: 3.490kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Maxon U-1000 humbucker x2
Case: basic gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: Minor finish wear. Headstock has some minor chips on the end and top edge. Neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples on the back only. The back has a handful of light scuffs and dimples, no major marks. The sides have a few minor dimples on the top horn, shoulder and near the jack. The front is pretty tidy, just some dimples on the top horn, near the knobs and on the shoulder as well as some play wear on the guard and horns. Overall: very good condition (8/10).
Playing condition notes: Neck is straight, intonation is good, action is low, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Frets have some normal wear, no major buzz issues and plenty of height left, 6/10 for fret life left. Setup with fresh 11/49 Moonshiners strings.