Greco Strat Question - Best model and years in your opinion?

[bmarsh]

I am looking to buy a nice strat for around 800 - 900 USD but am very new to Greco's so I wanted to humbly ask the experts their opinion on what to buy.

I recently bought an EG900 and was blown away. Just a great guitar! So I decided to raise some funds to buy a nice strat as well.

I am hoping to get something with a nitro finish, nice electronics, nice neck. I see SE600s, 700s, and 800s occasionally on fleebay, but really don't know much about them. I also see "U" and "E" pickups. I am looking for more of a vintage tone, think 1970s Eric Clapton Lay Down Sally type tone. And lastly I prefer a 5 way switch for the in-between tones.

Sorry to ask probably bonehead questions. But I would really appreciate if you guys would weigh in with your thoughts. Thanks!

 

[Udonitron]

The SE600-800 are killer guitars! Generally from 1977 to about 1982 are really nice. You can even find rare occurrences of SE600's having a 1 piece body as well. My 800 is a 2 piece and I have a 600 white with rosewood board on the way. I have seen some 57 replicas in the 600's but the 800, as far as I know, was exclusively a 1957 replica. They stopped making them in 82 I think (chime in if I am wrong) as that is when Fender came in and started using Fujigen to make their Squires.

 

[JohnA]

+1 on Udonitron comments, the 600's and up-over are excellent guitars, but if you really want nitro then it would have to be an 800. IMO, in general, a later (post '78) 600 is a better guitar than an earlier 800.

The 600's are also a lot better value for money, 800's command a premium and apart from the finish aren't that much different other than the 800 Super Real's which tend to have fatter necks.

 

[Udonitron]

Yeah my 800 is poly! Typical inconsistent Greco lol. Looking forward to my 79/80 600 to arrive to compare. The V neck on my 57 is amazing however.

 

[bmarsh]

Great info guys! So anything before '77 is a bit less accurate? Like "Gneco" era?

I am definitely interest in getting V neck because that feels comfortable for me.

What about pickups? Are there different quality in pickups on the different models? I saw someone selling a 900 and a 1000 on ebay recently. What are the build and electronics on those?

 

[Udonitron]

The higher end Strats come with Excel pups and they are killer IMO. I would never swap mine...I love them...very old school 60's tone to them. Good clarity as well.

 

[bmarsh]

That's right, excel pickups are greco and E and U are tokai, my bad.

Can I get an opinion on this Greco Super Real SE800? Does is look legit and would the original pickups have black bottoms? It seems like this price is on the higher end, like retail pricing. But I am thinking of pulling the trigger. What do you guys think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320587285190&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I realize I could get an SE600 and swap the pickups, but I prefer to have a really different sound that what is easily available nowadays so I want to go with original electronics if they are good quality.

Thoughts?

 

[marcusnieman]

Can I get an opinion on this Greco Super Real SE800? Does is look legit and would the original pickups have black bottoms? It seems like this price is on the higher end, like retail pricing. But I am thinking of pulling the trigger. What do you guys think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320587285190&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


Thoughts?

The seller, Ryan C, is a forum member.... that guitar is legit and he's a trusted seller.

 

[Koubayashi]

I would pick up a JV-strat for that money.
Not necessarily better but for sure a better way to invest money.
Legit Fenders are always a better investment imo.

And besides, JV are kind of Greco

 

[JohnA]

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=17181

 

[bmarsh]

I would pick up a JV-strat for that money.
Not necessarily better but for sure a better way to invest money.
Legit Fenders are always a better investment imo.

And besides, JV are kind of Greco

Thanks everyone for weighing in. I really appreciate it.

Koubayashi Thanks for the advice on the JV Fender's. So Fender outsourced production to Greco for the Japan market?

Sadly I ended up having unexpected expenses so I had to temporarily put off my Greco strat purchase.

To give a little more background, I currently have a '96 Fender USA Strat with fralins in it(got it used for cheap). It's a very nice tone. But having gotten a Greco Les Paul for so cheap and realizing it truly sounds better IMHO than the Gibson's I've played in local shops, I have to see if Greco strats are just as well built. I've also begun to educate myself on Tokai's, Fernandes, and Burny. I just never imagined I be ever be able to get a vintage nitro strat. Although I have heard the poly used on lower models are very thin and hardly make a difference. Thoughts?

 

[Udonitron]

For what it is worth, I sold my Fender JV in lieu of my Greco SE800 I preferred my Greco more so sold the Fender to fund my Greco purchase. I love the Greco so much that I recently bought a nice 1979 Olympic White one with a rosewood board. Fantastic guitars and you can get them cheaper than a JV for sure. BIN from 10-30K Yen

 

[villager]

SE-800 10-30k !!!

show me please?

 

[Udonitron]

WHERE did I say that there are SE800's for a BIN of 10-30K? I said I sold my JV to fund my SE800 and I recently bought a white one. I did not however, say the white one was a 800 nor did I say you can buy an 800 for that. I said they are fantastic guitars (the Greco Strats) and you can get them cheaper than a JV. I have seen Greco Strats go for 10-30K BIN. I bought my white SE600 for a BIN of 15K and my 800 for 45K BIN (but the seller who sold it for 45K BIN originally bought it a week prior for 21K!! as per his feedback)

Besides...you are a master at searching for stuff on Yahoo and buying 10 of each right? Use those skills & search lol

 

[villager]

your post refers to a model number ie 800 then its reasonable to assume you are continuing to refer to the same model number as you did not specify another model available for 10-30k, if you make yourself clear in your posts then that would help, but then most canadians speak english as a second language don't they? eh? :evil: :evil:

 

[Koubayashi]

your post refers to a model number ie 800 then its reasonable to assume you are continuing to refer to the same model number as you did not specify another model available for 10-30k, if you make yourself clear in your posts then that would help, but then most canadians speak english as a second language don't they? eh? :evil: :evil:

That should be English as a second language, don't they? eh







No offense, just making fun

 

[Udonitron]

your post refers to a model number ie 800 then its reasonable to assume you are continuing to refer to the same model number as you did not specify another model available for 10-30k, if you make yourself clear in your posts then that would help, but then most canadians speak english as a second language don't they? eh? :evil: :evil:

Now you are going so low as to insult my nationality? Really man....?

 

[bmarsh]

For what it is worth, I sold my Fender JV in lieu of my Greco SE800 I preferred my Greco more so sold the Fender to fund my Greco purchase. I love the Greco so much that I recently bought a nice 1979 Olympic White one with a rosewood board. Fantastic guitars and you can get them cheaper than a JV for sure. BIN from 10-30K Yen

Before this completely derails ...

Hey Udonitron, how would you compare the SE 600 to the SE 800? I am assuming they have different pickups? How would you compare the build quality and sound of the 600 to current Fender USA strats?

 

[Udonitron]

I am waiting for the 600 to arrive so I cannot tell you as of yet. I have seen some 600's that are 57 replicas with the 8 screw pickguard but I have also seen 600's with the 11 screw pickguard. The one arriving is the 11 screw. My 800 is the 57 replica with 8 screws. I have never seen an 800 with a 1 piece body but I have seen several 600's with a 1 piece Sen Ash. Seems there are some golden 600's out there!! I think many of the 600's came with Excel pups as well, from those I have seen. I would suspect many of the 600's were/are just as good as the 800's and thus better than the MIJ Fenders, IMO.

Just build quality and overall fell I preferred to my Fender. Pups can be swapped but I would not touch the Excels...they are great pups.

 

[villager]

your post refers to a model number ie 800 then its reasonable to assume you are continuing to refer to the same model number as you did not specify another model available for 10-30k, if you make yourself clear in your posts then that would help, but then most canadians speak english as a second language don't they? eh? :evil: :evil:

Now you are going so low as to insult my nationality? Really man....?

just a joke.. I am welsh see boyo :wink:

this caught my eye

http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b113193564