Greco SA1200 no serial # no label inside F hole

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winniethomas

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I have what appears to be an SA1200. It is the 1981 version with the Greco inlay on the head stock and not a Gibson flower pot I've owned it for about 20 years now. It did not come with Dry Z pickups, but I did buy it used. The pickups were Gotohs, which are great sounding, although I put a set of 57 classics in it. The Gotohs are in safe storage.

I am lead to believe that it was made in the Tokai factory, and that quite possible the Gotoh pickups are original. I love the guitar and sold my real 335 since the Greco was so much nicer.

Any thoughts as to is origin?

Thanks.
 
I'll get some out today. I don't have a place to post them on line, can I upload them directly here?
 
winniethomas said:
I'll get some out today. I don't have a place to post them on line, can I upload them directly here?



you would need a photo hosting web site; some folks here use Flickr but there are other sites
 
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The Gotoh pickups were in the guitar when I bought it 20 years ago
 
If it was an 82 it should be Fujigen made and that doesn't look the part. It does look to have Tokai Tab route marks. Broken O so its Mint collection .... I'd say its maybe late 80's if its a Tokai made 335
 
SA1200's were only made in '80 and '81. this one is an '81

You will notice the long pick-guard, like a first year ES335
 
brokentoes said:
If it was an 82 it should be Fujigen made and that doesn't look the part. It does look to have Tokai Tab route marks. Broken O so its Mint collection .... I'd say its maybe late 80's if its a Tokai made 335

I had inadvertently identified it as an '82, it is an '81
 
If you look at the SA1200 brochures this guitar is identical to the '81. What makes you say it isn't?

Here's a guitar that's identical to mine.

https://www.mmguitarbar.com/listing/1981-greco-super-real-sa1200-vintage-long-guard-lacquer-335-w-dry-z-pafs-case-japan/25588650

and the 1981 brochure: http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/greco/1981/en_06.html
 
SA1200 was made during the 'Super Real' era, not in the 'Mint Collection' era, although there may have been a small window of transition in the late 1981/early 1982 time frame.

I have never seen a SA1200 with Tokai routing attributes, which yours' has.
Yours' also has numerous other attributes that I have not seen identified with a SA1200.

1982 Mint Collection (catalog) SA models came with Screamin, The Groove, and DRY pickups depending on the model.
If the pickups in your example are original (don't know if they are) it is likely a mid to late 1980s example.
There are known Greco Mint Collection EG examples from this time frame that have Tokai routings so, the possibility is there for the time frame.

The implications are obvious, IMO.
 
Thank you for your insight. It has long been a mystery to me. The guitar is an exceptional piece and plays better than the Gibson ES335 I had. I sold the Gibson and kept the Greco.
 
Here we are in July. I have found this excerpt from good old Wikipedia:

There were also some transitional Greco models from 1981/1982 that have a mixture of "Super Real Series" and "Mint Collection Series" features such as a "Super Real" model with an open O letter in the Greco logo instead of a closed O letter. The Super Real EGF (flametop) and EG series higher end models featured nitrocellulose lacquer finishes and fret edge binding and some of the Super Real lower end models also featured fret edge binding


The mystery continues.
 
Here we are in July. I have found this excerpt from good old Wikipedia:

There were also some transitional Greco models from 1981/1982 that have a mixture of "Super Real Series" and "Mint Collection Series" features such as a "Super Real" model with an open O letter in the Greco logo instead of a closed O letter. The Super Real EGF (flametop) and EG series higher end models featured nitrocellulose lacquer finishes and fret edge binding and some of the Super Real lower end models also featured fret edge binding


The mystery continues.

Nope , old news around here, not even close to a mystery, and Mr Villager above knows more about Greco's than Greco {well almost} ..... :p
 
I agree with Mark, it's a Tokai Made SA guitar. I had and sold one myself... Dead give away is the masking tape removed in
neck pocket and square rooting for the pickup feet in the body.
 

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