All Mahogany 1979 Greco Super Sound SE800

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Sigmania

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I regret not getting this. I bet the all mahogany build sounds cool & probably sustains well.

K790502

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/275038860839?nma=true&si=Nw7MKSrlokrhuoP%2B9vzO9P2ICoE%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

And

https://reverb.com/item/46585095-vi...aster-all-mahogany-construction-made-in-japan

From the listing:

1979 Greco Stratocaster SE-80 ?
RARE All Mahogany Construction
Killer Brazilian Looking Rosewood fretboard
Made In Japan
Serial: # K790502
Weight: 7lbs 13.3oz
Nut Width: 1.614"
Radius: 7.25"
Neck Thickness: 0.880" 1st - 0.951" 12th
Scale Length: 25.5"
Vibe: Killer

Here's one that doesn't require any detailed nomenclature to let you know the simple fact that some guitars have real mojo, some don't, and this one certainly does. Greco must have been having a true Zen moment when the concept for this guitar hit it's zenith, because this is one of the best Strat guitars ever. This Nubian goddess will turn you into a loyal disciple with her deep mahogany body, and dark, sleek mahogany neck with a carve that is sensual and guiding. This elegant, understated beauty has a gloriously resonant and balanced feel and is chock full of voodoo mystique and deep funky mojo. Vintage voiced pickups meet traditional wiring for a tone that will keep up with any of Fenders late 70s offerings, and the all mahogany construction gives a full and deep tone that is custom made. The guitar has been set up for optimal playability and plays impeccably up and down the fretboard. Cosmetically she's been loved, and she is all there with typical wear including small dings, scratches and buckle marks. All this just help to tell a story of a guitar that plays and sounds the part. Truth is you could have more expensive guitars but this one might become your go-to. Here's a chance to own a Strat that not many have seen, an eye catching, sonorous beauty with a special something all her own.
 
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Yeah, a bit of a unicorn that. I've seen a couple like it turn up at auction in Japan during the last decade or so, but so far, I've always missed out on them. I know two other collectors that have one each, though (one might be the one in the MLP link, not sure).

But there's a unicorn with hen's teeth version of it as well, basically the same guitar, only with set neck. Yep, an actual set-neck Strat. Up until a couple of months ago, I'd only ever seen one in a book (Japan Vintage Collection vol 2), with just a single pic and no info as to it's origin, then one turned up at auction on Yahoo Japan. It went beyond my budget pretty quickly, but acquaintance from one of the MIJ Facebook groups bought it.

But it's typical of Greco, they ran what amounted to a custom shop starting in 1972 and the number of weird custom order and store original instruments seems endless. I have a small collection myself, mostly SE models, incl a SE500 version of Robbie Robertson's no 2 guitar in Last Waltz, with mid pickup moved back, a Richie Blackmore sig model SE450, a '78 SE500 (probably) with bound fretboard and matching headstock. I also have a mahogany-bodied (in metallic red finish, though) HH Strat (2 x U2000s) from a run of five models made for the LAOX store chain. None of these guitars ever came near a catalog and the only way to ID them is if they turn up in store ads in old Japanese guitar magazines. The fun never stops. :D
 
Never seen them before. The Excel pickups are great. I’ve had a few Greco’s and still have a couple of alder Super Sound models. One is from April 1982 with SE1 pickups and push pull pots and rosewood fretboard. These late ‘70s early ‘80s are the ones to get.
 
Stratgo said:
I’ve had a few Greco’s and still have a couple of alder Super Sound models. One is from April 1982 with SE1 pickups and push pull pots and rosewood fretboard.

Sounds a lot like this one?
April '82 serial, SE600 sticker, all-black with just Greco on the headstock, brass bridge saddles and nut, SE1T pickups and horribly complex switching with a 5-way and two push-pull pots, I think I can get something like 15 sounds out of it, incl two coils in the bridge pup plus one in the middle in series, making a 22k humbucker (and yeah, it sounds weird... :) ). Otherwise, a generally superb Strat in the Schecter Dream Machine vein.

Lots of oddballs from late '81 to April '82, those final months of Fender copy production. I've always wondered if they are production guitars from an unlaunched 1982 range, custom orders and/or store originals (Greco always made A LOT of those) or just Fujigen being creative when using up the last batches of Greco parts.

Only pic I have at the moment, but I can take more. I'd be interested to get a look at yours.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/Xw4s97z.jpg[/img]
 
Voidoid56 said:
But there's a unicorn with hen's teeth version of it as well, basically the same guitar, only with set neck. Yep, an actual set-neck Strat.

Can't say i'm going to be selling that one any time soon ;)
 
Stratgo said:
I’ve had a few Greco’s and still have a couple of alder Super Sound models. One is from April 1982 with SE1 pickups and push pull pots and rosewood fretboard. These late ‘70s early ‘80s are the ones to get.

And speak of the devil: I picked up another one yesterday. This one's in what looks like Fiesta Red with matching headstock and with a maple neck. SE600 sticker on this one as well. The serial is just four digits at the top edge of the neck plate, odd, but not unprecedented. I've seen a couple of very late-looking guitars with it, and a friend of mine has two basses with the same serial style. The brass bridge saddles are the keyhole type and the nut is plastic, my black one has block saddles and a brass nut.

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Wow! Congrats!

Saving your pics here. Links not showing images.

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Late 1979 ad

SE800 mahogany '80's Strat!!

I ordered it from KEY.

The body and neck are all mahogany, and the fingerboard is a prototype with Jacaranda!

For the first time, 50 pieces were produced!! Of course, other stores do not have them.

Upon request, we also make Clapton models incorporating Schecter assemblies. It's a slightly different type of sound than before. The era of Fender Strats ended in the '70s. From now on, it's the era of Schecter!! If you keep wearing Fender forever, you will be left behind!!!

List price: ¥80,000

(Additional ¥70,000 if replacing with Schecter assembly)

Limited price, so hurry!


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Dayum! Finally some documentation on those beasts! Thanks, great work. A model number (or at least a price), some specs, number produced and point of origin. Ok, so now the chase is on for the Schecter-pickup version...

"The era of Fender Strats ended in the '70s. From now on, it's the era of Schecter!!" was interesting as well, if that was the prevailing attitude in Japan and/or with Greco at the time, it provides a reason for all the Schecteroids of the time.
 
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I was shocked to find it. it was on the back of a Tokai ad that I got and until I translated it I had no idea it was the all mahogany model. Now I really regret not getting that one at the top of this thread.
 
So the SE800 had a Jacaranda board and limited to 50 pieces.

It's quite surprising that they would put a Jacaranda fretboard on a mahogany limited-edition SE that appears to have a 3-piece body which is typically found on the low-end models.
 
It's quite surprising that they would put a Jacaranda fretboard on a mahogany limited-edition SE that appears to have a 3-piece body which is typically found on the low-end models.
Yep. It is odd.
 
It's quite surprising that they would put a Jacaranda fretboard on a mahogany limited-edition SE that appears to have a 3-piece body which is typically found on the low-end models.

I don't know, you can't really accuse Greco of being consistent and/or logical when it comes to Strat body pieces. I've had two standard 1979 SE-800s with 5-6 piece pancake alder bodies and 600s with one-piece sen bodies from about the same time keep turning up. It seems like they became more ordered and consistent in that respect by 1980, though.

I haven't actually checked the number of body pieces in my maho 800, but I will when I get home.
 
It's quite surprising that they would put a Jacaranda fretboard on a mahogany limited-edition SE that appears to have a 3-piece body which is typically found on the low-end models.
Keeping in mind too, Jacaranda is a loose interpretation of rosewood, and fender initially laminated timber for solid colour guitars before then
 

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