You like good pickups. Tim has good gear. He's got Tokai, Greco, all the good MIJ. I bought a MIK Strat off him (something called a Torch Vintage) as a project guitar. I still haven't started the project.
Thanks Matt...yeah Tim has some great gear!! He advertised that Greco and I couldn’t stop looking at it...and I genuinely really like this guitar right now. The pickups were really just a last minute choice...because the Haven Pickups got delayed...but I’m really happy with the way this turned out!!
@@TSFAHTPS They sounded amazing mate. And it generally seemed to suit your hands and style. Great 👌 Best SG I ever played was a lawsuit era. Can't recall which brand, but it was amazing. Sold the day before I had the $! C'est la GAS. Happy Easter!
Thanks J Lore...I’m really happy with it! I was a bit sceptical about the active Fishman pickups at first but I really like them in that guitar...works very well!!
A great idea Gabor doing a video about this lovely Greco guitar.. always wanted to attempt a guitar rebuild and your admission about soldering has inspired me!👍... Any chance of putting the Greco through the Amplitude 5 Fender and Marshall amps?☺👍
Thank you BluesSumlin... I can definitely use it for the Fender & Marshall amps in Amplitube - I just filmed a run through of all the Orange amps - which should be out next week sometime - I used the Greco for that
I look forward to hearing it through the Marshall Origin. An LP style through a Marshall is classic stuff. Love that shade of burst with the antique fading of the binding. The pickups in regular mode have that great PAF clarity it sounds. Great find! Have fun!
That’s definitely coming...I’ve been really loving my Fano with the P90s through the Origin cranked with the boost on...killer sound and I’d imagine this would sound just as good...I’ll do a video with that shortly
This is awesome! Would you mind putting the part numbers for everything you used in the description? I can see all of them except the machine heads. I just bought a mint 77 EG500 chambered like this and was worried about the tone being negatively affected due to the hollowness of the guitar. Yours sounds killer and I would have never thought of going with fishmans. Thanks a bunch👍🏻
Hi Shane...awesome so your EG500 is chambered too? It’s hard to find a lot of info about the different models. Some people said that if it’s chambered it can’t be anything higher than an EG450...but then other people say that they had a 700 or 750 with a chambered body The machine heads I got are Gotoh SG381-P4N I thought they were going to fit exactly but the screw holes didn’t line up...they are just a few millimeters next to the old screw holes...but it doesn’t look bad! If you can I would try and keep as much of the original hardware as possible...I was going to see what the original pickups were going to be like but they looked a bit damaged and the wiring was all over the place so I didn’t even try to get them going again! It’s a really great guitar...great neck too...and I’m not sure how it would sound with the original pickups but these Fishman Fluence Classic pickups seem to sound really good in that guitar!!
@@TSFAHTPS sorry the delay in reply..I never got a notification. Well first I will say that the eg500 didn’t work out as the top was cracked right around the cavity. Not sure if something fell on it or if it was a moisture issue. Sucks because it was an otherwise gorgeous guitar. The top was paper thin in certain areas as well. But fret not he had another solid body EG. not sure if it’s a 500 or 700 or what but it’s a really nice sounding and quite heavy guitar. As far as I know, and I’m no expert on these guitars by any stretch, but most if not all eg500’s and lower were hollow body pre 1980’s. But that’s not to say you couldn’t have a solid body 500 or a hollow body 700. I just don’t think there is anything definitive about that time period. Mine is a 79(unsure of the model but has fret nibs and Greco deluxe tuners)and it’s full body weighing in @ 10.5lbs. I’m thinking an eg500 or 700. She is all original and I will be keeping all the stock stuff as it’s all in good shape and still sounds and plays really well even after 40 years. Cheers Shane
@@TSFAHTPS It looks light. But is it really chambered? I never heard of Greco chambering guitars in those days. Much more likely it's just a lightweight back - unless you could actually see chambers in the routs. Many Japanese LPs are like that. My 2010 Tokai has an all-solid one-piece back that's lighter than my _weight-relieved_ 1984 Gibson. My buddy has the same model of Tokai that's even lighter still.
@@thecaveofthedead it’s definitely chambered...the space between the pickups is pretty much all hollowed out - the top is almost as thin as an acoustic guitar top there which made feeding the wires through nice and easy...and there is definitely another hollow chamber above the bridge...on the opposite side of the body to the control cavity...you can hear it when you tap the body there
Japanese Les Pauls are tremendous bang-for-buck. Even a fairly modest spec Greco like that is more correct to 1950s LP specs than almost any standard official model made since 1960. Those Fluence pickups have tremendous versatility. That first setting is very close to a traditional PAF pickup - like a Bareknuckle Mule for example. Or a Lollar Imperial. It's that, to use a cliché "Telecaster on steroids" sound. The single coil sound is really useful. Sounds a lot like a Jazzmaster to me. I have no use for hot humbuckers on a Les Paul. That was the sound on them from 1968 until very recently and it's why Les Pauls consistently disappointed owners looking for the sounds of their guitar heroes who played 1950s LPs.
Absolutely...I’m a huge fan of late 70s early 80s Japanese made guitars...I think I’ve owned at least 10-12 of them over the years (Fernandes & Greco Strats & Teles, a Greco P-Bass and now also the Greco LP - not counting the Ibanez stuff I had and still have) and I think all of those guitars together cost less than one high end Strat or Tele and nowhere near what a Gibson costs but they were all pretty much as good - if not better - than anything I played made by Fender & Gibson! I was quite surprised by how much I like the Fluence pickups...they seem to work really well in that guitar...and they do have an almost single coil-ish character to them which I guess is what the original PAFs had...very impressed!!
I have Fishman Fluence Classic in all my main Guitars meanwhile. Very versatile! But a nightmare to install................ BTW i'm using the HF-Tilt on all.
I was thinking about doing that but that would have meant more soldering and I was well and truly over it by the end 😜 It makes the pickups darker doesn’t it?? I really like the way they sound...especially clean...but I might try it out sometime!!
@@TSFAHTPS Yes they loose some of their high mid spike , add some bass and are bit lower in output. You can hear in some of my videos how it sounds if you like too.
That’s right...I have done videos for Mojo Stompboxes in the past and I got to know Tim through that...but I saw this guitar on Facebook - he posts stuff he has for sale there - and I bought it at the advertised price...I didn’t ask for a discount and he didn’t offer me a discount ...he didn’t ask me to mention him in the video but I did because I think he has a lot of really good stuff at reasonable prices ...it’s as simple as that
You like good pickups.
Tim has good gear. He's got Tokai, Greco, all the good MIJ. I bought a MIK Strat off him (something called a Torch Vintage) as a project guitar.
I still haven't started the project.
*S Style
Thanks Matt...yeah Tim has some great gear!! He advertised that Greco and I couldn’t stop looking at it...and I genuinely really like this guitar right now. The pickups were really just a last minute choice...because the Haven Pickups got delayed...but I’m really happy with the way this turned out!!
@@TSFAHTPS
They sounded amazing mate. And it generally seemed to suit your hands and style. Great 👌
Best SG I ever played was a lawsuit era. Can't recall which brand, but it was amazing. Sold the day before I had the $! C'est la GAS.
Happy Easter!
Thank you @@mattgilbert7347 and Happy Easter to you too
The Greco came out amazing. Definitely a keeper. The pickups sound way better than I imagined they would.
Thanks J Lore...I’m really happy with it! I was a bit sceptical about the active Fishman pickups at first but I really like them in that guitar...works very well!!
Huge fan of MIJ's, especially G-style ones. My Greco Firebird is a very special beast with lots of vibe. This one sounds great too!
Me too Rob...I’m always looking for a Greco G-Style Guitars...and now especially a Firebird or SG to add to the collection
What a beast, MIJ Les Pauls are just great. I have an Orville and and Edwards and they're pretty much the best two guitars I own.
I used to have an Edwards...great guitar!! This thing has something special...not sure why and what it is but it just sounds so good!!
A great idea Gabor doing a video about this lovely Greco guitar.. always wanted to attempt a guitar rebuild and your admission about soldering has inspired me!👍... Any chance of putting the Greco through the Amplitude 5 Fender and Marshall amps?☺👍
Thank you BluesSumlin... I can definitely use it for the Fender & Marshall amps in Amplitube - I just filmed a run through of all the Orange amps - which should be out next week sometime - I used the Greco for that
I look forward to hearing it through the Marshall Origin. An LP style through a Marshall is classic stuff. Love that shade of burst with the antique fading of the binding. The pickups in regular mode have that great PAF clarity it sounds. Great find! Have fun!
That’s definitely coming...I’ve been really loving my Fano with the P90s through the Origin cranked with the boost on...killer sound and I’d imagine this would sound just as good...I’ll do a video with that shortly
I’m with you Gabor this is a great sounding guitar and lovely sounding pick ups with some really great styling. Love it
Thanks Robert!!
Killer sound.. :)
Great review, very versatile pickups. Did your ever do the review of the Fluence singles that you put in the yellow Fernandez Strat?
No, not yet…we are super slack with that!! It’ll happen very soon though!!
Looking forward to it.
This is awesome! Would you mind putting the part numbers for everything you used in the description? I can see all of them except the machine heads. I just bought a mint 77 EG500 chambered like this and was worried about the tone being negatively affected due to the hollowness of the guitar. Yours sounds killer and I would have never thought of going with fishmans. Thanks a bunch👍🏻
Hi Shane...awesome so your EG500 is chambered too? It’s hard to find a lot of info about the different models. Some people said that if it’s chambered it can’t be anything higher than an EG450...but then other people say that they had a 700 or 750 with a chambered body
The machine heads I got are Gotoh SG381-P4N I thought they were going to fit exactly but the screw holes didn’t line up...they are just a few millimeters next to the old screw holes...but it doesn’t look bad!
If you can I would try and keep as much of the original hardware as possible...I was going to see what the original pickups were going to be like but they looked a bit damaged and the wiring was all over the place so I didn’t even try to get them going again!
It’s a really great guitar...great neck too...and I’m not sure how it would sound with the original pickups but these Fishman Fluence Classic pickups seem to sound really good in that guitar!!
@@TSFAHTPS sorry the delay in reply..I never got a notification.
Well first I will say that the eg500 didn’t work out as the top was cracked right around the cavity. Not sure if something fell on it or if it was a moisture issue. Sucks because it was an otherwise gorgeous guitar. The top was paper thin in certain areas as well. But fret not he had another solid body EG. not sure if it’s a 500 or 700 or what but it’s a really nice sounding and quite heavy guitar.
As far as I know, and I’m no expert on these guitars by any stretch, but most if not all eg500’s and lower were hollow body pre 1980’s. But that’s not to say you couldn’t have a solid body 500 or a hollow body 700. I just don’t think there is anything definitive about that time period. Mine is a 79(unsure of the model but has fret nibs and Greco deluxe tuners)and it’s full body weighing in @ 10.5lbs. I’m thinking an eg500 or 700. She is all original and I will be keeping all the stock stuff as it’s all in good shape and still sounds and plays really well even after 40 years.
Cheers
Shane
great review! vast array of sounds!
Thank you Délivrance...I really like that guitar...it looks great, plays great and the pickups work really well in that guitar!! Have a great Easter!!
@@TSFAHTPS thank you! great Easter too!
friend of mine has one of those, weighs an absolute ton!
This one is quite light...it’s chambered
@@TSFAHTPS It looks light. But is it really chambered? I never heard of Greco chambering guitars in those days. Much more likely it's just a lightweight back - unless you could actually see chambers in the routs. Many Japanese LPs are like that. My 2010 Tokai has an all-solid one-piece back that's lighter than my _weight-relieved_ 1984 Gibson. My buddy has the same model of Tokai that's even lighter still.
@@thecaveofthedead it’s definitely chambered...the space between the pickups is pretty much all hollowed out - the top is almost as thin as an acoustic guitar top there which made feeding the wires through nice and easy...and there is definitely another hollow chamber above the bridge...on the opposite side of the body to the control cavity...you can hear it when you tap the body there
@@TSFAHTPS Crazy. Never heard of Grecos doing that. Reminds me a bit of Ibanez and Hondo LP construction.
Japanese Les Pauls are tremendous bang-for-buck. Even a fairly modest spec Greco like that is more correct to 1950s LP specs than almost any standard official model made since 1960.
Those Fluence pickups have tremendous versatility. That first setting is very close to a traditional PAF pickup - like a Bareknuckle Mule for example. Or a Lollar Imperial. It's that, to use a cliché "Telecaster on steroids" sound. The single coil sound is really useful. Sounds a lot like a Jazzmaster to me. I have no use for hot humbuckers on a Les Paul. That was the sound on them from 1968 until very recently and it's why Les Pauls consistently disappointed owners looking for the sounds of their guitar heroes who played 1950s LPs.
Absolutely...I’m a huge fan of late 70s early 80s Japanese made guitars...I think I’ve owned at least 10-12 of them over the years (Fernandes & Greco Strats & Teles, a Greco P-Bass and now also the Greco LP - not counting the Ibanez stuff I had and still have) and I think all of those guitars together cost less than one high end Strat or Tele and nowhere near what a Gibson costs but they were all pretty much as good - if not better - than anything I played made by Fender & Gibson!
I was quite surprised by how much I like the Fluence pickups...they seem to work really well in that guitar...and they do have an almost single coil-ish character to them which I guess is what the original PAFs had...very impressed!!
SALUDOS DESDE LIMA PERÚ
I have Fishman Fluence Classic in all my main Guitars meanwhile. Very versatile! But a nightmare to install................ BTW i'm using the HF-Tilt on all.
I was thinking about doing that but that would have meant more soldering and I was well and truly over it by the end 😜
It makes the pickups darker doesn’t it?? I really like the way they sound...especially clean...but I might try it out sometime!!
@@TSFAHTPS Yes they loose some of their high mid spike , add some bass and are bit lower in output. You can hear in some of my videos how it sounds if you like too.
You are welcome!
Really digging this guitar!! How much does it weigh??
It’s pretty light because it’s chambered...probably a bit lighter than my Jazzmasters
Is that a Dime for a strap button bud?
Oh a billion Yen lol
@@chickenlickin3820 Lira. Mucho Lira
NOT AFFILIATED WITH MOJO STOMPBOXES
That’s right...I have done videos for Mojo Stompboxes in the past and I got to know Tim through that...but I saw this guitar on Facebook - he posts stuff he has for sale there - and I bought it at the advertised price...I didn’t ask for a discount and he didn’t offer me a discount ...he didn’t ask me to mention him in the video but I did because I think he has a lot of really good stuff at reasonable prices ...it’s as simple as that