Greco Basses

[thebigyin]

Morning Folks just enquiring and wondering what peoples thoughts are on Greco Basses....any good? Woods used and general build quality ect, pick ups, electrics, machine heads....got my eye on one but just needed a heads up if anyone has owned and played them before I make a move....any information appreciated, thanks in advance.

[Geek99]

becoming quite collectable - look on ebay for used values. @Bassassin is, I believe, the guru on the genre

I played a jazz ("spacy-sound") once and it was very nice (blocks, rosewood, sunburst), although the pickups were a bit weak, they are simple to get re-wound. 

Edited June 28, 2018 by Geek99

[thebigyin]

1 minute ago, Geek99 said:

becoming quite collectable - look on ebay for used values. 

I played a jazz ("spacy-sound") once and it was very nice, although the pickups were a bit weak, they are simple to get re-wound. 

Thanks will do

[cetera]

Great classic Japanese instruments. Mid 70's thru 80's P & J type models are as good as the real deal if not better....

Edited June 28, 2018 by cetera

[discreet]

Just had a look on eBay. Prices seem to have shot up recently! But if they are as good as everyone thinks they are, it may be an affordable way to get into the 70s vibe without breaking the bank.

[fleabag]

They're very decent basses, and i'd guess the prices are just going to keep rising.

 

[discreet]

Great, now I've got Greco GAS. 

[ead]

Look for the ones with the European style 'r' in the logo.  Looks a bit like Gneco when you glance at it.

I had a Gneco EB3-alike which was pretty decent.

[Roger2611]

I owned a Greco Les Paul Custom a few years ago, every bit as good as the Gibson of same era but at a fraction of the price, I think I paid £400 for it, used it for about 4 years and sold it for £600, that is the kind of ownership I like!

[Dan Dare]

Watch out for the prices some folk think they can charge. They were one of the so-called "lawsuit" brands and some seem to think they are worth silly money because of it. They're still copies, albeit quite decent ones

[Bassassin]

Few things about Greco. Japanese domestic brand, which means they're rare in the UK. I think some may have been unofficially exported to the US & Australia but I don't think they were ever sold in the UK or EU. Absolutely not a "Lawsuit Brand".

70s Grecos were made initially simultaneously by Matsumoku & Fujigen - the Fujigens are the same instruments as the equivalent Ibanez, which, again, were the same as equivalent Antoria, which was a UK brand. So if it's a toss-up between an expensive Greco & a less expensive Antoria, then yes, they're 99% likely to be exactly the same.

There's nothing special about the "Gneco" logo examples, except they're older, rarer so more collectable for MIJ anoraks. It's worth remembering that later copy-era guitars were better built & more accurate than most early ones.

While most Japanese export brands all pretty much phased out their copy ranges in favour of originals by the late 70s, it wasn't the case with domestic market instruments - although you won't find any Greco-badged Fender copies made after 1982. This is because Fender Japan was set up by Fender and Kanda Shokai, who own Greco, and the deal stipulated that Kanda drop the Fender fakes. Anecdotally the first run of JV Squiers & Fenders started production as Grecos - so it goes without saying if you have a choice between an eye-wateringly expensive JV and an early 80s Greco, buy the Greco.

[thebigyin]

Thanks for the replies and info, appreciate your input