Up for sale, a 1980 Greco Super Real EGF1200 in near-mint, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, outfitted with PAF-style "Dry-Z" pickups, and complete with the original hardshell case. Heralding from the most collectable (and brief) era of Greco production and the pinnacle of Fujigen design, the Super Real EGF1200 was only offered from 1980-81 and was one of the two highest tiered catalog models in the Super Real line with a sticker price of 120,000 yen. This instrument does an exquisite job of capturing the finer points of a '58-59 Burst, with a hearty '50s neck profile carve capped with a genuine Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. The two-piece solid Canadian maple cap boasts a Cherry Sunburst gloss lacquer finish, highlighting tiger flame extending evenly to the edges of the carve.
When it comes to playability, feel, and tone, the Greco instruments excel, and this guitar comes complete with its original Maxon-made "Dry-Z" humbuckers. This particular PAF replica pickup is the highest grade humbucker offered on any Greco, highly sought after in broader Les Paul circles for their detail and dimension, reflecting Greco's dedication to faithfully reverse engineer Gibson's late '50s humbucker tonal properties. The sound is harmonic-rich and dynamic, with plenty of definition and power from the bridge pickup, and more warmth and fullness in the neck position. It's also worth noting that while this guitar doesn't strictly fall under the "lawsuit" umbrella (there was never any legal action taken against Greco), the legacy of these Japanese instruments is forever attached to the term, given the adherence to the vintage specs and cosmetic touches of their USA-made counterparts. Naturally resonant at 9lbs 15oz, this EGF1200 has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.
The one-piece mahogany neck has a round '50s C-shaped profile carve, falling just shy of full-on “baseball bat” heft yet with very generous shoulders and a gentle increase in overall chunk as you travel up the fretboard, measuring .880” deep at the 1st fret and 1.020” at the 12th. The bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard is a dark, tight-grained cut with pearloid trapezoid inlay, and the slender fretwire is pristine. This guitar plays cleanly up the 24 3/4” scale with a straight neck and a responsive, optimally-adjusted truss rod, and the bone nut measures 1 11/16” in width. The headstock features a pearl inlaid "Greco" logo, Super Real gold script text, and inked serial number, and the Greco Deluxe Kluson Double Line-style tuning machines turn smoothly and hold accurate pitch, with lightly greened keystone buttons. The back of the peghead retains the silver foil model sticker.
On the body, all of the electronics work as they should, with untouched solder joints, original Japanese pots dating to March, 1980, and premium tone caps. The Dry Z pickups have the correct Gibson-style braided wire and output characteristics quite faithful to a PAF, with Z stamps and six digit Maxon codes on their baseplates. All of the plastic parts are intact including the gold bonnet knobs and correctly-shaped amber switch tip, and the nickel-plated hardware includes the ABR-1-style bridge, stopbar tailpiece, and pickup covers, which exhibit a faint dusting of surface patina.
The gloss lacquer Cherry Sunburst finish is stunningly well-kept, with just a couple of finish scratches along the lower bout body edge, while the smooth gloss on the neck profile is immaculate.
The original Greco-branded Lifton-style brown hardshell case with pink plush interior is included; the case is just as well-kept as the guitar, and the “Super Real Series” badge still retains the factory protective film.