Greco TE500N

Price

£1,600 GBP | SOLD

Missed out on this model? Talk to us for a rebuild!

By the time this 1979 Greco TE500N was being produced, the Fuji factory was producing MIJ Fenders. Lawsuit shenanigans were avoided by restricting Fuji to marketing Greco versions in the home market only - these are legitimate and non-contested models; built to the exact same standard as export models. So this is a Fender without the decal. This one is better though. The wide-range pick-ups produced by Maxon were, in their time, good sounding units. Current Fender wide-ranges sound pretty good too, but Monty has taken them to new levels with these - launched to an eager audience and long waiting list in 2021. I managed to get a set for this TE500N. As expected, they take the guitar to a whole new level. No re-issue, or even original issue Thinline is going to sound as full, as warm or be a versatile as this one. Anyone familiar with MIJ Fenders of this era will recognize the neck profile, and the balance of the guitar - they are delicious and dangerously addictive. Now this one is at a supreme level - watching blues virtuoso Ron Sayer Jr bonding with it a few weeks ago was unforgettable.

Replacing the saddles with solid billet brass units adds a new dimension to the way the sound emanates and decays - the original bent steel saddles are here and can be restored to their positions if need be, but the combination of saddles and pick-ups here is a sweet spot I feel deserves to be a fundamental characteristic of the guitar. This is a rare sight outside Japan - this one was a loyal servant to a busy musician from new, and is in perfect condition to continue on for another 40 years. The patina is real, not confected; the original tuners are rebuilt and in rude health. It has recently received a very in depth luthier and master builder set-up. It's glorious.