Whoops! Medication-induced NGD on the way

[JSett]

So, I have been looking to get an LP for a while but I can't justify the £3.5-12k it'd take to get a nice vintage example of what I'd like. So I've had some saved searches and things hanging around on my watch list for a while as alternatives. I'd like to excuse my breaking of the "I'm not buying any more guitars until next spring" promise I made myself. and publicly, by fore-wording this with the fact I'm on day #3 of a new actual-brain-altering epilepsy medication and have slept about 5 hours total in the last 72hrs.

A good deal came to me on this and I decided it was the closest I could get for not a lot of money. And the name of it tickled me in the way that only Greco names can...

Behold! The Greco SUPER POWER CUSTOM EGC-500


(picture stolen from listing)

It's from 1981, so a year older than me. No real plans for it other than probably replace those knobs with some Gibson top hat style ones as those MIJ ones always look and feel a little shitty IMHO. I think these were their mid-range offerings at the time but online demos and reviews seem very, very positive....plus I saved several thousands of pounds over buying a Gibson.

Hopefully it'll arrive later this week.

[Veitchy]

Solid guitar that wears its age well. Nice one.

What wood do they use for the necks on these?

[Britfingersisback]

Some would say better built than a gibson of the same era

[JSett]

Solid guitar that wears its age well. Nice one.

What wood do they use for the necks on these?

The necks were mahogany and rosewood according to my research plus mahogany body with a maple three piece top.

Some would say better built than a gibson of the same era

I've read similar, hopefully true.

[JSett]

Seller just cancelled the order after back and forth-ing about him using a good shipping company:

I am not comfortable sending the guitar. I've had guitars broken before and I don't trust the delivery people. Even if I wrap it well it's unlikely it will arrive ok. Last guitar was smashed. Sorry about this

For fucks sake.

[Chippertheripper]

Damn, that’s a tough lot.

I wouldn’t say these are inherently better than G guitars of the same era, but they are certainly on par. The bar is totally within reach, as far as living up to the standard is concerned.

[Jonesie]

That's a bummer that they cancelled.

Keep an eye out for some Yamaha Studio Lords, I wouldn't say they're hidden gems, but I think they're a bit more under the radar than a Greco. I have a SL450S and it's all the Les Paul I'll ever need. Set neck, Gibson headstock, etc, etc... The neck on mine is admittedly a bit thin (the rumor is the S stands for slim), but the other models in the series, SL500 and up have slightly thicker necks.

The SL450S is the bottom of the line set neck model and has an Agathis body with a maple top and a mahogany neck. I will say though, my specific guitar has convinced two other people to also buy Yamaha Studio Lords.

[gishuk]

Ah man that sucks the seller backed out, that guitar looks spot on too

[JSett]

Damn, that’s a tough lot.

Ah man that sucks the seller backed out, that guitar looks spot on too

Yeah, I'm a little gutted. He's also been a bit of a dick about it since for some reason...like it's my fault he's suddenly uncomfortable shipping it (despite listing a shipping price and getting to the point of almost actually arranging the courier). Fucking bellend. I'd just go collect if I could.

That's a bummer that they cancelled.

Keep an eye out for some Yamaha Studio Lords, I wouldn't say they're hidden gems, but I think they're a bit more under the radar than a Greco. I have a SL450S and it's all the Les Paul I'll ever need. Set neck, Gibson headstock, etc, etc... The neck on mine is admittedly a bit thin (the rumor is the S stands for slim), but the other models in the series, SL500 and up have slightly thicker necks.

The SL450S is the bottom of the line set neck model and has an Agathis body with a maple top and a mahogany neck. I will say though, my specific guitar has convinced two other people to also buy Yamaha Studio Lords.

I have a couple of the Studio Lords on my watch list too. I love Yamaha stuff too. Truth be told though, if I was to grab an old Yamaha I'd probably get an SG500/SG1000. I had one before and it was rad (and I can't remember why I sold it).

[cestlamort]

Sorry that didn’t work out. What a drag to have the seller suddenly decide that shipping wasn’t an option.

The old Greco guitars have the best model names ever (Spacey Sounds, Super Sounds, Sparkle Sounds, Early Sixties, and (especially) Super Real, etc etc).

I’ll second the Yamaha Studio Lord (runner up to great model names, along with Super Axe). I foolishly parted with mine (maybe SL350?) but I liked it way better than the Gibson Les Paul Standard it replaced. My back did, too. (A Yamaha SG1500 then replaced the SL, as the sustain drowned out the protests of my back)

[JSett]

The old Greco guitars have the best model names ever (Spacey Sounds, Super Sounds, Sparkle Sounds, Early Sixties, and (especially) Super Real, etc etc).

The only one to beat/come equal to those in name quality is the Tokai Hard Puncher

[DeathJag]

That sucks how they handled it. I can see where they're coming from, but that's why you work that crap out before you list the item. If I had to send a guitar that couldn't be broken down, boy that would be in a huge box and a massive shipping cost!

[Embenny]

Yeah, I'm a little gutted. He's also been a bit of a dick about it since for some reason...like it's my fault he's suddenly uncomfortable shipping it (despite listing a shipping price and getting to the point of almost actually arranging the courier). Fucking bellend. I'd just go collect if I could.

I don't get it...was this a Reverb listing? If so, don't they have shipping insurance?

Either way, super weird reaction on their part to a guitar that was listed with a shipping price after money changed hands.

I like to think that these moments save us from ourselves. For all you know, it smelled like blue cheese or felt like a dead plank of wood, and you've been spared from having to deal with that.

[JSett]

That sucks how they handled it. I can see where they're coming from, but that's why you work that crap out before you list the item. If I had to send a guitar that couldn't be broken down, boy that would be in a huge box and a massive shipping cost!

The shipping cost was very high (£75) which I assumed was to cover them putting it in a bulletproof carton and shipping with a specialist. Normally it costs about £25 to ship a cheapish guitar across the UK with insurance

I don't get it...was this a Reverb listing? If so, don't they have shipping insurance?

Either way, super weird reaction on their part to a guitar that was listed with a shipping price after money changed hands.

I like to think that these moments save us from ourselves. For all you know, it smelled like blue cheese or felt like a dead plank of wood, and you've been spared from having to deal with that.

It was on eBay, and we'd exchanged about 5 or 6 pleasant emails about the process before he randomly refunded me and sent the previously quoted message.

I'm just gonna write it off and start looking again in the new year. Maybe I'll find something better in the interim or the right Gibson will land in my hands. We'll see. It's a bummer but not the end of the world as I've got plenty of nice guitars here to 0lay in the mean time.

[LVC]

It was on eBay, and we'd exchanged about 5 or 6 pleasant emails about the process before he randomly refunded me and sent the previously quoted message.

Sounds like he belongs in the eBay hall of shame.