Gibson R8 VS. Greco EG59-100 (with Maxon Dry Z Pickups)

This video compares TWO Les Pauls... USA VS JAPAN.
USA: 2002 Historic reissue R8 with WIZZ pickups .
JAPAN: 1982 Mint collection (Transition period) with 1981 Maxon DRY Z pickups.
AMP: Marshall Vintage Modern 50 watt.
Recorded with Zoom H6 ( A little delay at post..)
BEST TO HEAR WITH HEADPHONE OR WITH A GOOD STEREO SYSTEM...
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[@pappyodanial]

I have an EG59-180 ultra rare custom order solid flame top and it's easily my favorite guitar right now. I put a hot Wizz Page 72 in the bridge and kept stock neck. Sold all my Gibson's all I have are custom order high ends, an 85 Tokai LS-200 as well I put Arcane in. I find the wood and the necks on the high end Japanese rigs are just better. Custom shops look good but don't really sound the part to me.

[@vinnieirvine1365]

The Maxons win it for me. More clarity, more complex, more airy, little more bite.

[@yoctanuri]

For me too..

[@These_go_to_eleven_1959]

I would like to have witnessed you taking this in a blind test? Not knowing which was which? People listen with their eyes! those dry z's are totally overrated and were born from internet lore. they are only great because people started parroting how"special" they are. Give me Wizz or OTPG P.A.F's anyday over them!

[@jimbeam-ru1my]

@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 the dry z's and gibson pickups have a noticeably different tone. if you can't hear the difference just because you can see the guitars then you're probably tone deaf. Either way, you're a senseless rube shooting down the difference demonstrated in the video and then declaring other pickups superior without even comparing them at all. Who are you to whine about the way a comparison was conducted when you make up your mind without any kind of comparison at all?

[@anacoreta9381]

You're totally deaf, man.

[@anacoreta9381]

Perfect desciption, the R8 sounds flat ad dumb compared to the Greco, those Dry Z are truely dynamic and have an entire world in them, they are really amazing. Real original PAFs.

[@anacoreta9381]

I wuold choose those Dry Z every day for forever.

[@yoctanuri]

@@anacoreta9381 me too 😉

[@joehan877]

Love the tone !

[@jantje155]

Great video! The Greco is noticably a really well made guitar, and a great 59 copy, initially to the point where I thought it was the better/more accurate sounding one. However at 9:56 it seems to me that the Gibson really has more of that 'quacky'/tele-on-steroids kinda sound that we all look for in a burst. Then again, the pu's in original 59's were handwound so every guitar sounds a little different from one another, kinda the magic of the bursts. I would prefer the Gibson, but if given the opportunity arose for around 2 grand, I wouldn't hesitate and get the Greco.

[@yoctanuri]

Thank you. The wizz p.u has a bit more output than the Dry Z that's why it barks a more. Each guitar has its own character really... And each is good in its own way. These High end Grecos are not in the 2 grand anymore unfortunately... More in the 3 grand and up..

[@jantje155]

@@yoctanuri yea i like that bark! Indeed both have their own great sound, and really that high? I just saw an 82 greco for 1300. Not the dry Z pus though

[@yoctanuri]

@@jantje155 are you sure it was 59-100? Because this was the highest model in 82 for the 59 specs, and the only one with Dry pickups.

[@jantje155]

@@yoctanuri ah right! Im not very familiar with Greco's model names. Mightve been an EG500 if that makes sense? Think it had Maxxon Scream-e pickups

[@yoctanuri]

@@jantje155 Yes could be..☺️ I think that the Screamin pu are also nice.

[@gregoryzavalini8350]

Of course, the Gibson R8 sounds oilier, its lower mids are very good and therefore it will be clearly heard in a pack of instruments at a live concert with a band! I choose the Gibson R8! The Greco is somewhere close to it in terms of sound, but lacks the elasticity and massiveness of the sound, like the Gibson guitar in this video has. Peace and quality music to everyone!

[@qua7771]

The Gibson has Wizz pickups, and the Greco has Dry Z. Not an equal comparison.

[@Earlvis]

All modern Gibson pickups fall short. They sound pretty good but there are some fantastic humbuckers out there that smoke anything that Gibson is producing today.

[@yoctanuri]

You are definitely right 👍🏻

[@qua7771]

I tried half a dozen of Gibson's pickups before throwing in the towel. Pretty much anything Duncan offers is better. I like Wizz pickups for vintage tone, but not for everything.

[@deebo6069]

Both sound good. But my ear prefers the Dry Z's. I would choose the Z's. I wonder what they would sound like in the Gibson?? Maybe next video you could try that.

[@yoctanuri]

I am afraid that will not happen... I don't want to break the original solder from the Greco. (I want to keep it 100% original)

[@deebo6069]

@@yoctanuri I don't blame you there. I thought you installed them in the Greco. Both have great tone.

[@poopydonkey]

Is that guitar with the redder finish the Greco?!? Nice video!!!

[@yoctanuri]

Yes. It's more reddish than usual Grecos ..

[@qua7771]

​​@@yoctanuriI think their finish get orange with time. My white one is yellow now.

[@yoctanuri]

​@@qua7771I think the red on my greco will not turn orange any time soon... It's almost 42 years old and if by now it didn't turn orange, then I doubt it will ever be😊

[@qua7771]

@@yoctanuri I meant it already is darker than when they made it. Look at the binding, hot it turns a reddish orange.

[@jimbeam-ru1my]

@@yoctanuri mine is the same (1983). i think it's from the yellowing over the years.

[@topografer]

The Greco looks better imho :D. About sounds they both sound amazing. I think I slightly prefer the Gibby

[@hippiebiker3399]

My late 70s to early 80s higher end Greco, Aria Pro ii and Tokai guitars sound and feel as good, and even in most cases, better than my Gibson Les Pauls.

[@qua7771]

What Gibson do you have. I've been reading comments similar to yours.

[@aaronbrown0417]

They both sound very accurately PAF to me the dry z are more tele on steroids the wizz are fuller.... please tune your guitar next video before you review lmao good stuff though

[@helio1055]

just found out today my Greco JS98K has Dry Z pickups. I thought to myself “these pickups are fucking amazing” before I even knew what they even were. Lol it’s a feeling that makes me never want to put that guitar down

[@jerry-st7rc]

I could say the greco for a less price but they are probably around the same in cost. The greco does have more wah and quack reminiscent of the 1959 les paul. The r9 lacks in that wah and quack but id say more bite and treble. I'd go for the greco, its got a more cult like following. That means it doesn't sound better but different.

[@qua7771]

I recently got one, and it does wah, and quack. It's taking me time to get used to it. The LP I was used to has Pearly Gates pups. The DRY pups in the Greco are more articulate. They seem very sensitive to height adjustment as well. The Greco has plenty of sustain, and harmonic content. Pinch harmonics are easy. I wasn't expecting that.

[@jerry-st7rc]

​@qua7771 I am proud to say I got one too recently. 1980 egf1200. Best les paul and guitar I have ever played. Closest thing to a 1959 and very special guitars in their own right. I love the sweet smell from the case, that brazillian rosewood.

[@jimbeam-ru1my]

the top of the line mint collection les pauls are a little bit better than the egf1800. the egf has a short neck tenon but the mints have the long tenon. unfortunately, they usually only have one dry z and the other is a dry 1982. I've never played the dry 1982, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's as good as if not better than the dry z, but the dry z was made in limited numbers so the value is much higher. 1982 Mint collection with 2 dry z's are really rare. I have a 1983 with two dry z's, but they put dry 1982 stickers on them though they have the dry z stamps dating them to 1981.

[@patrickdunning8662]

The R8 Dwarfs the Japanese guitar in this clip. IMO.

[@OGStinkywizzleteats]

The dry Z's do sound good. I'm not sure that they necessarily sound better than the wizz. And taking into account the huge difference in price and availability I think I'll just stick with wizz!

[@yoctanuri]

I think they are both good in their own ways. One is meaner the other is softer🙂

[@OGStinkywizzleteats]

@@yoctanuri The dry z has that cocked wah tone that old paf’s seem to possess.

[@yoctanuri]

@@OGStinkywizzleteats Yes. You are correct.

[@karukan430]

This is Dry Z or Dry82?

[@yoctanuri]

@@karukan430 DRY Z

[@IamtheActionman]

Midrange is strange on the Gibson

[@user-fy6we6dw9z]

どっちがどっちだよ。わかんねえよ。

[@yoctanuri]

最初のギターはGibson.

[@user-fy6we6dw9z]

@@yoctanuri thanks

[@avivpinto4013]

The dry z are the better pickups. Had the wizz in my own guitars 🎸 what pots are in the Greco? 500k or 300k?

[@yoctanuri]

הי אביב. מה נשמע?🙂 יש בהם 500

[@avivpinto4013]

@@yoctanuri מה שלומך😜? אה הבנתי. הם באו 500 במקור? סתם לידע כללי

[@yoctanuri]

@@avivpinto4013 כן הדגם 59-100 מגיע 500 במקור. הלס פול 56 שלהם באה עם 300 בווליום ו 100 בטון. (בדרך לתקן את השטות הזה)

[@avivpinto4013]

@@yoctanuri אם ה 56 נשמעת טוב עם ה 300 עדיף שתישאר איתם. פי 90 נשמעים מעולים עם ה 300. המבקרים סיפור אחר.

[@yoctanuri]

@@avivpinto4013 חסר קצת ברייטנס, לכן אני מחליף ל 500