NGD: Unboxing a Mysterious Vintage Les Paul | 1989/90 Japanese Beauty

[@garypannone7755]

The guitar looks and sounds great.

[@CLK500COUPE]

Thor, she's a beauty indeed and sounds lovely. I recently purchased a 1990 Orville By Gibson Les Paul in Cherry Sunburst with a plain top which was made in the Terada factory in Japan. Also, a lovely Les Paul which weighs in at a touch over 4 kilos so quite a good weight. Enjoy your new Greco mate.

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

Thanks, I had a challenge deciding between this Greco and an Orville. After some communication with the seller I ended up with the Greco. I bet the Orville is a great guitar also. Cheers.

[@paulstaffordcook8799]

What a beautiful guitar! I love it. The shadow of the Skull, the dark board, the patina, the colour…. and of course the sound! You have something quite special there Thor. Congrats

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

Thanks Paul, it's the kind of guitar that makes me wanna reach for it for its looks, and it inspires me to play more relaxed with its sustaining tones.

[@paulmurray129]

What a find sounds brilliant especially in your hands. Thank you

[@adrianczechowski481]

....it's nice to see a happy person, your joy is contagious ✌ ....fantastic guitar!

[@dwstoeckel4740]

This may sound weird, but I love that faint shadow of a skull ... unique, and pretty cool! .. and of course it sounds incredible, which I’m convinced is the result of YOU playing it, rather than anything to do with the guitar... good stuff!

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

Thanks DW, I can live with the skull imprint. One of a kind, so it makes it special. It will probably fade over the years due to exposure to UV light.

[@artorwhat]

@@GUITARSGIZMOSThe skull reminds of 'Memonto Mori' which means we all die someday.

[@garypannone7755]

I think you ended up with a great guitar, I just love the sound and the looks.

[@uncleremus64]

Congrats. A beauty! and sounds amazing.

[@50Something]

It's a beauty Thor and yes, it sounds great!

[@laurencehastings7473]

Nice patina and stunning tone. Nice find and I'm sure you'll enjoy it immensely

[@davepatterson4774]

I love it! Thank you for sharing. I have 2 Grecos and they're both among the best guitars that I've not only owned but also have played. Personally, that's a near perfect weight for me, so I hope it works for you.

[@valleywoodstudio7345]

A sign of a Tokai is an offset tenon toward the bass side - which this has. Pickups most likely Gotoh. I've a 1985 Tokai Love Rock, no nibs, which were usually only on the high end models.

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

This is good information. Thanks for letting me know. I just got sent a picture of a pickup from a Tokai ES135, and it looks identical to the ones in my Greco. Further more it is said that they are made by Keito who make them for Greco, Burny and Tokai etc. Cheers.

[@valleywoodstudio7345]

@@GUITARSGIZMOS I recall my original Tokai pickups were on a brass plate with cream bobbins - but we are talking 34 years ago, as I put in Seymour Duncans in 1990! Also interestingly Tokai seemed to have ceased their own branded Les Pauls in 1985 for while - so wouldn't surprise me if they manufactured for others. Tokai made the 'Crafted In Japan" Japanese fenders for a period - probably the best Japanese company.

[@Tone.Corner]

Congratulations Thor, it’s a beautiful guitar with a beautiful sound…😎🎼🎸😉💥

[@alenv360]

It is Tokai made Greco EG59-60 ( as seller said 1989-1990 ) , pickups are Fujigen made Screamin Paf. So this is basically Greco branded Tokai LS-60 wood with Greco pickups. ( Fujigen was very busy than so Tokai stepped in to help to cover a production number quotes with some models) Looks all original condition. Not a nitro finish but a thin poly. I had the exact same one ( but a bit lighter example than yours) - great guitars 🎸😊

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

Fab! Thanks so much for this info. Highly appreciated. Cheers 😊

[@udr3005]

Hi, how do you know it is a 59-60 and Tokai made? I have a 1989 EG59-60, S/N 9 1728. it is an amazingly good instrument. 3,85kg. Would be great if you could share more if you know!

[@alenv360]

@@udr3005I have/had lot of Grecos so I know every little detail. Tokai has a bit different body shape and few more aesthetic details and no serial number. Yours if that is original serial is Fujigen made regular Greco ;)

[@SugarMapleForge]

Beautiful guitar!

[@artorwhat]

So beautiful

[@johnsmith-oh2xo]

The pickups are Screaming 82's and your guitar looks to be an eg500 because it didn't look to have a long neck tenon which the EG59-45-100 series had I have a 1989 Greco mint collection EG59-70 Les Paul and the EG59 series was a 1959 Gibson Les Paul replica your look's to be just a regular Greco eg500 or eg600 mint collection... The mint collection is the series that came after the Greco super reals that started in 1980 and ended in 1982 then you have the mint collection series that started in late 1982 or but generally 1983 to 1990 great high quality guitars just as good if not better than the super reals to me....You have a beautiful guitar you will be very pleased with it I love them lol....

[@mijgreco3914]

Screamin' 82 pickups. Maxon stopped producing pickups for Greco after in 82.

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

Thank you 😊

[@TheBigbrizzle]

Earlier grecos have fret nibs. My 1979 eg900 does. I’ve heard mint collection in the 80s they stopped

[@CLK500COUPE]

15:35 Playing to a backing track....Thor would you mind passing on the backing track info?

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

Thanks, I appreciate you asking, must mean you like it 😀 At this point I have some plans for making a demo using this song, so I would like to keep it. But I will share the chord progression if you're keen on making something for yourself. A-part: | Bm | f#m | Gmaj | em | | Bm | f#m | Gmaj7 | em - Bb6#5 | B-part: | Dmaj7 | em - D/F# | G - G#6#5 | A7 - Bb6#5 |

[@CLK500COUPE]

@@GUITARSGIZMOS Your a gentleman. Thanks very much mate. I'll get onto this tomorrow and BTW, its a great progression.

[@fernsandmosses]

but your korean epiphone sounds little bit better for ME i feel . thanks for your nice demo, always enjoying listening from your channel.

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

I will have to do a comparison now 😄 The Epiphone is fab so it will be interesting to play them side by side. Cheers.

[@artorwhat]

@@GUITARSGIZMOS I'm waiting for update

[@jean-francoismartinez3818]

I have the same guitar, 1989. Do you have the serie's number ?

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

@@jean-francoismartinez3818 Hi, how cool. Mine doesn’t seem to have a serial number.

[@michaelsledzinski7229]

Sounds awesome, I think the tone may have something to do with those fingers.