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FSOT: A Pair of Way Cool Vintage Japanese Guitars


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I've decided to let a couple of my more unique pieces of Japanese guitar history go. Both were imported from Japan by me and have been well cared for while in my possession. I'm primarily looking to sell, but would consider trades for other guitars (no amps), especially a single guitar for both of these. I'm not looking for anything in particular, though, you'll just have to try me.

First up should have some resonance around here, a 1979 or 1980 Greco Mirage M-1000. I have seen a couple for sale in Japan, but not in the US. And certainly not in this condition. This is the model that Rick Nielsen played during their 1979 Budokan shows. In the picture folder, there are a couple of pics from Rick Nielsen's Guitars of the Stars book (that I believe I got from cmatthes) with a little info as well as a pic showing him playing this model.

The Mirage is Greco's version of the Ibanez Iceman that was made for sale in Japan. They are essentially the same guitar with minor cosmetic differences. To my knowledge, Ibanez did not have a blue model in the late 70s/early 80s.

This guitar is in very good shape. It's not mint and has some very light playwear. There is also some minor dark discoloration around the binding in a couple of areas (see the pictures). The discoloration is consistent with others I have seen pictures of. It's important to note that the discoloration is under the finish, there is no finish chipping around it.

The guitar is 100% original with Maxon PU-0 pickups.

A word on dating this guitar. The Maxon pickups are stamped that they were made in February of 1979. The guitar serial number begins with "G0" which could indicate a 1980 date. However, since the pickup date is stamped with an early '79 date, I'm assuming it's a '79 model. Regardless, it's almost 40 years old/

The guitar plays well up and down the neck and there is no visible fretwear. The neck measurements are:

Width - 1 3/4" at the nut, 2 1/8" at the 12th fret
Thickness - 7/8" at the nut, 15/16" at the 12th fret

The guitar weighs 9.1 pounds

The original form fitting hard case is included.

$1,900 Shipped/Paypal'd

More pics here: https://1drv.ms/a/s!AoLRRT1O_HxX2Roi0cUuUuUkbz50

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Next up is a 1977 Aria Pro II M-1600N, a BC Rich Mockingbird copy in great shape, especially for a 41 year old guitar.

Aria Pro II was one of several brands that made high quality copies of iconic guitars. This is no exception, if you are into the Mockingbird shape and versatility, this is the way to get there without breaking the bank.

The MK-1600N was near the top of the Aria Pro II line in 1977. From what I can tell, 1977 was the first year this model showed up in the Aria catalog (see pictures) so this is a very early example. It features a maple neck through construction with maple body wings separated by strips of walnut. The rosewood fretboard is highlighted with very nice cloud inlays. The headstock has what looks to me to be a walnut overlay inlaid with the Aria Pro II "P" logo. The tuners are Grover USA.

The pickups are a pair of very early diMarzio Dual Sounds, which are coil splittable Super Distortions, and absolute perfect fit for this guitar. The electronics include a single master volume and master tone, 3 way pickup selector, an active boost mini switch (powered by a 9v battery in the control cavity) with a level control knob, a "varitone" type chicken head knob with 6 different positions and 2 mini switches that split the coils. All the switches and knobs work as they are supposed to. 

The condition is very good. There are a few minor bumps and bruises, but nothing major or out of the ordinary for a guitar of this age. There are a few small scratches on the rear. The neck is a dream to play, nice and wide with a D shaped neck, a little flattened on the bottom. The neck measurements are:

Width - 1 3/4" at the nut 2 1/16" at the 12th fret
Thickness 13/16" at the nut, 15/16" at the 12th fret

The guitar weighs 8.6 pounds.

It plays great with low action up and down the neck and no buzzing. There is no visible fretwear. Tonewise, I would describe it as aggressive. While there are many tonal options, this guitar shines when driven hard and wide open. Using the onboard boost switch can give you that little extra without the need for a boost pedal.

The guitar includes an original form fitting case.

$1,250 shipped/paypal'd

More pics here: https://1drv.ms/a/s!AoLRRT1O_HxX2RszX3u3PhlNb1pG

y4m29RkaEu9Cpv8gmaUK0fC3BWGx4YtfHysMvcdk


 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the comments, guys. At the risk of sounding self serving, the praise for the Aria Pros of this era is well deserved. I've never owned or even had my hands on a real vintage BCRich, so i don't know how this would truly compare. But it's an outstanding rock guitar in its own right. I never got into the varitone knob, but the coils split and boost switches work great, making this a very versatile guitar. And it plays like a dream. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I used to not be a fan of MIJ guitars.. But some of them are great...! I had a Burny Les Paul Custom that was Awesome.. And my favorite Telecaster was a mij 50th anniversary with matching double binding and gold hardware...

 

 

Burny Les Paul 1.jpg

Burny Les Paul 2.jpg

Tele 50th MIJ.jpg

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As a huge Rick Nielsen fan, that Greco is KILLING me!  On the Complete Budokan album, there's a bit of stage banter that's not on the original.  Rick says "The first thing I did when I got to Japan, is I went out and bought a Japanese guitar!"  I have always felt like he was talking about that blue Mirage on the inside cover.

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