Most of the Greco open book headstock Gibson replicas were made by FujiGen Gakki. Some Greco open book headstock Gibson replicas starting from around 1988 had no serial numbers. The lower priced no serial number Greco Les Paul and SG models were made by Cor-Tek (Cort) and usually have Cor-Tek (Cort) potentiometers. The Cor-Tek made Greco guitars have square shaped, brick like nuts with no slope and also often have shielding paint in the pickup and control cavities. Other higher priced no serial Greco Les Paul and SG models were made by Tōkai and the Les Paul models have an EG-75 or EGC-75 model number stamped in the pickup cavity and sometimes have fret edge binding. The no serial Greco guitars made by Tokai have square shaped routing holes at the bottom of the pickup cavities whereas the no serial Greco guitars made by Cor-Tek (Cort) have thinner rectangle shaped routing holes at the bottom of the pickup cavities. Kanda Shokai stopped using the open book headstock design on Greco Gibson replica models around the early 1990s and then concentrated on their other model lines and Fender Japan. Atlansia have supplied body and neck parts for Greco models as well. Tokai currently make the Kanda Shokai Zemaitis and Talbo models.
Greco Guitar Serial Number Decoder
The 975 model and its 12-string brother, the 976 model, were the top-of-the-line imported Grecos in 1968. These were initially available only in the Shrike version, and later a more conventional two standard pickup version appeared. The models with standard pickups were not called Shrike models. Standard pickup models had the common two volume, two tone pot controls and toggle switch for the two pickups. These were regarded as attractive and well-made guitars. They had bound semi-hollow bodies and a bound neck, diamond-shaped sound holes, rectangular shaped fretboard inlays and headstock truss adjustment. The tuners were the same as the Teisco Spectrum 5 of that period, and the neck plate had the L-shaped pickup patent number stamped on it. The zero fret and thin neck is reminiscent of a Mosrite. The 975 model Shrike was considered to be of higher build quality than the many entry-level Japanese guitars that had become widely available earlier in the decade, but by 1970 the 975-style models were discontinued, a victim of the decline of the 1960s guitar boom. Soon Greco would move toward copying Fender and Gibson products, becoming a major brand in the so-called "Lawsuit" copy era, along with Tokai and the Ibanez company, which became the subject of legal action by Gibson.
The Greco Fender replicas from the late 1970s and early 1980s are similar to the early Fender Japan guitars, as Kanda Shokai owns the Greco brand and is also a part of Fender Japan. The Greco Fender replicas made by Matsumoku have Matsumoku stamped on the neckplate and the other Greco Fender replicas were made by Fuji-Gen Gakki. Most of the Greco models included the original selling price in Japanese yen (in Japanese) 円 in the model number (EGF-1800 = 180000 Yen). The "Super Real Series" date from late 1979 to 1982 and the open O Greco logo "Mint Collection Series" date from 1982 to the early 1990s. The "Mint Collection Series" have an open O letter in their Greco logo (an O letter with the top part of the O letter removed) and the "Super Real Series" usually have a closed O letter in their Greco logo.
Most of the Greco open-book headstock Gibson replicas were made by FujiGen Gakki. Some Greco open-book headstock Gibson replicas starting from around 1988 had no serial numbers. The lower-priced no serial number Greco Les Paul and SG models were made by Cor-Tek (Cort) and usually have Cor-Tek (Cort) potentiometers. The Cor-Tek-made Greco guitars have square-shaped, brick-like nuts with no slope and also often have shielding paint in the pickup and control cavities. Other higher priced no-serial Greco Les Paul and SG models were made by Tōkai and the Les Paul models have an EG-75 or EGC-75 model number stamped in the pickup cavity and sometimes have fret edge binding.
The no-serial Greco guitars made by Tokai have square-shaped routing holes at the bottom of the pickup cavities whereas the no-serial Greco guitars made by Cor-Tek (Cort) have thinner rectangle-shaped routing holes at the bottom of the pickup cavities. Kanda Shokai stopped using the open-book headstock design on Greco Gibson replica models around the early 1990s and then concentrated on their other model lines and Fender Japan. Atlansia have supplied body and neck parts for Greco models as well. Tokai currently make the Kanda Shokai Zemaitis and Talbo models.
Knowing how to date Gibson Les Paul serial numbers is a study of its own. Gibson's serial number scheme changed in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, so a simple Les Paul serial number lookup isn't often very helpful. Never fear! This page is intended to clear up some some of the inconsistencies of dating Gibson guitars. If you're looking for "How old is my Gibson Les Paul guitar?" then you've come to the right place.
The serial number is one of the first places to start for how to date a Gibson Les Paul guitar. It should be on the back of the neck at the top just between and above the tuning machines. If the Gibson Les Paul serial number is six digits or less then your guitar may be older than 1975. Gibson reused this serial number scheme for reissue guitars starting in the 1990s, so check the picture below to compare vintage versus reissue serial numbers.
Is your Gibson Les Paul serial number ink stamped like the 1959 Gibson Les Paul on the left? Gibson used 5 or 6 digit ink stamped serial numbers on Les Paul guitars from 1952 until 1960. The first digit of this style serial number indicates the last digit of the year it was manufactured. For example, this Les Paul's serial number is "7_6227" so it was made in 1957. This is how to date a Gibson Les Paul serial number from the 1950s. Gibson reused this serial number scheme for reissue guitars in the past 20 years as well, so check to see that the style matches. 1950s era Gibson Les Paul serial number stamps will have a thinner and sharper font than the larger font of the 1990s to now.
Do you have a Gibson Les Paul with an ink stamped serial number? I am looking to buy Gibson Les Pauls with ink stamped serial numbers like this from the 1950s. Click the Contact Me button in the corner of your browser or click here to sell a Gibson Les Paul.
Ink stamped serial numbers (Guitars with "Classic" on the front of the neck are reissues): (No ink stamp serial in 1952. Les Pauls with "2" prefix are reissues.) 3 XXXX 1953 4 XXXX 1954 5 XXXX 1955 6 XXXX 1956 some with 6 digits until 1961 7(x)XXXX 1957 8(x)XXXX 1958 Contact me if you think you have 9(x)XXXX 1959 a 1950s Gibson with ink stamp serial 0(x)XXXX 1960 I would be happy to take a look. 1(x)XXXX 1961 Sell a Gibson
Gibson used the 6 digits or less dye stamped serial number style from 1961 until 1975. Gibson guitars with "MADE IN USA" impressed below the serial were made from 1969 and on. If your guitar has 6 digits impressed on the headstock and a "MADE IN USA" underneath then it was likely made between 1969 and 1975. Gibson reused serial numbers during this time period so that's as close as we can narrow these guitars down without reading the potentiometer codes. The serial number is only one way for how to date a Gibson Les Paul from the 1960s. Often the features and potentiometer codes are a better way.
Your Gibson Les Paul guitar, if vintage, was made between 1961 and 1963 or 1968 to 1969. Gibson Les Paul Serial number ranges here can be tricky since Gibson reused the serial range multiple times through out the 1960s. You would probably benefit from having a professional take a look at your guitar. I would love to take a look. Click the Contact Me Button (lower right of your browser) to send me a message about your guitar. Gibson didn't make the Les Paul line from 1964 until 1968, but these serial number ranges will work for the SG guitars made in the 1960s as well. Here's how to date a Gibson Les Paul with six digits or less serial number impressed like the guitar on the right with no Made In USA stamp. 2ff7e9595c
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