Burny Guitar Serial Numbers
Late 1970s Burnys were probably made by Tokai and have Tokai serial numbers. Early 1980s Burnys were probably made by Terada and generally have a YXXXX (Y=year, XXXX=production number) serial number. The early 1980s FLG-240 FLG-150 FLG-90 and FSA-80 Semi Acoustic models with nitro finishes were probably made by Terada. Grade' Les Paul copy. I have two authentic Gibson Les Pauls, but.a Burny could be. Probably no serial number right? Not always easy. They are as good as they say! Depends on which one you get though. I owned a 1987 Burny LP in the most beautiful finish. See: Mine was a japanese super grade, one without the Super Grade on the headstock, but the original bell shaped truss rod cover and the VH-1 pups.
Greco Explorer (EX-800) 1960–1961, an early manufacturer of Greco, was established in by Yutaka Mimura and Yuichiro Yokouchi in May 4, 1960, and started to manufacture classical guitars for Kanda Shokai and Kamano Gakki. In 1961, FujiGen's production quality was dramatically improved, and they started to export guitars. 1962–1968 FujiGen began to manufacture Greco guitars for in New York City. Their early headstocks were sometimes broken during long transport. These dead stock were sold in Japan by Kanda Shokai, and it was the beginning of Greco guitars dealt by Kanda Shokai. 1965–1970 in New York City (later Avnet/Goya, originally US distributor of ) dealt Greco-branded acoustic guitars manufactured at European factories.
Some electric guitars manufactured in Japan appeared in a Goya catalog ca. 1967 Fender Telecaster-like Greco models start.
1968 'Shrike' model with 'Boomerang' shaped pickups. Distributed first by Goya and later by Kustom. (1968 to 1970) 1969 VB (Beatles Violin Bass) models start. 1970–1972 of Chanute, Kansas, bought the US distribution rights from 1970 Gibson-like EG models start with the EG-360, wth mostly set-neck styles from 1977. 1973 Fender-like SE models such as the SE-800 are produced from 1976 to 1982. The SE models end in 1982 when Kanda Shokai and Yamano Gakki become part of Fender Japan.
1976 Engraved high-quality 'EXCEL' pickups appear on SE models. Bangla audio songs free download. 1978 The Mirage (Ibanez Iceman) or 'M'-series and EX Explorer (Destroyer) models start.
MR and MX models start in 1979, ending 1981/1982. 1978 GO and GOB (bass) models start. They end in 1981/1982. 1979 The 'Super Real Series' models starts in 1979. They end in 1982. 1979 GOII models start. They end in 1981/1982.
1980 GOIII models start. They end in 1981/1982. 1982 The 'Mint Collection Series' with an 'open O' (with the top part of the letter removed) Greco logo start. Most of these models end in 1990. In the early 1990s, most of the Greco guitars return to a 'closed O' logo but there were some open-O guitars made in the early 1990s. Early 1990s onwards Various models are produced with an Ibanez-like headstock design. Model Characteristics Early Greco Electrics.
1968 Greco Shrike model 975The Japanese made Greco guitars were initially being distributed in the US through Goya and later by Kustom (known for their amps). Prior to that, Goya sold Electric guitars made by Hagstrom. Among the Electric guitar models that Greco offered during this period, were two thin semi-hollow bodystyle that were equipped with the Patented “Shrike” pickups. These were the 950, and 975 models.
A 12 string version for both bodystyles were available as well, and were labeled models 960 and 976 respectively. Those models with the Boomerang “L” shaped split coil pickups were called “Shrike” models. The “Shrike” pickups were advertised as producing that distinctive “Shrike” sound. The Shrikes had a single volume pot and a group of slide switches to control the 4 split coil pickups in the 2 L shaped enclosures.
So you could switch between high and low strings on the pickups. 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 2 standard pickup version appeared. The models with standard pickups were not called “Shrike” models. Standard pickup models had the common 2 volume, 2 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 and the company, which became the subject of legal action by Gibson.Lawsuit 'Copy' EraThe 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 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.The Fuji-Gen Gakki guitar factory were the main maker of the Greco guitars in the 1970s and 1980s. Fuji-Gen Gakki obtained a in mid-1981 for making guitar parts and also began to manufacture their own pickups starting in late 1981. The Fuji-Gen Gakki CNC router and Fuji-Gen Gakki made pickups were used for the 'Super Real' and 'Mint Collection' series starting from 1981 to the early 1990s.
Up until 1981/1982, Nisshin Onpa made pickups were used in the Greco guitars including the 'Super Real Series' and the guitars were made in a more luthier style with no CNC machines used. The Cor-Tek and Tokai guitar factories were also used to make some Greco models due to FujiGen not being able to make some lower priced Grecos in the late 1980s.There were also some transitional Greco models from 1981/1982 that have a mixture of 'Super Real Series' and 'Mint Collection Series' features such as a 'Super Real' model with an open O letter in the Greco logo instead of a closed O letter. The Super Real EGF (flametop) and EG series higher end models featured nitrocellulose lacquer finishes and fret edge binding and some of the Super Real lower end models also featured fret edge binding.Medium tenon neck joints with dowel reinforcements were used up until 1981 and standard Gibson style long and medium tenon neck joints were used after 1981. The medium tenon neck joints with dowel reinforcements were very similar to the Gibson long tenon neck joints that were used in the early 1970s before Gibson switched to using a short tenon neck joint. Some Greco models featured chambered (not solid) body designs up to the early 1980s, which weighed less than a regular solid body model and also had a slight semi acoustic quality.
Some of the current Gibson models also use chambered bodies, such as the Gibson Les Paul Supreme.Some Greco Les Paul guitars up until 1982 had laminated pancake bodies and were based on the similar Gibson Les Paul laminated guitars from the 1970s. The lowest priced Greco Les Pauls sometimes had different wood combinations from the regular Maple and Mahogany. Up to 1980 the lowest priced Greco Les Pauls, such as the EG450 model, had bodies. The lowest priced Super Real and Super Power Les Pauls, such as the EG450 and EG480 models from late 1979 to 1982, had tops.The EGF-1800 (flametop), EGF-1200 (flametop) and EG-1000C (custom) models from the 1980 and 1981 catalogues (as well as very early 1982 models) featured 'Dry Z' pickups (-like pickups made by Nisshin Onpa ). The type of pickups varied depending on the guitars original selling price and the Nisshin Onpa (Maxon) made 'Dry Z' or Fuji-Gen Gakki made 'Dry 82' pickups were reserved for the top end models.
The lower end models such as the EG-500 mostly used 3-piece maple tops while the higher end models mostly used 2-piece maple tops. 'Mint Collection' models with a K after the numeric price designation (e.g. PC-98K) came with factory-installed tremolo (vibrato) bridges.The 'Mint Collection Series' features varied according to price, with some of the higher-end models, such as the EG58-120, model having most of the features of the 'Super Real' higher-end models.
Most of the 'Mint Collection Series' had long-tenon neck joints, but some had medium long tenon neck joints. There were also some Greco 'Super Sound', 'Super Power' and 'Rock Spirits' Gibson replica models made. The 'Super Sound' models were mid-priced models from the 'Super Real' years (1979-1982) and the 'Super Power' models were lower-priced models from the 'Super Real' years (1979-1982). The 'Rock Spirits' models were lower-priced models from between 1979 and the early 1990sManufacturers Greco guitars have been made by, Gakki, Dyna Gakki and others as well.Greco Gibson replicas around 1975 and pre 1975 models had a Greco logo that looked like 'Gneco'.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 and usually have Cor-Tek (Cort). 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.
Burny Guitar Serial Numbers By Year
Other higher priced no serial Greco Les Paul and SG models were made by 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. Currently make the Kanda Shokai Zemaitis and Talbo models.References. (in Japanese). Kanda Shokai Corporation.
(In English: History of the Greco born in 1960.). Music-Trade.co.jp, a division of Dai-Show Corporation, Japan.
2007. Since the early 1990s or before, Kanda Shokai have claimed “ Greco (brand was) established in 1960”. However, this claim has not been verified due to lack of evidences (i.e. Catalogs, advertisements, trademark registration records, or in-house documents from that time). Possibly the origin of this claim might be found on their early supplier (established in 1960; began to export electric guitars in 1963), or String Instrument, Company in (established in 1961, known as Matsumoto Teisco). Incidentally, another earlier supplier, had begun its string instrument manufacturing in the early-1960s (or possibly mid-1950s), and they supplied wood parts or finished guitars to other guitar brands including:, and also (probably before 1965 for FujiGen).See also. Easy Guitars (in Japanese).
Archived from on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2011-11-07. ^. Hershman Musical Instrument Company, New York. 1965–1970.
Obrecht, Jas (January 1983). Guitar Player Magazine. Cite magazine requires magazine=. ^ Yokouchi, Yuichiro (1983)Buddies of Greco — A tale of FujiGen, Matumoto:, External link in publisher=. ^ Yokouchi, Yuichiro (1994), 運を掴む―弱小の会社を世界一にした男の物語 Get the luck — A story of a man who grown a weak company into the top of the world., Tokyo:,., Goya catalog, c. 1968, Posted on, Pastrana Guitars., catalog, c. 1968Sources.
Burny Super Grade Les Paul
Paul Specht; Michael Wright; Jim Donahue (2005). Ibanez, The Untold Story. U.S.A.: Hoshino.
(in Japanese)Further reading. Guitar Magazine mooks / Rittor Music mook (in Japanese).
Tokyo: Rittor Music.