Greco Super Sound SE500MB Laox Original. The story of the ugly duckling? Part 1
There’s a story I wanted to tell for a very long time, but I wasn’t able to find the time or motivation to do so. Fortunately, I got inspired by Nick from the Netherland, who bought the hero of that story: a great and rare Metallic Blue Stratocaster made somewhere in Summer ’78 in FujiGen factory by the Greco for local Japanese chain stores called Laox.
See the listing from my eShop.
Guitars inspired by the sport cars.
It was quite normal back in ’60s that guitar players were looking for the same vibes in their instruments as in their cars and motorbikes. Probably due to the automobile’s huge social influence and the fact that the automotive and music instruments industries shared the same contractors and paint companies. We’ve got some similar names (Fender Mustang) and even back in 1960, Fender launched their new color chart inspired by the car’s colors.
Color’s not enough! Gimme a racing stripes!
Quite a natural step was painting guitars with the same designs as cars, so we’ve got some racing stripes going diagonally on guitar bodies. The effect can be loved or hated, but one thing is sure: you cannot ignore those.
Therefore if you’re really “in american culture, you need to have one of these.
Who was ever more “in” american culture than Japanese guitar builders back in ’70s? No one… So the local chain store called Laox ordered whole short-run series of electric guitars with racing stripes.
What’s about the duckling then?
I’ve been on my hunt for one of those Laox Originals for a long time, but these guitars don’t pop up so often on the second-hand market. Basically collectors tend to keep them, so I was very happy when I finally found one of the Laox Original stratocasters on an auction in Japan.
Unfortunately, its condition was, at least from the first sight, quite poor. I wasn’t sure if I’m going to be able to restore it to its previous glory, but I wasn’t thinking much. I REALLY wanted to play on one of these rare guitars.
Beauty under the stickers
The moment I received it, I knew it was an extraordinary guitar. Even with all of those stickers, that is a disaster for a collector, but a normal thing for an owner, this guitar simply stole my heart.
more in a part two 😉