1977 Greco MR-1000

From 1977 onward, Greco guitars were stamped with serial numbers, making it easy to determine the year of manufacture.
The earlier 1976 model was notable for its innovative Badass bridge, but the 1977 version reverted to a more traditional bridge design.

Compared with the earlier model, the new version’s body shape lost much of its rounded, “puffy-cheeked” look — giving it a cleaner, more balanced appearance that would likely appeal to a wider audience.
On the other hand, one could say that in becoming more conventional, it also lost some of its distinct character.
To compensate for that, Greco added diamond-shaped position markers and the unusual PU-1 “faceless” pickups, which have no visible pole pieces.

As for its sound, the MR-1000 still resembles Greco’s Les Paul models in tone, though it feels slightly lighter — most likely due to its lower weight.

The PU-1 pickups are as unique on the inside as they are on the outside: the back is filled with a cream-colored resin, making them look almost like real bars of soap.
Tonally, they have a similar character to the U-3000s, but with higher output and excellent note separation on the low strings — power chords sound particularly satisfying.

Unlike the 1976 model, the pickup cavities on this version are flat-bottomed, similar to those found on Greco’s Les Pauls.

Weight: 3.65 kg (including strings)
(Updated August 24, 2016)