Epic Axes is a musician-driven showroom in Los Angeles. Each guitar is personally selected, inspected, and tested to ensure top performance - only instruments we would play ourselves become part of our collection. Text us to book a visit.

1987 Greco EGC68-700 Les Paul Custom – Blue Flame / Made in Japan / Pro Setup

A killer late-’80s Japanese Greco from the Mint Collection era, finished in a rare and seriously cool Blue Flame. The EGC68-700 is Greco’s Les Paul Custom-style model, built around the classic combination of a flame maple laminate over a maple top, mahogany back, set mahogany neck with long-tenon construction, bound rosewood fingerboard, Custom-style appointments, and gold hardware. These late Mint Collection Grecos have become highly regarded for their build quality and traditional Les Paul construction. 

This one is in good vintage condition and definitely has the look and feel of a guitar that has actually been played. There are various chips, dings, scratches, finish wear, and hardware aging throughout — a real vintage axe with plenty of character rather than a closet queen. The Blue Flame finish is especially unusual and looks incredible in person, changing quite a bit depending on the light and angle.

The frets are in good condition for their age, showing normal and fairly even wear with no major divots or dead spots. The guitar has been professionally set up and is playing comfortably up and down the neck.

The pickups appear to be a pair of vintage Japanese humbuckers. The exact make/model is unknown and they are likely replacements. They sound excellent, though — thick, powerful and fat, with plenty of output and the kind of big, punchy humbucker tone that suits this guitar perfectly.

There is some finish discoloration on the back of the headstock, including a small area along the upper edge, as well as darker streaks beneath the finish directly below the tuners. We checked the area under black light and found no visible signs of a headstock repair or refinish.

Overall, this is a great player-grade example of a relatively uncommon late-’80s Greco: lots of genuine vintage wear, a rare Blue Flame finish, classic Les Paul Custom construction, and a big, lively sound. If you’re looking for a vintage MIJ Les Paul that already has the scars and character to be played without worrying about every little mark, this is a great one.

No case included.

The following work has been done: full cleaning, lemon oil fretboard treatment, fret spot leveling/polishing and string height setup (2.3 mm at the 12th fret on the low E string), pickup height adjusted for balance and clarity, and a fresh set of D'Addario XL 10/46 strings installed.

Body

• Construction: Solid body, set-neck
• Body Style: Les Paul Custom-style single cutaway
• Wood: Mahogany back with Maple top
• Top: Figured / flame Maple veneer
• Finish: Blue Flame, gloss
• Binding: Multi-ply cream body binding
• Pickguard: Black Les Paul Custom-style pickguard
• Contours: Carved Maple top

Neck

• Material: Mahogany
• Joint: Set-neck
• Profile: Medium / full C-style profile
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Radius: 12" / 305 mm
• Inlays: Pearloid block inlays
• Frets: 22
• Fret Condition: Good vintage condition with normal, even wear; no deep divots or dead spots
• Scale Length: 24.75" / 628 mm
• Nut Width: approx. 43 mm / 1.70"
• Binding: Cream fingerboard binding
• Headstock: Les Paul Custom-style bound headstock with split-diamond inlay
• Neck Finish: Blue gloss

Hardware

• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic-style bridge
• Tailpiece: Stopbar
• Tuners: Made in Japan sealed tuners
• Knobs: Black
• Pickup Rings: Black
• Strap Buttons: Standard
• Hardware Finish: Gold with natural vintage aging / patina

Electronics

• Pickups: 2x vintage Japanese humbuckers (exact make/model unknown, likely replacements)
• Pickup Character: Thick, powerful and full-bodied humbucker tone
• Controls:
  • Volume (neck)
  • Volume (bridge)
  • Tone (neck)
  • Tone (bridge)
• Switching: 3-way toggle switch
• Output Jack: 1/4" mono
• Configuration: HH

Other

• Model: EGC68-700
• Series: Mint Collection
• Year: 1987
• Made in: Japan
• Serial: F870606
• Style: Les Paul Custom reproduction
• Finish: Rare Blue Flame
• Condition: Good vintage condition with natural playwear throughout, including chips, scratches, dings and finish wear
• Headstock: Finish discoloration on the back with darker streaks beneath the finish directly below the tuners; no visible signs of repair or refinish under black light
• Case: Not included
• Extras: Professionally set up and ready to play