Re: 1979 Greco Jeff Beck Stratocaster? Really?
Ok, so it's a ten-y/o thread, I stumbled on it while googling, but I'd thought I'd bring it up to date with what I found while doing a little research on MIJ Jeff Beck model Strats about a year ago, when I was considering buying one (a Fernandes FST-60J in this case).
Apparently, Jeff Beck played a white Strat with rw neck, black aluminium guard, black pickup covers, toggle switches for the pups and one volume and one tone control with black metal knobs while touring Japan in 1978. From what I've heard, it was simply a modded Fender, probably a 60's instrument. Apparently, the dates he played in Japan made a huge impact on the local guitar community, and at least two manufacturers made copies of that guitar the following year: the Greco SE-600J and Fernandes FST-60J. I've yet to see a Tokai JB Strat, but since the Fernandes model was made at the Tokai factory it's not inconcievable that one existed, I guess. For how long they were made I don't know (the few I've seen or read about have all been '79s) and if they had any sort of official sanction from the Jeff Beck camp I've no idea. But I doubt it, this was pre-globalization and what happened in Japan tended to stay in Japan. I can't imagine that any of them were exported new.
It's kind of funny and apparently an exclusively Japanese phenomen. All other "Jeff Beck Model" guitars in the world are either heavy-relic Esquires, black LP Standards or all-white Strats.
Caveat: it's all second-hand info, but this is what I found out, in a nutshell.
