location of serial number on a tokai guitar

1973 Fender-like SE models such as the SE-800 are produced from 1976 to 1982. 1970–1972 Kustom Electronics of Chanute, Kansas, bought the US distribution rights from Hershman Musical Instrument / Goya Guitar Company 1970 Gibson-like EG models start with the EG-360, wth mostly set-neck styles from 1977. (1968 to 1970) 1969 VB (Beatles Violin Bass) models start. Distributed first by Goya and later by Kustom. 1968 'Shrike' model with 'Boomerang' shaped pickups. 1967 Fender Telecaster-like Greco models start. Some electric guitars manufactured in Japan appeared in a Goya catalog ca. 1965–1970 Hershman Musical Instrument / Goya Guitar Company in New York City (later Avnet/Goya, originally US distributor of Levin guitars) dealt Greco-branded acoustic guitars manufactured at European factories. These dead stock were sold in Japan by Kanda Shokai, and it was the beginning of Greco guitars dealt by Kanda Shokai. Their early headstocks were sometimes broken during long transport. 1962–1968 FujiGen began to manufacture Greco guitars for Goya Guitars, Inc. In 1961, FujiGen's production quality was dramatically improved, and they started to export guitars. Greco Explorer (EX-800) Timeline 1960–1961 FujiGen, an early manufacturer of Greco, was established in Matsumoto city by Yutaka Mimura and Yuichiro Yokouchi in May 4, 1960, and started to manufacture classical guitars for Kanda Shokai and Kamano Gakki. The 'Shrike' model was unusual in that it had a pair of unusual 'L' shaped pickups, with the corner of the 'L' pointing towards the headstock on the neck pickup and towards the bridge on the bridge pickup These 'boomerang' pickups predate the Gibson Flying V2 'Boomerang' shaped pickups by over 10 years. Kanda Shokai also marketed a few original designs in the late 60s including the Greco Semi-hollow 'Shrike' guitars which were imported and marketed first by Goya and later by Kustom. These guitars were made by the FujiGen and Matsumoku (and possibly Teisco ) guitar factories and were very similar to the late 1960s Ibanez guitars based on Hagström and EKO designs. In the mid/late 1960s, Kanda Shokai also exported some Greco-branded guitars based on Hagström and EKO designs for Avnet/Goya in the USA. Originally, Kanda Shokai used the 'Greco' brand name for the solid body models and used the 'Canda' brand name for its Acoustic models, basing this on the company name Kanda (Canda). It was not until 1966/1967 that Kanda Shokai began marketing Greco Telecaster-like models. Kanda Shokai was established in 1948 and the Greco brand name was started in 1960.

Location of serial number on a tokai guitar