No, Shrike You!
What is that thing?
Greco Shrike 950
From the 1968 Goya-Greco Catalog:
"Two pickup Shrike with four pickup selector slide switches, volume control, 3-way adjustable bridge and vibrato."
The two boomerang pickups each have two sets of three coils. Yes, you read that correctly. By using the slide switches the magnets can be turned on/off in various combinations including "all on". It was even possible configure the pickups in horizontal halfsies, with the top half of the neck pickup combined with the lower half of the bridge.
Made from 1968-1970 there were two semi-hollow body styles. The Model 950 leaned more towards an ES 335 (with horns), versus the "new modern design" 975 with diamond shaped holes (Trini Lopez Gibson?) and a smaller body (SG-ish looking).
The Shrike family also offered a 10-string model 961 and 12-string model 960. Both had the same body style of the 950.
--Deeper Dive--
The Goya-Greco Connection: CONFUSING
From the parent company Kanda Shokai Corporation, a Japanese instrument marketer/wholesaler, the Greco brand of guitars was created in 1960. Reportedly, in the mid 1960s Greco started importing to the U.S. for Goya Music. Goya was the American market name of the Levin guitar company based in Gothenburg, Sweden and the Hershman Musical Instrument Company of NYC contracted with Levin to import their guitars (as Goya) in 1954.
In 1968 Goya Music was acquired by Avnet Inc., a large electrical parts distributor that was diversifying considerably in the 1960s. Given Goya's relationship with Kanda Shokai and likely the deeper pockets from Avnet, the Goya-Greco marriage was born. Divorce followed quickly as Goya sold the distribution rights to Kustom Amplifiers in 1970.
Side note- Avnet also owned Guild Guitars which it acquired in 1965.
Last week I recorded a “Mind Your Business” podcast interview with David Jackson, CEO of the Boone Chamber of Commerce.
Please check it out when you have 20 minutes in the car. My entrepreneur friends know I have a very long road ahead… I tried to emphasize that in the interview, but you will laugh knowing it’s going to be even longer :-)!