Breezysound Tele Help Please!

[Slopic 2]

Hello,
I have just registered so this is my first post (please be gentle with me :-? !). I have no real technical knowledge about guitar construction or even to set up properly other than what I've learned on the web.
I have a Tokai Tele which I have owned since 86. I bought it (used) from a shop. I was young & naive and just loved the whole Tele thing/twang at the time and did not notice that the neck was slightly warped.
Not long after buying it I started to move around/different jobs locations etc and my Tokai spent many years safely stored in a hard case.
About five years ago I got interested again but noticed that the neck warp seemed to have got worse and that it was virtually unplayable. A visit to a guitar shop (where I left it for a few days) informed me that the neck should be replaced but in the meantime they had 'packed' a few slivers of wood in the neck pocket to try and align the neck a little better. It was marginally better for a few weeks then worsened again.
I was just about to move to another country so a new neck was not a priority. I took my Tokai with me though it remained in its case for another 5 years. Just recently I started playing again and bought an Allparts Tele maple/rosewood neck but this was a mistake as I should have looked for another all maple 21 vintage fret like the original breezysound. I am now looking for a better replacement.
Any way that's my Tokai tale but what I would like to know is can anyone help me identify the model and year I have. I have looked at the info re dating and ID on the site but it still seems a little unclear.
My Tokai has a 7 digit serial No. It does not have any model number sticker and the neck did not have 'made in Japan' on it. It is totally original as I bought it in 86 except that I put a better jack socket in (still have the original). Have posted some pics. Any help appreciated.

 

[Slopic 2]

Ps. its a two piece body.

 

[cheshirecatsmile]

Hi,
Shame about the neck--that's a nice looking guitar. If the neck has a really bad twist a good guitar tech could try doing a "heat press" on it, but it's fairly expensive with results usually not guaranteed, and often not permanent. If the warp is bad enough it's probably not worth it.

With binding like that, combined with that headstock shape and logo, it looks like a TTE-70 from 1984-85. Do you have a photo of the bottoms of the pickups to help confirm this?

If you're extremely patient you might occasionally find a Tokai Breezysound neck on ebay, or you might consider posting a wanted ad in the classified section of this forum for a Breezy neck. I think these have the same neck profile as more common model TTE-50 and TE-50s, so a neck from one of these would be a good match.

Good luck!
________
Marijuana medical

 

[Slopic 2]

Thanks Chesirecatsmile for your help!
I might take the pups out to have a look - bit reluctant to do it as like I say I'm no tech expert. I have never changed them, they are the same ones as when I bought it in 86 so hopefully they will be the originals.

I saw a 'Buy it now' Breezysound neck on ebay for ?70 just after I had placed a bid on the Allparts neck (which I won) so could not afford it at the time. Regret it now though as its the only one I've seen.
I have my eye on a 52 reissue Fender one at the moment (seems to be the same specs) but if it doesn't happen then I will take your advice and ask if anyone on the Forum might have one.

The serial No. confused me a bit as the data link seems to suggest that it should have less digits and also suggests the logo makes it an American model for the 85/86 year.

I am glad that I never parted with it and just hope I can sort this neck problem as it was/still should be, a great sounding and playing guitar.

Thanks again.

 

[Slopic 2]

Oh yes, forgot to mention, the neck doesn't appear twisted, it is banana shaped along its length but seems to be bowed normally along the fretboard. You might just be able to see what I mean on the full length photo-its not camera lens distortion-the neck really is not straight along its edges.
I have recently been in touch with a instrument repairer and they said I should post it on to them as they might be able to straighten it using heat. I think it will also need at least the first few frets replacing too though
Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Differential stoning of the frets can sometimes work if the neck has gone into a slight S shape, as some older Strat & Tele necks tend to. It seems a shame to dispense with the original neck if it can be sorted out.

Mike

 

[Slopic 2]

Thanks for your reply Mike.
I'm not sure what differential stoning means! Has it something to do with the frets being at slightly different levels/heights to try and compensate for the bend?
The bend in the neck is so bad as for the low E to overhang the edge -vitually above air towards the middle of the board. Another thing about the neck that bothers me is that the heel width is a little too narrow for the pocket. Measuring with a ruler,the neck heel is approx 54.5mm-definitely under 55mm (2 2/16''). The neck pocket seems to be just a hairs width over 55mm. I am surprised about the neck problems as the guitar seems otherwise very nice and of good quality.

 

[Anonymous]

If a fretboard goes up and down a bit, one option is to stone the frets lower where the board is high (usually at the top end - frets 18 to 21), and leave the frets where the board is a bit lower. Obviously this only works when the dips and humps are relatively slight. It worked on my Springy, though there is very little left of the top 3 or 4 frets. This doesn't actually cause me any problems, strangely enough, & I love the feel of the neck.

However the bend you are describing sounds like a problem I haven't heard of before, so I doubt if there is a solution, which is a shame. As for the neck not fitting the pocket, that is something that I haven't heard of with Tokais - they are usually pretty good about stuff like this. So either they let quality control slip on your guitar, or the neck has been changed.

Either way, it's a shame, & I hope you find a satisfactory solution.

 

[stratmoto]

So, if the guitar is in the playing position, the neck is warped as if the tension on the low e string has pulled the headstock up, yes?

I have only seen this once before, with a maple neck, and have never been able to 100% cure it.

You can do something like hold the neck between the headstock and the heel, apply some weights and leave it to slowly straighten. You could also use some strong clamps and blocks of timber, or the like, I used some rectangular aluminium extrusion, jig it up and wind enough tension on to the clamps to straighten it.

You may find that if you take the truss rod screw out and squirt steam, I use a "Mr. Cappucino" a household item available at most white goods sellers. The steam can help with the bending.

Problem is though, over time, you find that the neck will want to return to what is now its' natural state, and will not stay straight for long.

If a repairer is going to charge, I would want some kind of guarantee on the result. It took 5 years to get where it is now, it may take a long time to get it back to a playable state, if you are lucky.

Good luck with it, you can only make it better than it is now.

 

[Slopic 2]

Thanks Stratmoto for your advice.

The best way I can describe the warp/un-straightness is that the neck is shaped like a bow (as in bow and arrow) and the all the strings are further over to left side of the board (looking face on) and this means that the low E is just about off the board in the center of the neck, hanging in space.
I've had the guitar since 86 and the problem was there then but over the last 22yrs its got worse. About 8yrs ago a friend (not a luthier in any way) put it in a clamp for about 3 months with no result whatsoever apart from leaving some flattened edges on the neck!