Cats Eye TCE-35 serial # question

[Rdk59]

Just bought a TCE-35. On the tag inside, the TCE-35 is printed on the serial number line instead of the model # line. Is there anywhere else I could find the serial number? Pawn shop owner thought it was early 80’s. Checked inside on the neck block for maybe a stamp there and nothing.

 

[Sigmania]

Can you post a picture of the label?

 

[Sigmania]

These were made in Korea and then in China.

The Chinese were pretty good about adding serial numbers, but many Korean guitars don't have them.

Here is a Korean version of that guitar from the 2000 catalog.

 

[Rdk59]

Can you post a picture of the label?

 

[Rdk59]

This is the label.

 

[Sigmania]

.

 

[Sigmania]

This is the label.

Interesting to note that it has an oval label instead of the rectangular one. Not sure what that means though.

 

[Sigmania]

Hmmmmm. Looking at old catalogs, that label does indeed show up on Cats Eyes in the mid 80s catalogs. And there was a TCE35 model.

 

[Sigmania]

1983 catalog






Oval label on a TCM60TW

 

[Sigmania]

Can you post a pic of the whole guitar?

 

[Rdk59]

Can you post a pic of the whole guitar?

Here you go. I noticed the headstock logo is different on some as well. Not sure if that can help date it or not. Has nice purfling? Around the sound hole and body.

 

[Sigmania]

Wow. And the fret markers are rectangular shaped. I need to do some digging. Unusual guitar for sure.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

Another example with the block inlays, oval label and no serial on it (most of the oval sticker ones from the 80s have a serial): Tokai Cat's Eyes TCE-35 | Reverb

 

[Sigmania]

So I looked at the catalogs I have.

The big road block is that they did not put acoustics in all of the catalogs and there are a bunch of years that we just don't know what they looked like.

But in 1983/84 they definitely made Cats Eyes with that logo with the additional text on it.

After that there are no catalog shots of acoustics that I can find until 1995 and that logo is gone by then.

I zoomed in on my 1984 catalog to show you.

 

[Sigmania]

Of course the other odd thing are the block fret markers like on a Les Paul Custom.

 

[Sigmania]

Closeup of your headstock

 

[Sigmania]

I found a bunch of Cats Eyes with the headstock logo like yours.

They all seem to be from 1983 and 1984. I found one that is probably late 1982.

"Tokai Acoustic Guitar Since 1947" Headstock

And I found one like yours, but unfortunately it looks like it has a replaced label. really odd.

https://www.carousell.ph/p/cats-eye-by-tokai-tce-35-1120181852/

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

The one I linked to above is pretty identical too (oval label, no serial, block inlays).

 

[Sigmania]

And no serial number…. Kind of odd I would say. 3 of 3 with no serial number.

 

[Sigmania]

Fretboard looks like ebony to me.