Correct case for a 1980 ls-120 Les Paul Reborn

[ujeni]

I had no luck with searching the forum...can anyone tell me what the correct original case would be for a 1980 ls-120 les Paul reborn would be? I just bought one that comes with an skb case and I would love to get the case right too. Thanks!

 

[Sigmania]

They came with a pink lined lifton style case.

The correct one has a heavy brass Tokai badge on it. Later ones have thinner gold metal badges.

 

[Reborn Old]

Lol, You posted while I was typing, Sigmania,

 

[Sigmania]

Hope I was right then.

 

[ujeni]

Great. That's the info I needed.

Now does anyone have a case like this that they are willing to sell me?

 

[Peter Mac]

Hi guys,

In Australia, LS series had brown outer / pink lined cases whilst LC series had black outer / green lined cases.
Part number for brown case is LP-140 and Black case is LP-120

Peter Mac

 

[Mono]

interesting...

i have yet to hear a convincing argumnt for which cases were stock for which models (lifton vs black+green)... but Peter, I understand you worked for/with Tokai in those years, is that right?

Pretty much every 1979-1980 LS guitar I have come across has a lifton-style case it is hiding in.

 

[Sigmania]

I was shooting from the hip assuming 1980 was the same as 1981. My 1981 LS120VVF had this case with it.

 

[Peter Mac]

Hi Mono,

yeah, that's right. I worked for Tokai Australia P/L from 1982 - 87. We were the Australian distributor for Tokai guitars and pianos.

In the 1978 catalogue it lists the cases as LP-120 is Brown and LP-100 as the black variety.
These were upgraded to LP-140 and LP-120 respectfully by 1982.
Keep in mind the case was a seperate charge to the guitar and the 1978 LC-100 is listed to have an LP-120 case. (page 9)
All I can add is when Tokai Aust received a shipment of guitars, they were all shipped in cases and all our LS series had brown and our LC series had black.
All our ST and TE models came with ST-120 cases. (yellow vinyl not cloth)

I will add that all the LS guitars I have owned over the decades have all been pre-85 and had their original cases - brown/pink. Sadly, I've never owned any LC models - all my LPC have been Gibson.
hope this helps.

Peter

 

[Mono]

I have seen a few post-1980 LS's (standards) come with black cases, but for the most part it's been the lifton style. Can't say I've seen more than 5 Tokai customs from the same period mind...


When you say it was a "seperate charge" does that mean you could buy the guitars without cases? And was there a choice of case, ie. could you have lifton if you bought a custom?

 

[Peter Mac]

Hi

Precisely. Even though all our guitars arrived in cases, they were billed as a seperate item.
It would go something like this...
LC-100 BB = 100,000 yen
case LP120 = 12,000 yen
TOTAL = 112,000 yen

I used to think that cases were part of the cost but they're not. They are treated as another expense or incorporated into the RRP.
The other option was to buy a gig bag - which Tokai also made - for only 6,500 yen. TSG65.

Peter

 

[Reborn Old]

There seem to be a lot of vintage black/green cases around compared to relatively rare LC-100's and 110 models.

Hope I find a premium LC for mine soon. :wink:

 

[jacco]

When you look at the catalogs, you can see that all LC-100s & 110s have the pink lined case and the 60s the green lined case.

LS-80s and up had the pink lined again and the LS-50/60s the green one.

Cases were always optional.

Funny thing is that the LS-120, 150 and 200 did cost resp. 120, 150 & 200.000 yen INCLUDING case, so without; resp 108, 138 and 188.000 yen.
For all other models price was excl case.