Differences Between LS150 and LS200
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Tom H
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Lightly sand and re-lacquer the headstock… you can get decals for the headstock also looking at what can be seen of the serial I’d say it was a love rock decal. Personally I think someone tried to relic the headstock to make it look like checking and obviously failed. Personally I’d fix the headstock, the chip on the back of the neck spray some tinted lacquer to hide the break a bit better and leave the rest be, looks great to me!
The first thing I would check, is to make sure the top is solid, and veneer.
When the pickups are out, you can see if the flame goes down into the cavity,
It is very obvious with a heavily flamed top. The center seam should line up perfectly
in cavities where they meet the top.
When the pickups are out, you can see if the flame goes down into the cavity,
It is very obvious with a heavily flamed top. The center seam should line up perfectly
in cavities where they meet the top.
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I saw that one on YJ; I believe the listing ended last Sunday.
From observing the supplied photos my impression was it is most likely a LS-120. I could be wrong but I'm sticking with that assessment.
Let us know what you find out and as member chuckyz2 stated check the pickup routes; particularly the side walls of the routes where the maple top thickness is. See attached photo for flame feature you will want to see in the route side wall.
This is a much better picture showing the flame going into the cavity. An LS-120 won't look like that. In this picture, it appears the cavity has been nicely sanded and finished in lacquer. Vintage Tokai's are not that way. It should be very obvious though if it is a solid top. If it has a thin Veneer on the top, it is not a 150 or 200. I'm not 100% sure on this next claim, but I don't recall ever seeing the neck go that far into a vintage Tokai. Maybe the 200's? I don't think so though.
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Hi chuckyz2
Typical vintage 120s are known to have veneer tops but there are a few documented vintage 120s with solid tops; not many but there are a few out there.
So, I guess I should have stated from observing the supplied photos in the auction listing/OP photos my impression was it is most likely a LS-120 with a veneer top; not a solid top. I could be wrong but I'm sticking with that assessment.
Hopefully (for the buyer) I'm wrong.
EDIT: photo I posted is not a Tokai
but only to demonstrate what the buyer would be looking for in the (side) routes of his purchase once he receives it
Typical vintage 120s are known to have veneer tops but there are a few documented vintage 120s with solid tops; not many but there are a few out there.
So, I guess I should have stated from observing the supplied photos in the auction listing/OP photos my impression was it is most likely a LS-120 with a veneer top; not a solid top. I could be wrong but I'm sticking with that assessment.
Hopefully (for the buyer) I'm wrong.
EDIT: photo I posted is not a Tokai
but only to demonstrate what the buyer would be looking for in the (side) routes of his purchase once he receives it
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I wasn't aware you were talking about his guitar. Lets hope he wasn't sold a 120 listed as a 150. That would be very upsetting. I've heard of the occasional 120 solid tops. But since one has never been documented, I'd say they are all veneer until one is documented. There are probably a 1000's of really nice guitars in Japan that we will never see. It would be cool if they have forums like this one where a lot of Tokai owners share pics and opinions on the old LS and ES Tokais.Hi chuckyz2
Typical vintage 120s are known to have veneer tops but there are a few documented vintage 120s with solid tops; not many but there are a few out there.
So, I guess I should have stated from observing the supplied photos in the auction listing/OP photos my impression was it is most likely a LS-120 with a veneer top; not a solid top. I could be wrong but I'm sticking with that assessment.
Hopefully (for the buyer) I'm wrong.
EDIT: photo I posted is not a Tokai
You seem to know enough about these guitars that your opinion on this 150 being a 120 is legit. Lets hope you are you are wrong for the buyers sake. And if you are right, he gets a full refund including shipping. Or a refund of enough money that is reasonable for a 120. They are still very good guitars. I wonder how much he paid. Where he bought it and the name of the seller. I hope if it is 120, the sellers info will be shared with us.
I wasn't aware that you were talking about this guitar. That is going to be a real heartbreaker if you are correct.
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I know what price in yen the listing is showing the auction ended at but I won't disclose that here.
The listing also shows the seller ID but I also won't disclose that here.
The seller has 31 transaction feedbacks with no negative feedback so, it looks like the seller has no issues with previous transactions. That's a plus.
I would be very surprised if they used veneer with mineral streaks like that.
I have had a 1981 LS120 with the veneer flame. I also have a 1982 that is a solid top and seems to be an LS120 although it is impossible to say. It has a PCB so it's not an LS150.
I also looked closely at your pic of the cavity and looks like you can see the flame extending around the corner of the pickup rout and into the cavity, but you will know soon hopefully.
There is a very interesting thread that I think I linked already of solid flame tops.
1978-1985 vintage LS solid flametop gallery
We have seen them all the way down to among others an LS60 that guitar hiro owns that has some wild grain to it.
So it's hard to say.
Keep us posted.
I have had a 1981 LS120 with the veneer flame. I also have a 1982 that is a solid top and seems to be an LS120 although it is impossible to say. It has a PCB so it's not an LS150.
I also looked closely at your pic of the cavity and looks like you can see the flame extending around the corner of the pickup rout and into the cavity, but you will know soon hopefully.
There is a very interesting thread that I think I linked already of solid flame tops.
1978-1985 vintage LS solid flametop gallery
We have seen them all the way down to among others an LS60 that guitar hiro owns that has some wild grain to it.
So it's hard to say.
Keep us posted.
Also, Here is an LS200 with a PCB.... Gotta love Tokais. Cliff owns this one. Would be surprised if someone put a PCB in an LS200 after sale, so...
1979 Tokai LS-200 Les Paul Reborn #0
1979 Tokai LS-200 Les Paul Reborn #0
CliffsGuitarWorld
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The tops look fairly similar on those 2 guitars too. Thanks Cliff for providing those images
Cashew doesn't feel sticky, in comparison to lacquer or poly. They all feel sticky. Nothing feels better than a well worn in neck or a properly sanded neck.
The Cashew on my my ES is very thick and blotchy. Like it was wiped on instead of sprayed. On the neck it was put on even or color sanded. I've read they rag it on a little on the thick side. And that it takes a long time to cure. Mine is fully cured and solid. The neck may have been sprayed in thin coats, IDK, but it is thicker on the body. You have to look really close to see it.
By looking at the pics of the OP's guitar, I don't think it is a Cashew finish. Cashew gives a very different look to the finish and binding. For example, a lacquered natural ES top is the color of maple. Light yellow. Cashew is very ambered in tint and the color is a darkish amber that looks way different than even naturaly aged or amber tinted lacquer. It's hard to describe, but it is light orangish tan amber. I don't see any signs of that on the OP's guitar.
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