Help! What do I have? MIJ Tokai Love Rock

[Matthew Dickin]

Hi,

First time post here, wondering if you could help me get to the bottom of what model my MIJ Love Rock is? I have always thought it was a ULS150, but - having looked through various catalogues where I can't find a 150 with the right specs) I'm not sure what it is. No stamps anywhere. Serial number is 1024311, which I think means 2010?

Photos attached here, but key specs are: one-piece back, two-piece flamed maple cap (not veneer), long tenon, MOP headstock inlay, CTS pots and Orange Drop caps. Unmarked pickups with braided cables. Violin finish. Nitro. Bone nut.

(Truss rod cover, poker chip, knobs are non original.)

Any ideas?

Thanks so much!
Matthew

Gallery here

 

[Sigmania]

Very cool.

And definitely looks higher spec than a 150 at that time (2010).

There have always been special orders so you can't rule that out. That and owner mods.

What are the dates on the CTS pots?

Here are the 2010 catalog specs on an LS260. Seems to be more in that range on price?

 

[Sigmania]

I just saw this one in the UK 2012 catalog.

ULS150 seems to have a solid top flame top?

 

[Sigmania]

Then the ULS250 from the same catalog

 

[Sigmania]

Your pickups look like Keiyo MKII pickups.

 

[Matthew Dickin]

Thank you! It's a beautiful guitar. Pots are all 2010 (1017, 1004 etc)

 

[Matthew Dickin]

Your pickups look like Keiyo MKII pickups.

Are those the ones listed in the catalogues above as PAF Vintage MK2?

 

[Sigmania]

OK. Hmmm. It is hard to say. The pickups look like Keiyo, which was the MKII at that time.

Check the specs on the catalogs I linked and see what parts seem to line up.

Looks like the ULS250 had amber celluloid fret markers?


ULS150
BODY: Carved figured AA or AAA flame maple top, I piece solid mahogany back
NECK: Mahogany I piece set neck, deep joint
HEAD ANGLE: 18°
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood
FRETS: 22F #213
RADIUS: 300R
SCALE: 625/312.5mm
INLAY (FRETS): Dish
LOGO (HEADSTOCK): Tokai
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/43mm
BRIDGE: Gotoh Vintage type
PICKUPS: Gotoh Custom PAF or Trev Wilkinson SL
CONTROLS: 2x V, 2xT, 3 way switch
FINISH: All standard colors available, custom colors

ULS250
BODY: Flame maple 2 piece top, Mahogany I piece back
NECK: Mahogany I piece set neck, deep joint
HEAD ANGLE: 18°
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood
FRETS: 22F #213
RADIUS: 300R
SCALE: 625/312.5mm
TUNERS: Goth SD90. SL
INLAY (FRETS): Dish amber cell
INLAY (HEADSTOCK): Mother-of pearl
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/43mm
BRIDGE: HLS-VB Brass saddle Bridge, HLS-VT Aluminum tail-piece
PICKUPS: 2x PAF Vintage Mk2 (Japan)
CONTROLS: 2x V. 2xT. 3 way switch
FINISH: Cherry Sunburst, Violin Finish

 

[Sigmania]

Are those the ones listed in the catalogues above as PAF Vintage MK2?

Possibly. They called many different pickups MKII over the years.

In 2010 they should be Keiyo and sometime around there (2012 ?) it switched to MK2-S, but that would be indicated in the catalog I would think.

Keiyo thread:

Keiyo MK2 Pickups

There was a special order model around that time called a Hibiki HLS160 with its own pickups, but I think they had the open book headstock.

Hibiki HLS Models

 

[Matthew Dickin]

I'm not sure on the inlays - what would I be looking at for amber cell? The headstock logo is definitely mother of pearl, though, and the saddles are brass.

 

[Sigmania]

Hmmmm. I am no expert on these. I tend to focus on earlier guitars, but the way the openings are cut for the fretmarkers I have seen on high end Tokais. I am not sure why or who was cutting those fretboards like that, but I have seen it on LS320s. Not saying this is one, but I don;t think I have seen that on lower models. I need to look around at other examples.

 

[settebello]

These are the amber cell inlays of my 2008 SG.

 

[Sigmania]

Here is an example of an LS320 with the amber colored fret markers.

Please help me identify the LOVEROCK model

 

[Sigmania]

Note how the fretboard openings were cut on that LS320 I linked. Look at the corners.

 

[settebello]

https://www.tokaiforum.com/threads/help-identifying-my-tokai-sg-model.26413/#post-198047Scroll down to the SG fretboard pic.Thats what they means in 2008 with dish,the swirly plastic looking ones from the
lower end models.

 

[jselect]

Very cool.

And definitely looks higher spec than a 150 at that time (2010).

There have always been special orders so you can't rule that out. That and owner mods.

What are the dates on the CTS pots?

Here are the 2010 catalog specs on an LS260. Seems to be more in that range on price?

View attachment 12277

 

[jselect]

Sigmania, do you have the 2012 catalog for LS?

 

[Sigmania]

Sigmania, do you have the 2012 catalog for LS?

Yes.

2012 catalog

 

[jselect]

Yes.

2012 catalog

View attachment 12286

Could I see the LS page?

 

[Matthew Dickin]

https://www.tokaiforum.com/threads/help-identifying-my-tokai-sg-model.26413/#post-198047Scroll down to the SG fretboard pic.Thats what they means in 2008 with dish,the swirly plastic looking ones from the
lower end models.

Would you say that the inlays on mine are the dish or the amber ones? I can't tell!