Info on new Tokai AST series?

[mattbarlow]

hello,

I am thinking of purchasing a low budget strat style guitar and of course I am considering the new Tokai AST series.
Does anyone have some more information or experience with them?
i know (at least i think i do) that till last year TOKAI was making strat style guitars for Fender Japan. Anyone has any ideas if the new AST are the same guitars (I mean the same line of production or something?) also some more infos on the specs (of AST33 mainly)
What are the TOS-1 K Vintage Pickups never heard of them and cant really find any info on them!

The more info we can get the best I think!
(if there is already a similar topic with infos that i didnt find with my search please give me a link)

I hope all of us can "discover" the new Tokai series soon !

Alexandros

 

[Diamond]

The AST70s are identical to the Crafted in Japan Fenders, except they have the modified headstock which btw is really cool looking.

The necks are brilliant, typical Japanese Fender necks, smooth and easy to play, great fretwork, very nice quality wood.

They're very clever guitars, I'll tell you why.
For example...the Rosewood Strats look like 62RI, 11 screw on the scratchplates (3 ply), truss rod adjuster on the base of the neck, not headstock, 6 screw vintage bridges, vintage tuners.
But, here's the cool thing about them, they have a 9,5" radius neck and medium frets, instead of the 62RI 7,25" neck and vintage frets.

Then you have the maple neck Strats which look like 57RI Fenders, 8 screw 1 ply scratchplates, , other specs the same as the 62RI Rosewood versions.
Same thing, 9,5" radius fretboards and medium frets.

They're lightweight Alder, which is a good thing IMO, beautiful pieces of wood on the sunburst models, and they resonate like crazy, very jangly and acoustically loud.

It's simple really, they're great guitars at excellent prices...IMO
If you've owned MIJ or CIJ Fender Strats then you know what to expect from these AST models, they're basically the same guitars with Tokai on the modified headstock.

I'm blown away by them, they're that good...they might be low budget but they're high quality.

 

[mattbarlow]

Thank you very much for your reply,

Sounds very interesting (I have very little experience with strat style guitars but I have done some research now)

I do not find though the AST70 model
Only 2 models I have come across are AST-33(made in China I think?) and AST-50 MIJ

 

[Diamond]

The differences between the AST50 and AST70 are.

AST50 has the "vintage" headstock, like a Fender.
It has vintage spec radius and vintage frets.
It's more than likely made of Swamp Ash, unless it's a 'special order'.

AST70.
Modified headstock, which I think I prefer, it's very cool.
Modern specs, 9,5" radius and medium frets.
Made in lightweight Alder.

What do they have in common.
Same vintage 6 screw bridges.
Same vintage tuners.
Same vintage correct scratchplates.
Same Tokai quality.

Check out the 2010 catalogue, you'll see the AST and ATE70 models under the Vintage Series.
http://www.tokaiguitars.co.za/cat.html

 

[Anonymous]

Not a Strat, but I did grab one of the new Breezy ATE50s. It's in this thread.

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=16134

I believe the AST33s are Chinese. I haven't tried them, & I suppose I shouldn't jump to conclusions about them, but it seems inevitable to me that the Japanese ones (numbered 50 & above) will be worth the extra.

Mike

 

[Diamond]

Very interesting.

All the AST70 models came setup with the pickups raised slightly higher on the bass side than on the treble side...even volume on all pickup positions...so they did it on purpose, it's not a mistake.

Strange, because all the Fenders come setup with the pickups extremely higher on the treble side, with the bass side just above the pickguard.

Sounds good to me, I'm leaving them just as they are.

 

[Anonymous]

Strange, because all the Fenders come setup with the pickups extremely higher on the treble side, with the bass side just above the pickguard.

That's the best way to make a Strat sound thin & scratchy, I don't know why people do that. I usually set mine around level with maybe a slight slant one way or the other, depending on what sounds best.

 

[marcusnieman]

Strange, because all the Fenders come setup with the pickups extremely higher on the treble side, with the bass side just above the pickguard.

That's the best way to make a Strat sound thin & scratchy, I don't know why people do that. I usually set mine around level with maybe a slight slant one way or the other, depending on what sounds best.

It also has to do with the magnetic pull on the strings - the bigger strings have much more metal - pickups too close restrict the string vibration from excessive magnetic pull - all of which affects the sound.

If you want more bass response - tweak the amp

 

[Diamond]

True, it has to do with the magnetic pull, more vibration on the D/A/E strings therefore the pickup height lower on the bass side.
Almost every Strat I've ever seen hanging in a store has the treble side way up, of course that's what Fender recommend.
That's why I was surprised to see every one of the AST70s set exactly the same way, bass side slightly higher.

But I kind of agree with Mike, when I see Strat pups set so high on the treble side it always seems kind of odd when the guy then says his Strat sounds 'ice pickey'.

I'm sure I saw a photo of Jimi's 68 Black Strat that showed his pickups set with the bass side higher, but I cant find the photo now.

 

[Diamond]

Here you go, an AST70 Vintage White...it feels like you're playing a CIJ Strat, no difference, even the colours are identical.
Except you're not playing a 7,25" radius neck and vintage frets...which is the one advantage over a CIJ Strat IMO...I prefer 9,5: radius and medium frets.

 

[mattbarlow]

That's it !
the color seems very nice and according to you plays even better!!

 

[Diamond]

body shots