My Tokai story (may be a bit off topic!)

[Marko A]

HI,

I just thought to let you all know something about my "tokai story".
Here you go...

There was awesome Tokai Love Rock hanging on our local music shop?s wall which I muchly wanted.. But I couldn?t afford it...

My friend got what he wanted (rich parents ya know--[ if you?re reading this, no offence!! I love you man!]) He got Tokai Les Paul Custom with (ridiculous!) Floyd rose tremolo.

Guess if I was envious.

Well... Time went on.. I worked at our local Graveyard.

I saved every nickel I could get from my employer.
Came the next fall. I had the money to buy this miraculous Les Paul model from the local shop. And I bought it. (It was used, there was also nice new one. But I didn?t like that one at all!)

Since that, this guitar was magical to me. I knew a s**t about Tokai (or guitars mind you!) I just had fell in love with this guitar. There was nothing wrong with it. No matter how or where I used it. Everything just fitted together like they?re supposed to.

I never even thought that this guitar was special or something, it was just all I could ever ask for, and I didn?t even think of it.
No matter the amp or effects I was playing through, it was still _me playing my own Les Paul_.

Time went by- I was happy and didn?t even thought of my guitar. until one day. My friend pushed it and it fell of from the stand, straight to the floor. The neck broke......

My life stopped for the moment. It was really SCARY! I had never thought this could?ve happen. But it happened.

Few weeks later (thank god I have good insurance!). I ordered new Les Paul, that our local shop thought would be good enough to replace my poor guitar.

So, I got this new LS-70 oak. (after four months of waiting).
I got confused. This guitar was supposed to be better than my previous one.

Well, it was not even close to that. First the pickups sucked big time. On the previous one they were just clear and powerfull as you can ever ask. On this new one they started "crying" when I turned the volume really ON.
I was pissed and right away ordered a set of Gibson PAF plus? thinking that they are the best possible pickups for me. Well, when I got them... They?re okay... But, any day I?d change this guitar with it?s new pickups to my old Tokai in a second. Do you get this?!

I miss do my guitar. Nothing has ever got close to it. Not even my friends Gibson that I got for a "test" at the time I was waiting for my new LS70 to come.

Right now I?m thinking to get the neck of my first Les Paul to be recrafted. I?d like it to have a completely new neck. Even though it will cost a price of new Korean Les Paul.
I?m like hoping that I?d get my old Tokai back alive again.

Yes, I know. I?m a bit weird. But if/when I?d get my original Les paul Back, the new LS70 is worth a nothing to me.

It?s funny but there is something different with my old one. To give you and idea. It had it?s own "out of phase" sound when used both pickups at the same time. No other pickup or guitar comes near. Not even the ones on the real Gibson.

I?ll let you know if I?ll ever get this guitar back alive again... and I think I will...

According to my research, it?s 84-86 LS80. If anyone thinks otherwise, just let me know. Firstly I thought it was the cheapest model off the line at the time. But now that I?ve done some research, it was not.

And I?m not bragging here. I?m just desperate. Feel for me please!!

Cheers

 

[tokaiguy]

Marko, fix the old one! The Peter Green LP that Gary Moore has was broken 2 or 3 times! There are tons of tails of this ilk! Just like in life, a broken neck, or bones gives you character!! LOL ! Good luck my brother! 8) Peace Out! TG

 

[Marko A]

Hehe... I have a bad flu and last night I tried to cure it with some rum. That text is the result of it :roll:

Well, seriously this broken neck got glued afterwards, but I didn?t like it and tried something else. I sanded the finish off from the neck totally and gave it beeswax treatment. No need to say... it didn?t get any better.

For some reason even that it looks like it?s very tightly glued (you cannot see the joint no matter how close you look) it doesn?t play well anymore.
It somehow lost "it" you know. The neck should resonate the sound a bit but this doesnt. It?s like on some piece of a crap plywood guitars. It?s dead.
Btw, the it got broke by the body side not on the headstock like they usyally do.

So, I may give it a try and let someone to make a new neck for it.
I know, it?s a very tricky and expensive job. But if it?ll get the tone and feel back to this guitar, it?ll be worth it.

 

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

I know this may sound daft but a lot of tone eminates from the neck of a Les Paul.

For instance, a couple of guys who have built Les Pauls have suggested that a heavier/denser piece of mahogany for the neck as opposed to the main body of the guitar (in weight ratio) is central for making the finished guitar a lot more authentic ? say like a 50?s Les Paul.

To be on the safe side, if you're going to have a new neck made, I'd say the new piece of wood should be roughly the same weight as the old neck.