New member needs Tokai and Greco ID

[bukwas]

Thanks for having me
New member from Canada
I need some of you to help with some ID for a Tokai Strat and a Greco LP Custom
I have lots of pics of both.
The Strat if it's a real Tokai, looks like a 62 RI
Swamp ash or ash body. Made in Japan on the pots but absolutely no serial number anywhere. It even came with the original hang tag of SRV still on the **** thing
Build great big beefy block, all cloth covered wire...but a mystery cuz I know fakes are out there.
Story is I got it from the original owners brother that bought it on tour in the USA a long time ago.

The other is my lefty Greco . Looks to be a 1990 but not sure. Plays like a dream and I'm never selling it but having a hard time figuring out exactly what model...is it Made in Japan or Korea?
Set neck and all but I've been told it's a mint collection then I've been told it's a set neck Korean...I don't really care personally where it was made,as I love it, but would like the pros to weigh in
It has a weird flame torch inlaid mop or abalone type logo on the headstock
Reflects like abalone in the light anyway..

Again thanks for a wicked site and hope you all can help

I can add pictures on request so I don't clog the whole thread.

 

[bukwas]

Ok a few pictures. Haha had too.
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[bukwas]

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[bukwas]

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[bukwas]

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[bukwas]

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[Reborn Old]

Hi,

Welcome to the Tokai forum !

Your Greco Custom appears to be a 2000 EGC model, based on the torch headstock design,
possibly an EGC-75, and manufactured by Fujigen.

Your Goldstar is a 1983 or later pre CBS copy, so early '60's sounds right.

Serial numbers are supposed to be located on neck plates for Goldstars,
and the serial number range might help determine the production year if it wasn't replaced.

 

[bukwas]

Thanks very much!
As for the Tokai Strat there is no serial number i can find anywhere! Not on the neck anyplace when i removed it.

Thanks for you info on the Greco..
i was sent info on the same headstock and serial number another person sent and said it was a 1989-1990 late 80,s early 90 so i really have know idea..lol

The nut on the Greco is bone and yellowed as with all the binding on the body and neck
Great guitar but identifying both these is really difficult for me so i turned to all you here.

Im learning what i can as i go thru the different posts....alot of knowledge here on the forum forsure!
Thanks again!

 

[Reborn Old]

No skunk stripe is normal for Goldstar necks. They were dropped in 1982 along with the Springy Sound name.

I'm not positive on date ranges for this Greco torch design, but thought the LPC 6 piece diamond shape (with a split center rectangle)
was used from late 1988 through 1989 at least, ... possibly longer ?
Yours might be a 1990, but I was told the torch design began later.
Apologies for any confusion caused.

 

[bukwas]

Haha no worries its all help
Im learning and its really quite interesting digging and finding things out about these Japan made guitars.
I do know it plays better than most Les Pauls ive had...and this is now the only LP i own.

The Tokai Strat plays amazing as well but im a lefty and thought if its japanese made would be a shame to leftify it, so if it turns out real i will sell or trade it.
Although to leftify it all i need to do is bang off that nut and cut a bone lefty and done. Set up and intonate and its fine...but im sure a righty might want it.

 

[Diamond]

A 62RI won't have a scratchplate screw above the middle pickup, the screw will be between the middle and neck pickup.
No big deal, just means it's more like a 57RI...or a 62RI neck on a 57RI body.

 

[wulfman]

I think your Greco is from 1990. The torch design came in 1990 but usually there is no open "o" logo with it. Could be wrong but I believe the Gibson-style headstock was long gone by 2000.

 

[bukwas]

Thanks for all the help
As for a different neck on a 62' body or vice versa, I would say not unless it was done at the factory. This guitar sat in a corner for many years in a case. I can honestly say i believe I was the first to take that neck off since new. The original owners left it with his brother in the case and he barely touched it.

I don't know lol but I'm having fun trying to find out
if there's was a sticker on the neck it's long gone and no evidence of it now at all
I don't know what the 7S or VS or 75, or even an upside down SL means,but it's on the neck pocket and under the neck pickup route on the body. Has those Gotoh tuners on the headstock as well?
62 RI was just my guess, but the body is solid swamp ash which puzzles me. Nice body but if its a fake, and who knows it could be, why would anyone use such nice materials and workmanship to fake a Tokai Strat copy?
Anyway all of your responses are appreciated.
It was sold with that SRV hang tag, but the odd thing I noticed is that the back plate hole aren't staggered like a Strat. The holes are even on both sides. Odd
And if it's a Korean model would they have been using Japanese pups and cloth wiring and Japanese pots and selling it with an SRV hang tag after he died?
Again thanks

On a side note I just plugged this sucker in for the first time since the first day I got it, i plugged it in the first day at the guys house i bought it from thats it, holy geez!....it's a right so I haven't played it at all (plugged in)
I played it neck in neck with my USA Strat w Kinnman pups and this sucker was every bit as good! Perhaps better....
I'm floored. If its Korean its only the body and neck cuz this is amazing
I'm def making this a lefty

 

[bukwas]

Thanks Wulfman
Nothing on the pups as for numbers or anything so I have no idea, except they sound great thru my old traynors! Lol
I'm guessing the cream pup surrounds aren't original and I don't have the original pick guard either

 

[jacco]

The thick Greco logo with closed O starts in 1991. Never seen a torch logo from 1990 but who knows.
Anyone else noticed the 1991 pot codes?

 

[jacco]

I also find the shape of the tabs odd for early 90s, Reborn might be right.

 

[bukwas]

Awesome, I'll post some more pix of the Greco pots if it helps

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[Reborn Old]

I did notice pot codes, on what look like original pots + harness, but would Fujigen stock a 9 year supply of pots ??? .

I did find another 0 xxxx serial # torch emblem, 3 pickup white Custom that resembles a 1989 RR in every respect, outside of headstock art,
pots, and closed vs open "O" in Greco, so the mystery deepens.

Lack of other examples, and sketchy 1990's catalogs are a large part of the problem. :-?

Tokai produced Torch logo open book headstock LPC Grecos into the 2000's according to a few owners of these.
I don't have serial #'s to corroborate their claims, unfortunately.

Also, far from reliable : a reported 1993 catalog page showing split diamond LPC headstock art ...

 

[bukwas]

Thanks for all the digging folks!
I'm changing the nut on the Tokai Strat Saturday when I have time.

 

[bukwas]

Here's a link with similar guitars but bolt on neck

http://usedguitar.blogspot.ca/2009/09/lawssa-guitars-square-greco.html

And another on a different forum w different pickups but same headstock

http://www.forum.japanaxe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=509