New Tokai Owner - Urgent Help Please!!

[Marc Jennings]

Hi,

Hello all i'm new here and new to Tokai.

I have just brought a Love Rock from ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....em=&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT&salenotsupported

I'm collecting the guitar tomorrow but was a little worried after talking with the seller that it does not have made in Japan on the back of the headstock. Is this usual for a 2000 Love Rock? The seller says it is definatly Japanese and the serial number is stamped so not MIK.
I'd just like some re-assurance that I am buying a made in Japan Love Rock.

Thanks

Marc

 

[Goestoeleven]

Hi Marc.

Hard to tell from that picture really. I've got a 2004 model, and the serial number configuration sounds about right to me.

That truss rod cover doesn't look original, but then I've fitted a Gibson "Bell shaped" one to mine as well, so can't really go by that alone. At least it has the correct number of screws, so it probably is a MIJ and not a MIK or a MIC (Which would have a 3-screw truss rod cover) although the pictures are too dark to really be sure.

Your guitar doesn't ring any obvious alarm bells with me. I'd say I was 75% sure it was kosher, but more pictures (Especially the back of the headstock) and a few more opinions from others would be good.

Fingers crossed for you mate. :wink:

 

[Lexx]

My 2001 LS75Q MIJ doesn't say Made in Japan either on the back of the headstock. The number of digits in the serial number is the same. The shape of the headstock is the same. Position of the control knobs is the same. The only difference I see is the truss rod cover -- mine is two screw as well, but plain, not stylized as the picture.

So, not sure I added much to your comfort level, but from above I would have to agree with Goestoeleven on the "at least 75% sure it's genuine" comment.

Edit: Oh, for what it's worth, wanted to add that mine came with a Tokai spotted-beige-outside, hot-pink inside case with a Tokai badge on the outside, as well as original Japan instructions. The Gibson case on yours doesn't help, but I thought that genuine Gibson cases not attached to a genuine Gibson guitar are rare since the case is one of the genuine tell-tales.

 

[Goestoeleven]

That's a good point actually Lexx. Mine has the "Dimpled" headstock, but as I understand it, Tokai made both shapes, so I wouldn't be overly worried about that in isolation.

If there were other things that didn't stack up then maybe, but everything else looks okay to me, so no major cause for concern from my end.

 

[Marc Jennings]

Thanks for the quick feedback guys I'm feeling a little better about it now. Anything I should specifically check when I pick the guitar up to confirm MIJ or not? I've not handed over the money so if worst came to worst I guess I could back out.

I'd really appreaciate peoples views on the originality of this guitar.

Marc

 

[Lexx]

Only other thing I can think of is that apparently the plastic covers on the on the back are originally black on genuine Tokai and have been cream coloured on some fakes. Also, my original pickups say Made in Japan on theback, if you can get at them. But as you're going to be at least the 3rd owner, more and more parts could be replaced, so almost none of this is conclusive on it's own, only somewhat useful as a collection.

 

[Goestoeleven]

I can't think of any "Quick check" items other than the rear covers being black plastic, as Lexx has already said.

In the absence of anything else it would really be down to "Feel" for me. I know what a Japanese one plays like, and I know how different the MIK and MIC ones feel even before you plug them in.

To be honest, most of the fakes are of really high-end models or they're just plain "wrong" in that Tokai never made one like that, etc. I still don't think you've got much to worry about with yours. Assuming there are no playability issues, etc.

 

[Paladin2019]

Hi Marc... or should I say... Chilijam? :wink:

Rest easy bro, you've got yourself a bona fide '00 Japanese Tokai (an LS65 VF to be exact) with the highly favoured true open book headstock. Guitars from that era had a small MIJ sticker at the base of the headstock but obviously these are frequently removed.

The truss rod cover is non orginal, but lots of folks prefer the gibson styling and you got a good price especially with a hardcase included.

The MIJ giveaways are the two piece top, tailpiece is not in line with the neck volume control, two screws in the truss rod cover, and the bridge posts are thin and do not have screw tops. 100% certainty, even with those few photos. The guys are right, the guitar should have black back plates when you get it as well as nickel hardware, vintage-style high pickup rings, bridge posts screwed directly into the body, nashville-style bridge with no retaining wire, and if you look into the pickup cavity it'll have square reaming holes and a neck joint that extends to the end of the fingerboard.

Did you just get tired of that BFG? :lol:

 

[Marc Jennings]

Thanks again for the responses.

I've now spent a few hours trawling through old forum posts and low and behold it seems the original owner of the guitar was a member and from the ebay add I would guess the current seller brought it of the original owner that imported the guitar.

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=8109&highlight=ls65

Anyway looks like I don't have anything to worry about regards originality.

Marc[/url]

 

[Lexx]

Cool. It's almost as if there is a kind of genuine Tokai Registry or something happening here

 

[FastRedPonyCar]

Marc, my new LS150 which will hopefully be here next week doesn't have a MIJ stamp on the back of the headstock either but has what appears to be a legit serial number and from what everyone has said in my original post regarding it's ebay seller trustworthiness, it's legit (which for the price I would hope would be so)

________
Weed vaporizers

 

[Marc Jennings]

Hi All,

Picked up the guitar yesterday and now checked it out fully and am 100% certain it's all original MIJ other than the trus rod cover. Great condition and very "vintage 59 LP looking", not sure if this was the model Tokai were trying to replicate. No flame on the maple obviously but still good looking.

Stamped in the neck pickup cavity "LS65", rear plates black, Pickups have been taken out and put back in at some point but look to be the PAF MkII's from comparison with pictures on the forum. All hardware marked MIJ.

So far seems a great guitar. I'm not really a Les Paul player so now just hoping I can bond with it as I think I probably paid a little over the odds for it. That said it did come with a brand new Gibson LP hardcase which would be costly to buy on it's own.

And interestingly the previous owner has microchipped the guitar (like you would a dog!!). Great idea which I've never thought of before.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

 

[Anonymous]

And interestingly the previous owner has microchipped the guitar (like you would a dog!!). Great idea which I've never thought of before.

As long as he didn't have it neutered as well...

 

[Ozeshin]

And interestingly the previous owner has microchipped the guitar (like you would a dog!!). Great idea which I've never thought of before.

As long as he didn't have it neutered as well...

Nah...coz then you'd have a strat

 

[leadguitar_323]

Touche.......

Mick

 

[FastRedPonyCar]

And interestingly the previous owner has microchipped the guitar (like you would a dog!!). Great idea which I've never thought of before.

As long as he didn't have it neutered as well...

Nah...coz then you'd have a strat

HAHAHHA

________
Hawaii Dispensary

 

[Goestoeleven]

You'll love it.

I've always had Strats until I bought my LS75F. Strats are great, but sometimes you just need an LP for "Rocking out!" 8)

Each time I pick mine up I find myself hitting the intro to "Can't get enough of your love" by Bad Company. Or a bit of "Rock and Roll" from Led Zeppelin IV.

Cliches? Moi? Oh yes. :lol:

 

[glaister3]

I think youve got a great guitar for a good price!

 

[Marc Jennings]

I have one more question. The guitar I brought is a 2000 LS65. I now understand that the model numbers represent the cost in Yen so obviously change. So my question is what does my 2000 LS65 equate to in today's models?

Thanks

 

[JohnA]

I have one more question. The guitar I brought is a 2000 LS65. I now understand that the model numbers represent the cost in Yen so obviously change. So my question is what does my 2000 LS65 equate to in today's models?

Thanks

That would be an LS90. 90000 Yen + tax

http://www1.odn.ne.jp/tokaigakki/products/vintage/ls90.html

The even more confusing aspect of the models numbers is that European dealers don't always change the model numbers when Tokai do, the flame top (vener) version of your guitar is still called an LS85F by a lot of people but is now actually a LS95F.

Hope that clears things up :wink:


You can see the full LS line-up here:

http://www1.odn.ne.jp/tokaigakki/products/vintage/index.html