somebodyelseuk
Well-known member
Hiya,
Became the proud owner of a 1983 Goldstar, yesterday.
Finished in Tokai's take on 'fiesta' red (whatever the hell fiesta red is - nobody really knows - even Fender can't get the shade consistent!), all original as best as I can tell - 5=12 stamped neck and body, block logo, five digit code on neck plate, 'Deluxe' Kluson-a-likes, 'Final Prospec' bridge saddles... yada, yada... and grey bottom 'U' stamped pickups.
I think it's a TST50 (the sticker's missing) and it's got plenty of dents and scratches, but most importantly, it has unbelievable resonance and sustain - really 'rattles yer ribs' (how I gauge a good instrument).
Little history - I started playing guitar 30 years ago, like most people back then, on a dreadful, cheap, plywood Stra copy. In '83 it was time I got my first good guitar. My local shop (Rhythm House in Stockport) stocked a full range of Tokais and Squiers, but all my heros played Yamaha SGs, so it was a toss up between a two tone Tokai, a white Squier (they had just started doing them in white, black or 'that' red) or ordering a Yamaha SG (nobody in the UK had any stock). I went for the Yamaha. I never regretted the decision, but after Rhythm House closed down a couple of years later I never saw Tokais stocked anywhere and regretted not having snapped up one back then. It's taken until now, though I haven't been searching that hard, for one of the right era to find me. For me, it had to be a block logo model...
I own far too many guitars - ESPs, Fenders, Levinson Blade, Yamahas, a Squier, a Burns, an Italia and a couple of Vintages - and was a little concerned. Were Tokais really as great as I remembered or was it just that we were so used to having to put up with either crap copies or paying proper money for the real thing back then???
I'm not disappointed. It IS as good as I remembered, if anything the 30ish years of 'living' have given it more character.
Not the most expensive guitar I own, and ultimately, not the best guitar I own, but it is without doubt, the best value for money and most historically significant guitar I own (alongside those Yamaha SGs maybe).
Without Tokai, there would be no vintage reissues, no Squiers, no Fender & Gibson Custom Shops, Strats would still have big heads, three bolt necks and dodgy quality and copies would still be made of plywood and have 5mm actions.
Cheers
Became the proud owner of a 1983 Goldstar, yesterday.
Finished in Tokai's take on 'fiesta' red (whatever the hell fiesta red is - nobody really knows - even Fender can't get the shade consistent!), all original as best as I can tell - 5=12 stamped neck and body, block logo, five digit code on neck plate, 'Deluxe' Kluson-a-likes, 'Final Prospec' bridge saddles... yada, yada... and grey bottom 'U' stamped pickups.
I think it's a TST50 (the sticker's missing) and it's got plenty of dents and scratches, but most importantly, it has unbelievable resonance and sustain - really 'rattles yer ribs' (how I gauge a good instrument).
Little history - I started playing guitar 30 years ago, like most people back then, on a dreadful, cheap, plywood Stra copy. In '83 it was time I got my first good guitar. My local shop (Rhythm House in Stockport) stocked a full range of Tokais and Squiers, but all my heros played Yamaha SGs, so it was a toss up between a two tone Tokai, a white Squier (they had just started doing them in white, black or 'that' red) or ordering a Yamaha SG (nobody in the UK had any stock). I went for the Yamaha. I never regretted the decision, but after Rhythm House closed down a couple of years later I never saw Tokais stocked anywhere and regretted not having snapped up one back then. It's taken until now, though I haven't been searching that hard, for one of the right era to find me. For me, it had to be a block logo model...
I own far too many guitars - ESPs, Fenders, Levinson Blade, Yamahas, a Squier, a Burns, an Italia and a couple of Vintages - and was a little concerned. Were Tokais really as great as I remembered or was it just that we were so used to having to put up with either crap copies or paying proper money for the real thing back then???
I'm not disappointed. It IS as good as I remembered, if anything the 30ish years of 'living' have given it more character.
Not the most expensive guitar I own, and ultimately, not the best guitar I own, but it is without doubt, the best value for money and most historically significant guitar I own (alongside those Yamaha SGs maybe).
Without Tokai, there would be no vintage reissues, no Squiers, no Fender & Gibson Custom Shops, Strats would still have big heads, three bolt necks and dodgy quality and copies would still be made of plywood and have 5mm actions.
Cheers