NGD: 1982 TE-70YSR
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Homer J. Simpson
Well-known member
Week #3 of my Breezysound honeymoon ramblings... 
I already wrote here about the special fret/fretboard edge treatment these guitars obviously got and I made some clips demonstrating the pickups, mostly with crunch amp settings.
Rolled fretboard edges and plugged fret slots
What I didn't check or use so far was the plain clean sound of the guitar, particularly the bridge pickup. Here's a demonstration and comparison with a Strat bridge pickup (LF Blues Special, 7.1kΩ), in the style of an oldschool beer commercial (stereotypical) music bed - as per usual only the guitars were changed, the amp model (Twin Reverb, what else?) and its settings were the same:
0:00 - Full mix clip
0:33 - Strat bridge pickup
0:55 - TEB bridge pickup
Now I'm not exactly native to "both kinds of music" and I'm not Jerry Donahue, so please forgive me the lackluster performance! That it was particularly lackluster on the Strat was interesting though - I was quite surprised how bone-dry, lap steel-ish and utterly familiar the TEB pickup rang in my ears while recording, and trying the same on the Strat wasn't only surprisingly harder (despite it being much more comfy for bends), it was also lacking all of that pretty inspiring and rewarding "stereotype" vibe, IOW it wasn't fun. Talk about "Strats and Teles basically sound the same"! Puzzling though that they often do sound strikingly similar in YT videos?
About TEB pickups
That made me do a little research on the history of Telecaster pickups and some guesswork about the TEBs - the TEB bridge pickup could be a clone of the pickup from the era when the "Telecaster" got its name, or some oddball "hybrid":
The (unloaded) TEB bridge DC resistance measures unusual 8kΩ (7.98kΩ to be precise) in my Breezy, which is the first giveaway as to why it has that "lap steel" character - that's pretty hot! But all TEB bridge pickups I could find with a DC-R reading were between 7.1 and 7.5kΩ, so this might be an outlier, even if I add 2.5%/200Ω for "loaded" measurements on the output jack for the other TEB pickups. It may have contributed to my impression though:
The very early Esquire and Broadcaster models got an only marginally adapted pickup from Fender's "Champion" lap steel guitar, measuring up to 10kΩ (but generally all over the place). Then Fender changed the enamel wire to formvar and used 42AWG instead of 43AWG, so the resistance dropped to more like 7.5kΩ. Of course pickup winding wasn't an exact science back then and many pickups ended up with a lot less wire and lower resistance in the 6.7kΩ ballpark, which soon became pretty much the standard for the bridge as it seems.
1953 Fender Champion
To find out what year exactly the TEB represents we'd need to measure the magnetic flux density: Around 1954 changed the magnet slugs from AlNiCo-III to AlNiCo-V, initially flush and then staggered in 1955. Comparing the output level to the AlNiCo-V "Blues Special" in my Strat my guess would be AlNiCo-V for the TEB as well, so that would be 1954. AlNiCo-V with less wire on the coil would make the pickup considerably brighter, much more like a Strat pickup and that may explain the ubiquitous impression that they are not so different!
The TEB neck pickups seem to be pretty strange: At 6.0kΩ (my example) the DC-resistance is lower than regular T-style pickups, and 5.9kΩ is also what I found consistently on the other TEB pickup sets. Now Telecaster neck pickups tend to be controversial, not only on Tokais but I understand why people say that they're nothing to phone home about - I had to raise it very much to make it sound OK and the output matching the bridge better - but it's still only OK-ish to me.
The TEB pickups seem to be somewhat unique (or should I say "odd"?) anyway: A big share of the "vintage"-labeled aftermarket pickup sets have (interesting link) bridge pickups in the 6.5-7kΩ range and generally neck pickups above 7kΩ to begin with. Apart from a few super hot or stacked "speciality" pickups, 7.5kΩ is pretty much the hottest you can get for a bridge pickup in a vintage set and none of them has a neck pickup as low as 6kΩ as it seems (Edit: The Fender CS "Twisted Tele" set is much like that!). The TEBs are just the other way around, and that might explain why the comparatively hot bridge TEB appears to have a much better reputation than the neck pickup.
Obviously, TEBs wouldn't be the "correct" pickups for a 1964 "Custom Telecaster" model either, which would have staggered magnets in the bridge position and could even have gotten the enamel wire that was re-introduced in 1964 - but I'm pretty glad that they didn't go that far. BTW, staggered magnets would also be a dead giveaway for a pickup swap in any old Breezy.
1963 Custom Telecaster bridge pickup
Anyway, I think I understand much better now why some of you guys couldn't stop buying Tokais after getting the first one! I still want to find the blue 1982 maple neck sibling of my TE-70!
I already wrote here about the special fret/fretboard edge treatment these guitars obviously got and I made some clips demonstrating the pickups, mostly with crunch amp settings.
Rolled fretboard edges and plugged fret slots
What I didn't check or use so far was the plain clean sound of the guitar, particularly the bridge pickup. Here's a demonstration and comparison with a Strat bridge pickup (LF Blues Special, 7.1kΩ), in the style of an oldschool beer commercial (stereotypical) music bed - as per usual only the guitars were changed, the amp model (Twin Reverb, what else?) and its settings were the same:
0:00 - Full mix clip
0:33 - Strat bridge pickup
0:55 - TEB bridge pickup
Now I'm not exactly native to "both kinds of music" and I'm not Jerry Donahue, so please forgive me the lackluster performance! That it was particularly lackluster on the Strat was interesting though - I was quite surprised how bone-dry, lap steel-ish and utterly familiar the TEB pickup rang in my ears while recording, and trying the same on the Strat wasn't only surprisingly harder (despite it being much more comfy for bends), it was also lacking all of that pretty inspiring and rewarding "stereotype" vibe, IOW it wasn't fun. Talk about "Strats and Teles basically sound the same"! Puzzling though that they often do sound strikingly similar in YT videos?
About TEB pickups
That made me do a little research on the history of Telecaster pickups and some guesswork about the TEBs - the TEB bridge pickup could be a clone of the pickup from the era when the "Telecaster" got its name, or some oddball "hybrid":
The (unloaded) TEB bridge DC resistance measures unusual 8kΩ (7.98kΩ to be precise) in my Breezy, which is the first giveaway as to why it has that "lap steel" character - that's pretty hot! But all TEB bridge pickups I could find with a DC-R reading were between 7.1 and 7.5kΩ, so this might be an outlier, even if I add 2.5%/200Ω for "loaded" measurements on the output jack for the other TEB pickups. It may have contributed to my impression though:
The very early Esquire and Broadcaster models got an only marginally adapted pickup from Fender's "Champion" lap steel guitar, measuring up to 10kΩ (but generally all over the place). Then Fender changed the enamel wire to formvar and used 42AWG instead of 43AWG, so the resistance dropped to more like 7.5kΩ. Of course pickup winding wasn't an exact science back then and many pickups ended up with a lot less wire and lower resistance in the 6.7kΩ ballpark, which soon became pretty much the standard for the bridge as it seems.
1953 Fender Champion
To find out what year exactly the TEB represents we'd need to measure the magnetic flux density: Around 1954 changed the magnet slugs from AlNiCo-III to AlNiCo-V, initially flush and then staggered in 1955. Comparing the output level to the AlNiCo-V "Blues Special" in my Strat my guess would be AlNiCo-V for the TEB as well, so that would be 1954. AlNiCo-V with less wire on the coil would make the pickup considerably brighter, much more like a Strat pickup and that may explain the ubiquitous impression that they are not so different!
The TEB neck pickups seem to be pretty strange: At 6.0kΩ (my example) the DC-resistance is lower than regular T-style pickups, and 5.9kΩ is also what I found consistently on the other TEB pickup sets. Now Telecaster neck pickups tend to be controversial, not only on Tokais but I understand why people say that they're nothing to phone home about - I had to raise it very much to make it sound OK and the output matching the bridge better - but it's still only OK-ish to me.
The TEB pickups seem to be somewhat unique (or should I say "odd"?) anyway: A big share of the "vintage"-labeled aftermarket pickup sets have (interesting link) bridge pickups in the 6.5-7kΩ range and generally neck pickups above 7kΩ to begin with. Apart from a few super hot or stacked "speciality" pickups, 7.5kΩ is pretty much the hottest you can get for a bridge pickup in a vintage set and none of them has a neck pickup as low as 6kΩ as it seems (Edit: The Fender CS "Twisted Tele" set is much like that!). The TEBs are just the other way around, and that might explain why the comparatively hot bridge TEB appears to have a much better reputation than the neck pickup.
Obviously, TEBs wouldn't be the "correct" pickups for a 1964 "Custom Telecaster" model either, which would have staggered magnets in the bridge position and could even have gotten the enamel wire that was re-introduced in 1964 - but I'm pretty glad that they didn't go that far. BTW, staggered magnets would also be a dead giveaway for a pickup swap in any old Breezy.
1963 Custom Telecaster bridge pickup
Anyway, I think I understand much better now why some of you guys couldn't stop buying Tokais after getting the first one!
I still want to find the blue 1982 maple neck sibling of my TE-70!
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Homer J. Simpson
Well-known member
Tokai is always good for a surprise...
Removing the bridge plate in order to clean it a bit and install a set of compensated steel barrels gave me an opportunity to check the bridge PU base plate. I thought the TE-70 is supposed to have TE-B pickups, right? Even the 1982 catalog says so - "Vintage MkII". Surprise:
BTW the guy who sold my TE-70 to its previous owner was Lumi71 (member here and on the MLP forum), he sold it in 2019 and stated the pickups as "TE-A" - and I thought that was a typo or hype! I didn't bother taking out the neck PU but maybe it's a TE-A as well, I just don't care enough. Combing the forum for everything TE-A it turns out that this seems rare but not the only example of a hidden PU upgrade in a Breezy specified TE-B.
However, that doesn't seem to explain the "hot" 8kΩ DC-R reading either, in the Tokai single coil thread someone reports his TE-A bridge being 7.25 kΩ and this brings up the typical Japanese pickup name hide and seek shenanigans again: The 1980 TE series catalog introduces the guitars with TE-A (TE80/85) and TE-B pickups (TE50/55). But the 1981 flat-top-series catalog (officially introducing the TE70 with a 1-piece body and the 6-saddle bridge, which was sold from 1980) suddenly called the pickups "TE Vintage" and "TE Hot", and states that the TE-70 is equipped with "TE Hot". But the 'B' and the few 'A' resistance readings I found so far do not exactly indicate that one PU type is actually hotter than the other!
For the years 1982 onward they became "TE Vintage" = TE-A and "TE Vintage MkII" = TE-B and the one 1981 TE70 example I've seen with PU pics actually had TE-Bs, so it's also not like they had TE-A in the early years or something. Given the overall unmodified state I don't think the pickups were swapped in mine so this would be just yet another lovely crack in Tokai's matrix, maybe they ran out of TE-Bs that day or something. Maybe that's why I'm not unhappy with the pickups, but maybe they just ran out of "B"-stamped base plates and it's all placebo effect...
Sacrilege!
Not one bit less ugly than the "threaded" Fender designed barrels: Crazyparts 1/4" saddles
I really didn't take the decision to swap the saddles lightly because the intonation was manageable with new strings - but the corrugated barrels are quite an imposition of a design and prone to kill strings. I bought a set of Gotoh "In-Tune" brass saddles but ended up too scared to change the material, but then I thought what might be more worthwhile is trying smaller 1/4" diameter compensated steel saddles for ergonomic reasons - the whole affair would be pretty flush with the rim of the bridge, where the original 5/16" barrels, the long height setscrews and the way too long intonation screws were all sticking out and poking the heel of my hand. I made before/after recordings to ensure there's no big impact on the sound and that way I could see that I even gained some 5s more overall sustain but that could be just the dirt being removed underneath the setscrews, under the whole bridge assembly and the screws tightened properly.
(Blue: Tokai barrels - Red: Crazyparts barrels)
But stupid me didn't think this through all the way so here's a warning: Compensated saddles are made for standard string sets and when you're like me using non-standard sets like .009-0.46 super light top / regular bottom you're in for a surprise. That doesn't check out at all and you'd be better off with an uncompensated saddle/barrel for the D+G strings I guess, or just use regular strings.
The main reason why this was a difficult decision is that I didn't want to risk changing the sound/response of the Breezy in any way because I got very used to that and I keep getting quite a kick out of it! I guess the guitar was flipped (at least) three times because it just didn't play very well - but it's super comfy now and I can't seem to get enough of the toans I'm getting out of that thing!
Removing the bridge plate in order to clean it a bit and install a set of compensated steel barrels gave me an opportunity to check the bridge PU base plate. I thought the TE-70 is supposed to have TE-B pickups, right? Even the 1982 catalog says so - "Vintage MkII". Surprise:
BTW the guy who sold my TE-70 to its previous owner was Lumi71 (member here and on the MLP forum), he sold it in 2019 and stated the pickups as "TE-A" - and I thought that was a typo or hype! I didn't bother taking out the neck PU but maybe it's a TE-A as well, I just don't care enough. Combing the forum for everything TE-A it turns out that this seems rare but not the only example of a hidden PU upgrade in a Breezy specified TE-B.
However, that doesn't seem to explain the "hot" 8kΩ DC-R reading either, in the Tokai single coil thread someone reports his TE-A bridge being 7.25 kΩ and this brings up the typical Japanese pickup name hide and seek shenanigans again: The 1980 TE series catalog introduces the guitars with TE-A (TE80/85) and TE-B pickups (TE50/55). But the 1981 flat-top-series catalog (officially introducing the TE70 with a 1-piece body and the 6-saddle bridge, which was sold from 1980) suddenly called the pickups "TE Vintage" and "TE Hot", and states that the TE-70 is equipped with "TE Hot". But the 'B' and the few 'A' resistance readings I found so far do not exactly indicate that one PU type is actually hotter than the other!
For the years 1982 onward they became "TE Vintage" = TE-A and "TE Vintage MkII" = TE-B and the one 1981 TE70 example I've seen with PU pics actually had TE-Bs, so it's also not like they had TE-A in the early years or something. Given the overall unmodified state I don't think the pickups were swapped in mine so this would be just yet another lovely crack in Tokai's matrix, maybe they ran out of TE-Bs that day or something. Maybe that's why I'm not unhappy with the pickups, but maybe they just ran out of "B"-stamped base plates and it's all placebo effect...
Sacrilege!
Not one bit less ugly than the "threaded" Fender designed barrels: Crazyparts 1/4" saddles
I really didn't take the decision to swap the saddles lightly because the intonation was manageable with new strings - but the corrugated barrels are quite an imposition of a design and prone to kill strings. I bought a set of Gotoh "In-Tune" brass saddles but ended up too scared to change the material, but then I thought what might be more worthwhile is trying smaller 1/4" diameter compensated steel saddles for ergonomic reasons - the whole affair would be pretty flush with the rim of the bridge, where the original 5/16" barrels, the long height setscrews and the way too long intonation screws were all sticking out and poking the heel of my hand. I made before/after recordings to ensure there's no big impact on the sound and that way I could see that I even gained some 5s more overall sustain but that could be just the dirt being removed underneath the setscrews, under the whole bridge assembly and the screws tightened properly.
(Blue: Tokai barrels - Red: Crazyparts barrels)
But stupid me didn't think this through all the way so here's a warning: Compensated saddles are made for standard string sets and when you're like me using non-standard sets like .009-0.46 super light top / regular bottom you're in for a surprise. That doesn't check out at all and you'd be better off with an uncompensated saddle/barrel for the D+G strings I guess, or just use regular strings.
The main reason why this was a difficult decision is that I didn't want to risk changing the sound/response of the Breezy in any way because I got very used to that and I keep getting quite a kick out of it! I guess the guitar was flipped (at least) three times because it just didn't play very well - but it's super comfy now and I can't seem to get enough of the toans I'm getting out of that thing!
Last edited:
The pickups thing is definitely confusing. I have seen both in the TE70.
Here is one with TEB pickups. Can't be sure they are original with the other mods.
1981 TE70 YS
And this one.
1981 TE70 BB
Here is one with TEB pickups. Can't be sure they are original with the other mods.
1981 TE70 YS
And this one.
1981 TE70 BB
Andy Summers also played a mismatched Tele. A 1961 double bound 3 tone Fender Tele body with an older maple neck.
From Vintage Guitar Magazine:
"Tell us a bit about the Telecaster you used in the Police."
"I bought it off a kid in Los Angeles prior to the Police for like, 200 bucks. He wanted the money and I needed a guitar. I was very fortunate; I realized later that night, “This is a really great guitar. It’s magical.” And I offered to give it back, but he didn’t want it. For me, it was a life-changing instrument. I still have it, obviously – I can’t get rid of a guitar that changed everything for me and I used to record almost every single Police track. It’s a hybrid instrument, whoever had it put a Gibson humbucker in the front and an overdrive switch powered by a nine-volt battery. There was an out-of-phase switch on it, as well. So, somebody really played around, and it was an absolutely kick-*** guitar. I barely play it anymore, though."
Andy Summers | Vintage Guitar® magazine
The comparable Tokai model would be the TE70YS, excepting the changed electrical system.
Homer J. Simpson
Well-known member
Before putting up new strings today I checked the neck PU:
Well, thank you for putting a full set of TE-As into my guitar, unknown friend in Hamamatsu!
Edit: Sheesh...forgot that I wanted to talk about prices: A set of TE-B pickups (sold as parts with a markup) would've been 10,500JP¥, TE-A were 12,500. The average exchange rate was 220JP¥ per USD in 1981, so the TE-A set would've cost $56. The inflation-corrected 2024 prices would be $157 for the TE-B and $188 for the TE-A. The inflation-corrected 2024 price for the whole guitar would be $963 but but of course, making a guitar like this at this price today wouldn't be possible in Japan anymore.
1981 parts price list
In the past 3 months the guitar has grown on me a lot, it has me shaking my head with a grin on my face pretty much every day. Of course it really is a fun to play guitar and all but what exactly makes it speak to me so much eludes me. I want to let the Breezy conclude this thread:
View attachment Breezy_Endings2.mp3
Well, thank you for putting a full set of TE-As into my guitar, unknown friend in Hamamatsu!
Edit: Sheesh...forgot that I wanted to talk about prices: A set of TE-B pickups (sold as parts with a markup) would've been 10,500JP¥, TE-A were 12,500. The average exchange rate was 220JP¥ per USD in 1981, so the TE-A set would've cost $56. The inflation-corrected 2024 prices would be $157 for the TE-B and $188 for the TE-A. The inflation-corrected 2024 price for the whole guitar would be $963 but but of course, making a guitar like this at this price today wouldn't be possible in Japan anymore.
1981 parts price list
In the past 3 months the guitar has grown on me a lot, it has me shaking my head with a grin on my face pretty much every day. Of course it really is a fun to play guitar and all but what exactly makes it speak to me so much eludes me. I want to let the Breezy conclude this thread:
View attachment Breezy_Endings2.mp3
Last edited:
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