NGD 2002 MIJ GT (was MY) Love Rock case and pots question

[den]

Hi Tokai Aficionados,

I just picked up a 2002 MIJ Mellow Yellow Tokai Love Rock (it's my 2nd one, the other is a 2001 MIJ LS-75Q). It's a UK model, but bought in Canada (no need to get into Fakai discussions, I am certain it's genuine as described). It looks, feels, and sounds great, love it!

A couple of questions please:

- it didn't come with documentation, but can anyone give me some hints what model number it might be or how to differentiate? I can post pics if absolutely necessary

- the bridge volume pot is defective; the guitar is all stock and I'd very much like to keep it as close to stock configuration as possible for now; can someone suggest an easy source of as-stock-as-possble replacement pots?

- unfortunately it came with a Tokai soft case, not a hard case; I would like to get a Tokai or as close as possible hard case for it; any recommendations for easy sources?

I suspect some of this has been discussed in the past, but with the various deleted posts problems of the past and not very good search functions, I can't seem to zero in on those old posts.

Thanks much,
Den

 

[den]

I clearly grossly underestimated the cost of attention here . Let me rectify that -- will the following photos be sufficient compensation to start a little discussion on the original questions? I don't believe I've ever seen a Mellow Yellow Tokai around here and there isn't much on a Google image search either (you may need a calibrated monitor to differentiate it from a Gold Top) ...

 

[den]

Wow, rarely (or never) before seen Tokai colour, 120 views, and I am still talking to myself. Ok, what the heck, I can use this as my personal blog for a bit ...

Pots:
- it seem that Alpha pots are recommended in these parts
- 500K, audio/tapered/logarithmic (i.e. not linear)
- StewMac should ship to Canada without too much issue
- StewMac seems to have a couple of models (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Potentiometers/Alpha_Control_Pots.html)
- wonder which one, 0130 (std) or 3482 (long shaft) ...
- StewMac doesn't indicate whether they are linear or log, but considering they are discussing volume control knobs, they ought to be log, right?

Any comments?

Now, where oh where to find a Tokai case in North America ... those new China ones that Diamond posted look really nice, but it seems shipping China to South Africa to Canada is a bit wasteful and only government taxmen and couriers are made happy ...

And what is that Tokai model, anyway ...

 

[wulfman]

Hello Den, nice looking Tokai there.

Before you change out the pots the best thing to do is get a can of contact cleaner spray and clean out the pot. I had a couple of guitars with pots that came back to life after using contact cleaner.

If not, most of the pots on Stew Mac are audio taper I believe. Tokai and other Japanese makers sometimes use linear pots for volume but conventional wisdom is to use audio.

Most MIJ use short shaft pots but to confirm just take a pot out and see what is in there now.

About the color, the photos look to me on my computer like it is a goldtop. Is it actually yellow and not metallic?

Those are my 2 yen.

 

[sneakyjapan]

how much is that Canadian?

 

[den]

Wulfman, thanks for your note! It's a relief to find another human left alive ... just finished watching "28 days" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289043/), sorry .

- no, I don't think the pot has any hope of recovery with cleaning; if you look at the photos, you can see it is sticking up higher than the other pots; it's shaft has essentially been pulled up and almost out, as a result of removing a very very tight knob, I think

- before ordering, I will take the stock pot out and compare measurements, of course; I was just hoping to get expert opinions of the right part regardless as a double check; I've also asked StewMac whether their specific 500K Alpha pots are linear or log

- MY colour: yes, it is a very difficult colour to judge from photos; in real life, it looks noticeably greener than a goldtop, I think, but unfortunately I don't have a goldtop for a direct side-by-side comparison handy; I am going to try two things tomorrow during daylight: a) take a photo outdoors without flash and b) use a photo calibrated grey card as a colour reference and will adjust in postprocessing against the card to ensure that the colour temperature and tone are exactly right; I'll also try to find a goldtop at a store somewhere around here in the next couple of weeks and will try to do a side-by-side, but it won't be a Tokai -- there is no way I am going to find another MIJ and a goldtop at that around here on short (less than a few years) notice; maybe a Gibson ...

 

[den]

how much is that Canadian?

Hi SneakyJapan: well, right now, it's priceless, I am not selling it . But it was offered for just under a $1000 CAD to me.

 

[wulfman]

how much is that Canadian?

about 3 cents these days!

 

[sneakyjapan]

how much is that Canadian?

Hi SneakyJapan: well, right now, it's priceless, I am not selling it . But it was offered for just under a $1000 CAD to me.

sorry...was talking to the Wulfman.

 

[mattim]

Looks like a 2002 LS75/LS80/LS85 gold top.

Try the Classified section in Tokaforum for the case.

Matti

 

[DaveWW]

Hi Den,

Can confirm that short shaft Alpha pots will fit fine and that (MY) Mellow Yellow was offered in the UK c2002 but I don't know on what models. I've never seen one before and like others have said it looks like a gold top to me on my PC.

To distinguish the model number we'd need to know what cap's are installed, see the pickup cavity (might be a model number there), know how may pieces the back is made of, if it's nitro or poly, what pickups are installed, if the bridge has brass (or plated brass) saddles.

Dave

 

[Diamond]

Maybe I need to consult my optician, but it looks like a Goldtop to me.

 

[jacco]

I had a late 90s Tokai GT and that had exact the same colour.

 

[den]

Now we're [literally] talking!

Hm, so far, not a single person who has seen the photos here or elsewhere thinks it's anything other than a goldtop. I wonder what that might imply ... but I am a little stubborn :wink:, so below are a few more photos, all colour calibrated against the reference grey card shown:
- outside: in the shade and in the sun at front, back, and side
- inside: with flash both direct and white ceiling bounce flash
- pots cavity and bridge/saddles detail

For the record, I'm very happy with it as either a GT or an MY, but I'd love to know for sure somehow.

A few more notes to help identify per DaveWW:
- see photos of bridge detail and capacitors
- I don't really want to take the hardware and pups out just yet, but I do have some info from the previous owner (that I fully trust):
--- neck pup: paper label LP-F (F), and "JAPAN" stamp
--- bridge pup: paper label LP-F (R), and "JAPAN" stamp
--- bridge, saddles, and stopbar: stamped "GOTOH JAPAN"
--- I've included a B&W photo of the bridge cavity from previous owner, for what it's worth
- I've included a photo of the wiring cavity hole -- does that help to identify whether it's one piece or two?
- and sorry to be a noob, but I don't know how to tell whether it's nitro or poly?
- by the way, both the volume pots are labelled "B500Kohm" and the tone pots are labelled "A500Kohm" -- does this mean B is a tapered/log pot and A is a linear pot?



By the way, another way to resolve the colour issue is for someone to post a real known Mellow Yellow Tokai. It might actually be the case that the colour difference between a real MY and a GT is drastic, rather than potentially subtle that I am gently asserting here. MY-named colours on other guitars appear to be quite a bit more pale (for example, here: http://www.andersonguitars.com/cfpages/displayGOW.cfm?theDate=10/03/10&status=archive, http://www.andersonguitars.com/cfpages/displayGOW.cfm?theDate=09/24/07&status=archive) ... anyone has a real MY Tokai?

Thanks for all the comments so far everyone, please keep'em coming!

 

[Diamond]

I still reckon it's a regular poly Goldtop...currently an LS92, not sure what it was in 2002.

No Sprague Orange drops means it's not a Premium Series, therefore it's not nitro and not a one piece.

 

[den]

Try the Classified section in Tokaforum for the case.

Thanks for the suggestion, Matti. Now posted: http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=18907.

 

[jacco]

I still reckon it's a regular poly Goldtop...currently an LS92, not sure what it was in 2002.

No Sprague Orange drops means it's not a Premium Series, therefore it's not nitro and not a one piece.

I agree

 

[DaveWW]

Den,

As I think you know (MY) Mellow Yellow was a colour offered in 2000. http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/tokai20025.jpg

From what I can see though MY was only offered for the Talbos http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/tokai20005.jpg and appears a different colour to yours. So I also think now it's a GT which in 2002 was probably an LS60 as the back looks like two piece and from the cap's etc.


Dave

 

[rayspang]

If the finish is nitro, it will yellow with age. In otherwords, all nitro finished goldtops will be mellow yellow eventually.

 

[den]

Ok, thanks for all the comments and discussions -- you guys rock!

I managed to find a Gibson Goldtop LP Traditional at a local music store and the people there were nice enough to let me take side-by-side photos below. As before, these have been white balance calibrated to the grey card.

I know every single one here has said this Tokai is a Goldtop, but it clearly is not the same colour as the Gibson Goldtop. Any ideas?