Sell your vintage Tokai Les Pauls and Buy Gibson Historics

[oldflame]

In a massive turn around of guitars that is exactly what I did. After 2 years of selling up and moving half way across the globe I feel okay about it. There just wasn't room for everything.

I sold my vintage Tokai Lesters and blonde 81 Tokai 335 but kept my Historics. All except for one white Tokai 81 TLC Custom that took a beating at a gig and I restored back to it's former glory. Okay I did try to sell it a couple of times.

Still have my 2 Tokai Strats and a Tele custom as these are much nicer than any Fender.

Should I be shot?

 

[stratmoto]

That will be one last cigarette and then the blindfold at dawn for you :wink:

 

[Didsomeonesaylespaul?]

What do you want on your tombstone? .... :roll:

How about this: "Sold Out" :-?

Historic's ? You mean the Mass produced, over priced, poor quality control, upgraded Standard for twice the money historic's...?

If I were a school girl I'd turn and slap you.. :wink:

 

[hans-j?rgen]

Should I be shot?

Definitely, but first please post this on the LPF, too... :wink:

 

[oldflame]

Bang!

Hey, I still have the white one!

Didsomeonesaylespaul -

I agree, there are some crappy looking,sounding,playing Historics out there. It took a long time for the right ones to show up but it was worth it in the end. I have a 99, a 00 darkburst, a Beck and a Rossington. The last two are brazilian (luckily bought before they hit the roof). The 99 and 00 needed their fingerboard inlays changing to make them look right but that was it. I wasn't looking for the Beck model but picked a mates up and nagged him for it.

So I'm happy. The reason I went this way was because I couldn't find a LS150 or LS200 Reborn/Love Rock. Spent a long time looking for the right one/s. Searched the UK high and low. I know they are out there in the UK somewhere. Also didn't see what I was after in Japan or anywhere else. Plus a lot of sellers out there think they have a 150 or a 200 and it turns out to be a 100 or a 120. Anyway I got fed up waiting.


LP forum.... tilt!

 

[ochay]

I've been waiting foe 6 years to find a early 80's LS150/LS200, Only seen one and he had his relic'd and repainted Lemon Drop Nitrocellulose


:lol:

 

[oldflame]

How much was he asking for the refin guitar?

 

[JD]

I know this is the wrong forum to state this, but here it goes.

I've owned alot of different guitars over the years, including quite a few early Tokais. Bang for the buck the old Tokais are the best I've found, hands down. I'd also agree Gibson has not always made premium guitars over the recent years, and some are quite subpar to the lawsuit Tokais.

However I've been fortunate to play and own some of the recent Historic and Custom Shop stuff and I have to say I have personally never played a better production Les Paul. Granted I've never owned or played a real '50s burst, but who here has? If, and only if, money is not a factor the current Gibson Historics are a better guitar IMO.

Ok now rip me apart...

 

[Didsomeonesaylespaul?]

JD:

I like the early Historics much more than ones I've tried recently. There are alot of good Gibsons out there, and some bad ones too...

Sounds like you hooked into a good one.

 

[oldflame]

Agree totally that there are some gr8 Tokai's and better ones than Gibson.

This next bit is going to sound like a Lester Forum post but I feel it's relevant.

You mention original bursts. I'm pretty old now and have been fortunate enough to strum on a few original bursts. That's in the space of 25+ years mind you. The thing that struck me the most was the weight. When I was growing up, it was a 70's Les Paul or nothing. They weighed a ton and I hated them. In my 30's I owned two late 60's Les Pauls. I'm talking about the first ones and not the 2/3 piece neck composite body ones. A standard with P90's, small headstock and a custom. Both of those were heavy too. Plus 9Ib's each.

All the originals I've played were notably lighter. A few years back I had a bash on one that was reputedly once owned by Keith Richards (then owned by a chap in Chelsea London). This guitar was very light. I'd say under 8.5Ib's. Rang like a bell.
The upshot is, I've found that most Tokai Les Pauls have a bit of weigh to them. The Historics that I have now are all in the 8Ib+ to 8Ib 14oz max range and it makes a difference not only in the weight but the acoustic tone.

Any thoughts?

 

[JD]

I agree, some of the early Historics were wonderful, especially some of the Murphy guitars.

All of the Tokais I've owned have been very good weight around 9 lbs. Not bad but not featherweight by any means. That does not mean featherweight Tokais don't exist, I just have not personally come across one. I also like the Tokai neck profile, but also like the Gibson '59. No doubt in late '70s to mid-'80s Tokai was making a better Les Paul than Gibson! Hence the lawsuit...

I agree, alot of the '70s and '80s Gibsons were HEAVY. I had an early '80s LP Custom that was well over 10 lbs and sounded like marble. I also had a mid-'80s Standard with a 3-piece top. Just rediculous and sounded like crap. I also recall the early-mid '70s volute guitars with laminate necks and bodies, mini humbuckers, etc. Uugh!

I've seen some current CS stuff right at 8lbs and they really have a nice acoustc ring which I suspect will improve further with age. They are using nice figured wood again and have a nicely sprayed burst. Seems Gibson finally got it together again after all these years.

 

[brad347]

i had an 83 LP custom flametop, very well made, excellent craftsmanship, looked awesome... very heavy and like you said sounded like stone... didn't resonate at all. May as well have been made out of solid rock.

 

[oldflame]

This is where I was coming from when I sold up. I had a great Reborn LS80 that was bought by a forum member that weighed in at 9Ib dead and was pretty lively. That was a hard one to let go. Plus migrating to Australia is a logistic nightmare and I couldn't bring everything.

So, if I could find a LS150 LS200 Reborn at 8Ib 5oz it would be nice

 

[no soul]

well, call me crazy, but having brand loyalty to Tokai is just as stupid as having it to Gibson. If you found a Gibson that you liked more, then whats wrong with that?

Personaly, my LS80 is the one guitar in my collection that I will NEVER part with.

 

[bolero]

I almost don't even care anymore...I have an old tokai, a few gibsons, a heritage, G&L's, a fender...plus an old beater LP custom copy I got at a garage sale for $40

after 5 mins adapting to whatever I'm playing on, it all feels like home & I can riff with aplomb 8)

IMO it's more about the music

 

[no soul]

I almost don't even care anymore...I have an old tokai, a few gibsons, a heritage, G&L's, a fender...plus an old beater LP custom copy I got at a garage sale for $40

after 5 mins adapting to whatever I'm playing on, it all feels like home & I can riff with aplomb 8)

IMO it's more about the music

Im the same way, and I couldnt agree more.

 

[ochay]

I've had several Historic les pauls, I have several '80/81 LS120's- the Tokai's <<<<<<are the Best>>>>>>>>25 plus years of seasoning.

For the most part under 9 lbs in almost ever case-coupled with the demarzio's they are hands down best buy in any stretch of the imagination. SOlid Flamed Maple Tops-Tone for days.

If I had one bad thing to point out about the Flamtops from the older Tokai's I've had or have now-the Tokai Flame's does not compare to Gibson's Flamed Maple-
But isn't that more realistic to the real 59 Les Pauls??

 

[oldflame]

No soul,

Absolutely. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever.

Bolero,

I have a couple of ?old beaters? that I let other people play when they visit :wink: