Special Edition 1981- is this real?

[Grenville]

Hi guys, long time lurker, looking to purchase my first Tokai this year.

I found this in a local store:
http://www.japanvintageguitars.com/images/large/Tokai%20special%20edition.jpg

It plays like a dream. They say it's a 1981 and that the 'Les Paul' is authentic, I'm not so sure.

Can anyone verify or confirm this?

Many thanks for your help.

 

[leadguitar_323]

Hi mate and welcome, i have seen this guitar before and only ever seen one more like it . I would say it is authentic it was probably a shop order guitar or special order. I am in Aus as well and have spoken to these guys a couple of times, the only thing i thought their prices are a bit high, i buy my guitars offshore like they do, so they obviously have mark up. I think you could do a lot worse and there are not many around like that one, so i suppose its up to you... :wink:

Mick

 

[Grenville]

Fantastic info, thanks Mick.

It's selling at $1400 Australian, I'd love to pick up an LS for $800 - $1000 if I could. Played a couple of new LS's yesterday and they were very nice, not quite as nice as the older guitar mentioned above though. Any pointers would be welcome.

 

[leadguitar_323]

Hi Grenville, mate compared to the prices our European friends pay for these earlier guitars i think you would be very happy with it , i asked a friend of mine in japan and he said it is probably a late 70's model because of the Les Paul on the headstock. I have a couple of rare model Tokai's and i can assure you these will only go up in value. You said it is a player so if you are happy with that side of things then i think it is worth getting. And by the way i like it very much its a cool looking axe.

Mick

 

[stratmoto]

If you check the 1981 Catalogues (on this site) http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/81cat_p6.jpg , the inlay is, strangely, missing that year. The inlay has changed from year to year.

Is the "Les Paul" on it original. Not in my opinion. By 1981, Les Paul Reborn was finished. Look closely at how Tokai affix both Les Paul Reborn and Love Rock Model over the years. The angle is all wrong.

The golden Truss Rod Cover, not in my opinion, again.

LC's had gold covers. What pickups are in it now?

Without knowing the serial number it is hard to confirm exactly what year it is, but the pickups, TRC and the logo don't look kosher.

Your call.

 

[Grenville]

According to the website, the pickups are
"Goto PAF S stamped pickup, Rear 59B"

Gotoh neck and Seymour Duncan 59 in the bridge?

I thought the 'Les Paul' logo was a later addition. I suggested it to the shop staff, who said no, it's original. i ran my thumb over it and figure that if it really is 27 years old it would have scratched off by now - it felt like a sticker or transfer.

HOWEVER, a nice guitar, great nick and prices are not really going down, are they? And if the tr cover and logo are additions they are easy to reverse.

I wasn't really looking for a Custom, I prefer the look of a Standard, but this seems nice, looks much better than the pics - maybe I need to try it out with my gear.

 

[leadguitar_323]

Hi Peter {stratmoto}, mate i know what your saying but i know for sure that Tokai do special order , shop order and unusual one offs as i have one you'll never find in the catalogues. Villager has also just bought a brass powder gold top , again a shop order guitar and not in the catalogues. I also know that some of the custom order and higher end guitars wearing the Tokai name are not built in Tokai factory and are contracted out to some extremely good luthiers, i have 2 of these guitars and plan on buying more. I recently posted pics of my Tokai gold top it has a 2 piece honduras mahogany body 1 piece honduras neck, long neck tenon, aged inlays etc etc, you'll never find this in a catalogue but i can guarantee its a tokai.....

Mick