tokai 12 string rickenbacker

[me]

By surfing the web I found someone in canadian selling 12 string rick copies(of a 350/12). I never saw them before not on the tokai site nor somewhere else. I couldn't find more information or reviews of this guitar. So I hope you guys know a little more about this curious guitar.
I own a tokai rg40 for almost 4 months and I'm completely happy with it. It looks good and sounds amazing so I would likely get the same guitar but only with twelve strings.
By the way I know that there is always a bit more silence around a rick copy but I couldn't find the guitar nowhere and that's the thing that I found a bit scary!!!

 

[GUITAR CELLAR]

While it is a neat guitar....I have never played one. I can tell you that the headstock is nothing like a Rickenbacker 12 string. I'm sure it is a great little guitar, but the headstock is very innacurate for any Rickenbacker 12 string.

 

[me]

Yes I also noticed the headstock was very different, but isn't there anybody who had played one? I also looked on harmony central and there he isn't reviewed.
The only place that I saw it online is by mike's music; has anybody any expierience by ordering online by him?

 

[tokaiguy]

I have ordered from Mike and it was a good transaction. Call him , I'm sure he has played this guitar and can answer your questions. They have to fix the headstock! That's just not right!! Mike is kinda "playing " his auctions lately, the seller is ridgeway30 or vintage deluxe, they are both him. He is also a buyer named mardee who pushes up the price. Youre better off asking him for his price rather than bid against him in an auction. FYI :wink: TG

 

[GUITAR CELLAR]

The Rickenbacker secrecy is due to the fact that No dealer in the USA can sell a Rickenbacker copy and each time a Rick copy is on e-bay & listed as a Rickenbacker copy the auction is pulled quickly. Rickenbacker legal watches these auctions and smashes them if they can. They usually find it before the auction is over and have it taken off. I wish I could sell the Tokai copies because they are in high demand in the USA considering the huge price difference. If I were to sell the Tokai Rics, I'd have a lawsuit on my hands because I have a business in the USA. The Tokai copies are at least 90% as good as the real thing at a quarter of the price in my humble opinion. I'm a stickler for accuracy and I think the 6 string version is a great little guitar with all the right stuff. I also like the 12 string version and I am sure it is a good as the 6 string version (I personally own & love the 6 string version)but I am too anal with regards to the 12's headstock shape......but that is merely my personal taste. Mikes Music is a great store and I have purchased from him (J-160E copy) in the past as well. He's a great guy to deal with.

I have a feeling that the "R" copies will not be around much longer based on the press release below. The below case sets the tone for a future cases and I'm sure that this example will or already has expanded to courts outside the USA.
So if you think you want one of those copies....you better get them while you can.

Here is a Rickenbacker press release:

During January of 1999, Rickenbacker International Corporation sued Music Industries Corporation with regard to sales of "look-alike" guitars, alleging claims of federal trade dress infringement, trademark infringement, false designation of origin and violations of Section 43(a) of the Lanham Act, trademark dilution in violation of federal and state law, and federal and state unfair competition. This case has now been settled with the required payment of a substantial amount by Music Industries to Rickenbacker. In addition, the court entered findings of fact holding that Rickenbacker indeed has valuable and protectible trademark and trade dress rights in the design and configuration of its guitars and "Rickenbacker" trademarks, as well as permanently enjoined Music Industries from further infringing Rickenbacker's trade dress and trademarks by selling guitars which copy or mimic Rickenbacker's distinctive style.

 

[me]

I did the deal; mike indeed is a good dealer. The guitar arrived yesterday and I haven't had a chance to test it optimum, but it looked and sound very good so far. (only the headstock's shape dissappointed me, but I knew this before I ordered one)
Now I had a question for you guys this one had a serial number (my 6-string hasn't) on the back of the headstock below made in korea and it goes J2902299 would this mean that it's made in 1999 and where did the J stand for (not Japan it said made in korea).
Can somebody help me to decode this serial number?