Tokai Goldstar TST-80 1960 model

[doudoubass]

hi,
i recently bought a goldie from Japan and i'm pretty sure that's a rare bird, the tst-80, '60 model!

It still has the "80" paper sticker on the back of the neck,"L" series.
2 pieces center seam alder body, old yelow sunburst, slab board rosewood, D-shaped neck (i suppose this is the Tokai '60 U shape).
Traditionnal hardware: "deluxe tuners", "final prospec" and steel tremolo bridge.

Pick-up aren't "E", but appears to be original; they have a black bottom and staggered pole pieces, like the original fender 1960 strat.
They have little orangy-yellow rubber "pickup cushions" under the scratchplate.
Pickguard seems to be celluloid (some cracked at the pickup location).

I also have a '82 PB-80, and i think they have the same laquered finishes.

the Bad point is that the last owner scratched the front of the sunburst body to make a new paint, and did an awful job. I will do a new paint in the future.

That's really a great strat, and it sounds better than the Goldie St-55 with VII pickup I owned before this! Pickup are well balanced and not harsh like on my St-55 mapple neck. The D-shaped neck is really easy to play!

I'll try to make some pictures this week end!

 

[bluejeannot]

See my thread on Tokai sightings and E Bay alerts..Gabe.

 

[doudoubass]

here are some pix of my tst80 and one with the pb80!

http://s670.photobucket.com/albums/vv70/doudoubass/

I think the black pickup are non original and has been changed a long time ago with the 5 way control switch and the little tone pot!

nevertheless, that's a pretty good guitar!

 

[doudoubass]

you need the photobucket password:

maelys

 

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty sure the pickups have been replaced, though the switch and scratchplate look original. Shame about the rottweiler that attacked it and scratched the paint off it!

One of the body codes is N - surely that should be natural finish, not sunburst?

Mike

 

[bluejeannot]

you need the photobucket password:

maelys

So do I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Gabe.

 

[Anonymous]

you need the photobucket password:

maelys

So do I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Gabe.

He just told you - maelys

Wake up Gabe!

:roll:

 

[mirrorboy]

Hey I missed that password too :-?

doudoubass, could you please show a picture of the fingerboard?

 

[bluejeannot]

I'm pretty sure the pickups have been replaced, though the switch and scratchplate look original. Shame about the rottweiler that attacked it and scratched the paint off it!

One of the body codes is N - surely that should be natural finish, not sunburst?

Mike

Yes that`s right but the other one says YS Yellow sunburst.I think this is the real thing,the acetone test would prove it.If this was mine I`d restore it to it`s former glory,respray,and a set of Es.If you ever want to sell it Doudou me n`oublie pas!Gabe.

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http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/tokai/1984/en_05.html

 

[doudoubass]

i posted some pictures of the fingerboard on photobucket.

i agree with you Gabe, i think this is an ealier goldstar model with a springy sound body initially in natural finish.

i believe that's nitro, because the finish on my PB80 is very similar. (acetone test positive on my bass).

sorry, i don't want to sell it, but i'll try to make a professionnal sunburst paint with nitro in the future. but if the body was "mint", i couldn't buy it 450? from Japan!

I don't know about "E's" because the "black bottom" sound pretty good on it.