Tokai HP VSB-60 Bass?

[Kosmos]

Hi!

Do you have information about the Tokai VSB-60? Looks like it is was a "limited product" from the 1982 catalogue but in production already 1981?

What I have seen it looks like this model has two types of the head (or three include the "Aria"-head)? For how long time was this model produced? What is the difference between VSP60 and PB60?

Export?
https://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/tokai/1981original/en_index.html

Japan?
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/tokai-hard-puncher-vsb-60-1981.1173343/


Best!

 

[Sigmania]

There is an active member on here that has one, mdvineng. Hopefully he will see your post and respond.

They were introduced in 1982 I believe as a new model with the Fender headstock. Not sure about that other one.

1982 catalog

 

[Kosmos]

Hi! Thanks for your information!

I can not read the information in this folder but have seen some VSB-60 in same body color as the VSB-80. The other colors seems to be more rare, as well as the the models with rosewood-neck?

WR, OF, CS and VF - what colors are those?

 

[Sigmania]

WR = Wine Red
OF may be a typo? Possibly OR = Original Red like the one in the picture.
CS = Cherry Sunburst
VF = Violin Finish

 

[Sigmania]

This should be the VF, Violin Finish.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tokai-VSB...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

 

[Kosmos]

Thanks! The Violin Finish is lovely!
Interesting that this bass does not have the "Hard Puncher" under the logo.

 

[Sigmania]

The Hard Puncher was the equivalent of a Fender Precision Bass.

So PB60 is a Hard Puncher/P Bass

The VSB had that flat top with binding unlike a P Bass.

 

[Kosmos]

Ok! Looks like a tele with belly cut and bindings.

This lovely one has the "Hard Puncher" under the logo. There seem to be quite a few variants!
https://i.imgur.com/c2kgqkV.jpg

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=15014&p=191166&hilit=vsb+60#p191166

 

[Sigmania]

Yeah, there are some head scratchers. One member, mdvineng, here has one with the script logo and a ghost of the spaghetti logo under it. It apparently left the factory like that and the 1981 serial number is from the period before the script logo even appeared. May have been part of the craziness with Fender in 1982.

My 81 vsb has that decal but you can see at the correct angle of view that there was an earlier spaghetti decal by the contours of the lacquer. I'm thinking that these were held back from shipment during the legal processes going on at the time or just had a decal change to avoid future conflict?

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26272&p=196997&hilit=vsb+decal#p196997

 

[mdvineng]

the OF colour ref is Orange Flame as seen on my VSB80, it's a translucent lacquer finish. VF would be Violin Flame, another translucent colour scheme.

the Export versions in the first link are different in the pickup configuration to the Original VSB limited versions. I did read somewhere ages ago that there were only 200 made of the 80 model but cannot find it now :roll:

My VSB80 via the selector switch neck, both, bridge and the two pots are vol and tone. Sort of PB to JB

 

[Kosmos]

Ok! Thanks!

If you have more information please tell me more about till VSB-basses.

It looks like the original VSB came in both 60 and 80 so the difference is perhaps the same as the PB60 PB80 (+ two pickups/one). One piece body, reverse-tuners? etc.

When did the stop manufacturing the VSB? Is the 60 more common than the 80?

The Orange Flame, your, is very nice!

 

[Sigmania]

the OF colour ref is Orange Flame as seen on my VSB80, it's a translucent lacquer finish. VF would be Violin Flame, another translucent colour scheme.

Ahhh. Thanks for the correction. I hadn't realized that was a flame top. I assume it is a veneer?

 

[mdvineng]

It is a veneer flame rather than thick sliced top.

 

[mdvineng]

Ok! Thanks!

If you have more information please tell me more about till VSB-basses.

It looks like the original VSB came in both 60 and 80 so the difference is perhaps the same as the PB60 PB80 (+ two pickups/one). One piece body, reverse-tuners? etc.

When did the stop manufacturing the VSB? Is the 60 more common than the 80?

The Orange Flame, your, is very nice!

One year only from what I can gather. The bodies are two peice but difficult to see unless you get just the right light and angle. The back colour is also translucent but higher opacity than the front.

 

[Voidoid56]

Here's a VSB-60CS I had.

I would assume that the reason they didn't continue manufacturing them was what it says on the catalog page: that they were intended as a limited run. And one can also assume that sales weren't good enough to give Tokai a reason to go on making them. They VS and VSB models were kind of narrow in appeal, I suppose. The style was certainly popularized by ZZ Top but didn't go much beyond that, I think.

The reason they're in the '82 catalog but with '81 serials would be that guitar manufacturers (much like car makers) introduced next year's models late in the autumn and would have them ready for sale at that point. It's very apparent in instruments with the month of manufacture in the serials (like many Grecos), Nov-Dec-made guitars feature next year's specs as a rule. There being only 1981 serials seen (so far...) would indicate that they did the whole production run late in 1981.
Following Japanese auction sites, both the VSB-60 and -80 are pretty rare, but you do see a few more of the former. It's usually the case that models become progressively more rare going up the range, probably simply due to them being more expensive.

Either way, mine was a great bass, sold only because collecting basses as well as guitars would make my life even more more weird. It did have the Hard Puncher decal, and to me, it very much was one, only with a flat top, controls mounted from the back and different tuners. It both played and sounded very familiar.

 

[Kosmos]

Thanks to you all!
I think I got an answer to what I was wondering. One year in production cannot be that many copies in the whole world. Nice basses all three OF, CS and VF!

 

[Sigmania]

1981 Original Series catalog

Colours :
Violin finish (VF)
Cherry sunburst (CS),
Green sunburst (GR).
Natural stain (NS)

https://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/tokai/1981original/en_03.html