TST-56 Gallery

Sigmania · Jan 8, 2023

Collecting examples of these.

These seem to date from late 1982-1983.

TST-56
Enclosed in-line machines,
3 hot single coil pickups,
1 volume control (front), 2 tone controls, pickup selector,
25½" scale length,
Maple neck with Ebony accent,
Maple fretboard,
1.650" neck width at nut,
bent foot variable tension vibrato assembly,
Ash body,
4-bolt neck fastening syster,
"V" shaped neck taper,
White pickguard and P/U covers on Metallic and standard finishes,
Tortoise pickguard on Sunbursts and Natural.

Kluson style tuners

E pickups

Serial numbers:

4 digit:
0977
1214
1429
2732

1983 catalog:

June 1983 US Price sheet. I.M.C.

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Sigmania · Jan 8, 2023

SN 1214

TST-56 OF

Probably made in 1983 ?

1986 Tokai TST-56 Strat Trans Orange > Guitars Electric Solid Body | Thunder Road Guitars

Sigmania · Jan 8, 2023

SN 0977

Made June 1982 or June 1983.

Tokai TST-56 Vintage Series Stratocaster electric Guitar 1980's 3 tone sunburst | Reverb

Sigmania · Jan 8, 2023

Tokai TST-56 Strat copy | Reverb

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Sigmania · Jan 8, 2023

Specs from Peter mac in another thread:

Peter Mac said:
Hi guys,

This is quite a nice find, an original AST-56 in Snow White.
The body is Alder and the stamps are for production and verify that the neck was made for this body (4=6), the colour (SW= Snow White) and export quality (V). There was also a TST-40 and TST-62.
The pickups are the high-end Tokai - equivalent to the 'E' - as the 'U' pups were re-badged 'VII" on other export guitars. These pickups being here show that the changeover had definately occured which would place this guy around late-84 or early-85.
Consider this model on par with an ST-60. For the US market, Tokai did not produce a TST-80 equivalent.
Good find and should you swap out the pups, keep then handy - don't sell them as these guitars ae worth more with everything intact.

Peter Mac

Sigmania · Jan 8, 2023

Peter Mac said:
Hi guys,
just a quick sorting here...
ST models are Japan only
TST models are export models from 1981 - including U.S.
AST models are U.S. models from 1984 onwards
US models are noticable by the altered headstock and the actual year being replicated - TST-56 & AST-56 : TST-62 and AST-62.
Build specs for the US models did differ slightly to other export models but the major componants like body and neck were the same for all ST/TST/AST guitars, and they were all Made in Japan.

regards
Peter Mac