TST100 help please - It's all mine, And the nitro verdict...

[doudoubass]

the black&white wiring on my TST80 is cloth covered on pots, and plastic covered on pickups.
it seems to be the stock wiring, except the middle pickup tone pot.

so "E" pickup (grey bottom) & DiMarzio VS-1 (black bottom) aren't the same model?
Who made the "E" pickup? Gotoh?

 

[colinhotrod]

I'm glad Ive finally seen other black bottom PUPs with the plastic wires. Ive no reason to doubt they are not original and seldom seen DiMarzios.

 

[greco_burst]

the black&white wiring on my TST80 is cloth covered on pots, and plastic covered on pickups.
it seems to be the stock wiring, except the middle pickup tone pot.

so "E" pickup (grey bottom) & DiMarzio VS-1 (black bottom) aren't the same model?
Who made the "E" pickup? Gotoh?

Thanks mate,
I don't think the Tokai E series ST Vintage pup is the DiMarzio VS-1 for the simple reason the Tokai E series were called in Tokai official Catalogues as either Micrphonic A, then ST-A, then from 1982 called ST Vintage, and in 1982 DiMarzio VS-1 gets a mention for the first time in Tokai Spingy Sound ST100+

The DiMarzio VS-1 part number DP-108 always has been advertised as a 'special order' pickup, which would also indicate that Tokai only used them on guitars that seem to be rare as heck. Yours is the first TST80 i have seen, and Colins TST-100 is the 1st one I have seen.

It would indicate to me that Colins TST100 has DiMarzio VS-1 in the Bridge and Neck pups.

The identification of pickups are just translations from Japanese to English.

Where they were made is not yet clear, although likely Gotoh or were the same factory that Fernandes had theirs made? not 100% sure about that, but their are similarities in the pickups

There were two pickups grey bottom one stamped U and the other E
Early days U was called Micrphonic B and E was called Microphonic A
then U was called ST-B and E was called ST-A
then in 1982 both were just called ST-Vintage.

there is also a member here who contacted DiMarzio and it was confirmed that DiMarzio did not make a pickup like that for Tokai.

 

[colinhotrod]

On mine I can see see that the the "U"pup is certainly not original as you can see its not original soldering as it is on the black VS-1's and the poles are no where near as tarnished either.

Cant think for the life of me why someone would take it out unless faulty. I will have more chance or finding rocking horse S$%^ than picking a VS-1 up.

 

[JVsearch]

hi,
i also own a rare bird, my TST80!
my goldie has the same black bottom pickup with plastic wires, they sound pretty good!

It has a rosewood fingerboard, so that's not the same neck shape as your TST100, mine is a "D" shaped.
but others species are similar: laquer finish, 2 pieces center seam alder body, really lightweigth: near 3,1kg!!

That wood looks more like ash than alder in this picture?
And the light weight also may indicate that it's ash.

 

[doudoubass]

that's not ash or sen. i think that's alder because of similarities with my PB80 and the '84 tokai catalog:
http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/tokai/1984/en_05.html

moreover, ash is usually a heavy wood (think about 70's fender in opposite of the 60's alder body).
Sen is a lightweight wood but in that case, body wood doesn't seem to be sen. not as grainy

 

[leadguitar_323]

There are different versions of ash and not all are heavy, that Tokai looks like sen ash to me as Alder has a lot less prominent grain than sen. It could only be sen or alder anyway, no other woods were used..

Mick

 

[doudoubass]

i had a 1981 silverstar with a sen body that i sold to buy the TST80, and i can certify you that's not the same wood! sen has tighted grain and has shiny reflects.
nevertheless, the two guitars are very lightweight, both near 3.1-3.2 kgs with an acousticly nice tone!
My fernandes RJB75 also has an alder 2 pieces body and is a really light bass.
like ash, there is different versions of alder, some heavier and some not.

david

 

[greco_burst]

Sometimes wood is tricky,

Here is a couple of Sen woods, the Silver Star actually looks more Alder than Sen,

My Greco SE-600 in Natural - Sen

And my SS65 Tokai Silver Star - looking Sen - or American Ash - or Alder

Tokai Silver Star SS65N neck pocket looking more Alder

 

[doudoubass]

you're right, your ss65 has a sen body that looks like alder.
That's really a beautiful guitar and also a very rare bird !!! what pickups came with that beauty? "E"?

 

[JVsearch]

There are different versions of ash and not all are heavy, that Tokai looks like sen ash to me as Alder has a lot less prominent grain than sen. It could only be sen or alder anyway, no other woods were used..

Mick

Yeah, sorry, I meant sen ash not ash.

 

[JVsearch]

that's not ash or sen. i think that's alder because of similarities with my PB80 and the '84 tokai catalog:
http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/tokai/1984/en_05.html

What's the deal with this catalogue - every guitar is described as having an alder body? Did Tokai only use alder in 1984? The photo doesn't show up that well when enlarged, so it's difficult to tell, but a couple of them look more like sen to me? It would be expected that the 50's type Strats might use sen, as Fender used ash for these models in the 50's?

 

[bluejeannot]

What's the deal with this catalogue - every guitar is described as having an alder body? Did Tokai only use alder in 1984? The photo doesn't show up that well when enlarged, so it's difficult to tell, but a couple of them look more like sen to me? It would be expected that the 50's type Strats might use sen, as Fender used ash for these models in the 50's?[/quote]
http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x153/stratman323/Tokai%20ST55%20Goldstar%20natural/ Here`s my 84 2 piece, natural, sen ash bodied st55 or 60 which is not even mentioned in the 84 catalogue,go figure! Gabe.

 

[greco_burst]

you're right, your ss65 has a sen body that looks like alder.
That's really a beautiful guitar and also a very rare bird !!! what pickups came with that beauty? "E"?

Hi, she is a very rare bird also, the pickups are ST Vintage U series, I will do a new topic on it soon and post pics and give more information, thank you!... 8)