Want to buy a Tokai LS-160 - some questions

[Les Strat]

(I have also posted this to the mylespaul.com forums)

Hello

I'm looking to order a Tokai LS-160 at the end of February.

I've got a quick response from Tokai Germany and I'm happy with the price so I'm most likely going to buy it from there. I live in the UK.

The only changes I want to make are the pickups and tuners.

I'm looking for advice on what to order as I'm not sure.

I'm looking for a colour that is as close to this as possible - Gibson Eric Clapton "Beano":

This is an LS-160 I found on a Japanese site, is this "violin finish"? That looks pretty similar. I'm after a plain top and not a flamed maple top.

I want uncovered zebra pickups like my US made Les Paul:

And I don't want the Kluson style tuners with plastic machine heads. I have another Les Paul and I really do not like them.

These are the tuners on my US made Les Paul:

These are locking Grovers. They are exclusive to Gibson and cannot be purchased aftermarket. I'm more than happy with Gotoh if they make something similar.

So what I'm asking is:

1) What pickups should I specify when ordering?

2) What tuners should I specify? Do Gotoh make one that looks similar to the Grover above? i.e. metal keystones.

Thanks

 

[Diamond]

Yes, the photo is a LS160 Violin Finish, plain maple top.

Specify Zebra MK11 pickups.

 

[singemonkey]

Firstly, great choice. A Tokai LS160 is a hell of a guitar. Mine gives me stunning Beanotone running the bridge MKII pickup through an 18W marshall clone - and it looks the part too. My guitar in violin finish:

If Diamond says that Tokai supplies MKIIs in zebra, he'd know. I've never taken the covers off mine.

Re your tuners: bear in mind that Tokai gotoh tuners are vintage style - like '50s LPs or Gibson Custom Shop Lps. Grovers will not "drop-in" like they would on a modern Gibson USA factory model. Some widening of the tuner holes will be required as was done on all the original LPs that had their tuners swapped for grovers.

Once that's done and you've installed your Grover roto-grips, keystone buttons are clearly available, because I found some here: http://www.wdmusic.com/product10698.html

If you do this, let me know how it goes. I ultimately want to install kidney bean grover roto-grips on my LS160 - for string changing convenience and looks (not because the gotohs aren't great tuners).

 

[marcusnieman]

Just played mine (2009 LS150 - same as the current LS160) yesterday - up against my Bacchus Classic Series with Peter Florance Voodoo 60 pups in it.... the Tokai just plain kicks ***.

 

[Les Strat]

My guitar in violin finish:

That looks really nice - exactly what I'm after.

I want Tokai to install the tuners - I'm aware that the traditional Kluson style ones have 2 screw holes, the newer style Grover ones are single screw. I don't want screw holes visible on the back of the headstock. Hence I don't want to change the tuners after the guitar arrives.

Diamond, thanks, I will specify Zebra MK11 pickups when ordering.

 

[Diamond]

Here you go, Zebra MK11s in an LS98F MVF

 

[Les Strat]

1) What colour are the inlays on the LS-160? Are they pretty much the same as the US made Gibson models?

2) Is the scale the same as the Gibson models? Tokai list the scale as 625mm, whereas Gibson is 629mm.

3) For the fretboard, does 300R radius mean 300mm (12 inch)?

 

[Diamond]

1) What colour are the inlays on the LS-160? Are they pretty much the same as the US made Gibson models?

2) Is the scale the same as the Gibson models? Tokai list the scale as 625mm, whereas Gibson is 629mm.

3) For the fretboard, does 300R radius mean 300mm (12 inch)?

Keep in mind, Tokai don't make copies/replicas of Gibson LP Standards and Traditionals or any of the other 500 current models.

So what Gibson model are you referring to that has a 629mm scale?

 

[Les Strat]

So what Gibson model are you referring to that has a 629mm scale?

All Gibson Les Pauls have a scale length of 24.75 inches / 629 mm.

 

[settebello]

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archive/index.php/t-195354.html

Volker