Is this a fakai?

bobbomilan · Jan 22, 2021

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324229515303

Les Paul Black Beauty Custom just popped up on ebay. I remember wanting this guitar when it was available on Guitar Planet but this seems a little off. No fret nibs, plastic tuning keys instead of gold, and blurry pics. What do you guys think?

Paladin2019 · Jan 22, 2021

I can't see that model in any catalogues but to me it looks like a legit MIJ. Bridge is right, tailpiece placement is right, fleur-de-lis inlay is right, truss rod cover is right, headstock text is right, back plates are right. The headstock shape and Tokai logo seem slightly off but that could easily be down to the dodgy camera work.

Fret nibs are only used on premium models so their absence is not a concern (they are pointless anyway). The tuners are unusual but as near as I can tell they look like the Gotoh models you get on most MIJ Tokais.

It's hard to tell if it actually has an ebony fretboard as advertised in the description, but I would imagine it's actually rosewood which is what you normally see on mid-range Customs.

A limited run maybe?

bobbomilan · Jan 22, 2021

I guess I assumed it was a premium model since it originally retailed for 300,000 yen. Here’s the product page from rakuten

https://item.rakuten.co.jp/guitarplanet/tokai_lc_gp90_prmcbb/

It is indeed a limited run for Guitar Planet, a Japanese store. It’s hard to tell if there’s nibs on the original but it definitely looks a bit different.

Edit: it actually does have fret nibs according to the Japanese site, and if you look closely you can see them.

Paladin2019 · Jan 23, 2021

The spec and price do indeed say premium. It's probably real ebony on the fretboard as well in that case. Only discrepancy is the tuners but with limited runs the spec can change.

It's a pity the pictures are so bad and there's no shots of the electronics or the area under the pickups. Maybe you could ask for some?

Kappie · Jan 23, 2021

Everything I see on the pictures looks legit to me, nothing suspicious at all.

Is this a fakai?

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Is this a fakai?

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