Help identifying genuine MIJ Goldstar Sound

Hey folks

I'm about to buy the Goldstar in the eBay link below. Got it at a decent price but I'm concerned it's not a genuine MIJ model. Amongst other things like odd tuners, headstock shape, rear cover alignment, lack of truss rod inlay etc it just generally doesn't look right either. The finish to me strikes me as a cheaper newer guitar that perhaps had a Tokai decal added. No serial number either (but I know that's not definitive). I am also aware that the Chinese companies knocking out fake Fenders and Gibsons etc are now doing fake Tokai too.....a copy of a copy haha.

Anyway, I hope I'm wrong! It has some nice upgrades too, but I don't want it just for the upgrades as I could do that to a guitar I already own for that money.

No photos under the hood and the seller has asked for a garden handover do to covid so I'm not really in a position to do a full autopsy on the blokes front lawn!!

Many thanks in advance.








https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tokai-Go...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2748.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tokai-Goldstar-Sound-Japanese-Strat-With-Upgrades-Chris-Buck-Pickup-Set/174623504411?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2748.l2649

Rosewood fret boards don't have skunk stripes

mdvineng said:

Rosewood fret boards don't have skunk stripes

Click to expand...

Ah good point! I forgot that would only be on a maple fretboard!

So what do you think otherwise? Does it look authentic MIJ?

Cheers!!

Looks very new and with so much replaced, hard to tell. You need to look in the cavities for id marks.

mdvineng said:

Looks very new and with so much replaced, hard to tell. You need to look in the cavities for id marks.

Click to expand...

Thanks, what ID marks should I look for? Also the advert says that it's had all the cavities lined, and I found another advert of the exact same guitar only being sold a few months ago and it included the cavity pictures below and they appear to be lined..... funny that the guitar would be on sale again so quickly...

I'd love to be wrong about this but instincts are telling me it's one to avoid...

All covered in copper, so no use, marks are on the wood.