ES-120 help pleeeze

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
H

hanksta13

Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Las Vegas NV.
Do the new ES-120's have a nitro finish? Is the body 2 or more peices, and is there a solid 1 peice block in the middle? Does anybody have exact specs on these? According to an email reply I got from Isibashi, They DO NOT have a nitro finish and the bodys are more than 1 peice. I read conflicting reports on various forums. I would really appreciate some solid feedback cuz im trying to make a decision on gibby, epi, or tokai. Thanks.
 
hanksta13 said:
Do the new ES-120's have a nitro finish?
Click to expand...
The 2003-2004 catalog lists them with "lacquer finish" while the lower models do not mention this feature.

Is the body 2 or more peices, and is there a solid 1 peice block in the middle? Does anybody have exact specs on these?
Click to expand...
If you mean a solid flamed maple arched top instead of a heat bend laminated top and bottom with two or three layers, my guess is that they are laminated, because carving such a big piece of flamed maple is very expensive. Tokai once had an ES200 in their catalog that might have been made of solid flamed maple top and bottom though.

Concerning the one-piece sustain block it's more likely that they copy this feature in the new ES120 model, too. Forum member togps should be able to tell you, because he sold several high end ES copies recently.
 
hanksta13 said:
Thanks for the reply, any suggestions on where to get a good one?
Click to expand...
The usual reply: ebay.com/.co.uk/.de, Japanese dealers or maybe even forum members (look into the Classified and ebay alerts sections of this forum).

How about this one for a start?

http://cgi.ebay.de/TOKAI-ES-120-Vintage-335-Dot-Marker-Replika_W0QQitemZ7340545173QQcategoryZ2384QQcmdZViewItem

fc_3.JPG
 
Hanksta13

I saw an ES120 Blonde Flame Top yesterday at a guitar show in Penrith England.

The stall holder has a guitar shop in Blackpool, i think this is a link to his website.

http://www.fretsguitarcentre.co.uk/

Click on this link below to see his stock of tokai's :lol: :-

http://www.fretsguitarcentre.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d202_03.html#p1724

It states that the ES120 does have a nitro finish :D

My, my that LS150 Love Rock looks gorgeous !!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

This shop in Blackburn, England also has a lot of new Tokai's
check out their website :-

http://www.reidys.com/index.pl?submit=Search&Page=4&Keywords=tokai&SubDepartment=Guitars

Details on models can be found on the UK Tokai importers website

http://www.tokai-guitars.co.uk/main.htm

I have an ES-100 and I'm very pleased with it :D

Chair.jpg


It's a laminate top.



Happy shopping 8)
 
hanksta13 said:
Thanks for the reply, any suggestions on where to get a good one?
Click to expand...

Shoot me an e-mail and I might be able to help ya out there...;)
 
For what its worth my own 2002 ES120 natural flametop has a laminated top. I was led to believe that a laminate top was better than solid on semi guitars as they provide more strength. I'm not sure, just passing on information I received. I don't know about the sustain block. If someone tells me how to check I can post a reply.

Due to a lack of funds situation recently I nearly had to sell my ES120. Fortunately, I was able to ride the storm and keep what is really a glorious guitar.

I would have no hesitation in buying an ES120 nitro/solid/whatever piece body. Whatever your guitar comes in it is a high end instrument which looks down on 335s with disdain.

Hutton
 
Hutton Steel said:
I don't know about the sustain block. If someone tells me how to check I can post a reply.
Click to expand...
You could try to glimpse through the F-holes if you see a solid piece of wood (or laminated etc.), but of course it's easier to pull out the bridge pickup and take a look.

By the way, that ES200 seems to have had lots of ornaments and inlay stuff, e.g. the binding around the body. So this was one part of the higher price of course. It appeared first in the early 1982 catalog:

http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/volume508.jpg
 
Real 335s always had a 3 ply(layers) laminated top.Arhctops could have a "veneer" top too as ES-175 but high end models had a solid (spruce or mahogany)top.I much prefer laminated in 335s and solid in archtops.

I 've seen an ES-320 advertised in Guitar UK magazine.This guitar can be just like old ES-200.Fantastic flamed top look but it has got solid top which takes the 335 to a LP territory.

ES-120 has got nitro finish just like a LS-150 or 200, new MK-II Reborn pickups(wich I don't estimate too much altough they are good pickups,too high impedance bridge pickup to my taste-over to 10 K).I agree Felipe rosewood fretboard being a little on the dry side but nothing that lemon oil or fast fret can't arrange.Inside block wood goes to the end of the body
as someone spoted here.Neck is on the wide side a la '58 LP.Overall a very good guitar.

Whish old ES-150 were still on production too.

I've seen an ES-160 advertised in a japanese shop I don't recall which one.

Felipe Nacif reviewed one ES-120 sometime ago,here is the link

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2300&highlight=es120

Great job,Felipe.
 
luis said:
Real 335s always had a 3 ply(layers) laminated top.Arhctops could have a "veneer" top too as ES-175 but high end models had a solid (spruce or mahogany)top.I much prefer laminated in 335s and solid in archtops.
Click to expand...
Today I found an English description of the ES200 in the 1986 "Early 1980s..." catalog. It also had a laminated top of selected flamed maple as well as for the sides and back, ebony fingerboard, gold hardware, abalone pearl bindings and inlays etc.

http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/tokai86_8.jpg
 

Similar threads

H
Mahogany Strat AST 112
Replies
5
Views
610
Headley Grange
H
Sigmania
2010s 2012 Vol. 27 65th Anniversary Catalog
Replies
5
Views
375
Sigmania
Sigmania
A
Help me ID this Goldstar Sound please
Replies
2
Views
298
andygat
A
ATO
ST fanatics partscaster
Replies
4
Views
330
AC10SRT
A
F
Tokai ST pickup explanation and time line
Replies
11
Views
3K
CliffsGuitarWorld
CliffsGuitarWorld

Latest posts

Back
Top