Newbie questions about a Goldtop ( new )

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skalie

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Howdy,

Was in a music store today and really liked the look of a Tokai Goldtop with p90's.

Would that be a "Love Rock" or could it be a cheaper model ? As the price I was quoted seemed too reasonable compared to what I can find on the internet.

Er, what would be a reasonable price for a new goldtop?

.... and lastly, is there anything I should watch out for when taking it for a test drive?

Thanks in advance.
 
The 'Love Rock' model covers a lot of different guitars from very low-end Chinese, apparently with ply-wood bodies! Through to the well priced Korean guitars all the way up to Japanese models costing as $1000's.

A bit more detail on the model you were looking at would help.

See here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tokai-LS48-Electric-Guitar-Gold-Top-Finish_W0QQitemZ280151712975QQihZ018QQcategoryZ112670QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tokai-Love-Rock-LS85S-Gold-Top-Soap-Bar-Pick-Ups_W0QQitemZ280151078439QQihZ018QQcategoryZ112670QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

First one Korean, second Japanese. both well priced.

If you can afford it go for a Japanese one they are great guitars!
 
JohnA said:
The 'Love Rock' model covers a lot of different guitars from very low-end Chinese, apparently with ply-wood bodies! ..............................
See here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tokai-LS48-Electric-Guitar-Gold-Top-Finish_W0QQitemZ280151712975QQihZ018QQcategoryZ112670QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
..........................

First one Korean, second Japanese. both well priced.
Click to expand...


..... according to the ad, as it goes......


Specifications
Made in China
Maple Top
Solid Alder Body



The one I looked at was 340 quid, which I guess means is little overpriced for a Chinese model, about fair for a Korean model, and bargain for a Japanese model.

Since I'll need to pay excess baggage to get it back to euroland I'm probably not looking at making a purchase unless it's the latter, and the chances of this particular shop not knowing the true value of it's stock are slim to say the least.

Thanks for the info.
 
JohnA said:
The 'Love Rock' model covers a lot of different guitars from very low-end Chinese, apparently with ply-wood bodies!
Click to expand...

Plywood? Are you sure?? :eek:
 
skalie said:
[The one I looked at was 340 quid, which I guess means is little overpriced for a Chinese model, about fair for a Korean model, and bargain for a Japanese model.
Click to expand...

You don't say where you are (why don't ALL members put this as part of their details? :evil: ), but Regent Sounds in London's Denmark Street had Chinese LS48s (I assume they are LS48s - the bottom of the range models) at ?280 a couple of weeks ago. Richtone sell them on the internet at ?250. Secondhand ones go on eBay for between about ?180 to ?210, & those are usually Korean. Mine cost me ?203 including a reasonable hard case.

Until a few months ago, both Richtone & Regent Sounds were selling new Korean LS48s for ?300.

I'm not clear where you're looking to buy from, but hope this helps.
 
Hi!

Did you ever look in japanese online-stores recently? There are plenty of Tokais. Most of them are ALS48s (i.e. 48K Yen listprice). Including local sales tax.

To my knowledge those are MIC, as opposed to the export versions ("Dimple Inside") going to the UK for richtones&co which are mainly made in Korea (beside the top MIJ ones of course). Actually MIK is getting REALLY good nowadays. Just look at what togps sold yesterday!

I bought 2 MIC out of couriosity, ordered and shipped directly from Shengzen. Landed cost for both was ? 218.-, invcoice was $ 47.-- per piece. It just took about 4(!) months to get them.

Actually: craftsmanship was not bad at all.

I am not sure what they use for the body, but it's not plywood (i.e. layered). My guess it it's basswood (Linde, in german), also for the top. Which can be very resonant if you are lucky to find the right one. But basswood just doesn't deliver mids IMHO.

It will never be the real one for playing or collecting. But it will be a really nice object for decoration if you own a pub wihout too much light. But they will never be guitars.

Rupert
 
Rupert, you consider the MIC LS48s are not nearly as good as the MIK models? I'm sure I read somewhere that the bodies are Alder, same as the MIKs.

Mike
 
tokai LS-145s, since I've now had one for quite some time, I feel safe to say, one of the best les pauls I've ever played!

Hope these help:

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DSC00753.jpg
 
Just quickly ( lunch break at work )............

apparently the Goldtop is a "ALF-55" one of the last Korean models it appears, going for 340 pounds.

( ALF ?????????????????????? )
 
rgrafend said:
Hi!

Did you ever look in japanese online-stores recently? There are plenty of Tokais. Most of them are ALS48s (i.e. 48K Yen listprice). Including local sales tax.

To my knowledge those are MIC, as opposed to the export versions ("Dimple Inside") going to the UK for richtones&co which are mainly made in Korea (beside the top MIJ ones of course). Actually MIK is getting REALLY good nowadays. Just look at what togps sold yesterday!

I bought 2 MIC out of couriosity, ordered and shipped directly from Shengzen. Landed cost for both was ? 218.-, invcoice was $ 47.-- per piece. It just took about 4(!) months to get them.

Actually: craftsmanship was not bad at all.

I am not sure what they use for the body, but it's not plywood (i.e. layered). My guess it it's basswood (Linde, in german), also for the top. Which can be very resonant if you are lucky to find the right one. But basswood just doesn't deliver mids IMHO.

It will never be the real one for playing or collecting. But it will be a really nice object for decoration if you own a pub wihout too much light. But they will never be guitars.

Rupert
Click to expand...

Hi Rupert,

I am interested in the guitars that you recieved. Are they Tokai?

Strangely, the factory that produces the MIC Tokais (ALS43 now, not ALS48) is nearly 2000km away from Shengzen.

We have the ALS43 in Australia. We have found that these pieces are of the same quality as the ALS48 that they replace. We also like the fact that they now have serial numbers.

Actually, we find that these guitars setup and play, buzz and rattle free, with 0 ~ 0.010 relief (nice straight necks) and 4/64" bass and 3/64" treble string height. The fretwork is quite good and consistent. They all intonate correctly with 10~46 strings, and they stay in tune. Neck profile is the same as the MIK ALS48, slim, like '60's type.

Please, I would like to know about these guitars.

Peter
 
skalie said:
Just quickly ( lunch break at work )............

apparently the Goldtop is a "ALF-55" one of the last Korean models it appears, going for 340 pounds.

( ALF ?????????????????????? )
Click to expand...

ALS55...isn't that a Lefty. Not sure about F for Fweddy, though :D

Peter
 
Not perfect... it will only be perfect, when I buy you another tokai togps :wink:

By the way the gibson R7 stading next to the tokai is not mine!
 
well congrats skalie, no matter what you bought as long as you like it...

offtopic: by the way historic in the photos is a very great guitar too you can tell they're well built, my tokai however is equally well built (the wood grade being a little inferior, which has nothing to do with building techniques), the tokai simply feels like "home" everytime I pick it up, which is really great. I also believe the neck carve and top carve on a tokai to be more accurate to the 50's pauls them historics, even though both historics and tokais vary. This guitar is not leaving my house.

Next it's probably time for a higher end tokai.
 

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