genuinity of this e-bay Goldstar - please help

Hello guys,

i ask for your opinion whether this is original tokai. I just bought it on ebay and now I am having doubts and I get more and more stressed so please confirm.

The shop which is selling is called richtone and they call this "2nd hand". They have real positive feedback but vintage trade is only a small part of their shop so I'm worried, also the whole guitar is in a great shape, now im thinking it looks too new it was about 500 GBP.

If this is Tokai, what model and year is it, can you help with identification? They say it's a ST-50 - I take it it's a 84/85' goldstar sound.

I can return the guitar in 7 days so it's important for me to know possibly much.

Looking forward to your opinions, rgards

http://www.ebay.pl/itm/330621492600...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_3303wt_1158









http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Data/Product_Images/YTOKST50CAR15.jpg[/img]

richtone were a reputable tokai dealer until a few months ago when they did a deal with gibson

it will be the real deal and they are also knocking out their remaining new stock on ebay under a different name

I am not a Goldie expert but at first glance it looks like the genuine article to me. The model number sticker & placement, the serial plate look good to me.

The color (metallic red?) makes it a bit of a rare bird and might explain the asking price. Your guitar should be from 1983 or thereabouts judging by the decal and serial, give or take a year.

Have a close look at what's written on this page and compare your guitar against it:

http://www.tokaiguitar.de/1.php?pageid=13&tplid=2

Also you may want to take the neck and pickguard off. Look for numbers and letters stamped in there. Post pictures on the site here. Those codes can be a big help to verify what you have.

Looks spot on.

Here is my 1987 Goldstar St 50 for reference, that is exactly the same spec, and colour as yours

http://s650.photobucket.com/albums/uu222/katbarks/2%20Tokai%20Guitars/?action=view&current=Photo0399.jpg

cool, thanks a lot guys!

Question by the way - everywhere in the catalogs and articles they say the line was finished in 83-84. Barks67 is showing his 87 tokai, I've seen people somewhere speaking about 90's tokai - I'm confused

fipl said:

cool, thanks a lot guys!

Question by the way - everywhere in the catalogs and articles they say the line was finished in 83-84. Barks67 is showing his 87 tokai, I've seen people somewhere speaking about 90's tokai - I'm confused

Click to expand...

The Goldstar collection with the CORRECT Fender headstock was 83 - 84. Bark's is not an 87.

How so?

I bought it in 1987, new, from Strings Guitar Centre, Ryde, Isle of Wight.
It had a 50 sticker on the heel of the neck.

Serial number 214268

Maybe models for the UK market was different at this time?

Barks

Barks67 said:

How so?

I bought it in 1987, new, from Strings Guitar Centre, Ryde, Isle of Wight

Click to expand...

Not sure exactly but guitars have been known to sit in a shop for a couple of years before someone comes along to buy them

Barks67 said:

How so?

I bought it in 1987, new, from Strings Guitar Centre, Ryde, Isle of Wight.
It had a 50 sticker on the heel of the neck.

Serial number 214268

Maybe models for the UK market was different at this time?
Barks

Click to expand...

If that's the case, then I'm wrong. Didn't know that Goldstars were produced with the correct headstock (domestic or export) beyond 83 / 84. Your serial number doesn't really indicate the year either.

marcusnieman said:

Barks67 said:

How so?

I bought it in 1987, new, from Strings Guitar Centre, Ryde, Isle of Wight.
It had a 50 sticker on the heel of the neck.

Serial number 214268

Maybe models for the UK market was different at this time?
Barks

Click to expand...

If that's the case, then I'm wrong. Didn't know that Goldstars were produced with the correct headstock (domestic or export) beyond 83 / 84. Your serial number doesn't really indicate the year either.

Click to expand...

So is it possible that this is older than 1987?

The real question is how long did they make Goldstars with the correct Fender headstock - domestic or import.

Goldies with the correct headstock shape were still being made for the European market up till about 89.vintage goldies 83/84 have the brass plate under the pickgaurd and the correct serial number either L + 5 digits or a four or five digit number according to model number.Gabe.

bluejeannot said:

Goldies with the correct headsstock shape were still being made for the European market up till about 89.vintage goldies 83/84 have the brass plate under the pickgaurd and the correct serial number either L + 4 digits or a four or five digit number according to m odel number.Gabe.

Click to expand...

Excellent Gabe..... thank you. I did not know they went for that long.

Well, I'm glad that's cleared up!

Anyone who knows how much validity this has:



According to this Barks's strat can't be earlier than 1986 with such a serial number, so that's in line with when he bought it.

Thanks Jacco.

Just a little personal back story:

I distinctly remember the choice for me at that time was the Fender Squier range, The Japanese Fender Vintage range and the new Tokai range - which had just burst on the scene - well, the Isle of Wight scene where everything was a little behind the mainland.

I had just had my "legit" Strat stolen after a gig and needed to get a replacement - it was a no-brainer once I'd tried the Tokai which was the same price as the Squier but a lot less than the Fender Vintage Japan models.

nice article!
yay so seems like I've got an 83'! still waiting for delivery