Would like to know if these un-stamped pickups are original

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bigbadjohn

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1984 Tokai ST50 I think

Would Tokai put non-staggered pup's in a guitar with a 7.25 neck radius.

bought guitar a couple of weeks ago seems like it had an 11 hole pick guard with a Humbucker since bridge cavity has been enlarged.
It now has the 8 hole back not sure if its original

Seller has another 2 Tokai's for sale with what looks like the same non-staggered pickups wondering if he has replaced original with cheaper pup's to sell.
Also, what might have been the R value has been crossed out, I don't think Tokai had the greatest pup's

https://imgur.com/a/iXbNiB8
 
These look consistent with pickups out of a Tokai Silver Star CBS-era copy. No pole stagger and the blue and black plastic-insulation leads are typical. The same pickups turn up in Fernandes CBS copies as well, they're apparently Gotoh-made and were supplied to them as well. You would expect staggered-pole pickups stamped either E, U, VI or VII with cloth-covered black and white leads in a mid-80's TST model.
The rest of the electronics look off as well. The pots and switch should be mounted on a brass shielding plate, and the pot date codes are odd as well. the 89 K below the Ohm numer would indicate either Sept '78 or '88. In '78, Tokai used rubber-stamped or blank pots with no date code, and by 1988 Goldstars were quite different guitars. Uncharacteristically sloppy solder work as well.
The basic guitar looks 1984-85ish, though. I'd guess it's a modded guitar brought back to a very rough approximation of original condition, but if the seller claims it's all-original I'd say he's wrong.
Btw, the resistance value scribbles may be crossed out, but they look about right for Tokai SS/TSS pickups.
 
I agree it's all been changed but put back with quality parts having said that they are the best sounding pickups I have ever heard I just bought a 78 Springy Sound that's all stock it has E stamped but does not sound or play as good

thanks for the comment
 
Tokai Strat pickups are funny that way: they're nominally graded from cheaper to more expensive with the E-stamps at the top (not counting the DiMarzios in a few high-end models) but they are all good enough to make it very much a matter of taste which you prefer. I like the lower-end U-stamps a whole lot better than E's, for instance, and quite a lot of people seem to agree.
 
The pickups are from a Silver star and the bridge saddles are from a Springy. Bit of a a partscaster, even though the parts seem to be all Tokai from various models and different time frames.
 
bigbadjohn said:
1984 Tokai ST50 I think

Would Tokai put non-staggered pup's in a guitar with a 7.25 neck radius.

bought guitar a couple of weeks ago seems like it had an 11 hole pick guard with a Humbucker since bridge cavity has been enlarged.
It now has the 8 hole back not sure if its original

Seller has another 2 Tokai's for sale with what looks like the same non-staggered pickups wondering if he has replaced original with cheaper pup's to sell.
Also, what might have been the R value has been crossed out, I don't think Tokai had the greatest pup's

Click to expand...

Your pot dates are from 1988. Sept 1988.

If you read this, can you share your serial number?

It may be a 6 digit, as 1988 is beyond the span of the Fender style system.

Curious to figure out what goes with what here.

Would really help me to know as I am logging these.

Thanks!
 

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