Tokai LC110 Custom BB 3 pick-up

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simonc

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Hi Folks,

Can anyone give me a decent appraisal for this 'black beauty' vintage axe which was made in 1982/83 . It was based on a '57 Les Paul. I don't have the ?3000+ for a Gibson so any info is much appreciated. I've just joined the TR and this is my first question so I'm relying on any opinions.
Cheerz,
 
Is it something you are thinking of buying? Then you should post a link to the auction so we could see some pics and the price etc. Anyway it's nearly impossible to say anything without seeing any pics of the git so please try to find a way to post some here. Wellcome to the forum.
 
One of my favourite Tokais,I would like to own one of these early LC-100/110
 
Thanks for the replies folks. Unable to post a picture, no guitar available has been offered to me. Hughie Thomasson (Outlaws & Skynyrd) used a Les Paul Black Beauty 3 pickup model with gold hardware - I don't have 3 grand + so... Tokai will be releasing a new model of this in April 08 for around ?975 UK. That said, the early Tokais are highly commended, and around the late 70's early 80's we know what Gison & Fender build quality was like. Any LC110 owners out there give me your appraisals. If I get any pix, I'll post them. Thanks for the welcome! Simon
 
Hi everyone !
I am glad to find informations about this guitar !!!!
I own a Tokai LC 3 pickups with flower inlay on the head ( like the gibson artisan). This guitar appears on 1982 tokai catalog .
I will post some pics very soon .
 
Hi luis!

Is this one with a split/diamond headstock in 82/83? Or flowers?

Thanks and cheers!
Rup
 
Hello Ruppert.

I have a neat 1980 headstock LC pic where it shows a diamond inlay and kluson turners. My guess LC models changed diamond to flowers somewhere in 82/83 and to all gold metal turners. ES models changed headstock motifs too in that era to resemble Artisan models from the other company(Artisans were the most expensive models at '79 if I?m correct so it could be a smart move to resemble quality from Tokai....) As an aside note diamond inlays were back in 90 but,and I guess this is importan, I feel Tokai 90?s headstock slightly bigger in size(at least to my eye) so diamond inlay is too, but it?s very very subtle....maybe someone can confirm this feeling of mine....
 
Hi

Here are the original pickups of my guitar (1982 LC110 BB). Does anybody have any information about them ? (Goto and a "S" stamped on the back ).

The last owner of the guitar putted Epiphone 57 PAF instead of these ...Should I put the Gotoh's ?


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Thanks
 
Custo, that?s the same pickups coming with LS-80 Reborns,see back and you?ll notice not bein an accurate PAF replica.They are around 8,30 K a bit hot for a neck pickup in a Les Paul.My guess is Tokai put 2 similar pickups regarding readings not as they do now (MK-II).
 
Hi guys,

LC-110 are pretty rare beasts.
Esentially an LC-100 with a middle pickup, they feature all mahogany body, mahogany neck w 18d pitch and 2 pce mahogany top instead of maple. They also have an ebony fingerboard - not a blackened rosewood board used on the LC-60 and LC-60M.
The head inlay varied from year to year also, and re-issues do not have the same truss rod cover and head inlay as the 1980 - 1984 years.

They were not built after 1985.
regards
Peter Mac
 
Here is my LC-110 (1981 I believe) :




I bought it 320? (440$).

I have issues finding a pickguard. Any clues ?
 
Looks Korean to me....I'll take it off your hands for what you paid though.... :D

Seriously though, the old Tokai customs are great.
For a pickguard why not just get one for a 2-pickup custom and cut off the section in the middle?
 
Well I don't know if it's korean or japanese.

Serial number is : 1076087

I found it on a garage sale 6 years ago.
 
Hi guys,

If 107xxxx is the serial number then it's a fake.

The headstock inlay suggests MY82 as MY81 had blank headstock. As 1982 models were released in the latter months of 1981, it would be true to say it's an '81 built 1982 LC-110 BB - as long as the serial number is closer to Jacco's suggestion.
Can you post a pic of the back headstock, please?

Peter Mac
 
The LC models are quite rare, I have logged only few.
But if we look at ES models, which also featured blank headstocks first in 1981 and then the flower & leaves headstock, there's something interesting going on.
The first ES with flower & leaves headstock I have logged is 10140xx, that's actually quite far from the last 1981 Tokai serial I have logged, which is 10246xx.
So looking at the serial only only that would indicate that the flower & leaves started pretty early in 1981 because the first 1981 serial is 1010001.
On the other hand I have not logged an ES model later than 10141xx. I can't believe they stopped producing them after that.
So MAYBE the 1981 serialisation was not linear.
 
It's definitely a legit Japanese 1981 LC-110.

1981 LC models produced alongside LS models do have 101xxxx serial formats,
but the majority of LC models were produced alongside other Gibson models,
so 3rd digits in the serial # higher than 1 are not at all uncommon.
 
John, do you remember that I went to see a Tokai with 101 serial number here in Holland 2 years ago? The ad had really bad pictures but showed a flame top, so I thought high end model.
When I arrived it turned out to be a fake. The guy bought it 8 years before and showed me the original invoice from the guitar center where it came from.

I am not saying that this one is a fake, I just think he misread the serial number. But going purely by serial number is not a wise thing.
 

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