It's been ages (at least 5 years) since I've been on this forum. Hi to any old-timers who remember me!
I ended up with top bid on this Tokai Golden Era. When I first saw the listing, I was concerned it might be a fake, albeit a really good one. However, it seems as if there are a few Golden Era Tokais floating around. Somewhere on the interwebs, someone was speculating about the headstock shape being similar/same as Hondo ones that Tokai might have been making at the same time. I would be really curious if anyone has any more info on these. Could they have been sold to a particular market?
As for the guitar, it looks totally legit, down to the "60" stamp at the end of the neck. It plays like an ST-60, and sounds like one. I haven't opened it up yet, but the previous owner said it had E-stamped grey-backed pickups, and it does sound like it. I have a couple of other ST-60s, and this is identical, except for the headstock. This is a really well made guitar, and plays like butter.
Another nice surprise the seller included, is an original, Japanese Tokai catalogue (marked Tokai Electric Guitar Manual, Vol. 2), from March 1979. It's not in Ned's catalogue list on the Registry site, and fills a real hole at a critical time in Tokai history. I haven't been around, so I don't know if someone has a copy that they've posted elsewhere, but if there's interest, I will scan it, and make it available on this forum.
I just had a heckuva time logging in here. I think my email changed, and by chance I remembered my password, but then got myself logged out and couldn't get back in. So if I disappear again, that'll be why.
Kanpai!!
Chris