Current Tokai PAF MK2 pickups....

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BrianGT

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Hi,

Could anyone tell me the readings of the current MK2's as supplied in new guitars?

I have done a search but a lot of the posts are quite old and the readings vary from around 8.5k bridge to over 11k. Is this still the case?

Many thanks.....

EDIT:


NGD..... the answer is 7.56 neck and 11.11 bridge.

The neck sounds great, very "poppy" under your fingers. the bridge is a bit hot but turns down well.

Time spent adjusting the pickup heights (vital) will pay off.
 
I asked the original question because I was waiting for a new Es158 to arrive and was already thinking about changing the pickups! I have a lot of really good pickups and was just assuming the Tokai ones would be quite generic.
I couldn't have been more wrong!

All I can say is that in This guitar, with These pots and caps, they sound really fantastic.

It took a week or so of continually adjusting to get the best out of them but it paid off. I use the bridge pickup 90% of the time so I get that right and work from there. I have it approx 4mm below thebottom E bass string and 3mm below the top E string. It gives a very balanced sound and isn't choked by the string pull and it really matches the input of my amp. It turns down better than any other pickup I have experienced. At 3 on the volume it is sweet and quacky and really enjoyable to play. With overdrive from the amp you can go Clean, Crunch and Solo all on the volume knob without feeling that any one of those sounds is being compromised. Quite something.
The bass is balanced to give a clear sound without mush and a fabulous middle mix.
Most PAF replica pickups...and every set I own...have a neck of around 7.5k and a bridge around 8k but trying to get a really mixed sound with two fairly matched humbuckers is difficult unless you turn down the neck pickup.
The Tokai pickups measure 7.5k neck and 11.11k bridge which sounds out of whack but they work so well.
They are staying in this guitar. It just might be the only guitar I have that remains original!!
 
"NGD..... the answer is 7.56 neck and 11.11 bridge. "

Exactely like the 2005 and a couple of years later Tokai mk2 Keiyo pickups.

I have installed one set in my 2001 gold top LS65, and after having carefuly fixed the height AND the height of their pole screws, they are gorgeous.

I keep the 2 other spare sets I've bought for nothing on ebay, one set still has the plastic protection on it.
 
dombat said:
"NGD..... the answer is 7.56 neck and 11.11 bridge. "

Exactely like the 2005 and a couple of years later Tokai mk2 Keiyo pickups.

I have installed one set in my 2001 gold top LS65, and after having carefuly fixed the height AND the height of their pole screws, they are gorgeous.

I keep the 2 other spare sets I've bought for nothing on ebay, one set still has the plastic protection on it.

Hi Dombat...that's nice to hear!

I have to be careful gushing too much about the way this guitar sounds but I'm blown away.
I have a lot of guitars that I have had for long periods and they all sound like I want them to and this ES just sounds like a really great 335 straight out of the case. :)
 
I'm still not sure what pickups are in my ES158 so here's a pic!

It's quite confusing because they are advertised as Gotoh MK2 pafs but there is no "Gotoh" on the pickup just Tokai's own brand.

The pics I have seen on other Gotoh pafs do have the word Gotoh written on them. The bridge is 11.11k.

I have had to set them much lower than I am used to but I have to admit they sound really, really good! They are very bell-like and 3D on the top strings. There is zero harshness or spike.

Dombat used the word gorgeous to describe them and I think he is right!!

EDIT: forgot to say they are F spaced. 51mm E to E rather than regular 48mm. Bridge lines up perfectly, neck a little out.

 
Could any of you more knowledgeable guys answer this query please!

This pickup is from my ES158. It is described as "Tokai PAF MK2".
It is a bridge pickup and the resistance is 11.11k.

Would this be a Keiyo made pickup for Tokai?




This pickup is from a 2011 ES135 also described as "Tokai PAF MK2" . It is also a bridge pickup that measures 8.63k.

Would this be a Gotoh made pickup for Tokai?



They both sound great but totally different!

Thanks.
 
Any help would be appreciated.

At the moment "Tokai PAF MK2" covers a lot of ground and as I would like to buy a bridge pickup I would like to know what I was buying!

A seller can legally sell both versions unaware of the other.

Thanks.
 
BrianGT said:
At the moment "Tokai PAF MK2" covers a lot of ground and as I would like to buy a bridge pickup I would like to know what I was buying!

I can't help with the query, but I'm a bit confused by what you're asking here. You said these were the pickups in your ES158, so are you looking to sell them? Buy more for other guitars? Or find a suitable replacement?
 
I would say 11 k bridge ones are Keiyo but not 100% sure. I just recall Gotoh engraved ones were PAF territoy readings 7-8 K (pre 2005) and 7-11k since 2005 (when Keiyo ones came on scene in Tokais). My guess is Tokai was trying to get new young customers hence the higer power bridge one, but just a gues....
 
Paladin2019 said:
BrianGT said:
At the moment "Tokai PAF MK2" covers a lot of ground and as I would like to buy a bridge pickup I would like to know what I was buying!

I can't help with the query, but I'm a bit confused by what you're asking here. You said these were the pickups in your ES158, so are you looking to sell them? Buy more for other guitars? Or find a suitable replacement?

Hiya, the top pickup is out of the ES158 which is 11.11k which I am assuming is a Keiyo made pickup.

The lower pic is of a pickup from a ES135 I picked up and is a different pickup with lower output but both are "Tokai PAF Mk2's".

I like the sound of both of them, especially the one in the ES135 and I might buy another for another semi I have.
If I knew what each was it might be easier to decide what a seller is actually selling to me....rather than just a Tokai PAF mk2.

Hope that helps!
 
luis said:
I would say 11 k bridge ones are Keiyo but not 100% sure. I just recall Gotoh engraved ones were PAF territoy readings 7-8 K (pre 2005) and 7-11k since 2005 (when Keiyo ones came on scene in Tokais). My guess is Tokai was trying to get new young customers hence the higer power bridge one, but just a gues....

Thanks Luis.

The bottom pickup is from a ES135 made in 2011.

As far as I can tell it is the original pickup and hasn't been changed so I would assume it was a Gotoh....but if they used Keiyo after 2005 it seems to be an oddity!

Maybe the previous owner did change the "original" Keiyo for a Gotoh......I'll look at the solder joints more closely!

Thanks for your help.
 
I guess Keiyo came after 2004 for a time, until 2010? Not sure. Check catalogs because when Tokai use Keito they remark it on spec description....Maybe they used Keito in a few models only?
 

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