A Tokai or not a Tokai, that is the question?

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DanH71

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Jun 13, 2017
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[/img]http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1827_zps9ech9hfo.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4]

IMG_1828_zps6qjewurv.jpg.html
http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1829_zpsourrxokf.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2]

IMG_1831_zps2pqh9jga.jpg.html
http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1842_zpss3sri8lv.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0]

Hi,

Any help on identifying (date and place of production) on my newly acquired bass...

So at closer inspection and by comparing it to other guitars I suspect I could have a tokai bass
That has had its headstock sprayed and dodgy Fender decal put on.

The neck plate seems to have no serial though so don't know if this was replaced to disguise the fact
It wasn't a fender (without bothering to put a fender one on in its place;)

Question is, how can I tell if I a) have a Tokai b) How to tell the year and place of production)?

looking here:

http://www.tokairegi...kai-fender.html

It illustrates that all tokai j-basses carried a fender copy ID number on the neck plate.

My bass doesn't have such a number (it's blank) so how can I tell if I have an actual tokai other than going on a gut feeling/suspicion. Perhaps it was removed/replaced for the blank plate it has in attempt to cover its origin.

Is there another tell tale sign other than this plate mark or the headstock decal (that I don't have)? Would there be a stamp on the body behind the neck that tells a tale?

The headstock shape certainly looks like and meets the description of a post Fender law suit headstock by Tokai (anywhere from 82-86).. With its more acute floor facing headstock heel contour. Also the more rounded tip on the lower horn of the scratch plate seems
To be like several tokai bases I have seen as is the more acute bevel at the edge of the body.

I do also however have an idea it's a SX bass( body at least) as the bridge to pickup spacing like it is on some SX bases I have seen. However the biggest indicator it's not a Tokai bridge is that it has 7 bridge screws (5 Fender like ones and 2 front ones) that I have not seen on a Tokai this far? Am I right to discount it as a Tokai bridge?

Any help on deciphering the origins of this bass would be much appreciated!

Best
Dan
 
So the plot thickens...;)

I suspected because if the difference between my guitars 7 screw bridge (5 Fender like and 2 at the front of the bridge facing the bridge pickup) that it wasn't a Tokai (I've not seen one with such a bridge, does anyone know any different?)...

Then I find on ebay a seller with an item he professes to be a Tokai AB -LPBR (lake placid blue), which isn't a real code as far as I can see, with a stated bridge of BB-VBC, which comparing to Tokai images with BB-VBC bridges that it isn't (7 as opposed to 5 screws).

Could anyone confirm that Tokai don't nor ever had 7 screw bridges before I report the guy (who has a shop) on eBay????

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tokai-Electric-Jazz-Sound-Bass-Guitar-4-string-AJB-LPBR-WITH-GIG-BAG-TUNER-b-/322520018526?hash=item4b17b0ee5e%3Ag%3AEagAAOSwxKtYA%7EQ1&_trkparms=pageci%253A242ce49a-507f-11e7-97e5-74dbd1807b7c%257Cparentrq%253Aa35af29b15c0ab66ae5f7b1dffff064f%257Ciid%253A1

I take it the price is rather generous too that he is offering.
 
bluejeannot said:
Cheap Chinese budget line.low quality.

Thanks for the reply but what is cheap low line quality?

Mine or the one on eBay? Does that still mean it is a Tokai?
 
DanH71 said:
[/img]http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1827_zps9ech9hfo.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4]

IMG_1828_zps6qjewurv.jpg.html
http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1829_zpsourrxokf.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2]

IMG_1831_zps2pqh9jga.jpg.html
http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1842_zpss3sri8lv.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0]

Hi,

Any help on identifying (date and place of production) on my newly acquired bass...

So at closer inspection and by comparing it to other guitars I suspect I could have a tokai bass
That has had its headstock sprayed and dodgy Fender decal put on.

The neck plate seems to have no serial though so don't know if this was replaced to disguise the fact
It wasn't a fender (without bothering to put a fender one on in its place;)

Question is, how can I tell if I a) have a Tokai b) How to tell the year and place of production)?

looking here:

http://www.tokairegi...kai-fender.html

It illustrates that all tokai j-basses carried a fender copy ID number on the neck plate.

My bass doesn't have such a number (it's blank) so how can I tell if I have an actual tokai other than going on a gut feeling/suspicion. Perhaps it was removed/replaced for the blank plate it has in attempt to cover its origin.

Is there another tell tale sign other than this plate mark or the headstock decal (that I don't have)? Would there be a stamp on the body behind the neck that tells a tale?

The headstock shape certainly looks like and meets the description of a post Fender law suit headstock by Tokai (anywhere from 82-86).. With its more acute floor facing headstock heel contour. Also the more rounded tip on the lower horn of the scratch plate seems
To be like several tokai bases I have seen as is the more acute bevel at the edge of the body.

I do also however have an idea it's a SX bass( body at least) as the bridge to pickup spacing like it is on some SX bases I have seen. However the biggest indicator it's not a Tokai bridge is that it has 7 bridge screws (5 Fender like ones and 2 front ones) that I have not seen on a Tokai this far? Am I right to discount it as a Tokai bridge?

Any help on deciphering the origins of this bass would be much appreciated!

Best
Dan

Could someone let me know if they have any info on my 1st post regarding my bass guitar (see images)?

Thanks
 
DanH71 said:
[/img]http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1827_zps9ech9hfo.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4]

IMG_1828_zps6qjewurv.jpg.html
http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1829_zpsourrxokf.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2]

IMG_1831_zps2pqh9jga.jpg.html
http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/DanH1971/media/IMG_1842_zpss3sri8lv.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0]

Hi,

Any help on identifying (date and place of production) on my newly acquired bass...

So at closer inspection and by comparing it to other guitars I suspect I could have a tokai bass
That has had its headstock sprayed and dodgy Fender decal put on.

The neck plate seems to have no serial though so don't know if this was replaced to disguise the fact
It wasn't a fender (without bothering to put a fender one on in its place;)

Question is, how can I tell if I a) have a Tokai b) How to tell the year and place of production)?

looking here:

http://www.tokairegi...kai-fender.html

It illustrates that all tokai j-basses carried a fender copy ID number on the neck plate.

My bass doesn't have such a number (it's blank) so how can I tell if I have an actual tokai other than going on a gut feeling/suspicion. Perhaps it was removed/replaced for the blank plate it has in attempt to cover its origin.

Is there another tell tale sign other than this plate mark or the headstock decal (that I don't have)? Would there be a stamp on the body behind the neck that tells a tale?

The headstock shape certainly looks like and meets the description of a post Fender law suit headstock by Tokai (anywhere from 82-86).. With its more acute floor facing headstock heel contour. Also the more rounded tip on the lower horn of the scratch plate seems
To be like several tokai bases I have seen as is the more acute bevel at the edge of the body.

I do also however have an idea it's a SX bass( body at least) as the bridge to pickup spacing like it is on some SX bases I have seen. However the biggest indicator it's not a Tokai bridge is that it has 7 bridge screws (5 Fender like ones and 2 front ones) that I have not seen on a Tokai this far? Am I right to discount it as a Tokai bridge?

Any help on deciphering the origins of this bass would be much appreciated!

Best
Dan

Could someone let me know if they have any info on my 1st post regarding my bass guitar (see images)?

Thanks
 
Hi,

Is there anybody that could tell me anymore about this guitar than the fact that it's a 'Cheap Chinese'?

Thanks
 
here's a link to a real one or close to it but you can see the bridge detail and truss rod access missing from the nut area.




http://www.theguitarshop.jp/original/ajb_ash3_sbl/ajb_ash3_sbl.html
 
mdvineng said:
can't see the pics and the links don't work for me

Links work just fine. You have to copy from the http only upto the end of the line..e.g. 4] for the 1st image.
 

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