Another new Tokai GOLDSTAR

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Klickflip

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Hi,

Just bought another Tokai on eBay!
Intersting one..

Goldstar serial number 227190, which seems to place it as as 1985 ST60.
Would that be correct ?

Here’s the photos , have taken it apart to see what’s original

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/khowij0bwlbx5br/AAC-D4kG-hUKvZt8w2QBLe4_a?dl=0

Now to my surprise it has fender CS69s - AY initialled in it ! :)

Neck code is 0032, and body code , nothing on neck pocket but paint code in cavity is 12 10 BB X - which confirms it is originally black .


Things to note about this compared to my 82 ST50 are:

Neck is thicker and rounder C shape , very similar to modern Fender AM standard strats , and appears to be refretted with medium jumbos , there’s no wear on them!
Not sure if I like medium jumbos tho , it does play better than the ST50 neck but looses The skinny vintage mojo feeling.

It is really heavy, and a 4 piece body .
- can anyone identify the wood from grain shown?

Sound wise , even though my ST50 as Cs69s in it , it sounds much tighter less open, and more top end , less bass.
Sounds very similar to my Fender Classic player 60s, which has cs69s as well.
In fact all my strats have cs69s in them purely by coincidence !

It actually feels similar to playing the fender as well, due to a bigger neck and MJ frets.

The ST 50 feels and sounds like a vintage guitar , much warmer rounded tone . Whrereas the other two sound more modern and spikier .

Could it be medium jumbo stainless steel frets really change the sound to be much more treble and loose bass?

Did they do different body shapes for the 50s and 60s models?
I’m also wondering if this Goldstar may be a 60s body shape , as seems a bit thicker and more rounded edges than the ST50 , which is lighter weight and
seem slimmer .
And my fender seems more like the shape of the 1985 Goldstar than the slightly harder edges of the 1982 ST 50

All very intersting.

I bought this not knowing what to expect , and pleasantly surprised, especially with pickups , though do wish it had slimmer vintage frets.
Also I bought it in mind to do a relic or paint job on it , so fitted the bill .
 
Great informative read, thanks for taking the time to post this 8) (we really need a like button on this forum. :) :wink: )

Oh, and congrats on the 'new' guitar of course. :wink:
 
You guitar is a mid eighties entry level Goldstar ST 40 which was characterised by cheaper tuners,ceramic pickups, none
steel block trem and bridge saddles and multi piece bodies.Most people would swap the pickups to something better which the previous owner has done(Congrats on the Ybarras!) and swap the trem for a steel block and perhaps replace the tuners to really improve things. ~nice looking flame on the neck not usually found on this model which is cool and the body wood will be either alder or maybe more likely basswood on a lower spec model Gabe.
 
bluejeannot said:
You guitar is a mid eighties entry level Goldstar ST 40 which was characterised by cheaper tuners,ceramic pickups, none
steel block trem and bridge saddles and multi piece bodies.Most people would swap the pickups to something better which the previous owner has done(Congrats on the Ybarras!) and swap the trem for a steel block and perhaps replace the tuners to really improve things. ~nice looking flame on the neck not usually found on this model which is cool and the body wood will be either alder or maybe more likely basswood on a lower spec model Gabe.

I don't think Tokai used basswood in the 80's, I have a mid 80's AST-40 and the body is definitely alder. I was going to replace the cast 70's style trem but the guitar sounds so good I left it in place. The tuners have been replaced with deluxe stamped klusons and the ceramic pickups are replaced with Seymour Duncan hot stacks and a little '59 in the bridge position. It's a great strat, I've used it a lot since I bought it even though I have a few higher spec Tokai strats.

/Mike
 
Thanks for the replies and info guys.

Yes was coming to the conclusion it is a ST40, looking at other photos .
The tuners are the giveaway. Surprisingly they feel really solid and smooth .
Which Im going to replace with standard ‘deluxe’ vintage Wilkinson as on ST50s . Plus they are so much easier to string , these side hole ones are a pain!

Body is 3 or even 4 piece , kinda hard to see , lucky the relic on it shows 3 I can see.

Trem looks a bit nastier than on my ST50, or chrome plating is bubbling.

Big difference is the neck , it’s a lot chunkier . But have got used to it and really like the feel of it , now the ST50 neck seems really thin .
Yes it has really nice map,e flaming on the neck . love that about it!
One possibility is it could be a fender neck but edges are rolled better than fenders

Does anyone else have an ST with a chunky neck , apart from the V shapes offers on st80s , I thought they’d all be similar roughly
-or are there different neck depths for the 50s and models?

I’m thinking a bigger chunk of flamed maple must be more expensive than a planner thinner neck , seems strange for a More budget ST40..

Previous owner actually put Jumbo frets on it and really high action, almost getting used to these, but visited a Luthier so will get them taken down a fair an recrowned soon.
We came to the conclusion previous owner was going to a John Mayer vibe (it came with 11s) an the relic.

Main thing it sounds great, but not half as buttery to play as the ST50 .
But after chatting with luthier he assured me it will be a different beast after the fret reduce / dress and proper setup.

Having larger frets on a 7.25 radius board feels like a vintage modern cross and thickness of neck feels more modern fender chunky C.

So definitely not a pure example , but It Has a nice vibe :)
 
Thanks Felix,

I tried that method and find it really really unreliable , can be useful for seeing different shapes. But even then I found it really difficult to see much difference.
Do you measure from straight lines drawn? If so you’ll be out by a at least 1mm..
23.4 at 12th seems really big - does it feel like huge chunky neck?

From my 2 at 12th fret by wire method,
ST50 21.5mm
St40. 23mm

Way I do it is with paper round the neck and measure the fretboard width as well as back of neck . Then I lay it flat and measure my pen marks.

By paper method
ST50. 1st 106mm. 12th. 123mm
St40. 1st. 110mm. 12th. 127.5mm


Would of fancy doing this to yours ?

Really interested to see differences in necks on different & same models.

Thanks!
S
IMG_3031.JPG
 
Klickflip said:
Thanks Felix,

I tried that method and find it really really unreliable , can be useful for seeing different shapes. But even then I found it really difficult to see much difference.
Do you measure from straight lines drawn?

The photo is just for visual shape reference, measurements are made directly on the neck with a micrometer (from center fret board to center back of neck).



Klickflip said:
From my 2 at 12th fret by wire method,
ST50 21.5mm
St40. 23mm

Way I do it is with paper round the neck and measure the fretboard width as well as back of neck . Then I lay it flat and measure my pen marks.

By paper method
ST50. 1st 106mm. 12th. 123mm
St40. 1st. 110mm. 12th. 127.5mm


Would of fancy doing this to yours ?

Really interested to see differences in necks on different & same models.

Thanks!
S

I'm afraid I can't do that anymore, sold the ST55 a couple of years ago.

I do have other(Springy and Breezy) measurements, but they're all V necks.
 
Your serial number/neck plate is from late 1987.

Your production code on the body is December.

Your neck does not seem to be a Tokai IMHO.

See here for other guitars from that period:

Six Digit Serial Numbers With 2xxxxx 1986 1987

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