Can you help me with this Tokai Silver Star?

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ClassicTelephone

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Hey everybody,

I got my handy on a Tokai Silver Star and out of curiosity I would like to get any infos about it, for example which year it was made in or which version this one is. From what I could find on several websites it's quite tricky to identify those, since the serial number doesn't really tell much. If I'm wrong, please correct me here. However, besides the serial number I couldn't find much else on the guitar itself which helps me with the identification. Any help is highly appreciated. I guess I'll find some experts here :)

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Hi CT,

From what I can see in the pics this is probably a 1980 SS-36.
Everything about this looks original - except the serial number and decal which appear to be a replica. Point 1 is the serial# [ 1605] does not match the Year [ 7=1977].
Also pre-1980 SilverStars have Model numbers embossed into the last fret. Yours does not. Stamp placing, body wood [ Ash, not Alder], pickups and bridge are all consistant with a 1980 build.
A fine guitar, none-the-less.
Hope this helps

Peter
 
Hi Peter,

Thanks a lot for the info!
So you think somebody replaced the original serial number with a basically made up one? Seems odd to me that somebody does that - why would they? Not questioning that you're right of course! As I mentioned I'm far away from being an expert.

Also I don't really know what the difference between the different SS-36, SS-38 and so on models is. Does somebody know where I can look that up? Didn't find any good info on that yet.
 
Hi CT,

OK, there are a few reasons someone would make a decal - the primary one is that the original has been damaged or removed. SpringySounds are notorious for the decals drying up and flaking off.
Did you get a chance to remove the neck from the body? At the end of the neck should be " 6=4 " matching the stamp in the pickup cavity "6=4 BB."
The routing tells me this is a Hamamatsu-made SS.
The SIlverStar was first released in 1978 as the SS-36 and later changed to SS-38 around 1981, so that is the only difference - plus most SS-36 models have Ash bodies (like yours) instead of Alder.
1977 seems to have had only 300 Springys made before 1978 came. As the serial numbers are sequential and I have confirmed Springys before and after your serial number, 1605, this then puts your serial number as a replacement rather than an original.
Make no mistake - this is not a fake. Every part on this guitar is genuine Tokai. Some decal makers do use mis-matched serial numbers to alert Tokaiphiles to the fact they have been replaced, however I don't believe this takes away from this particular guitar. My best estimate - without a genuine serial number - and going from the features that I can see is that it is most likely a 1980 SS-36 BB - and a very nice one at that.

regards
Peter
 
hey peter,

thanks again for replying!
i'm back from vacation now and had finally time to check my tokai.
so, i'm a little bit confused, since you started referring to springy sound guitars now, while this is a silver star - at least that's what the decal says. or do you think it's a springy and the new decal refers to a silver star instead? (as far as i know the springy didn't have those large 70s headstocks)

i also checked the end of the neck and it says 12=2, not 6=4 as you guessed. could it be somebody changed the neck or what do you think this could telll us?

again thanks a lot for helping me with this one. i'm really curious to get any info about this guitar. really appreciate you share your knowledge.
 
Hi,

The reference to Springy Sounds is to do with the serial number pattern.
Between 1977 and 1982, all Tokai serial numbers for all Tokai models were sequential. The S# on your SilverStar falls between a SpringySound production run. Yours is a SilverStar.

It would appear that the neck has indeed been swapped. The numbers shown on the neck compared to the body are too far apart to have been done at the Factory. Can you post a pic of the bottom base of the neck please. There should be a round metal disc screwed on there.

regards
Peter
 
hey peter,

i read about your accident on the other thread. get well soon!

here are the photos of the neck. the metal disc is there. there's also one on the neck pocket, so one lay on top of the other. what exactly do the numbers (12=2) refer to?

just realised that the second photo is a bit blurry. but it says 12=2 and there is also three lines written with a pencil on the top right corner of this side of the neck. like: ll and then one line crosses that.

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