I finally became a very unhappy Tokai owner.

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mdvineng said:
1 piece body never includes the top cap or veneer but refers to the main back body only.

Ok how do you interpreter this statement?

This in LS lineup Les Paul custom LC235 of the premium series of the highest peak to a base
KLC345BB of the order model who gave upgrading everywhere.
I adopt the ebony materials which is very high-density to a finger board in the 1P African mahogany of choice materials to a body, the neck.
Furthermore, I put ビグスビー B7 on 3PU.
I become our store special order model who imaged Les Paul whom Jimmy Page has ever used.

And these specs:

BODY: African Mahogany One Piece
NECK: African Mahogany One Piece
   Set-Neck Deep Joint
FINGERBOARD: Ebony
RADIUS: 300R
FRETS: 22F ♯ 213
SCALE: 625/312 .5mm
BRIDGE: HLS-VB (Brass Saddle) Bridge
   Bigsby B7
TUNERS: Gotoh SG301-04
NUT(width): Bone(43.0mm)
INLAY: Block (Mother of Pearl)
PICKUPS: PAF-Vintage MK2 *3
CONTROLS: 2V.,2T.,3way Toggle SW
POT: CTS
SWITCH: Switchcraft
CONDENSER: Sprague Orange Drop
JACKS: Switchcraft
FINISH: Lacquer Finish
Tax-excluded list price 345,000 yen
 
cuthbert said:
mdvineng said:
1 piece body never includes the top cap or veneer but refers to the main back body only.

Ok how do you interpreter this statement?

This in LS lineup Les Paul custom LC235 of the premium series of the highest peak to a base
KLC345BB of the order model who gave upgrading everywhere.
I adopt the ebony materials which is very high-density to a finger board in the 1P African mahogany of choice materials to a body, the neck.
Furthermore, I put ビグスビー B7 on 3PU.
I become our store special order model who imaged Les Paul whom Jimmy Page has ever used.

And these specs:

BODY: African Mahogany One Piece
NECK: African Mahogany One Piece
   Set-Neck Deep Joint
FINGERBOARD: Ebony
RADIUS: 300R
FRETS: 22F ♯ 213
SCALE: 625/312 .5mm
BRIDGE: HLS-VB (Brass Saddle) Bridge
   Bigsby B7
TUNERS: Gotoh SG301-04
NUT(width): Bone(43.0mm)
INLAY: Block (Mother of Pearl)
PICKUPS: PAF-Vintage MK2 *3
CONTROLS: 2V.,2T.,3way Toggle SW
POT: CTS
SWITCH: Switchcraft
CONDENSER: Sprague Orange Drop
JACKS: Switchcraft
FINISH: Lacquer Finish
Tax-excluded list price 345,000 yen

Kurosawa is still selling the sister guitar, serial number #555, and these are its specs.

https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/kurosawa-shop/item/10150202/
 
1 piece body never includes the top cap or veneer but refers to the main back body only.
 
That's a really bad translation into English and doesn't make for another interpretation of any accuracy.
 
mdvineng said:
That's a really bad translation into English and doesn't make for another interpretation of any accuracy.

Yesterday I wrote them to ask clarifications, they didn´t answer, but the description of the sister guitar has changed:

https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/kurosawa-shop/item/10150202/

Today it became this:

BODY: African Mahogany One Piece Back Maple 2piece top
NECK: African Mahogany One Piece
   Set-Neck Deep Joint
FINGERBOARD: Ebony
RADIUS: 300R
FRETS: 22F ♯ 213
SCALE: 625/312 .5mm
BRIDGE: HLS-VB (Brass Saddle) Bridge
   Bigsby B7
TUNERS: Gotoh SG301-04
NUT(width): Bone(43.0mm)
INLAY: Block (Mother of Pearl)
PICKUPS: PAF-Vintage MK2 *3
CONTROLS: 2V.,2T.,3way Toggle SW
POT: CTS
SWITCH: Switchcraft
CONDENSER: Sprague Orange Drop
JACKS: Switchcraft
FINISH: Lacquer Finish
Tax-excluded list price 345,000 yen

However I took a screenshot of my auction, that stated otherwise:

92691308_3076226005767505_7955735022378418176_n.jpg


Very disappointed, I bought this guitar because I wanted an all mahogany Custom, and after realising the "error" they didn´t even bother to say sorry about it, they just ignored my email BUT updated the description.

Can I say it´s a SLIGHTLY dishonest behavior? Especially due to the fact I spend more than $2500 for this guitar. :evil:
 
cuthbert said:
Just sent the payment for this KLC345BB, shameful copy of a 1957 Custom with three pickups and Bibsgy B7:

Hey Cuthbert,

Remember that Gibson also make 'shameful' copies of three pickup Customs too! The only difference is that their shameful copies have the same name on the headstock!

I want to get a Tokai 1955 copy, a Japanese one,, the Black Beauty, the one with the P90 and Staple pickups, fit it with gold waffle tuners and Lollar pickups.

Is it very heavy? For some reason, I always think of custom's being heavy.
 
Watersilk said:
cuthbert said:
Just sent the payment for this KLC345BB, shameful copy of a 1957 Custom with three pickups and Bibsgy B7:

Hey Cuthbert,

Remember that Gibson also make 'shameful' copies of three pickup Customs too! The only difference is that their shameful copies have the same name on the headstock!

If you read the thread you´ll find out it´s not a shameful copy, unfortunately. :(

At this point I should have saved for a Gibson R7 reissue, at least you know you get a one piece mahogany body.
 
mdvineng said:
1 piece body never includes the top cap or veneer but refers to the main back body only.

Yes, that's quite true; however, I didn't think that Custom's had a cap of any kind, I thought they were solid mahogany, unlike the Goldtops or Standards? I could well be wrong about this.
 
cuthbert said:
Watersilk said:
cuthbert said:
Just sent the payment for this KLC345BB, shameful copy of a 1957 Custom with three pickups and Bibsgy B7:

Hey Cuthbert,

Remember that Gibson also make 'shameful' copies of three pickup Customs too! The only difference is that their shameful copies have the same name on the headstock!

If you read the thread you´ll find out it´s not a shameful copy, unfortunately. :(

At this point I should have saved for a Gibson R7 reissue, at least you know you get a one piece mahogany body.

Cuthbert, it looks amazing!

I bought the first Gibson Collecter's edition guitar; I had dreamed of owning a Peter Green copy for years, when I finally got it, I was really shocked. There were a few things I hated about it, the worst was that the cap actually overlapped the mahogany back, not by a minute amount, it was 'very' noticeable! I took it back to the shop I bought it from, they refused to give my money back! In the end, I was fortunate to do a deal with another shop, they swapped it for a new '59 model. I lost about £200 on the swap!

I'm now the proud owner of a very nice Extra Faded Cherry Les Paul, but it has taken me years to love that guitar, I suppose because it wasn't what I set out to buy in the first place.

Perhaps you need to change the electrical wiring, RS Guitarworks, or Bare Knuckle pots and Luxe caps, put some special pickups in there and make it your own. I think in time, you will overlook the inlay, and fall in love with this guitar :)
 
It's possible that white looking part in the pickup routes could be wood filler that gets put on before the colour coats.
You could try sanding it a bit to see if you get through to some brown wood.

It looks like the grain underneath that white section is similar to the main body wood, possibly too many pores to be maple? Also, take a look at the wood dust that came out of the pickup ring screw holes - it's pretty dark brown (in the shot below). I thought maple was a lighter colour, but then some of the other screw holes look to have lighter coloured dust. It's all a bit confusing.

92179941_3074396875950418_4096129225231171584_n.jpg
 
8) gibson 1957 les paul custom has a 1-piece mahogany body so yours should have it too if its a good copy of it like the one jimmy page played. the kurosawa original description says so but yours looks to have a 2-piece mahogany body like LS235, the japanese premium class les paul custom with the premium specs but a 2-piece mahogany body unlike the original 1957 gibson les paul custom with a 1-piece mahogany body. yours is a kurosawa special based on the LS235 so it probably has a 2-piece mahogany body like the LS235. its unlike the original gibson 1957 les paul custom but tokai makes the LS235 with a 2-piece mahogany body. kurosawa might have ordered it with a 1-piece mahogany body originally but it probably didnt go that way since it was based on the LS235. so the original kurosawa discription says its a 1-piece but actually has a 2-piece mahogany body like the LS235. now kuroswa changed its description by your email. drop the 1-piece mahogany body and to 2-piece mahogany body. your guitar is very high quality but your shopping has become mistaken by kurosawa. there might be something you could do if kurosawa is honest. hopefully they do.

@ LS235 specs here.

BODY : Mahogany One Piece Top
Mahogany One Piece Back
NECK : Mahogany One Piece
Set-Neck Deep Joint
FINGERBOARD : Ebony
RADIUS : 300R
FRETS : 22F ♯213
SCALE : 625/312.5mm
BRIDGE : HLS-VB(Brass Saddle)Bridge
HLS-VT Aluminum TailPiece
TUNERS : Gotoh SG301-04
NUT(width) : Bone(43.0mm)
INLAY : Block(Mother of Pearl)
PICKUPS : PAF-Vintage MK2×2
CONTROLS : 2V.,2T.,
3way Toggle SW
POT : CTS
SWITCH : Switchcraft
CONDENSER : Sprague Orange Drop
JACKS : Switchcraft
FINISH : Lacquer Finish
COLOR : WR

Price : 258,500 yen(Include Tax)
With Hard Shell Case
 
cuthbert said:


Please allow me to clarify my previous post in which I stated, "top looks like maple to my eyes, from looking at the walls of the pickup routes."

The top on that guitar is MAPLE.

There, I clarified it for all here.
 
It's a general rule with Tokai customs that Wine Red is Mahogany, and that Black is Maple capped.

That being said i'm sure there are Black Tokai customs that are all Hog. They would be the exception to the rule though.
 
HAMAMATSU said:
8) gibson 1957 les paul custom has a 1-piece mahogany body so yours should have it too if its a good copy of it like the one jimmy page played. the kurosawa original description says so but yours looks to have a 2-piece mahogany body like LS235, the japanese premium class les paul custom with the premium specs but a 2-piece mahogany body unlike the original 1957 gibson les paul custom with a 1-piece mahogany body. yours is a kurosawa special based on the LS235 so it probably has a 2-piece mahogany body like the LS235. its unlike the original gibson 1957 les paul custom but tokai makes the LS235 with a 2-piece mahogany body. kurosawa might have ordered it with a 1-piece mahogany body originally but it probably didnt go that way since it was based on the LS235. so the original kurosawa discription says its a 1-piece but actually has a 2-piece mahogany body like the LS235. now kuroswa changed its description by your email. drop the 1-piece mahogany body and to 2-piece mahogany body. your guitar is very high quality but your shopping has become mistaken by kurosawa. there might be something you could do if kurosawa is honest. hopefully they do.

Hello Hammatsu san,
I wouldn´t be bothered if the body were in two pieces of mahogany (that means it there is a mahogany cap) but since they didn´t reply to my specific question (if the top was maple) BUT since they updated the description stating there is a maple top I think they mislead me, as I bought this guitar because I wanted an all mahogany LP.

Again, I don´t think they are honest as they didn´t answer me not even to apologise for the wrong job description and offer me a partial refund (again, this is not a cheap Tokai, it´s one of the most expensive), also they didn´t answer to my previous point regarding the blemishes of the guitar (misalgned pearl inlays, black paint on binding, the neck volume pot that does not work)...in short I am seriously disappointed and I feel I have been deceived.

I cannot ship the guitar back as I already spent $600 of import duties, but at least they could apologise and offer a discount.

JVsearch said:
It's possible that white looking part in the pickup routes could be wood filler that gets put on before the colour coats.
You could try sanding it a bit to see if you get through to some brown wood.

That was my hope, I wrote to Tokai (they didn´t answer) and to Kurosawa to ask them if the can confirm it´s maple, the fact the updated the spec list adding a 2 pieces MAPLE cap tells me the other user is right and they are in bad faith.

P.S. I also edited the title of the thread, I am a very unhappy Tokai owner. I also post here a pic of the third blemish: the black paint on the neck binding. Definitely less important than the maple cap but at this point I think Tokai´s reputation to build LPs better than Gibson is definitely not deserved.

92268686_3078024765587629_5456482162582749184_o.jpg
 
http://www1.odn.ne.jp/tokaigakki/products/premium/lc230s.html

8) if your guitar is based on LC230S then the top is a 2-piece maple top. not a 1-piece mahogany top of LC235. real sorry to hear your bad experiences this time with tokai and kurosawa. tokai is usually very good with the customers but they may not be able to reply well or sure in english. kurosawa is usually ok but they are also very weak in the english communication. i understand your heavy dissapointment so i suggest you to email to the tokai CEO mr.adachi directly. he is known to be very friendly and helpful with his foreign customers. he uses the english well i guess. also, try to email the kurosawa headquarter office, not the shop. they may then respond you ok. again, sorry to hear your **** experiences with the japanese this time. japan is still japan but not like they used to be anymore in many ways lately.
 
8) usually the japanese guitar shops dont have any well-english speaker so when they recieve the email/call in english from the foreigners then they just be whatever???. so email or call their headquarter office and talk to a sure-english speaking person. then you be ok! good luck!
 
HAMAMATSU said:
8) usually the japanese guitar shops dont have any well-english speaker so when they recieve the email/call in english from the foreigners then they just be whatever???. so email or call their headquarter office and talk to a sure-english speaking person. then you be ok! good luck!

Actually the two shop clerks I exchanged mails had a good command of English, they were very polite and seemed professional. This is also another reason why I am disappointed...and the fact they changed the listing of the other KLC345BB the day after I wrote them makes me think they understood my last message very well.
 

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