Well I think it's togps who is a little mor dubious than me. However, most of the fancy tops I've seen on Tokais belong to the LS100 range. I'm sure you remember when Tokai flooded the UK market around 83'-84 with the Love Rock range. Most of the guitars were veneer models. Although the higher end models were listed in the 'Blue Suede Music' price list I never saw one. I spoke to lots of dealers and nobody had the guts to get one in. The price of a top ender was too near the Gibson Lester range so the average music shop wouldn't entertain it. Obviously and typical of the UK music shop scene back then, they didn't have a F*ck*@G clue.
So, I was left to doing my own leg work. Being an avid reader of LOOT almost everyday during the 80's 90's and a bit of the 2000's, I made dozens of trips around London and the countryside snapping up all sorts of Tokai's (amongst other things) but never came across the top end jobs. Most guys owned LS50's LS60's and LS100's in the usual colours gold, black and veneerd sunburst and although they thought they had something special, they didn't. Of course I educated them after pulling the pups and showing them the thin veneer on the suburst models. Some said thanks, others said nothing. Probably did after I left (HA! :lol: )
Of course now that we have ebay, we can buy anything we want from anywhere (except China if you have any sense) so we are spoilt. Shame cause I rather liked the travelling about. Often after work or at the weekend to go look at guitars, amps and the like, haggle a bit with the owner and walk out with a new toy. Ebay has f*uc@ed that a bit but my heart pumps when I'm sniping and I'm still a kid in a sweet shop when something turns up on the door step
To be honest, although the top end LS's eluded me in the UK, I lost a bit of interest in the model once I picked up my first Historic Lester. Didn't see much point anymore.
I still have my 2 Springy sounds that I totally swear by as the best Strats I've ever owned be that vintage or new and I have a great double edge bound Breezy in Lake Placid Blue. Still have my white 81' TLC60 too. Probably the nicest of all the Tokai Lester's I've owned.