Tokai Hardpuncher?

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Air-Guitar

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I recently required a Bass Guitar, although the decal headstock has worn off, when held at an angle towards the light you can see the name "Tokai" & underneath in small letters "Hard Puncher"
The serial number on the back plate is: 1016564.
I have searched to try & find out what style this bass is & what year, I believe it to be around 1981 but cannot find this style of bass made my Tokai, Here are some photographs I have taken, your help in identifying this wonderful guitar would be appreciated.

tokaibass.JPG
 
Sorry cant help, it's certainly not the usual hardpuncher which is a straight precision copy, looks like a 'custom edition' .

If no-one is replying it beccause they don't know, don't think we don't care :wink:
 
I only have one 7okai jazz bass so my experience is extremely limited with their basses. Have seen strats and teles that resemble that design though.
 
I'd have thought this PB/JB design was more mid-to late 80's but of course I could be wrong. :)
Are there any markings on the end of the neck or in the body cavity?

/Magnus
 
I think the bass section doesn`t get nearly as much traffic as the other sections maybe because basses are not as popular as the guitars...though I must say mine is amazing...and I`m not even a bass player. I play on them but I don`t really play them. I`d love to take lessons but that will wait til I get home.
 
I own two mid 80's hard punchers - very nice basses although the original pickup is very vintage (i.e. rather muddy :wink: ).
The necks are great, sort of a cross between a PB and JB.

/M
 
Been told this bass guitar is a high-end VSB80 from 1981
Price in 1981 JYen 80.000

Anyone know anything more??

Is this a limited Edtion? Value? - not looking at seeling but wanted an idea as was given it free & feel if its worth much should give my mate someting for it.

Thanks
 
As you can see from the picture the bass has a set of P & J pickups,

Thinking of changing the pickups - any suggestions.. my electric guitar has EMGs & i like them, but only just picking up a bass not really sure, want to be able to play a range of styles of music from blues to metal.

thanks
 
Is there anything wrong with the pickups that are in there? I have a Hardpuncher (standard precision copy) and it sounds great as it is.
 
Dont think so , need to change thge pots as theres static noise coming from them. Just was enquiring really what a good replacement would be.
its funny i cant find any other bass guitars from tokai that look like this or no infomation on this one......

:lol:
 
I would use 250K audio taper pots for the volume and tone, any decent brand will do, but try and get Alpha as CTS shafts might be slightly too big to fit through the holes.
 
I think I found this on someone's ad on ebay for another model of Tokai. I don't know if this was from a catalogue, or just an ad in a magazine--it's from pre-April, and according to the person I copied this from it was from 1982. I bet someone on here has a full catalogue with your bass in it...
________
Starcraft replays
 
On the Cat it says Limited products - Does this mean only a handfull were made?? was that a good or bad thing?

Im not really a "Bass player" give me 6 strings lol, any ideas if i wanted to part company with this is there a specilisted dealer or any ideas arounds figures to be looking at??
 
Finish looks a bit like an Ibanez Roadstar model. Kind of nice to have a bursted flame top on your bass!
 
Air-Guitar said:
On the Cat it says Limited products - Does this mean only a handfull were made?? was that a good or bad thing?

Generally the most valuable Tokai models are those which are closest to original Gibson and Fender designs. I would say that although more rare, and perhaps nicer than a straight Fender bass copy, there is likely less demand for yours and therefore lower value.
 
Surely it is a straight copy though. It's what is called the *slab* body. It was the original shape of the Precision bass and right now, is undergoing a real renaissance, popularity wise.
 
Yes, the body is the same, but wouldn't a "correct" copy have no veneer maple top and certainly not a cherry sunburst finish?

I'm not saying in any way that it's a bad bass, simply that most people seeking a Fender clone would look for a plain alder body and traditional sunburst finish. I personally like the maple/cherry a bit more.
 

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