another strat to be identified

[vipu5]

Hi everybody... Bought my first Tokai yesterday and just registered to the forum.
I?m trying to find all the information I can about this guitar.
Its supposed to be mid -80s goldstar sound strat with "modern" style headpiece. I just took some photos and trying to photobucket them here...

 

[vipu5]

OK. the photobucket seems to work...

The PUs are Kent Armstrong STS1 so they aren?t original. Theyre supposed to be OK.
I?m new with strats, this is my first guitar with singlecoils, so I cant really say much about the sound.

Theres no serial number, but I found code: "3 6 B" behind the pickguard:

 

[vipu5]

More pics from the inside:

 

[javelin70]

Hmm, it looks like a newer AST-50 to me. My 2002 AST-50 doesn't have the "made in japan" stamp on the neck, I think they started with that in 2003. Also, the 80's strats should have "Final Prospec" stamped bridge saddles and "Deluxe" stamped tuners. The newer AST-50's have a vintage tinted (yellowish) clear coat on the neck like yours seem to have. I don't know much about the 90's AST's though but since they didn't stamp the 2002's with "made in japan" they probably didn't do it in the 90's either. The switch is also wrong for an 80's Goldstar.

To me it looks like somebody has "reliced" a newer Goldstar. They are really nice strats thought. Mine is excellent!

Mike

 

[vipu5]

The body looks really old. Could it be that only the neck is tokai???

 

[javelin70]

The body looks really old. Could it be that only the neck is tokai???

Well, I don't remember exactly what my AST-50 looked like under the pickguard, it was a couple of years ago since I had it removed, it does have the s/s/s routing like it should be. But if they have reliced the body it might look very old without being it. Does the neck fit tightly into the neck pocket?

Mike

 

[vipu5]

Does the neck fit tightly into the neck pocket?

Mike

its quite tight, could be tighter though....

One of the photos shows that the neck-adjustment screw is partly hidden in the neck pocket, is it normal?
Do the newer tokai necks really have the neck adjustment behind the pickguard?

 

[javelin70]

its quite tight, could be tighter though....

One of the photos shows that the neck-adjustment screw is partly hidden in the neck pocket, is it normal?
Do the newer tokai necks really have the neck adjustment behind the pickguard?

Yes, you have to remove the neck to do the adjustment like on the vintage Fenders.

Micke

 

[tokaiguy]

The 5 position switch is one of the ones that came on the MIJ Goldstars from this decade, also the wiring and pots. the neck plate, the machines, and the bridge seem to confirm that. I think what you have is a "Reliced" 2000 something Goldstar. Most Important...Do you like it? If so Enjoy! and Welcome to the Club! TG :wink:

 

[vipu5]

The 5 position switch is one of the ones that came on the MIJ Goldstars from this decade, also the wiring and pots. the neck plate, the machines, and the bridge seem to confirm that. I think what you have is a "Reliced" 2000 something Goldstar. Most Important...Do you like it? If so Enjoy! and Welcome to the Club! TG :wink:

OK, thanks for the info.
What you guys think about the body? Does Tokais come white? the pickguard is greenish shade of white. The body is definitely old. the colour under the pickguard is different because its been saved from UV-rays.
I have feeling that the body is not Tokai. Is there anyway to be sure?
What about the neck? the shape feels different than in a new tokai AST. Could it be old?

I like the guitar, except the sound is too thin. And I?m not happy with the idea that I?ve been cheated. And if I want to sell it in the future, its a problem... I bought it from a shop and gonna demand compensation or refund if I can be sure that its not from the 80s.

 

[ochay]

Definitly NOT a Tokai body- The Neck looks on the up and up- If it's a real tokai Neck it'll have a number(s) stamped on the neck butt.

 

[javelin70]

This is what a TST-50 from 1984 looks like under the pickguard. The switch is a Mitsubishi, one of the best switches I've come across. There's a brass plate where things are grounded instead of the aluminium foil commonly used:

The 80's strats also have serial numbers on the neck plate, my 2002 does not.

Btw, the switch on my 2002 AST-50 does not look like yours, it's a different model called YM-50 (used by Ibanez for example) which is crap (also plastic). The neck and tuners on yours looks exactly like my 2002 AST-50 except that mine is a one piece maple neck. I think the body on your strat looks like a quality body, most cheap bodies does not have the S/S/S routing, instead it's often a swimmingpool routing. Another thing, the 80's strats have a code stamped on the end of the neck and a corresponding code + a color code in the control cavity:

Mike

 

[javelin70]

Definitly NOT a Tokai body- The Neck looks on the up and up- If it's a real tokai Neck it'll have a number(s) stamped on the neck butt.

Not on the newer goldstars I think.

Mike

 

[javelin70]

You can compare the headstock with my surf green 2002 AST-50, they look exactly the same. The candy apple red one is a 1984 TST-50 with a 1984 TST60 or 80 v-neck and the white one to the right is a 1985 AST-40 which has a rounded off pointy headstock. The one to the left is a japanese Squier.

Mike

 

[tokaiguy]

I don't care for those Armstrong pick-ups...This is Frankenstrat for sure. I bought a 2002 Goldstar "Blackie" new from Songbird back a couple of years ago and paid less than $350 so depending what on you gave for this ...It's defanitly not an 80's Tokai TG

 

[vipu5]

Big thanks for helping me out.
I paid 460? for the guitar, which would be OK for mid 80s Tokai(?)
But not for 200x-Tokai parts and old body.
What you think would be reasonable price for this kind of guitar?

Is there any difference between ast-33 and ast-50 parts? Is it possible to tell the difference?
I?d like to know if the parts are from 300? guitar or from 500? guitar...

 

[vipu5]

I took the neck of. Heres some photos:

 

[javelin70]

I think the body and neck belong together. Look at the number at the end of the neck and in the pickup cavity. Both say 36 and the numbers look identical. It's not an 80's Tokai, it's newer but it's hard to tell when it was made. The body looks like alder to me as it should be. In 2002 the price in Finland for a new AST-50 was 690 Euro (I almost bought one), today they sell for 579 Euro:

http://www.musaporssi.fi/

I bought mine new from Germany in 2002 and paid less than 400 Euro.

The AST-33 does not have the 7,25" radius as far as I know and the headstock is slightly different on the korean Goldstars. I don't think they have the split post Kluson tuners either and since it's stamped
stamped "made in japan" I think it is japanese.

Mike

 

[vipu5]

Good point Mike, I didn?t remember that ast-33 is korean made.
And I also noticed that code "36" can be found in neck and body.
And yes: it looks like its printed in same font.
BUT, somebody said in this thread that its NOT a Tokai-body.
Is there anyway to say for sure? Are the PU-holes in new Tokai bodys "swimmingpool" type or single holes? is there anykind of distinctive marks?

 

[javelin70]

Good point Mike, I didn?t remember that ast-33 is korean made.
And I also noticed that code "36" can be found in neck and body.
And yes: it looks like its printed in same font.
BUT, somebody said in this thread that its NOT a Tokai-body.
Is there anyway to say for sure? Are the PU-holes in new Tokai bodys "swimmingpool" type or single holes? is there anykind of distinctive marks?

Well, I don't think everybody has taken apart a newer Tokai strat. There are differences from the old strats but it is routed s/s/s. I have not removed the neck on mine however.

Mike