Recent content by J.E.M.

That's a nice guitar and it's the first one I've seen in Canada besides mine, which is an '84 TSG-50 in black, with Tokai PAFs and by some miracle mine is less than 7lbs, and it doesn't neck dive.

I got a chance to dig this guitar out and measure it; The neck polepieces measure 0.371" (9.42mm) center to centre - 1.855" (47.1mm) overall The bridge polepieces measure 0.390" (9.90mm) center to centre - 1.953" (49.5mm) overall

With regard to the Super Edition series and a couple of the other Original Series "the extra Tokai" is a reference to Tokai's 2 point Extra bridge system https://vintagejapanguitars.com/tokai-1984-1985-original-series-catalogue/

Go ahead and explain how one could judge whether the seam on the face of that top lines up all the way down to the mahogany from the view you've provided of the side of the cavity, it's a simple concept and I'm sorry you have so much invested in being correct, it may be a solid top but there are...

You're looking for grain that connects from the face into the cavity... the pictures need to be of the end grain - the top and bottom of the cavities not the sides - connecting end grain to the face is the test for a solid top, not looking for a "thin line" at the side of the cavity, please post...

I didn't know they made Korean models in the 70's... looks like a budget model though, scarf joint, zero fret, mahogany ply, probably laminate top

Those pickup routes are almost certainly Tokai, if it's an '89 or '90 model without a serial number, it's probably met all the criteria for being Tokai made. For reference here's the control cavity of my 1984 Tokai TSG50, looks pretty much alike to me...

My observations from guitars on the two Greco groups on facebook is that the chambered models with plywood tops are models up to EG450 - with the exception being that the three pickup 600 models are also chambered with a plywood top

Here's my 1984 TST 80 bought new at Kahlua Music in Toronto, it had the Tokai Extra 2 point bridge which swapped for a generic model, and I removed the lock behind the nut and installed the string tree, otherwise all original with grey backed U pups, finish test positive for lacquer.

Hi Homer...that's my post at MLP, they are single wire pickups, I think the thing about pot dates is it's dependant to a degree on inventory levels etc, so it make it difficult to date a guitar with precision... I'll dig it out and measure the pole pieces and get back to you, Jim

Here's the first gen VH1's from my mid 80's RLG90 (with pots that date 1984)

Rosewood

Who TF would do this... https://reverb.com/ca/item/42782861-tokai-st-42-springy-sound-body-1970-s-sunburst-mij-lawsuit-japan https://reverb.com/ca/item/42783439-tokai-springy-sound-1979-strat-neck-mij-lawsuit-japan-rosewood-fretboard

I missed the pic of the back of the headstock, so yes you guys are obviously correct that it's an '84 model, October to October for the catalog explains how the Sykes model appears only in the '85 catalog, I've never seen another Tokai Sykes, anyone else ? So in 1984-85 Burny, Greco and Tokai...

Yes that looks like a 1985 Tokai John Sykes, Burny and Greco also did a Sykes model in '84 / '85 - looks like it was a 65 model with fret nibs, one year only I think so pretty rare but not sure it's worth any more than any of the other Customs from that year, looks like a very nice guitar.