Recent content by Reborn Old

An F06 prefix should reliably indicate a 2006 serial #, or late 2005 production at the very earliest. I would love to hear back from you, if you can definitely tie it to an earlier date from events that happened shortly afterwards with a fair degree of certainty, or better yet the original...

Hi AB, 2006 was a transitional period for these Tokai models with a move of export model production from Korea to China. Earlier Korean models did not have serial #'s, so chances are very good that this 2006 AST Goldstar example was made in China at one of possibly three factories used in 2006...

It's an early 2000's Korean made ALC-53 based on the 3 screw arch shaped truss rod cover. Korean models didn't have serial #'s. The scarfed neck would have originally been finished in black like the body. EMG pickups aren't original to the guitar. Korean headstocks retained 4 diamond inlay...

2009 made in China LS-48's have basswood bodies and maple necks and are entry level LS models as you suggested. Neck + body would take stains slightly differently being different species. You would need to convert MSRP sales price from yen to your currency and decide based on condition if it...

China made SG models like this one are all SG-43's regardless of finish color (red, white or black) Not sure what you mean by "what kind" MSRP was 43000 yen new. The U prefix is an export country designation for the UK.

Hi, Welcome to the forum ! Unless the serial # is actually F0601011 ... it would not be a Tokai serial # for any year. 2006 Japan serial #'s have 0610xxx or 0611xxx number prefixes without fail (no letters). 2006 China serial #'s are either 6 digit numeric with no letter prefix, or 7...

It's listed as tortoise shell mahogany with a TM finish code in catalogs, and was only offered on TE-60 models. Congrats .. if you picked it up

Nice .. congrats ! I couldn't find anything close to specs like yours in catalogs either. Custom Edition headstock script first appears in 1986 vol 12 catalog and ends shortly afterwards, so I would think your neck dates between oct 1985 to the around the end of 1987 as a best guess. The neck...

906xxxx and 907xxxx prefix 7 digit Tokai serial #'s are always going to be of Chinese origin. Japan models never used these two serial # prefixes. The serial # is silkscreened rather than embossed directly into the headstock mahogany which all Japan models are.. Japan #'s are also larger and...

Hi, Welcome to the forum ! It's a 2009 ALS-50 S made in China

Thanks JVsearch ... a few aspects I wasn't aware of. In practice certain Tokai ST specs overlapped Fender model year ranges. A '54 Fender strat would have had round string keepers and a 7.25" radius fret board vs a 9.5" radius fretboard and butterfly string keepers from 1957 onwards, IIRC...

Yes, Ash body. BRZ rosewood is not spec. You might be able to determine if it's a BRZ rosewood board by checking end grain and comparing to other African rosewood and known BRZ examples. BRZ species are often dark like yours and have far fewer open pores than African rosewood examples, and can...

I was merely trying to put "lawsuit era" references to rest .. :-? and hope not to see the OP's thread to turn into a Tokai vs G!bson debate either .. :wink: I don't know the facts or countries involved in modern actions taken by G!bson, but it comes across like a big company bullying a...

1980 models have 000xxxx serial #'s. There were no Tokai lawsuits. It is most likely an all original 1978 ST ... very close to the last smaller neck plate example made. One way to check if it is all original, would be to remove the neck and inspect the neck mounting holes. The likelyhood of...

The fretboard has nice grain, however color in pics is consistent with Indian rosewood species. Braz boards are used on modern Tokai examples that also have fret edge binding and pure laquer finishes predominantly, LS-470+ models and some Custom Shop examples. As to SEB construction, only SEB...