A TOKAI By Any Other Name?
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HAMAMATSU
Well-known member
http://mosrite.co.jp/
HAMAMATSU
Well-known member
8) the 3 different japanese companies are making the mosrite guitars lately. one is called "fillmore" and their mosrite guitars are made by tokai. the link above is the fillmore-mosrite made by tokai.
HAMAMATSU
Well-known member
8) the japanese wikipedia says schecter, too!
mdvineng
Well-known member
Tokai made guitars for Conn of Illinois 70<73
Aria pro2 are Tokai linked/made
Fresher also
C F Martin and Hamer USA
Aria pro2 are Tokai linked/made
Fresher also
C F Martin and Hamer USA
Thanks guys!
Is there a way to verify these? Do you have links to supporting articles?
I just want to be sure that what we list is supported since there’s so much stuff that gets passed around on the web that isn’t supported and eventually is seen as fact.
The Fresher, Aria, and Shecter connections are all new to me.
I had thought Fresher was made by a group and the actual mfr was unknown.
Aria I thought were made by Matsumoku.
And I posted a Tokai that looks like a Shecter in the eBay section. I had not realized they made guitars for them. Hamamatsu, can you post a link?
Thanks guys. Would really help I think and getting facts will help sort out the Tokai story. Especially if we can get approximate dates.
Is there a way to verify these? Do you have links to supporting articles?
I just want to be sure that what we list is supported since there’s so much stuff that gets passed around on the web that isn’t supported and eventually is seen as fact.
The Fresher, Aria, and Shecter connections are all new to me.
I had thought Fresher was made by a group and the actual mfr was unknown.
Aria I thought were made by Matsumoku.
And I posted a Tokai that looks like a Shecter in the eBay section. I had not realized they made guitars for them. Hamamatsu, can you post a link?
Thanks guys. Would really help I think and getting facts will help sort out the Tokai story. Especially if we can get approximate dates.
I wanted to share this re: Mosrite in a "Premier Guitar" article.
“Born out of the legendary Tokai factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, this 6-string was built well beyond my wood shop project and was actually the flagship for Tokai’s first foray into electric-guitar production.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.p...umming-bird-230s-with-onboard-fuzz-2651040950
“Born out of the legendary Tokai factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, this 6-string was built well beyond my wood shop project and was actually the flagship for Tokai’s first foray into electric-guitar production.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.p...umming-bird-230s-with-onboard-fuzz-2651040950
I found this re: Hamer and Tokai. It suggests a possible association re distribution but nothing about actually building their guitars.
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25627
I’m trying to find guitars Tokai actually built for other brands.
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25627
I’m trying to find guitars Tokai actually built for other brands.
One thing I have noticed is the fairly distinct way that Tokai routes pickup cavities for humbuckers.
There re the two depressions for the ears for the pickups that are like squares with rounded off corners.
These routes seem distinct and I see them often in Toaki built guitars.
There re the two depressions for the ears for the pickups that are like squares with rounded off corners.
These routes seem distinct and I see them often in Toaki built guitars.
mdvineng
Well-known member
Some reading here https://www.vintageguitar.com/?s=Tokai
mdvineng
Well-known member
mdvineng said:
This was taken from Peter's book
And the Vintage Guitar articles you linked didn’t cite any links to Tokai that I saw and recycled the same information available elsewhere.
In the article about Fresher the closest it came to talking about Tokai was a non linkage.
“ Little is known of these early Fresher guitars, but Mr. Noguchi recalls them as being pretty much low end instruments when compared to other brands available at the time, including Greco, Tokai, Guyatone, Fernandes and Ibanez.”
In the article about Fresher the closest it came to talking about Tokai was a non linkage.
“ Little is known of these early Fresher guitars, but Mr. Noguchi recalls them as being pretty much low end instruments when compared to other brands available at the time, including Greco, Tokai, Guyatone, Fernandes and Ibanez.”
mdvineng
Well-known member
I didn't claim anything but some reading may be useful. Recycled information is what fills the worlds servers, sifting out the useful bits takes a lot of reading of oft repeated articles.
I just found the earliest Tokai branded guitar I have seen yet...
It's a TW 250 supposedly from 1974. (serial number starts with 74...)
I had read that this is the same year that Tokai launched the Cat's Eye line.
I can't see the headstock clearly, but it seems to say "Tokai Gakki" in CF Martin like script...
And the label clearly says Tokai and not Cat's Eye
https://guitarshop.es/en/producto/tokai-tw-250-japan-1974/
It's a TW 250 supposedly from 1974. (serial number starts with 74...)
I had read that this is the same year that Tokai launched the Cat's Eye line.
I can't see the headstock clearly, but it seems to say "Tokai Gakki" in CF Martin like script...
And the label clearly says Tokai and not Cat's Eye
https://guitarshop.es/en/producto/tokai-tw-250-japan-1974/
Here is one that is more clear...
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/tokai-gakki-acoustic-guitar-514660218
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/tokai-gakki-acoustic-guitar-514660218
CONN guitars in Japan.
"No guitars were actually made in Oakbrook. Instead they were built to Conn's design standards by contract manufacturers in Japan. Mr. Ackley was responsible for helping to design the first models, and for setting up a contract with an overseas manufacturer, and overseeing product import. He chose an established guitar factory in Hamamatsu, Japan--an hour from Tokyo (see map below),
Tokai-Gakki was the factory who was the first to build the first Conn guitars. Tokai already had their own line of instruments--known mostly for their classical instruments. All initial production guitars were made there (until at least 1972--and probably afterward--history after 1972 is vague). "
https://www.connguitars.org/
"No guitars were actually made in Oakbrook. Instead they were built to Conn's design standards by contract manufacturers in Japan. Mr. Ackley was responsible for helping to design the first models, and for setting up a contract with an overseas manufacturer, and overseeing product import. He chose an established guitar factory in Hamamatsu, Japan--an hour from Tokyo (see map below),
Tokai-Gakki was the factory who was the first to build the first Conn guitars. Tokai already had their own line of instruments--known mostly for their classical instruments. All initial production guitars were made there (until at least 1972--and probably afterward--history after 1972 is vague). "
https://www.connguitars.org/
Still sorting out these early years of producing guitars in the early 70s.
Just found an acoustic guitar made by Tokai under the "Humming" instead of "Humming Bird" label...
Here is the "Humming Bird" label.
Not sure about the serial numbers, but wondering if the first is 1972 and the second is 1973??? Beginning with a year code possibly???
Just found an acoustic guitar made by Tokai under the "Humming" instead of "Humming Bird" label...
Here is the "Humming Bird" label.
Not sure about the serial numbers, but wondering if the first is 1972 and the second is 1973??? Beginning with a year code possibly???
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