Forgive me as this guitar is already the subject of a post - "Real or Fake.".
I think we could say the item is a Tokai. Is it a refinished 1984? Is it a modern reissue from a different country to Japan? I bought it from a dealer in Japan and almost went to return it as it just looked brand new and is meant to be 30 years old!!!?
Judge for yourselves...
http://jamesporter.slickpic.com/share/Nc44QDUUjQNZNU/albums/_1562/photo?view=10886916#10887191
The only clues I have are as follows and just mean to sight that the obvious has already been covered...
1. It appears to have a 1984 logo on the headstock - but whether that is just a sticker logo or not?
2. The stamps 7=3 match up - inside the pickup routes it has also 7=3 then a space then GS then a space then X
3. The body routes look like a 1983 body - it is two piece nitro but not a great quality job (refinished!?)
4. It appears different to the later re-issue GS100 etc.
5. Electronics have been changed with predominantly quality US parts, i.e. a USA CTRL switch, CTS linear pots and an orange drop cap plus a steel trem block has been added. The saddles are unnamed. The pickups are Ceramic - go figure !?
6. The best my experts in Sydney can say are these comments. "I don't know.", "Probably a Tokai", "The neck looks refinished" and "I'm pretty sure it's a re-issue from China"
Was advertised and sold as a (suggested) 1980's Tokai Goldstar TST-100? although I think we can safely say at least the latter is unlikely.
Thanks experts please chime in - Mike
I think we could say the item is a Tokai. Is it a refinished 1984? Is it a modern reissue from a different country to Japan? I bought it from a dealer in Japan and almost went to return it as it just looked brand new and is meant to be 30 years old!!!?
Judge for yourselves...
http://jamesporter.slickpic.com/share/Nc44QDUUjQNZNU/albums/_1562/photo?view=10886916#10887191
The only clues I have are as follows and just mean to sight that the obvious has already been covered...
1. It appears to have a 1984 logo on the headstock - but whether that is just a sticker logo or not?
2. The stamps 7=3 match up - inside the pickup routes it has also 7=3 then a space then GS then a space then X
3. The body routes look like a 1983 body - it is two piece nitro but not a great quality job (refinished!?)
4. It appears different to the later re-issue GS100 etc.
5. Electronics have been changed with predominantly quality US parts, i.e. a USA CTRL switch, CTS linear pots and an orange drop cap plus a steel trem block has been added. The saddles are unnamed. The pickups are Ceramic - go figure !?
6. The best my experts in Sydney can say are these comments. "I don't know.", "Probably a Tokai", "The neck looks refinished" and "I'm pretty sure it's a re-issue from China"
Was advertised and sold as a (suggested) 1980's Tokai Goldstar TST-100? although I think we can safely say at least the latter is unlikely.
Thanks experts please chime in - Mike