Help ID my Tokai Jazz Sound please!

[Mikke]

Hi,

I received my first Tokai today. It's a Jazz Sound "from mid-1980" I've been told. It has no stamp on the neck or headstock, but there is an L + 5 digit serial on the neck plate. The bridge seems like a Schaller 3D. I've been told some Japanese basses from the 80s had these from the get go, but no idea if that's the case with my bass too. Would be nice to know which model exactly this is, and from what year. Thanks in advance!

See pics below:

 

[ATO]

Hi,

I received my first Tokai today. It's a Jazz Sound "from mid-1980" I've been told. It has no stamp on the neck or headstock, but there is an L + 5 digit serial on the neck plate. The bridge seems like a Schaller 3D. I've been told some Japanese basses from the 80s had these from the get go, but no idea if that's the case with my bass too. Would be nice to know which model exactly this is, and from what year. Thanks in advance!

See pics below:

Hi. The L serials didn't start until 1982 and the logo is also 83ish onward. Can you post pics of the cavities and the end of the neck? No codes at all? What is the L serial number?

 

[Sigmania]

Edit: Sorry I was typing while ATO was.

What is the serial number? That will help narrow the age.

It’s somewhere between 1983 and 1986 roughly.

Left handed TJB.

 

[Mikke]

Edit: Sorry I was typing while ATO was.

What is the serial number? That will help narrow the age.

It’s somewhere between 1983 and 1986 roughly.

Left handed TJB.

Hi!

L27100

Don't want to take off the neck, I'm not really comfy with taking stuff apart (except the PG as a homage to Jaco). Perhaps when I take it to a luthier for setup and inspection...

But on the back of the neck there's really nothing to see, apart from some nice wood grain.

 

[ATO]

It's very approx using just the serial but it will somewhere between late 85 / early 86.

 

[Mikke]

Thanks. What about that Schaller-kinda bridge? Is it possible that these were produced with these bridges at some point? Or a previous owner swapped it for some reason?

 

[Sigmania]

It looks like a left handed version of a TJB45 to me.

I guess that would make it a TJB50L YSR?

Its not in the 1985 and 1986 catalogs that I looked at but I’m not at home and hard to do on a phone.

Here is a 1985 TJB45 and a picture of the factory bridge. I suspect it’s a replacement. If you take it off it may show.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

That looks like it is a Schaller 3D and I wouldn't know of any Tokai coming with Schaller hardware, the more modern style Tokai basses have more modern bridges but the TJB/TPBs don't.

 

[Mikke]

Hi,

I peeked under the control plate, and to my surprise I've found cloth-covered wiring. Is it possible that these are the original pickups? As far as I know, JB45s originally came with cheaper PUs with tiny, PVC covered wiring. They seem old and the screws are kinda rusty.