Help with P-Bass hard puncher - Japanese or Chinese?

[tomymakinen]

Hello friends! I'm from Spain, this is my first post.

I bought 5 or 6 years ago, in a local music shop, a new Tokay P-bass Hard Puncher yhat they had recently received.

I bought it as a Chinese instrument and paid for it as a Chinese instrument (less than the current price of a new Japanese instrument), but the neck says it is made in Japan.
When I asked the guy in the shop, he told me that only the neck was made in Japan but the rest of the instrument was made in China. I was not very convinced with the explanation.

My question is, What I have at home? a Chinese bass?, a chines bass with a Japanese mast? a Japanese instrument? a chines bass reviewed in Japan?

Serial Number:120162


Thank you very much!

 

[Sigmania]

Do you have pictures under the pickguard?

A 2012 Japanese body will have production stamps.

Pictures of the pickups and electronics would help as well.

 

[tomymakinen]

Hello! Sorry for the long delay. I've not remove the pickguard yet, but I asked the shop owner where I bought it, and he confirmed to me that it is 100% Japanese. It seems that the price increase between how much I paid for it and the current ones in the second-hand market is because this basses have been revalued. Another thing that he told me is that I bought it 11 years ago, not 6. This makes sense, taking into account that the bass was made in 2012.

The question now is, what could be a reasonable price for this bass in the second-hand market? It doesn't have any wear or damage.

 

[Sigmania]

The serial number and "Made In Japan" stamp on the neck tell you the neck at least was made In Japan in 2012.



The problem with bolt on neck instruments is that people switch parts around. Unless you take it apart you won’t know for sure if the body goes with the neck and is a Tokai or not.

If it’s all legit the model it looks like it is possibly a TPB55 ? You can check Reverb for what they sell for.

Here’s one from the 2011/12 catalog for the UK.

TPB-55
BODY: Swamp Ash
NECK: Canadian Hard Maple
HEAD ANGLE: n/a
FINGERBOARD: Maple
FRETS: 20F
RADIUS: 24.1 cm
SCALE: 86,36 cm
TUNERS: Geared
INLAY (FRETS): Dot
LOGO (HEADSTOCK): Tokai Hard Puncher
NUT/WIDTH: Bone
BRIDGE: Gotoh Japan
PICKUPS: 2x Gotoh Japan
CONTROLS: 1 x V, 1 x T
FINISH: Black. Vintage white, Golden Sunburst
NB: LH available no extra charge

 

[tomymakinen]

Thank you very much! I really appreciate this information
I bought it new from a music shop so I guess all the bass parts are legitimate. But I will check it this weekend.

What should I see on the pickups or in the electronic below the pickguard?

 

[Sigmania]

If you bought it new it should be fine.

There will be a number code stamped in the pickup cavity. Like 2 - 14.

 

[tomymakinen]

Thank you very much! I really appreciate this information
I bought it new from a music shop so I guess all the bass parts are legitimate. But I will check it this weekend.

What should I see on the pickups or in the electronic below the pickguard?

 

[tomymakinen]

Thank you! Last question.
What are the significant difference between the model TPB-55 and the APB88?

 

[Sigmania]

The headstock shape for one.

I think the specs on it are probably comparable. No idea why it and a bunch of others in that catalog have such low model numbers for Japanese builds.

 

[tomymakinen]

I see... So, in the serial number 120162, The first two figures always correspond to the year of construction?

 

[Sigmania]

No. Not always. There have been many different serial number schemes over the years.

But from late 2009 to the present Japanese Tokai Fender copies used a 6 digit serial number that starts with the year made and are inked on the heel of the neck along with “Made In Japan”.


2009 Goldstars