Incoming 1981 ES100R

[glenngross]

I’m reposting this from the Tokai Guitar section, as it belongs here.

I couldn’t pass this one up. I’ll post pictures after it arrives. Hopefully weather and the US Thanksgiving holiday won’t delay it. The listing is on The Gear Page. Since I got my 2008 ES Custom that I posted in a different thread, I’ve been keeping my eyes open, but not too many show up here in the US. It‘s a sunburst ES100R.

 

[Jlee]

Sweet guitar! Sounds like you found one with a nice sized neck. My ‘81 has a narrow nut width and the profile really tapers off towards the nut. It’s still one of my all time greatest guitars.

 

[Sigmania]

This one?

FS - Rare 1981 Tokai ES100R with HSC $2500 shipped

 

[glenngross]

That’s the one.

 

[chuckyz2]

I’m reposting this from the Tokai Guitar section, as it belongs here.

I couldn’t pass this one up. I’ll post pictures after it arrives. Hopefully weather and the US Thanksgiving holiday won’t delay it. The listing is on The Gear Page. Since I got my 2008 ES Custom that I posted in a different thread, I’ve been keeping my eyes open, but not too many show up here in the US. It‘s a sunburst ES100R.

I have the same guitar. Mine is ser#10135** to your 1011*** so mine was made after yours. Probably several months after. But I love mine. Mine is also the Jazz Model. But the difference is only in the pickups. The Rock model has pickups with a hotter wind. Look forward to your review on it. I have a Natural 150 too. I just need a red one to complete my ES collection. These old Tokais are like a drug. Very addicting. : )

 

[settebello]

My ES100R is 1013182,all very close.

 

[Freebird]

So neck profiles are what on these models? Which models and from what years have the bigger chunkier necks?

 

[Izzy Stradlin]

Gorgeous ! I'd like to play one of these vintage ES someday.

 

[Jlee]

So neck profiles are what on these models? Which models and from what years have the bigger chunkier

Most seem to have a ‘59 profile. Mine has a narrower nut width at around 43mm and the neck tapers quite a bit towards the nut. Mine is also an ‘81.

 

[Chris3600Tokai]

I’m reposting this from the Tokai Guitar section, as it belongs here.

I couldn’t pass this one up. I’ll post pictures after it arrives. Hopefully weather and the US Thanksgiving holiday won’t delay it. The listing is on The Gear Page. Since I got my 2008 ES Custom that I posted in a different thread, I’ve been keeping my eyes open, but not too many show up here in the US. It‘s a sunburst ES100R.

My mint 1981 ES100R. Bought in Coventry in 1995. Such a fantastic instrument. Very early S/N. Wonder what numbers these were made in. Any ideas?

 

[Sigmania]

1981. The R is for the rock version. It would have come with DiMarzio PAFs.

 

[Sigmania]

1980 ad:


FOR ROCK MUSICIAN
A new concept that will spark a semi-acoustic revolution
Electric Spanish Rock
ESR Tokai Red ¥100,000 (estimated price)


FOR JAZZ MUSICIAN
A new concept that will spark a semi-acoustic revolution
Electric Spanish Jazz
ESJ Black Sunburst ¥100,000 (estimated price)

Tokai is entering a new phase for electric guitars, and a new item that will create a sensation will finally be released this winter. Two shocking models that give semi-acoustic music a new concept - Electric Spanish Rock and Electric Spanish Jazz. Mount a rock pickup for rock and a jazz pickup for jazz to clearly assert the individuality of each. The future semi-acoustic revolution will start from Tokai. Stay tuned.

 

[Sigmania]

1981 catalog

 

[marcusnieman]

So neck profiles are what on these models? Which models and from what years have the bigger chunkier necks?

I've got an 81 ES100J(azz) model - lower output pickups than the R version. Neck is substantial but not huge. Very much a 59 Gibson profile

 

[glenngross]

I’m not expecting to see DiMarzios based on this:

 

[Sigmania]

Ahhhhh. I was thinking it was a 150...

But interesting that they did not put them in the ES100.

The 1981& 1982 LS100 had DiMarzio PAFs. As did the 150.

 

[Chris3600Tokai]

I've got an 81 ES100J(azz) model - lower output pickups than the R version. Neck is substantial but not huge. Very much a 59 Gibson profile

My vintage ES100R. Only found one other close to this S/N. Absolutely mint. Original pups swapped for Kent Armstrong’s. But originals still fine (and Zebra pick-ups too). Bought in Coventry in 1995 from Noise Works (favoured by many local signed bands, (eg The Specials, Adorable, and King - obscure now).

Had it set up and is being maintained by Pete Allen (ex-Patrick Eggle guitar luthier, also based in Coventry).

Would love to know more about production numbers for the ES100 range. Any ideas?

Producing Tokai tee shirts with the guarantee label as the logo and adding S/N and model if anyone interested. Look great. But a bit nerdy. All good fun.

 

[Freebird]

Would love to find one of these 335 models with a big neck. The two Grecos I owned (one made by Fujigen the other by Tokai) had “slim taper” neck profiles.

 

[glenngross]

The guitar arrived in fine shape, and after restringing I did some comparisons with a 1960 345, 2008 Tokai ES Custom (Throbaks), 2013 Gibson Rusty Anderson Signature, new Gibson Custom ‘64 335, Collings I35LC (Ron Ellis Sigs), and a Collings I35 LC Vintage (Throbaks). The pickups in the ES100R are the original “S” stamped Gotohs and measure 8.21 (bridge) and 8.36 (neck). I’ve read reports of these sounding dull. I don’t necessarily agree, but they (particularly the bridge) are noticeably darker than the PAFs in the 345, and the Custombuckers in the Gibson reissues. I could run the bridge tone at 10 on the ES100R, where a roughly equivalent tone of the Gibson pickups would be at 5-6. How much of this is due to pots, wiring, etc. is well above my pay grade. I have no desire to swap out the Gotohs. Conversely, the Keiyos in the later Tokai sounded too bright for me, hence the Throbaks. The PAF and Custombucker neck pickups also were brighter than both sets of Throbaks and the Ellis set. First world problems.

The vintage Tokai neck is 1/16” narrower than the Gibson standard at the nut, but it is is chunky feels great. The guitar has the orange label, but for some reason it is upside down.
Interestingly, the distance between the bridge pickup and the bridge itself is greater than my more recent Tokai and any Gibson ES that I’ve ever seen. This is noted in the attached pictures. I played a full set with it last night and am quite happy to have found one of these. Thanks to Sigmania for posting the pictures of the original listing from TGP.

ES100R

ES 345

 

[Sigmania]

Congratulations. It's a beauty.