The Earliest Hard Puncher Basses

[Sigmania]

1978 PB65 ? 85? N

SN 8001851

12422688 1円~ Tokai トーカイ HARD PUNCHER プ... - Yahoo!オークション

 

[Sigmania]

SN 8000182

Up for sale again. This time calling it a PB60.

Tokai Electric Bass Guitar Precision Natural PB-60 Used Shipping From Japan | eBay

 

[Sigmania]

PB48 BB

SN 8001362

Tokai クルーソン ペグ Springy Sound Breezy So... - Yahoo!オークション

 

[Sigmania]

SN 9002405

PB60YS

Tokai Electric Bass Guitar Hardpuncher Precision Sunburst PB60 Used Product | eBay

 

[Sigmania]

SN 9002116

PB60YSR

Tokai Electric Bass Guitar Hard Puncher Precision Sunburst PB60 W/Hard Case Used | eBay

 

[Sigmania]

SN 9002793

【ジャンク扱い】Tokai PB-65 Hard Puncher プレ... - Yahoo!オークション

 

[Sigmania]

1978 PB48 BB

SN 8001480

Heavily modded. Fretboard looks really bad. Splinters?

TOKAI HARD PUNCHER Tokai Electric Bass Serial No. 8001480 Black [Frets: removed]★Current item

 

[Sigmania]

SN 9004294

Tokai HARD PUNCHER electric bass guitar Tokai Hard Puncher Tokai String instrument Used item Operation not confirmed Soft case included [5104]

 

[Sigmania]

SN 8000470 ??

PB48 OWR

Hard to read the beginning of the serial number.

Tokai HARD PUNCHER electric bass junk

 

[Sigmania]

SN 8001441

PB60 YS

Tokai HARD PUNCHER BASS Electric Bass Japan Vintage Hard Puncher Tokai Sound Output Confirmation Hard Case

 

[nossnevs]

I have this one. I believe it is from 79, otherwise correct me. This is a low end model 40 as you can see on the neck stamp. The tuners only have 3 screws on the back vs 4 screws on higher models. The bridge has brass on higher models, mine do not. Apart from that I do not know what the difference is. Maybe the pickups ? Does any one knows? Anyway it is 100 % original, even the Tokai bag. Plays wonderfull and the sound is in my opinion amazing.

 

[Sigmania]

Very nice!

 

[Sigmania]

Hard to read but looks like a 1978 serial number.

Tokai Hard Puncher PB-65 1980 Natural

 

[nossnevs]

Does any one know if the pick ups are the same on Hard Puncher bass model 48- 60- 80.
What is the difference ? Tuners, bridge, saddle, wood,...ect..? Thanks

 

[Sigmania]

Depends on the year. Look through the specs in the catalogs.

Chronological Index of Catalogs and Advertisements

As you go up in price things change like finish, pickups, hardware.

 

[Sigmania]

1979 Foldout catalog

Note the A & B pickups among other things. Typically 60 and up had 4 screw tuners, 80 and up had lacquer.

 

[rodesalt]

Hard to read but looks like a 1978 serial number.

Tokai Hard Puncher PB-65 1980 Natural

View attachment 54615
View attachment 54623
View attachment 54619

 

[rodesalt]

just received this bass. # is 800182,sold as a 65 but no stamp on neck. Neck is inked with either 6 maybe 8 hard to say, pickup cavity and neck cavity both stamped 8=18 N, which would be early production ? Pickups are stamped B, output 10.5K

 

[Sigmania]

Yes. Very early production. Super cool!

And if there’s no “A” stamp then probably not lacquer so it looks like it’s a PB65N.

Sweet bass!

 

[Sigmania]

Also, the serial numbers on the PB models used a different scheme than the ST guitars in 1978.

The PB guitars start later than the ST which began before the end of 1977. Very confusing.

ST guitars passed your serial number count (182) in 1977.

Your bass was made in August 1978.

Super cool for sure.

Early Springy serial numbers:

1977:
7000186 ST?? (Peter Mac provided)
7000131 ST42 BB (CliffsGuitarWorld)
7000108 ST?? YS (CliffsGuitarWorld)
7000105 ST50 OW (Peter Mac provided)
7000040 ST42 YS (Hiro)
77000011 ST60 YS (CliffsComicWorld) *Note Serial starts with "770" and not "70".