"Tokai Custom Edition" Guitars

Sigmania · Jan 5, 2023

Your tele looks like the TE80AN in the 1989 catalog.

Not sure why the different script, but that guitar is the only Tokai tele I know of with that purfling/binding except the TE120 from 1981/82.

Very cool.

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Sigmania · Jan 5, 2023

eborej said:
1989-ish Tokai ST? YSO Custom Edition with gold hardware and non-original pickguard:

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Oh man..... This is another piece to a puzzle I have been trying to solve.

Do you by any chance have photos of the pots and codes under the pickguard?

The pots may have a date code which would help me immensely to nail down the period when these guitars with the 01xxxx serial number were made. I was thinking early 90s to 94.

The body is likely routed for an HSS option.

Codes should have a - sign in it rather than an = sign.

Very cool!

eborej · Jan 6, 2023

Sigmania said:
Oh man..... This is another piece to a puzzle I have been trying to solve.

Do you by any chance have photos of the pots and codes under the pickguard?

The pots may have a date code which would help me immensely to nail down the period when these guitars with the 01xxxx serial number were made. I was thinking early 90s to 94.

The body is likely routed for an HSS option.

Codes should have a - sign in it rather than an = sign.

Very cool!

Updated with pictures of the PU / neck cavities and pots. I found the guitar listed in the '94 Tokai catalog as model AST481.

Sigmania · Jan 7, 2023

Awesome. That fits with what I had been thinking. Was hoping the pots had a date code. I don’t see one, but you finding it in that catalog is just as good. That helps a lot. Thank you!

Sigmania · Jan 7, 2023

From what I’ve seen, right after your guitar was made you stop seeing Tokai STs until 2009 except the low end models made in Korea and then China. My theory is not that they decided to not make STs anymore for some reason, but that they were making Fenders and part of the deal was non disclosure.

Very interesting I think. Your guitar was made on the doorstep of that period.

I believe they started adding an extra digit to models around this time as well. Your guitar was likely 48,000 yen, not 481,000.

Did you see an “S” written in the neck pocket in pencil? Small and off center?

Sigmania · Jan 7, 2023

I added it to this other related thread you might find interesting.

Mystery HSS SSH Goldstars

And created this thread because you’re has the second neck code I’ve documented with the dot symbol instead of the dash or hyphen.

Dot Neck Codes

Sigmania · Jan 16, 2023

1987 pot date

Unmarked pickups.

Pirk's guitars and amps ! - Tokai Custom Edition Stratocaster (MIJ)

Sigmania · Jan 16, 2023

Looks like there was a 50 with a slab neck?

Note that this is a Partscaster.

Neck is a Custom Edition neck.

https://aucfree.com/items/k218367808

Voidoid56 · Jan 17, 2023

eborej said:
1994 Tokai AST481 YS Custom Edition:

Another one, for sale in Japan. GS finish, serial serial seems to be 017872. No internal pics, sadly.

I had no handle on this one at all when I first saw it, I just naturally assumed that the pearloid pickguard and the brass/gold stuff were mods. But. apparently not. Pity someone had to take a felt-tip to it...

Sigmania · Jan 17, 2023

Voidoid56 said:
Another one, for sale in Japan. GS finish, serial serial seems to be 017872. No internal pics, sadly.

I had no handle on this one at all when I first saw it, I just naturally assumed that the pearloid pickguard and the brass/gold stuff were mods. But. apparently not. Pity someone had to take a felt-tip to it...

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All of the ones in this serial range 01xxxx that I’ve been able to date with pots, etc are from the early 90s, possibly all 1991.

Would love to see under the hood.

Also, on all of the 01xxxx STs I’ve seen in detail, they all have low spec electrical systems with cheap switches and light gauge wire on pickups I think may be MKIII or something else (TOS1K ?).

Help With Pickups

Haven’t checked one with a CBS head. Assume they are similar.

That 481 was 48,000 yen.

Sigmania · Jan 17, 2023

eborej said:
My 1989 (?) Tokai TE80AN Custom Edition with non-original pickguard:

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1989 Tokai Catalog:

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Is the serial number 229339?

If so, I believe it is from 1987.

Six Digit Serial Numbers With 2xxxxx

Could you possibly share pics of the pots and electrics or any internal photos?

Would really appreciate it!

I just started this thread:

TE80A Breezy Unusual Tele Often Confused With The TE120