Tokai Explorer

[Talvenpoika]

Hello.

I have this beautiful Explorer that i would like to get some more information.
Serial number is 7digits starting 07***** and stamped Made in Japan on a headstock.
Couple of crappy pictures to start with..

 

[Sigmania]

Welcome.

That's really interesting.

It looks like it is from 2007.

The odd thing is that there wasn't a Japanese built Explorer in any catalog between 1986 and 2009.

The first one I see after the 1980's pops up in 2010, the EX105.

Yours may have been a limited run or special order? Hard to know.

Here is the one in the 2010 catalog:

 

[Sigmania]

One other note.

There were some Korean EX guitars with the "Futura" headstock made between 2000 and 2005. They were likely unauthorized as their serial numbers are suspicious.

And there was a Chinese version in the 2007 catalog.

I wonder if the Chinese model prompted them to make some in Japan as well?

2007 catalog with Chinese EX50.

 

[Talvenpoika]

Welcome.

That's really interesting.

It looks like it is from 2007.

The odd thing is that there wasn't a Japanese built Explorer in any catalog between 1986 and 2009.

The first one I see after the 1980's pops up in 2010, the EX105.

Yours may have been a limited run or special order? Hard to know.

Here is the one in the 2010 catalog:

View attachment 73030View attachment 73031

Welcome.

That's really interesting.

It looks like it is from 2007.

The odd thing is that there wasn't a Japanese built Explorer in any catalog between 1986 and 2009.

The first one I see after the 1980's pops up in 2010, the EX105.

Yours may have been a limited run or special order? Hard to know.

Here is the one in the 2010 catalog:

View attachment 73030View attachment 73031

Thank you for the reply and welcomes!
I bought it as used in 2016. Serial number goes 0711633.

Definitely looking like that ex-105 from 2010, but i don't know. Those ex-120s looking almost the same, except the potentiometers on 120s seem to be amber/see-through-gold colour.

It could be the custom order for all i know.
Everyone, who has played with this guitar, have mentioned it to be exceptionally great guitar and i love it also. Just wanna learn more about the history and so on..

 

[ayrguitarist]

Check inside the pickup cavities for any markings - the model number, or some sort of marking, might be in there to help you ID it.

 

[Talvenpoika]

Check inside the pickup cavities for any markings - the model number, or some sort of marking, might be in there to help you ID it.

Thank you for the tip

 

[Talvenpoika]

One other note.

There were some Korean EX guitars with the "Futura" headstock made between 2000 and 2005. They were likely unauthorized as their serial numbers are suspicious.

And there was a Chinese version in the 2007 catalog.

I wonder if the Chinese model prompted them to make some in Japan as well?

2007 catalog with Chinese EX50.


View attachment 73070

Chinese version headstock looks different from a japanese one, but it could be just a scan quality.
What i have, is more like a ice hockey stick type of a.

 

[Sigmania]

I don’t think it’s Chinese. I mentioned that because that was the year the Chinese EX model was introduced. So I think it’s possible that it spurred the folks in Hamamatsu to make their own version. Speculation of course.

 

[Talvenpoika]

I don’t think it’s Chinese. I mentioned that because that was the year the Chinese EX model was introduced. So I think it’s possible that it spurred the folks in Hamamatsu to make their own version. Speculation of course.

Yeah, i don't think so either.
Thank you so much for a information and effort.
I just need to keep on searching.

 

[Sigmania]

You’re welcome.

Please post pictures showing the whole guitar when you can.

Also, as ayrguitarist said, pics in the pickup cavities would help as well. There may be stamps, but also the routs and pickups give us clues.