Tokai Love Rock 1980 LS-50?

[julian]

Hi!
I just recently purchased this beauty.
Seems to be an LS-50 "Inkie" from 1980.

The pickups seem to be gotos.
The back panel is not original afaik.

Anyone know more about this?

BR Julian

 

[Sigmania]

Those pickups with the hex poles were called "LS Dynamic" in the Tokai catalogs. They were only used a short time.

More here:

LS Dynamic Pickups

 

[Sigmania]

More inkies here including yours:

Inkie LS and LC Tokais of Nagano Gallery

 

[julian]

Those pickups with the hex poles were called "LS Dynamic" in the Tokai catalogs. They were only used a short time.

More here:

LS Dynamic Pickups

So they were actually already used in 1980s Tokais?

 

[Sigmania]

I'm not sure what your question is.

Those pickups that you have were stock in LS50 guitars in late 1980/early 1981 as I recall.

 

[julian]

The "LS Dynamic" thread mentions that these pickups were used starting 1981 that's why I wondered how they ended up in this 1980 tokai.
But makes sense now. So this is a late 1980 guitar.

 

[Sigmania]

1981 "model year". The actual production of guitars with 1981 model year specs always begins in the fall of the preceding year. Your serial number is 1980 we believe. So it was likely made late in 1980. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Sigmania]

Still working on who actually made these. They were apparently subcontracted with another mfr in order to meet increasing demand and likely to manage production costs. Possibly in Nagano. Tokai has never said who they contracted with.

 

[julian]

Yeah I read that thread about the nagano built tokais, but are there any (quality) differences in those "outsourced" guitars you know of?

 

[Sigmania]

Most people love theirs from what I hear.

The neck joints are different in the ones I have seen and have dowels in them. Have you checked yours?

 

[julian]

No didn't check that, but I doubt that's any audible difference. Mine is quite light and I like the way it sounds and plays.

 

[guitar hiro]

that's a nice one

 

[Sigmania]

No didn't check that, but I doubt that's any audible difference. Mine is quite light and I like the way it sounds and plays.

That is ultimately what matters. Most of us are chasing a tone or sound in our head. If you found that in a Kay or a SIlvertone it wouldn't matter I would guess. It's about finding what you are looking for and that can come in any sort of package I think.

Then once you find it people like me try to understand everything about it: who made it, what else did they make, etc. etc. But I suspect most people wouldn't care. That is probably just me.

I have always been a collector.

When I find a song or an artist I like I want to learn as much as I can about them and what else they made before and after the piece I like. I want more I guess. Never satisfied. Rabbit holes o' plenty.

To each his own.

 

[julian]

For me this is a whole new way to look at things, but I got more and more curious about the tokai lawsuit and production while researching.
And I love to now own a piece of history myself