Headstock Design Preferences

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Sigmania

Sigmania

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Just wondering how folks feel about the various head stocks on Tokai guitars over the years and on different guitars in general?

Examples of Love Rock designs with "open book" design

st97VIN.jpg


and "export dimple" (Chinese model shown).

9wv8tNc.jpg
 
And the script and name itself...

Many clones used the letter "L" and "P" shape in the model name.

“Love Rock” obviously, but also Yamaha “Lord Player” among others.

CzDw2nq.jpg


st97VIN.jpg
 
Truss rod covers.

JAPANESE

Bell or Gibson style

osjekff.jpg


Tokai design with the double pointed tips.

pea9vJn.jpg


Tokai Japan triangle with 2 screws.

jY1307f.jpg



CHINESE & KOREAN

Tokai China (and Korean models) with 3 screws.

LyiRJHI.jpg



KOREAN ONLY

VU6U1MO.jpg
 
Also various Tokai LC Custom headstock designs.

Gibson version.

Go30WAX.jpg


And Tokai versions.

KtQnPbv.jpg


"Split diamond"

z4sFPUS.jpg


8hYMaBu.jpg


"Birds & flowers"

jdyonBf.jpg


1984-1990s Diamond

OCpuYLU.jpg


Later split diamond with split inner rectangle. Seems to be a non catalog item with examples dating from 1991-1999

qkQ7iys.jpg


2000s
 
And several designs for Strat style head stocks.

"Spaghetti" logo...

Iwcm5GR.jpg


Block logo...

ZWly6oU.jpg


Script logo...

sLXndJ6.jpg


1985 head stock change

A9N1TrX.png


Another head stock change

aU1qb92.jpg


G7LqBqq.jpg
 
2005 hans-j?rgen Interview with Shohei Adachi, Tokai president.

Q10: What did the additional characters like "A" or "N" in front of the usual "LS" mean in the past? In the 2003-2004 catalog it seems that "ALS" stands for Korean models for the domestic Japanese market, i.e. with the exact Gibson headstock shape. On the other hand the available "ALS" models from Tokai UK do not have the exact headstock, so is there a rule what these additional characters mean or meant? Another example would be "NES" for export models of the ES copies.

A10: In 1980's we sold LS model with modified headstock to the USA, which model number is ALS. So actually A means America and the modified headstock. In 2002 we modified LS body and headstock and tried to sell them in the USA, which model is NLS models. N means New. So NLS model has a modified body and neck. NES model is ES body and a modified headstock. So the body was not modified. So we know there is some coufusion about the model number.

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=4434
 
Other Strat-like shapes that Leo came up with after parting with Fender.

CIYtnKt.png


57FamkT.jpg
 
Curious how folks feel about the latest AST headstock shape?

Seems to be approaching the Fender shape after a radical departure in 1985.

1985- AST shape.

A9N1TrX.png


Modern AST.

G7LqBqq.jpg
 
You can hardly call them 'designs' when they're copies of someone else's work.
The open book. It's obvious where that comes from. The dimple is the same as Yamaha used for the SG heads. Doesn't bother me either way. I have Gibsons, Yamahas and Fenders.
As for the F-model logos. My first one has the 83 block logo. I prefer that logo to the current logo, but again, it isn't that important to me.
As long as they don't look like Gibson and Fender logos, I'm happy.
 
somebodyelseuk said:
As for the F-model logos. My first one has the 83 block logo. I prefer that logo to the current logo, but again, it isn't that important to me.
As long as they don't look like Gibson and Fender logos, I'm happy.
Click to expand...

That's a great attitude to have since the Fender style spaghetti logo guitars sell for a premium.

somebodyelseuk said:
You can hardly call them 'designs' when they're copies of someone else's work.
Click to expand...

And I am guessing you mean original design? Copies are designs too, just not original.

somebodyelseuk said:
The open book. It's obvious where that comes from. The dimple is the same as Yamaha used for the SG heads. Doesn't bother me either way.
Click to expand...

And here are some pics of a 1984 SBG3000 I owned. The outline is similar to the export dimple, but looks slightly different to me, but good observation.

n3Goa3p.jpg


m03FyN6.jpg


Chinese Tokai with the export dimple.

NPDpWyn.png
 
Important to remember that the whole reason Tokai launched its Toaki branded electrical guitars in 1977 was to make faithful copies of the original Fender and Gibson designs. "Reborn Old".

They were very clear about this in the original catalogs. They felt that those companies had strayed and that no one was building guitars like that anymore, and so they did.

So the copying of those original designs, call them replicas or whatever, is just baked into the brand in my opinion.

KsMIbFL.jpg
 
Sigmania said:
somebodyelseuk said:
As for the F-model logos. My first one has the 83 block logo. I prefer that logo to the current logo, but again, it isn't that important to me.
As long as they don't look like Gibson and Fender logos, I'm happy.
Click to expand...

That's a great attitude to have since the Fender style spaghetti logo guitars sell for a premium.
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to kid anyone it's something it isn't. I don't buy 'em to sell on. The block logo... same guitar, lower used price, presumably(?). That's my kind of deal.
Those old guitars are fetching those prices for the same reasons old Fenders went up in price back then, as well.
 

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