Tokai Telecaster Breezysound 1982

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webenefer88

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Does anyone know about Tokai Breezysound Telecasters from the 80's?
My Telecaster which has had the decal and bridge plate changed to Fender ones, appears to be a Tokai after further examination.
I have had it 32 years, it was secondhand when I purchased it from Music Village in Cambridge and was told it was a Japanese Fender when I purchased it, but kind of knew it wasn't, it was nicer than the USA Fender I had before it.

It has a B on the underside of the bridge pick up
12=8N printed on the wood inside the volume and tone cavity.
A green capacitor between the volume and tone pots
Serial number 1024*** on the silver neck mounting plate.
The fingerboard radius is 7.25

From looking on the internet and asking on the Tokai Facebook group I think it could be a 1982 TTE50.
Can anyone shed any further light on this please?
I will post some photos if it helps.
Thanks in advance W : )
 
It is a 1981 TE50, 55 or 70 with the "B" pickups.

Need to know the color and if it has binding on the body.

Note: This thread belongs in the vintage section.
 
Here is an old photo of it on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CcDVnecIarV/
It has no binding and is natural wood. I think it might be a TE50 or 70 possibly, but don't know.
I did see on one of the websites I looked at (probably the Tokai one) that they only made them in 1981, do you think this is true?
I found a 1982 brochure but it is in Japanese.

Thank you for your help, much appreciated.
 
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That color makes it a TE55N. The natural color cost 5,000 yen extra.

Serial number tells us it was made in 1981.

The TE70 had binding on the body.
 
You’re welcome. If you look in the pickup cavities you may see the letters “TE55N” stamped in there. Might be faint. Worth a look.

Anyway, that’s my guess based on the info you shared.

Glad that helps.
 
1981 Flat top catalog scans and Google translation.

TE55N ¥ 55,000 A telecaster model with a natural body. Primitive black guard shows outstanding contrast. A wide range of suitability for rock, blues, soul, and country, with violin and chicken playing as you wish. Roy Buchanan and Robbie Robertson are freak enthusiasts

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Thank you that's brilliant.
There was nothing in the bridge pick up cavity, but I haven't taken the neck pick up out yet, will check when I put a new 6 saddle bridge on next week.
 
It's worth a look as well as in the neck pocket.

At one time they stamped the model in the neck pockets. At the very least you will see a production codes on the end of the neck which likely match the ones stamped in the control compartment (12=8N).

I feel pretty confident that it is a TE55N. Everything is pointing to that.

Finish should be a thin polyurethane.
 
It is handy to know you can buy a decal, the fender one on mine has been varnished over, as I had the neck re-fretted a few years ago.
I put the new 6 saddle bridge on yesterday and I think I will play it a lot more now, as it is much easier to get the intonation set up and the action for the curved neck.
I took the neck pick up out, but it just had the same stamp in the cavity. The pick up had TE B on it.
I wasn't brave enough to take the neck off, but there was no visible writing on the neck in the truss rod area.

I am fairly sure it is a Tokai Breezysound 1981 TE55N as you have said and from looking at other similar guitars on the internet.

Thank you
W
 
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