How to tell which SG model is?

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LiSkynden

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My first post here and I bet this has been asked before, but i could not find, so please link a topic if there is one.

How do i tell which model Tokai SG is? There seem to be many different ones out there but look same, like SG-35, SG-43, SG-58 etc. I know now that SG-92 is MIJ but even that doesnt look much different from the other versions to me.
The cheapest ones seem to have smaller body "contours". Is that SG35?

But then again, someone is selling this as SG-35

https://imgur.com/a/VZjiHmT

Scroll down for more pics.
 
That's a Chinese guitar. You can tell by the serial number.

Low end models are made in China.

Numbers relate to price.

aEgUtKV.png
 
Thanks but i wanted to know how to tell which model is which :D Meaning these: SG-35, SG-43, SG-58 etc.
 
I’m not an SG player, but I can say that the lower end models you mentioned are probably Chinese depending on the year you are talking about.

And the same guitar can be called a different model depending on when it’s made.

Here’s an SG58 in the 2018 catalog. MIJ.

HPkhEhb.png


Current 58 is Chinese.

https://www.vintagejapanguitars.com.br/en/tokai-2018-catalogue/

Not a lot of info on Chinese Tokais. Often the neck has a scarf joint. Also, the materials, hardware and electronics are cheap. People tend to switch out the electronics, but then your costs starts approaching MIJ guitars.

Are you trying to buy a Chinese guitar? Used? New? Age?
 
Here’s a Chinese SG43. Sounds good.

Body looks like 3 or 4 piece? Can’t tell if it’s actually mahogany. And again, probably has a scarf joint in the neck. Poly finish.


https://youtu.be/rtr6XDrAFZs
 
Also, the 3 screw TRCs indicate Chinese build. 2 screw Japanese.
 
Those would all be inexpensive Chinese builds if those are newer models.

There is not a lot of info on Chinese Tokais out there, or on here. Members tend to focus on the Japanese builds.

It would come down to the wood used (alder, nato, okoume, mahogany, maple, etc.), hardware, and electronics (pickups, pots, etc).

Stain and paint can hide the grain, so it’s not so easy to tell what you have.

Nato looks a lot like mahogany and is used as a lower cost alternative to mahogany.

It may be that SG35 = Alder, SG43 = Nato, and SG58 = Mahogany bodies?

Also, I believe the necks are maple and probably have scarf joints.

I would ask for lots of pictures and check out YouTube reviews.

There aren’t many folks on here these days and fewer that get into Chinese guitars.

One member, Paladin2019, may weigh in at some point. He has lots of experience with Gibson style Tokais.

Hope this helps a little.
 
I just found this from 2014.

It shows two SG models made for Tokai in China that year, SG43 & SG50s.

PPnS155.png
 
Sigmania said:
Those would all be inexpensive Chinese builds if those are newer models.

There is not a lot of info on Chinese Tokais out there, or on here. Members tend to focus on the Japanese builds.

It would come down to the wood used (alder, nato, okoume, mahogany, maple, etc.), hardware, and electronics (pickups, pots, etc).

Stain and paint can hide the grain, so it’s not so easy to tell what you have.

Nato looks a lot like mahogany and is used as a lower cost alternative to mahogany.

It may be that SG35 = Alder, SG43 = Nato, and SG58 = Mahogany bodies?

Also, I believe the necks are maple and probably have scarf joints.

I would ask for lots of pictures and check out YouTube reviews.

There aren’t many folks on here these days and fewer that get into Chinese guitars.

One member, Paladin2019, may weigh in at some point. He has lots of experience with Gibson style Tokais.

Hope this helps a little.


Thanks a lot. Helped a bit. And thanks for the forum info too :)
It's funny how guitars usually have some kind of model number somewhere but Tokai SG's doesnt.
 
They all have model numbers, but the model relates to price which obviously changes over time so it can get really confusing.

Add to that the lack of info on Tokais built in China.
 
2012 catalog shows a USG35 with an alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, MK4 pickups, and the "export dimple".

gUU6Myp.png
 
So based on actual catalog info:


SG35 = Alder body, maple neck, MK4 pickups (2012)

SG43 = Basswood body, maple neck, MK4 pickups (2009)

SG58 = Mahogany body, maple neck, LSC-F pickups (2018)
 
Serial number CN11 = made in China, 2011. Looking at the 2011 catalogue (UK version) we have the SG35 and the SG50. The 35 was an SG standard and the 50 had 3 pickups, block inlays etc.

I'm thinking SG35, but don't get too hung up on the number because the year/style is more informative.
 
Thanks for all your replies :)

So what i learned is SG 58 costed 58 000Yens so it is around 429 Euros in todays currency. So the guitar the guy was selling could be SG58 cause he said he paid 400 euros.
 
I don’t know if I would make that assumption. It seems like the actual price out the door is always higher than what the original price was in yen. I don’t know if that’s because of import fees or taxes or what but it seems like it’s usually higher. Maybe somebody else knows?
 
LiSkynden said:
Thanks for all your replies :)

So what i learned is SG 58 costed 58 000Yens so it is around 429 Euros in todays currency. So the guitar the guy was selling could be SG58 cause he said he paid 400 euros.

The number refers to the catalogue price, also known as list price, and bears very little resemblance to what the guitars are sold for in shops. It's not a safe assumption to make.
 
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