"Reborn Old" Reborn

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Sigmania

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
15,462
Reaction score
2,566
Location
NC, USA
Trying to sort out what this modern Reborn Old line actually is?

Seems like they are limited run special orders made for dealers using the “Reborn Old” name and script from 1980.

Possibly began as a special order line as early as 2010 with a modified or "tombstone" headstock made for the German market.

Later runs, like the one in 2014 for Rock Inn Japan, had the open book headstock.

And I have found one example with an export dimple headstock from 2015.

QiR320a.jpg


Image showing Reborn Olds from 1980, 2010, & 2014 (L-R).

Early examples seemed to be plain or gold tops with the Tombstone headstock (Faber?), but by 2014 you start seeing flame tops with open book headstocks (Rockin Japan).

In fact, by 2016 many examples have insanely figured solid maple tops and some had jacaranda fret boards (Rockin Japan JFB model). And the Hibiki HLS LTD 5A in 2019 is an exceptional guitar.

z0Y4w4v.jpg


L-R: Orders by Hibiki, Faber, Rockin Japan, & Unknown. All guitars shown in detail below in this thread.

KkHZdAF.jpg


Wraparound bridge models include: R4, LP Special (single & double cut) & Junior copies (not shown).

Notable concentrations of Reborn Olds found in Germany, Spain, and of course Japan.

Also note that the model names follow different patterns depending on the order. Not consistent like typical Tokai models based on price. Model names on Reborns relate more to features. It's likely that the individual dealer had a hand in naming their models.


Reborn Old Limited Runs
(Continually updated)

2010 LS-2 R4 (P90) & R8 (various sunbursts) Tombstone headstock
2011 LP Special Tombstone headstock
2012 LSS GP (Guitar Planet), LS-2 R4 Tombstone headstock
2013 Blue quilt top, Tombstone headstock.
2014 LS GP (Guitar Planet) & R9 (?) Open book headstock
2015 LS-1 R9 Flame & Spalted quilted maple, LS-Reborn FM Plus VLD, Quilt w/export dimple
2016 LS Reborn JFB (jacaranda, Rockin Japan Order), LS-1 R4, LS-2 R4 & R8(?), Junior LPJ1
2017
2018 LS196 Relic
2019 LS196 Relic, LS-1 R9, HLS LTD 5A
2020 LS-2 R4
2021
2022

Generally R4=1954(wraparound bridge & P90s), R7=1957, R8=1958 (plaintop sunburst), R9=1959 (flamed sunburst).
 
Last edited:
https://reverb.com/item/35656192-tokai-reborn-old-ls-200-custom-shop-1980-les-paul-reissue

2019 LS196 TGS31-SO5 VF

Customer order?

Incredible opportunity to own a true Tokai Custom Shop guitar. I bought this guitar from the original owner who had it custom built for him by the Tokai Custom Shop. Tokai will custom build a guitar for you if you live in Japan and are willing to pay the
premium price. This particular guitar is an homage to the Tokai 1980 Reborn Old LS-200. It was built in 2019 and is in excellent condition.

The way the Tokai Custom Shop works is that you start from a current production model platform and custom choose your upgrade options from there. This one began with the LS-196 platform and below are the upgrades:

1. Hard Rock Flame Maple (solid not veneer)
2. One piece straight grain Honduran Mahogany
3. Lightweight woods. The builder wanted this guitar to come in under 4kg which requires specially chosen lumber. The complete weight of the complete guitar came in at 3.8kgs!
4. Full Lacquer Finish
5. Grover Nickel tuners
6. Full 1959 Neck profile. Perfect nut width
7. Long neck tenon
8. Bourns Pots.
9. Orange Drop caps
10. Gibson 1957 Classic Pickups.
11. Lightweight Aluminum tailpiece
12. ABR-1 bridge with brass saddles. Just like the 1980 LS-200.
13. Custom color.
14. Headstock reads "Reborn Old" rather than "Love Rock"

Of course she comes with the Tokai Lifton style case and original paperwork confirming that she started as the LS-196 model and was custom upgraded from there. The cost of building this guitar was around 300,000 yen and and a 6-8 month wait time.


d6oH1bg.jpg


XJajnn6.jpg


4p4eoiG.png


ookWKVN.png
 
2016 LS Reborn JFB VVF

Rock Inn Japan order

https://www.flickr.com/photos/147832065@N08/albums/72157716253652561

https://cliffsguitarworld.com/ols/products/2016-tokai-ls-reborn-old-brazilian-fretboard

Serial # 1636735
Limited Run by "Rockin Japan"
"Hand Selected Woods"
2-Piece Solid 5A Flame Hard Rock Maple Top
1- Piece Honduran Mahogany Back
Brazilian Rosewood Board
Weight 8 lbs 11 oz. or 3.95kg
Nut Width 1-11/16"
1st Fret .90"
12th Fret .97"
Fret End Bindings

Nitro Finish
Long Tenon
Tokai "PAF-Vintage MK2" Pickups
Replaced TR Cover
Stock USA Parts: Bridge & Tailpiece.
Original Tokai Hard Case
Store Warranty Card


k0V0TKl.png


NiLyu1q.png


MVLRAxB.png


IqBEf29.png


MHxFLes.jpg
 
Last edited:
2016 LS Reborn JFB

Rock Inn Japan order

https://reverb.com/item/50044603-tokai-reborn-old-jfb-2016-csb-braz-les-paul-japan

Beautiful example of very rare Reborn Old JFB (jacaranda fretboard) made for Rock inn shop in Japan.
Solid 4A flame top.
1 piece mahogany body and neck (some sources say it's honduran some african, I'm not sure).
Nitro finish.
Very very nice brazilian rosewood fingerboard with binding.
Weight just below 4kg.
Thick 59 style neck.
Stock Tokai MKII Vintage pickups. Guitar sounds rather bright and snappy.
Overall condition is very good/mint, just few very small spots on delicate finish.
A thing worth mentioning is a slight slight neck warp. One needs to look very carefully to see it, action at the moment is set to 1.0/1.4 mm with no buzz that proofs it's not an issue and most guitarists wouldn't even notice it (some freaks like me would ;)) but it should be mentioned. Frets are even and high.
Original Tokai hardcase and papers included.


X3Zh9Hx.jpg


0mGr4rm.jpg


ibWmZ1w.png


aY0u925.jpg


wMvVeVg.png


CEhYFvL.png
 
Last edited:
2019 LS-1 R9

https://www.faberguitar.com/Tokai-LS1-R9-FVF-Reborn-Old_1

Faber Description:

Book matched Canadian hard rock maple top (solid FLAMED!!)
One pcs. body African mahogany
One pcs. neck African mahogany
Open book headstock shape
Long tenon
Rosewood fret board
Fret edge binding!
Vintage Celluloid fret board inlays
LS-1 ID on 12th fret board inlay
High gloss polished jumbo frets (Nickelsilver)
Faber Germany hardware
CTS pots
Switchcraft jacks
Orange drops
Belden wire
'50s style wiring
extremely thin semi-gloss lacquer=
selected 5A-class mahogany - max. weight 3950 gram! (8 lb and 9.5685 oz)
Lifton '59 Reissue case
Certificate of authenticity (COA)
Certificate of CITES
available in color: Faded Violin Finish (FVF) Faded Brown Sunburst (FBS) Herbstlaub (HL)


hVjh7Xy.png


W45DdAC.png


MexoQs1.png


LXS6Ogw.png


1ATAwXR.png


iOcTRgO.png


xePgZaL.png
 
2014 LS Reborn.

Rock Inn Japan order.

https://reverb.com/item/1765195-201...hare&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=1765195

Up for sale is an awesome 2014 Tokai Premium Series LS Reborn Old in Vintage Teaburst. These were a factory special run from Tokai for Japanese dealer Rockin Japan.

Solid, one-piece mahogany back, figured AA grade maple top, Madagascar rosewood fingerboard, mahogany set neck with long tenon, ABR-1 style bridge with brass saddles, aluminum tailpiece, medium jumbo nickel frets. Finish is nitro lacquer. Switchcraft switch and jack. CTS 500K pots and Orange Drop caps, all stock.

Beautiful grained fingerboard with shades of red. Great feeling neck about the size of a Gibson Historic '59 in shape. Fantastic playing and sounding guitar. Weighs 9.1 pounds.

If you are unfamiliar with Tokai's pricing, this is slightly more expensive in value to Tokai's LS-173 range for comparison purposes. Easily comparable to a Gibson Custom Shop Historic reissue, but plays even better.


modokHw.jpg


nYKjgz2.jpg


NM7wEuZ.jpg


RO7dc9r.jpg


FKfwWHQ.jpg


0w3jk8T.jpg
 
Last edited:
1KUJBDd.jpg


Is it possible that this 2010 modified or 'tombstone" headstock "Reborn Old" itself was a throwback to a short special order run called "Golden Era" from around 1980? Which strangely shares a name with the mysterious Bison guitars that seem to connect with Tokai "inkies" and Grecos by both using the dowel construction neck tenon??

ZHOMvBd.jpg



TF member reborn old on mylespaul forum:

There are two documented Tokai LS Golden Era examples from 1980 and some ST-45 examples from 1980 as well.

If you take just the two known LS models into consideration along with when they were produced, GuitarGai's argument appears somewhat credible. But when you consider ST-45's had no need for a headstock or headstock name change, and domestic Fender models not changing until 1983, the Lawsuit Era argument becomes less compelling.

Guitar Gai's LS-100 Golden Era is about 375 numbers earlier than the last documented Reborn Old.

The fact that LS models have tombstone headstocks and the ST-45's have Hondo shaped headstocks lead me to believe they were part of a small export special order in 1980. I've contacted various owners to find out where theirs were purchased, but unfortunately, no responses. Changing headstock shapes and script is a practice that has been repeated countless times over the past 35 year by Tokai for export models and/or special orders.

Without help from Tokai Japan or a dealer that sold these, this mystery may go unsolved for quite awhile.

Be it Fujigen or a nearby 3rd party manufacturer, Tokais inkies, Bison Golden Eras and base model Grecos from that time all share a common heritage (same routings + tenons), so use of the Golden Era name by both brands may be more than coincidence, despite obvious cosmetic differences.
More info here: http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/oth...guitars-defy-catalog-specs-3.html#post5464610



https://www.mylespaul.com/threads/tokai-golden-era-reissue-lps.276151/


http://japaneseguitars.blogspot.com/2014/12/bison-golden-era-reissue-mystery.html
 
2019 LS1-R9 Reborn Old

Faber order (?)

MIRnAE5.png


QUypoUz.png


• Book matched solid Canadian hard rock maple top
• One pcs. body African mahogany
• One pcs. neck African mahogany
• Open book headstock shape
• Long tenon
• Rosewood fret board
• Fret edge binding!
• Vintage Celluloid fret board inlays
• High gloss polished jumbo frets (Nickelsilver)
• Faber Germany hardware
• CTS pots
• Switchcraft jacks
• Orange drops
• Belden wire
• '50s style wiring
• extremely thin semi-gloss lacquer
• selected 5A-class mahogany - max. weight 3950 gram! (8 lb and 9.5685 oz)
• Lifton '59 Reissue case
• Certificate of authenticity (COA)
• Certificate of CITES

https://www.facebook.com/TokaiGuita...op-book-matched-solid-canad/2961900310549696/
 
LS1-R9 SQ FVF

Faber order (?)

F2KRQNC.jpg


RPd735Y.jpg


Z0FThZv.jpg


Spalted, quilted maple top (SQ)

Features:

2-pcs. solid Canadian hard rock maple top (book matched)
One pcs. body African mahogany
One pcs. neck African mahogany
Open book headstock shape
Long tenon
Rosewood fret board
Fret edge binding!
Vintage Celluloid fret board inlays
LS-1 ID on 12th fret board inlay
High gloss polished jumbo frets (Nickelsilver)
Faber Germany hardware
CTS pots
Switchcraft jacks
Orange drops
Belden wire
‘50s style wiring
extremely thin semi-gloss lacquer
selected 5A-class mahogany – max. weight 3950 gramm!
Lifton ’59 Reissue case
Certificate of authenticity (COA)
Certificate of CITES
NON Chambered (Keine künstliche Gewichtsreduzierung



https://www.lkg-guitars.de/gitarren...emium-series-ls1-r9-reborn-old-made-in-japan/
 
2015 LS1 R9 SQ FVF

Spain

Interesting to see the pointed vintage style TRC that Faber also sells on this guitar.

https://reverb.com/item/40257232-tokai-ls1-r9-sq-fvf

06RdVot.png


aXxKBHV.png


z9D4rO7.png


0GWw4Ny.png


FxUyxDV.png


Tokai Reborn Old, LS1-R9 Customshop like new, not a single rehearsal or concert. She has not left the house.

Book Matching Hard Rock Canadian Maple Top (FLAMED Solid!)
One Piece African Mahogany Body
One Piece African Mahogany Neck
Open book head shape
Long spike
Rosewood fingerboard
Fret edge binding!
Vintage celluloid inlays on the fingerboard
LS-1 identification on 12th fret board inlay
High-gloss polished jumbo frets (nickel silver)
Faber Germany Hardware
CTS pots
Tomas Switchcraft
Orange drops
Belden Wire
1950s style wiring
extremely fine semi-gloss lacquer
selected class 5A mahogany - max weight 3950 grams! (8 lb and 9.5685 oz)
Lifton '59 Reissue Case
Certificate of Authenticity (COA)
CITES certificate
Faded Violin Finish (FVF)
 

Latest posts

Back
Top