The Earliest Springys 1977-

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Sigmania said:
Voidoid56 said:
This one's for sale in Japan right now. And I'm pretty sure it's the earliest ST I've seen, at least.

iAeBdS5.jpg


It's a Tokai ST-42BB Springy Sound with serial 7000131, so 1977 and possibly the 131st ST ever built... if the serials were truly and correctly sequential. So basically a pre-production guitar. Note the small neck plate.

g93pBrF.jpg


B-stamped pickguard with the black-bobbin pickups seen in the earliest ST and a brass control shield. The 2037 stamp is new to me. It could possibly be a reverse date (something seen in other MIJs from time to time, notably Fernandes instruments), if so it could be Feb 30th or March 2nd 1977. Or something else entirely... seems a bit early to be a manufacture date, doesn't it?

B5oinUt.jpg


Very clean warranty, dated 53/3/5, 53 being the imperial calendar date for 1978 (year 53 of the Showa era, i e Hirohito's reign). I would assume that this points to a late 1977 manufacture date. Love the bridge cover and tools.

D9JhF9o.jpg


Quite a clean guitar, well-played but also well taken care of.

z98xVJx.jpg


nriGAIu.jpg


lKUnvJy.jpg


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It's be interesting to see what it sells for. A lowly 42, but early enough to be historically significant. I can see the serious collectors coming out in force for this one.


http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26733&p=200823#p200823


Mark me down as the owner of this 1977 Tokai ST42 BB...... I now own (3) 1977 Tokai ST Models.
 
Duly noted. 8)

Current list:

1978:

Plate stamped & close bolt spacing:


8003742 ST50R OW “Plate Stamped” (eBay)
8003675 ST80 BB "Plate Stamped" (eBay)
8003234 (Registry)
8003210 ST42 BB (eBay)
8003061 ST80GS "Plate Stamped" (Reverb)
8003028 ST60 BB “Plate Stamped” (bluejeannot)

Ink stamped on neck inside pocket:

8002152 ST42 BB (Peter Mac provided)
8002111 ST60 BB Fernandes (eBay)
8002080 ST100R BL (Cliff, note rosewood board)
8002075 ST42 YS (siamackz)
8002043 ST80N (Cliff)
8001885 ST80 OW R (Peter Mac provided)
8001710 ST45 BB (Worthpoint)
8001633 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001578 ST60 YS (Reverb) *Guessing on the "1" digit.
8001532 ST55 N (Peter Mac provided)
8001198 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001196 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001148 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001001 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000989 ST100R BL (Cliff, note rosewood board)
8000984 ST60 YS (eBay)
8000963 ST?? OW (posted by tokaigeek & Jeremycanlapan)
8000946 ST50 BB (posted by topaxe)
8000942 ST60R OW (Cliff)
8000919 ST42 OW (eBay)
8000879 ST100 (Registry)
8000863 ST42 (Registry)
8000836 ST60 YS R (Peter Mac provided)
8000792 ST42YS (Reverb)
8000774 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000764 ST60 OW (reverb)
8000750 ST60 OW (marcusnieman)
8000721 ST100 N (Reverb)
8000720 ST100 OW (Faber Guitars)
8000678 ST50 (Registry)
8000656 ST100 BL (felixcatus)
8000635 ST65 N (Peter Mac provided)
8000615 ST80 GS R (Peter Mac provided)
8000611 ST80 GS (Peter Mac provided)
8000597 ST60 OW (Reverb)
8000586 ST42 YS (Reverb)
8000584 ST60 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000552 ST60 (Registry)
8000506 ST80 OW R (eBay)
8000434 ST60N (eBay)
8000420 ST60 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000323 ST50 YS (muccax)
8000281 ST60 (Registry)

1977:

7000186 ST?? (Peter Mac provided)
7000131 ST42 BB (CliffsGuitarWorld)
7000108 ST?? YS (CliffsGuitarWorld)
7000105 ST50 OW (Peter Mac provided)
7000040 ST42 YS (Hiro)
77000011 ST60 YS (CliffsComicWorld) *Note Serial starts with "770" and not "70".
 
TOKAI ST SERIES

Tokal's Golden Era Series takes you back to the design and quality of two decades ago. Our ST Series features all of the options available in 1954 with a few pluses.

THE NECK Constructed of one piece hard North American maple. Tokai's necks are available in two popular shapes the familiar U shape or the V shape of the 1950's. The rear channeled truss rod is fully adjustable at the body.

PICK-UPS The ST Series 1s avAilable with either ST-A or ST-B Tokai Pick-ups. Type A is a hand made exact alloy reproduction of a 1954 single coil unit. Type B is production model of the same pick-up.

THE SWITCH For that bluesy hollow tone so characteristic of the Golden Era, Tokai includes a 3-way 5 position switch on all ST models.

THE BODY Tokai features solid alder on all ST models. Three dimensional computerized machine tooling produces a body shape and contour exactly the same as guitars made during those vintage years. Tokai's craftsman work to tolerances never before accomplished in guitar production.

THE ELECTRONICS All electronic components are shielded with a rolled brass plate to eliminate hum and extraneous noise.

COLORS OW - Olympic White, BB - Black, YS - Yellow Sunburst, N - Natural, GS - Golden Sunburst. Natural Finish is $50 extra.


COvFy24.jpg


http://mycoolguitars.com/mij/tokai-guitar-catalog-pages-and-specs/
 
Duly noted. 8)

Current list:

1978:

Plate stamped & close bolt spacing:



8003742 ST50R OW “Plate Stamped” (eBay)
8003675 ST80 BB "Plate Stamped" (eBay)
8003234 (Registry)
8003210 ST42 BB (eBay)
8003061 ST80GS "Plate Stamped" (Reverb)
8003028 ST60 BB “Plate Stamped” (bluejeannot)

Ink stamped on neck inside pocket:

8002152 ST42 BB (Peter Mac provided)
8002111 ST60 BB Fernandes (eBay)
8002080 ST100R BL (Cliff, note rosewood board)
8002075 ST42 YS (siamackz)
8002043 ST80N (Cliff)
8001885 ST80 OW R (Peter Mac provided)
8001710 ST45 BB (Worthpoint)
8001633 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001578 ST60 YS (Reverb) *Guessing on the "1" digit.
8001532 ST55 N (Peter Mac provided)
8001198 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001196 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001148 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001001 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000989 ST100R BL (Cliff, note rosewood board)
8000984 ST60 YS (eBay)
8000963 ST?? OW (posted by tokaigeek & Jeremycanlapan)
8000946 ST50 BB (posted by topaxe)
8000942 ST60R OW (Cliff)
8000919 ST42 OW (eBay)
8000879 ST100 (Registry)
8000863 ST42 (Registry)
8000836 ST60 YS R (Peter Mac provided)
8000792 ST42YS (Reverb)
8000774 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000764 ST60 OW (reverb)
8000750 ST60 OW (marcusnieman)
8000721 ST100 N (Reverb)
8000720 ST100 OW (Faber Guitars)
8000678 ST50 (Registry)
8000656 ST100 BL (felixcatus)
8000635 ST65 N (Peter Mac provided)
8000615 ST80 GS R (Peter Mac provided)
8000611 ST80 GS (Peter Mac provided)
8000597 ST60 OW (Reverb)
8000586 ST42 YS (Reverb)
8000584 ST60 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000552 ST60 (Registry)
8000506 ST80 OW R (eBay)
8000434 ST60N (eBay)
8000420 ST60 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000323 ST50 YS (muccax)
8000281 ST60 (Registry)

1977:

7000186 ST?? (Peter Mac provided)
7000131 ST42 BB (CliffsGuitarWorld)
7000108 ST?? YS (CliffsGuitarWorld)
7000105 ST50 OW (Peter Mac provided)
7000040 ST42 YS (Hiro)
77000011 ST60 YS (CliffsComicWorld) *Note Serial starts with "770" and not "70".
8000584 ST60 YS actually belongs to me. I also have these from 1978 with stamped neck plates:

8003143 ST80 GS
8003569 ST60 GS
8004496 ST60 GSR

The 4 ending digits of the last two serial numbers are greater than the 4 ending digits of the serial numbers from my two 1979 ST-80s so it appears that there is overlap between '78 & '79.
 

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Current list:

1978:

Plate stamped & close bolt spacing:


8004496 ST60 GSR (eborej)
8003742 ST50R OW (eBay)
8003675 ST80 BB (eBay)
8003569 ST60 GS (eborej)
8003234 (Registry)
8003210 ST42 BB (eBay)
8003148 ST80 GS (JDZ)
8003143 ST80 GS (eborej)
8003061 ST80GS (Reverb)
8003028 ST60 BB (bluejeannot)

Ink stamped on neck inside pocket:

8002152 ST42 BB (Peter Mac provided)
8002111 ST60 BB Fernandes (eBay)
8002080 ST100R BL (Cliff, note rosewood board)
8002075 ST42 YS (siamackz)
8002043 ST80N (Cliff)
8001885 ST80 OW R (Peter Mac provided)
8001710 ST45 BB (Worthpoint)
8001633 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001594 ST42 YS (Yahoo Japan)
8001578 ST60 YS (Reverb) *Guessing on the "1" digit.
8001532 ST55 N (Peter Mac provided)
8001198 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001196 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001148 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8001001 ST50 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000989 ST100R BL (Cliff, note rosewood board)
8000984 ST60 YS (eBay)
8000963 ST?? OW (posted by tokaigeek & Jeremycanlapan)
8000946 ST50 BB (posted by topaxe)
8000942 ST60R OW (Cliff)
8000919 ST42 OW (eBay)
8000879 ST100 (Registry)
8000863 ST42 (Registry)
8000836 ST60 YS R (Peter Mac provided)
8000792 ST42YS (Reverb)
8000774 ST42 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000764 ST60 OW (reverb)
8000750 ST60 OW (marcusnieman)
8000721 ST100 N (Reverb)
8000720 ST100 OW (Faber Guitars)
8000678 ST50 (Registry)
8000656 ST100 BL (felixcatus)
8000635 ST65 N (Peter Mac provided)
8000615 ST80 GS R (Peter Mac provided)
8000611 ST80 GS (Peter Mac provided)
8000597 ST60 OW (Reverb)
8000586 ST42 YS (Reverb)
8000584 ST60 YS (eborej)
8000552 ST60 (Registry)
8000506 ST80 OW R (eBay)
8000434 ST60N (eBay)
8000420 ST60 YS (Peter Mac provided)
8000323 ST50 YS (muccax)
8000281 ST60 (Registry)

1977:

7000186 ST?? (Peter Mac provided)
7000131 ST42 BB (CliffsGuitarWorld)
7000108 ST?? YS (CliffsGuitarWorld)
7000105 ST50 OW (Peter Mac provided)
7000040 ST42 YS (Hiro)
77000011 ST60 YS (CliffsComicWorld) *Note Serial starts with "770" and not "70".
 
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I don't think there was one in 1977.

Volume 1 catalog is supposedly from 1978.

IMG_0952.jpeg
 
I have seen this one pager that is probably from 1978.

i-img779x1039-1674195316ji7ad9364539.jpg

Exact Replica of the Original Strat.
TOKAI ELECTRIC GUITAR ST SERIES.

The Tokai Electric Guitar ST series is a series that spans from professional musicians to the original Stratocaster. In particular, the V-shaped neck of the maple dress, which fits comfortably in the hand and does not feel sticky, the authentic model also has the Kluson type (Al), and the pickup bridge that has the original and powerful sound. I have a slit. The unit panel uses a single white plate and is fixed with 8 screws, which is the original design.It is designed so that long sustain can be obtained even if the screws are not attached to the body as much as possible. . Of course, the 3-tone control that makes it easy to create halftones, the sharp head one-point string guide, the one-piece body and its shape, all of which made me think, "If only I had a time machine."

i-img681x909-1674195317myuvrj350927.jpg

■The Tokai ST series has YS (Yellow Sunburst) and OW (Olympic White) in the four colors below.
Others are
ST-100 100,000 yen (Color BL, N )
ST-80/80,000 yen (BL, N, GS)
ST-60/60,000 yen (YS. OW, N BB)
ST-50/50,000 yen (YS, OW, N, BB) 5 types of
ST-42/42,000 yen (OW, YS BB).
 
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As nice as my 78 ST60 with E pickups looks the only difference, did they go to the wider neck plate in 77 or 78
A good deal $846 it will increase in value and has a nice wood grain.
Surprisingly not much difference between a 60 and a 42
 
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