Best Love Rock model and year

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sallyg

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I have some cash and I’m looking to invest in a top quality Love Rock. What are the recommended construction years and models. I know the price will just keep going up, so looking for a quality piece as an investment. Thanks so much.
 
I'm kinda partial to my 2000 LS-320 which has all the right lumbers; Honduran Mahogany body & neck, and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard :)

I have owned it for 13 years & I would consider it to be a type of an investment; of course I have been wrong many times :lol:
 
sallyg said:
I know the price will just keep going up, so looking for a quality piece as an investment.

Interesting. Are you going to play it?
 
I'm going to hang it on my wall, play and play and play it, love it and cherish it!!!
Then pass it on to my son when I'm gone and he can do the same or sell for more dollars than what I paid for. Or pass on to his son!
I have about 10 Tokai's now - but I want to buy 1 really good, quality piece to keep forever.
 
Wow! 10 Tokais?

And lucky that you have a son that plays. My daughters are going to sell everything I have. Kinda sobering the day I realized that. Not what a collector wants to hear.

Happy hunting.
 
‘79-81 LS-80 or above, if you’re looking for an investment piece. Not sure how much more prices will rise. LS120 models have a veneer top, if that matters to you.
 
I believe they where some really eye candies with top specs in all decades.

I have made specially good experiences with 2000-2010 Tokai premiums, whatever they where, the quality of execution was always top notch.
I have bought the LS195s from 2004 (must check the serial number again, but it must be around that)...
tokai-ls-195-s-86588.jpg

...It's a very beautiful custom shop instrument. But I also tried the LS250 and 320 of those times that where all TOP F-ING BENCHMARK themselves.

Recentrly, they still made excellent Tokais. Sometimes in the HLS line (special run for the Hibiki shops), like the HLS Max or the HLS Super Max.
guitare-tokai-user-s-club-330315-273217-a89da722ef-762f.jpg


I also saw those special batches of Tokai LS420 that where exclusively delivered in Spain.
images


And of course, those LS3xx something are no brainers too... honestly. Any good tokai of their premium lineup will very probably be killer. I always recommend on those Tokai to change the pickups for Amber pickups. I find that they bring out everything from the superior craftmanship of those guitars.
 
Harima_San said:
I believe they where some really eye candies with top specs in all decades…

And of course, those LS3xx something are no brainers too... honestly. Any good tokai of their premium lineup will very probably be killer. I always recommend on those Tokai to change the pickups for Amber pickups. I find that they bring out everything from the superior craftmanship of those guitars.

Like this 2007 LS360?

https://reverb.com/item/31883158-t...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=31883158


Body: AAAA Solid maple top; One Piece Mahogany back
Finish: Violin (VF)
Neck: Mahogany-set neck
Neck profile: 59 LP
Fingerboard: Jacaranda (Rosewood)
Pickups: JM Rolph in both neck and bridge (see photos).
Controls: 2 vol, 2 tone, 3way
Electronics: Pots stamped w/EP 686 500k 0452
Bridge and Tailpiece: Callahan CNC Machined Steel Bridge & Cold Rolled Steel Stopbar Tailpiece ($300 upgrade). Original bridge and stop piece in case and included in sale
Case: Deluxe Tokai branded case with cotton candy interior (see photo)
Weight: 8lbs 13oz
Serial #: 0712111

$2,699.00 + shipping.

Naznk8Q.png
 
Sigmania said:
Harima_San said:
I believe they where some really eye candies with top specs in all decades…

And of course, those LS3xx something are no brainers too... honestly. Any good tokai of their premium lineup will very probably be killer. I always recommend on those Tokai to change the pickups for Amber pickups. I find that they bring out everything from the superior craftmanship of those guitars.

Like this 2007 LS360?

https://reverb.com/item/31883158-t...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=31883158


Interesting. I 'know' that Reverb member. Small world. Too bad that Tokai example does not have fret edge binding.
 
Yes, this would be exactly the kind of no-brainer that I was talking about. Price is excellent, shape is good. This will become a sought after LesPaul clone.
 
guitar hiro said:
Too bad that Tokai example does not have fret edge binding.

Re-fretted I would guess? Assuming these had FEB originally?

So in my mind, if it has been played enough to require a re-fret, then it probably sounds good. That tells me that someone wanted to play it that much. So not as great from a collector's perspective, but potentially good from a player's perspective.
 
AFA the potential for a re-fret: I seriously doubt the guitar has been re-fretted.

I know the Reverb member well enough to know that if he had any knowledge of a re-fret he would certainly have mentioned that in the listing.

It was quite common for the higher end Tokai LS examples from the era to be produced without FEB. My guess is this one never had FEB.

It's a guess but all things considered it makes the most sense.
 

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