Cashew Finish

Some of the most expensive vintage Tokais had a cashew finish.

Just wanting to document what it was, and which guitars had that finish.

Generally it was only used on higher end guitars.

Seems like there is a progression of finishes that Tokai used.

Polyurethane -> Lacquer -> Cashew

Also, the term lacquer is not super specific, and even in the translations I have done of catalogs there is some confusion as to what was what.

Hopefully, someone will chime in and share what they know about the various finishes Tokai has used.

Models known to have cashew finish:

LS200
ES150
ES200
ST120
TE120
JB120

Note: This will get edited I'm sure over time. Just a starting point.

Cashew finish gives a guitar an amber tint and resembles an aged finish.

Obviously, a very different in effect than new gleaming white features on a guitar.

It has more of a vintage feel even when new, especially over white or light colored surfaces. It tends to mute and soften the effect.

Notice the color of the binding on this LS200.



http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=24590

From an older thread:

Cali Girl said:

I found the comments about Cashew Finish on LS-200 very interesting from MJ Yamauchi guitar collection comments. By Cashew Finish, does he mean ambered lacquer? He says it was invented in Japan and uses the cashew nut. He says it makes the Tokai logo on LS-200 look gold. I didn't know this was a feature of LS-200.

http://www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~yjibika/en_1981TokaiLS200.html

expresses old atmosphere by synthesized amber-colored lacquer "Cashew" made from cashew nut shell. This colorant was invented by Cashew Co., Ltd. Saitama Japan in 1950.

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http://www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~yjibika/en_1981TokaiLS200Blister.html

The finish colorant is "Cashew" synthesized lacquer made from cashew nut shells invented in Japan in 1950. This amber colored finish creates old atomosphere on guitars.

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http://www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~yjibika/en_1983TokaiLS200.html

radiant golden logo "Tokai" tells us mutely that "I am a flagship!". This golden color is likely to appear by amber lacquer "Cashew" painted over original milk-white logo.

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http://www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~yjibika/en_1983TokaiLS200_2.html

This TLS-200 was owned by a famous Japanese guitarist Yoshihiro Matsuura. Please take a look on its head stock, the logo is milky-white not golden unlike other LS/TLS-200s because this guitar was finished by normal clear lacquer. Tokai LS/TLS-200/150s were made by custom order so the customer could select some options, finish, pickups, tuners, but Cashew finish was selectable only on LS/TLS-200. As far as I know this one is only a TLS-200 that finished by clear lacquer, may be rare.

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http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=13410

Example of cashew finish over the Tokai logo on a 1980 LS200

http://mycoolguitars.com/tokai-ls-200/



Regular lacquer finish on a 1981 LS100.

The difference between Japanese Urushi and worldwide lacquer


Japanese Urushi

The word lacquer widely means sap that can be collected from lacquer trees, but in Japan, only the sap collected from Urushi tree that is a member of Urushi family and Urushi kind is called “Urushi.” Japanese Urushi has a high percentage of a constituent of urushiol, the main component of Urushi, and it is said to have little rubber components. Japanese Urushi that has a fruity flavor and its sap is collected carefully from a number of parallel scratches. While from lacquer overseas that has high rubber components, they scratch at V shape on it and wait for lacquer running into the containers set under it. The main component: Urushiol


Nuts of Urushi, materials of the candles. You can drink coffee made from the nuts of Urushi in Joboji that is the largest producing area in Japan

Lacquer in the world

The people overseas scratch lacquer trees, which has much rubber components, in V or I shapes and wait for lacquer running into the containers set under the scratches.





Sustains Japanese culture as an material｜Urushi Nation Joboji

Discussion of cashew finish on classical guitars.

https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/viewtopic.php?t=59851

Spring 1982 catalog

”And the LS200 has a cashew finish, and the LS80 and above has a rattvian finish, which is a gorgeous and special old color finish that can never be imitated.”

Sigmania said:

Models known to have cashew finish:

LS200
ES200
ST120
TE120
JB120

Note: This will get edited I'm sure over time. Just a starting point.

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The 81' ES-150 has the Cashew finish. : )

If you only drink alcohol, say cashew I think you will remember this. It's delicious enough to become a habit. (This is a by-product of cashew paint?) Cashew paint is made from cashew nuts of the Anacardiaceae family. With paint made from oil extracted from the shell part It is not colorless and transparent, but has a slightly reddish brown color.


Cashew paint itself was made by Fernandes before Tokai. About cashew paint at that time Without the knowledge of the guitar user itself. I don't think I could say I was successful. When it comes to LS-200, lacquer-based It has become a feeling of high-end paint think.

Make a paint with the shell of this part

(1975 catalog)

The long-awaited Les Paul series from this catalog FLG is announced. Lineup of FLG-65, FLG-85, FLG-100 85 and 100 are grover pegs, It had a cashew finish. Machined top for all models maho back without ply was.

I think the K stamp may mean cashew.

Not sure why the neck doesn't have it though?

A is lacquer I believe.

J may mean Jacaranda instead of Jaco?

Neck swap during a special order?

1981 Tokai Jazz Sound jb120 fender 1964 replica jv bass lawsuit era vintage brazilian rosewood mij flagship | Reverb