Handwritten Certificates of Authenticity

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Sigmania

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Hi all,

I am seeing a bunch of Tokais with "Certificates of Authenticity" with handwritten serial number and model names, where they have a model number I am unfamiliar with (LSR9), mostly showing up in Hungary.

Can someone confirm if these are legit guitars?

Edit: After seeing a lot more guitars with handwritten model numbers, these are very likely part of one or more special order or limited runs commissioned by a store in Hungary.
 
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Please me identify a Tokai Guitar

The model "LSR-9 LD" and serial number are handwritten.

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I looked at other certificates. Almost all of them have serial and model numbers stamped in.

The ones that are handwritten are either these LSR-9s in Hungary or the GT with P90s that is being resold in Norway.

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Also, the few examples I see of this "LSR-9" on line are in Eastern Europe (Hungary).

The model name does not follow the Tokai pattern of naming them based on price.
 
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Here is one of the few pages that these pop up on.

Tokai LSR-9 LD

Notice the names of two of the salespeople listed on the site is the same name stamped on the"Certificate of Authenticity" above, Bigson.

Which seems a lot like Gibson misspelled. 8)

“Bigson Gitargyardt”

IR0QbO4.png
 
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Sigmania said:
Here is one of the few pages that these pop up on.

https://www.gitarcentrum.hu/product/tokai-lsr-9-ld

Notice the names of two of the salespeople listed on the site is the same name stamped on the"Certificate of Authenticity" above, Bigson.

Which seems a lot like Gibson misspelled. 8)

“Bigson Gitargyardt”

IR0QbO4.png

Hello, fellow Hungarian Tokai owner speaking here! Yes, "Bigson" might sound like a mispelled version of "Gibson", that's true, but the reality is that the owner of the "Gitárcentrum" is called László NAGYFI: in "nagyfi" "nagy" means "big", "fi" means "son", hence the brand's name "BigSon". Actually he is/was the guitarist/composer of one of the most popular Hungarian metal band of the nineties, called "Pokolgép" (which means: improvised explosive device :D )

"Bigson Gitárgyár" means "Bigson Guitar Factory".

I don't think he'd forge Certificates of Authenticity, for a few reasons: he's still an active musician, with a credible past and still has a quite large fanbase; and Hungary is too small market to f*ck up your credibility with fake CoA's.

Here's an interview with him and his son in his shop. Though it's in Hungarian, but at least you can see that he's not just some shady secondhandguitar-dealer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gaueOOh30g

Have a great day!
 
After seeing more COAs with handwritten serial numbers I am now thinking these were possibly limited run special order guitars commissioned by this store….

Other examples here:

Mary Kay Goldstar Gallery

And here:

Special Limited Run Tokai LS Models

Think I owe Mr. Bigson and company an apology for being so suspicious.

Seems he’s a rather well connected savvy guitar dealer and musician with good taste in R9s.
 
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