Annual Production By Tokai

[Sigmania]

This topic keeps popping up, and it is clear that there have been periods where production soared and then declined precipitously.

Starting this thread to try to get an overall idea of what that looked like.

Would be amazing if we could one day chart production on a graph. Especially Strat and LP production, with Talbos thrown in for fun.

 

[Sigmania]

Here is what I posted two years ago in the lawsuit thread, Lawsuit?

I have seen bits and pieces here and there that begin to build a picture:

1. I have seen a list of about 75 Tokai dealers in the UK in 1984.

2. I remember Peter Mac talking about minimum order sizes of 5 guitars per custom color ordered in that period in Australia.
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26368&p=197651#p197651

3. The court documents in July 1982 refer to the seizure of one shipment into the UK and of the total, the Springys alone numbered 205. No idea how many annual shipments they normally got?

4. Eric Dixon mentioning numbers of 40' containers after the "Tokai is Coming" ad..
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26519

5. A major drop off in annual production between 1980-1984?
Tokai: Serial for Gibson & Fender Style Models - Vintage Japan Guitars
In 1980, the mark of 10,000 manufactured guitars was reached. (avg. approx. 5,000/year)
In 1984, the mark of 20,000 manufactured guitars was reached. (avg. approx. 2,500/year)
In 1985, the mark of 30,000 manufactured guitars was reached. (avg. approx 10,000/year)

Looks like this lawsuit may have dramatically affected Tokai's production. Other factors involved as well of course.

 

[Sigmania]

I also realized that by shifting to a 6 digit serial number in late 2009, that effectively indicated that annual production of Fender copies would be less than 10,000 since there were only 4 spaces for a number count in a 6 digit serial number when the first two spaces are the year.

10,000/12= 833.33

So less than 1,000/month, or less than 30/day maximum roughly.

No idea what the highest number seen in a year after 2009 has been.