Costly mistake with Tokai trade!

[springysound5150]

Just making this thread to serve as a reminder to everyone to always be informed on Tokai models before making trades. I recently traded a nice PRS Custom 22 for a 2019 Tokai Love Rock LS212F C/HB. I was under the impression that the LS212 was an upper end model Love Rock but after further investigation I discovered it’s not and is a low end budget model with a veneer top and two piece body.

Don’t make the same mistake I did and always be sure of exactly what you’re getting. Do your due diligence!

 

[guitar hiro]

Sorry to hear about that but you are correct on the DYODD concept .......

 

[Sigmania]

Edit: I was confusing the guitar you are referring to with another one that had a misleading model name as it was a special order.

 

[Sigmania]

Now that I understand what you are saying, the best tool you have available to sort stuff out are catalogs.

I have posted a bunch in the catalog section and then links to others that I don't personally own.

Tokai Catalogs

If you look at the 2018 catalog it says what the top is.

Whenever you see Flamed Maple + Maple Top, that is a laminate.

Nice guitar, but not a solid flame top.

 

[Sigmania]

I am noticing it is a "Relic" model and has a lacquer finish and aged hardware.

That is why it is priced higher than others with similar construction.

I bet it sounds and plays nicely.

 

[Sigmania]

"The LS-212F uses relic finished parts to express the "taste" that has been used over many years. The lacquer finish follows the vintage route, creating a model that is full of love."

 

[Sigmania]

In other words, it actually isn't "a low end budget model".

If it were a solid flamed top and one piece Honduran back it would probably costs twice the 212,000 yen price.

Unless your PRS had a 10 top, I am not sure how far off the trade actually was.

 

[springysound5150]

In other words, it actually isn't "a low end budget model".

If it were a solid flamed top and one piece Honduran back it would probably costs twice the 212,000 yen price.

Unless your PRS had a 10 top, I am not sure how far off the trade actually was.

View attachment 39400

My PRS was actually an Artist package guitar so it was even above a 10 top. It is what it is. I cut my own throat and have no one to blame but myself. I was under the impression that the LS212 was higher end than it really is. It’s a nice looking and playing guitar but it kinda bums me out that it’s essentially like an Epiphone having the two piece body and veneer. The only thing it has over an Epiphone is the nitro finish. Oh well, I always say lessons learned the hard way stick for life. Next time I will be much more careful before making a trade. Also, thanks for the info Sig!

 

[Sigmania]

OK that sucks.

And I know this is a bit late, but when I look at flame top Tokais I always assume they are veneer until proven otherwise. I learned that lesson a long time ago with an LS120.

On the bright side, amazing guitars pop up all the time. Now you are due some good luck. Keep your eyes open, Never know when it will come along. I will continue to post stuff in the ebay section from Japan and elsewhere.

Good luck!

 

[springysound5150]

OK that sucks.

And I know this is a bit late, but when I look at flame top Tokais I always assume they are veneer until proven otherwise. I learned that lesson a long time ago with an LS120.

On the bright side, amazing guitars pop up all the time. Now you are due some good luck. Keep your eyes open, Never know when it will come along. I will continue to post stuff in the ebay section from Japan and elsewhere.

Good luck!

Thank you!! Yes, you win some and lose some. I was only in to the PRS for $1,800 so at least I can be thankful I didn’t buy it brand new. I’ve made some really good deals and some bad deals. It’s just the nature of buying/selling/trading.

 

[Sigmania]

Yeah man. I chalk those up to my education and the next time you will probably see something others won't. Keep at it.

We all sell guitars we later regret. But then other stuff comes along and the pain fades.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

it kinda bums me out that it’s essentially like an Epiphone having the two piece body and veneer.

I think you're (understandably) punishing yourself a bit much there - things I've seen from (modern day) Epiphones in the past years were often making me think not very nice things including the word "scam". Specs are in many ways meaningless and a MIJ LS212 is still a proper replica guitar and certainly far (as in "a different galaxy") from what's more or less just random Chinese cheapos, brutally upsold with great success via brand proximity pixie dust.

Well, that doesn't help you much I guess but I think you didn't trade a valuable guitar for crap, you traded it for a good but less valuabe guitar, so you didn't lose money and a guitar, just money. Still sucks of course.

 

[Graeme]

I think you're (understandably) punishing yourself a bit much there - things I've seen from (modern day) Epiphones in the past years were often making me think not very nice things including the word "scam". Specs are in many ways meaningless and a MIJ LS212 is still a proper replica guitar and certainly far (as in "a different galaxy") from what's more or less just random Chinese cheapos, brutally upsold with great success via brand proximity pixie dust.

Well, that doesn't help you much I guess but I think you didn't trade a valuable guitar for crap, you traded it for a good but less valuabe guitar, so you didn't lose money and a guitar, just money. Still sucks of course.

And don't forget G*bson was making two-piece bodies as recently as the 2010s... I remember seeing plenty of Les Pauls with a seam down the back.

 

[springysound5150]

I think you're (understandably) punishing yourself a bit much there - things I've seen from (modern day) Epiphones in the past years were often making me think not very nice things including the word "scam". Specs are in many ways meaningless and a MIJ LS212 is still a proper replica guitar and certainly far (as in "a different galaxy") from what's more or less just random Chinese cheapos, brutally upsold with great success via brand proximity pixie dust.

Well, that doesn't help you much I guess but I think you didn't trade a valuable guitar for crap, you traded it for a good but less valuabe guitar, so you didn't lose money and a guitar, just money. Still sucks of course.

I sat down and really played it for the first time today. My kids have been outta school the past two weeks for Christmas break so I haven’t had an enough time to give it a proper playing and evaluation. I’m much less bummed out about it after playing it for about half an hour today. It’s a great playing and sounding guitar and I much prefer the tone I get from it to the PRS I traded off. Honestly, the PRS’ tone was the main reason I traded it off. I just couldn’t really warm up to the Dragon 2 pickups it had. Anyway, while I may have lost out monetarily, I think overall I’m happier with the Love Rock so I feel a good bit better now.

 

[springysound5150]

I guess I may as well post a photo of it too.

 

[springysound5150]

I do worry that as the guitar ages and develops wear that it’ll look awful because of the veneer. I really really hate that it was a veneer top. I find it to be very cheap of Tokai to use a veneer on a $1,500 instrument.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

Beautiful guitar! Very individual observation: Among all the 35-40 year old (veneer or not) tops I've seen over the past few years there were like 3 (?) having developed a visible defect at the center seam.