Gold Strike! Another ST-100 and this one is a museum piece.

[Koubayashi]

I have just a small bit of experience so far with buying Japanese guitars and already I have seen an example of a Greco Super Power Custom from 1980 with gold hardware that had basically no signs of ageing at all. Could it be that the gold coating that doesn't react like the standard nickel/chrome?
That might be the case with this Tokai as well.

It could very well be so.....

Now when I think of it, when I get guitars with chrome hardware its always worn or dull or both. But not the ones with gold hardware....They're just dull if they are worn.

makes perfect sence.

But not Tokai's bass goldhardware though

 

[Anonymous]

I have just a small bit of experience so far with buying Japanese guitars and already I have seen an example of a Greco Super Power Custom from 1980 with gold hardware that had basically no signs of ageing at all. Could it be that the gold coating that doesn't react like the standard nickel/chrome?
That might be the case with this Tokai as well.

I would have said that gold hardware on Strats generally wears far quicker than the standard hardware. Unless it's never been played at all - which leaves the question of why the poor thing never got played. :-?