Help identifying this strat!

[FokC352]

Hi, saw this the other day, little information on it. Could someone please help me identify whether it's really a Tokai? Allegedly it's a ST-50, by the looks of the serial number I'd say 1980 but there's no sticker on the back of the neck, also I cannot see anything on the pickups.

 

[ATO]

I was just looking at this on eBay 20 mins ago. It is a June 1980 ST50. However all electrics have been replaced, pups, pots, switch etc. There is usually a brass ground/earth plate that everything is bolted to, that is missing. So yes, neck body, bridge, tuners are original to the guitar. Everything under the pickguard has been replaced. The original pickups would be grey bobbin but would be stamped with 'U' in black ink. However it wouldn't be a big job to get it all back to original.

 

[FokC352]

I was just looking at this on eBay 20 mins ago. It is a June 1980 ST50. However all electrics have been replaced, pups, pots, switch etc. There is usually a brass ground/earth plate that everything is bolted to, that is missing. So yes, neck body, bridge, tuners are original to the guitar. Everything under the pickguard has been replaced. The original pickups would be grey bobbin but would be stamped with 'U' in black ink. However it wouldn't be a big job to get it all back to original.

Amazing, thanks for the help! Are you interested in this one?

 

[ATO]

I'm interested in all old Tokai's, not interested in buying this particular one.

 

[FokC352]

I'm interested in all old Tokai's, not interested in buying this particular one.

Cool, I've been eyeing this, if I were to buy it it'd be my first ever Tokai. Kind of on the edge.

 

[Sigmania]

I think I saw that on Yahoo Japan. Can’t remember what they were asking

 

[FokC352]

I think I saw that on Yahoo Japan. Can’t remember what they were asking

Is 750 eur for it too much?

 

[ATO]

£665 GBP. Personally I think it's on the high side, but then you look at prices on reverb and they're asking more, not necessarily selling at that price but they are asking. Also depends which country you are in. I tend to look on local free ads, Facebook marketplace etc. On the other side of the coin I've just bought a very original 1981 sunburst ST50 with original case that I posted on another thread for £500 just yesterday. I got lucky checking free ads.

Thread '1981 ST50' 1981 ST50

 

[Sigmania]

Here are some parts, but the price is still high on the ST50. And the pickguard was changed too.

TOKAI 1980年製ST-50付属ＵスタンプPU×3+アッセ... - ヤフオク!

Ground plate has some added holes in it.

 

[Voidoid56]

As a belated side note: the mounted pickups in this one are very likely to be Tokai originals, just not for this model or individual guitar. Looks like they could be out of a guitar from the Silver Star (SS) range of CBS-era copies. The tells are the non-staggered pole pieces and blue and black leads (ST model pickups have white and black ones). Fernandes the Revival Strats used the same type of unmarked grey bobbin pickups, so it could be out of one of their CBS copies as well, but that little twist of placticised bread bag wire holding the cables together are typical of Tokais.