Help Identifying Tokai Love Rock

[sylwieprz]

I have chance to buy Tokai Love Rock, i heard a lot of good things about Tokai Les Paul.
Unfortunately, the seller don't have information about the guitar, I would be calmer if I knew anything about it.
Gutiar finish is black matt. Serial: 1133041

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Sigmania]

That’s an odd looking serial number. If it were Japanese I would expect it to be impressed into the wood and not ink on the surface.

Seven digit serial numbers are unusual in China and Korea.

In 20111 Chinese serial number would typically start with the letters CN.

Do you have other pictures?

 

[sylwieprz]

Now only those two. I know that guitar does not look good due to torn paint but price is low.

 

[Sigmania]

Interesting.

That guitar looks like it is either Chinese or Korean. I would say most likely Chinese because of the date, but I would have suspected a CN serial number. Possibly an unauthorized guitar/counterfeit, but I am not sure.

Also looks like it was refinished? Hard to beleive they would use a piece of wood with a big knot in it for a natural finish.

 

[Sigmania]

What is it selling for?

 

[sylwieprz]

Seller said that he don't need this guitar anymore. This model look suspicious for me so that's why i'm hesitating.

 

[Sigmania]

I am leaning towards fake.

And I have never seen a 3 screw TRC like this one on a Tokai.

Unless they are giving it to you, I would pass. Lots of legit guitars out there to be had.

 

[Sigmania]

Similar to an Epiphone TRC it looks like.

 

[Sigmania]

If you are on a budget, I would recommend looking for a Korean or Chinese Love Rock.

Legit Chinese Tokais have a serial number starting with C, CH, or CN.

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26738

 

[sylwieprz]

Thank you very much for your help, i'll pass. Definitely something is not right with this model.

 

[Sigmania]

Yeah man. Trust your gut.

 

[Sigmania]

And it’s really hard to see with these pictures, but it looks like the finish is separating from the wood?

If that was the original finish it shouldn’t do that unless the guitar got really wet. Weird.

 

[sylwieprz]

In original guitar was finished in black matt but seller scraped the paint off the top because guitar was in bad conditions. Now wood is only painted with a primer. Unfortunately don't have any pic how this look like before.