New to Tokai, please help me identify one

[math2014]

Hi all,

I am desperately searching for a Tokai MIJ LP. I am in the UK. Luckily my local friendly shop found one and will bring it in , in the next few days , so that i can have a try. The guy i spoke to on the phone told me that it is definately a MIJ model, and for color he only knew that it was like a tigerstripe (his boss basically knows little about Tokais) so he didnt know the exact model and such.

How i will be able to tell, which model it is, and if it is Japanese? I am 28y old, 10months player, and i am looking to get my 1st proper guitar, after a squier fat strat and an Epi G-400. I was primarly looking for a MIA HSS strat, but due to the music i listen to and play (LedZep, Cream, Purple, Sabbath etc) lots of people told me to go the LP way. Will an LP suit me more for this than an HSS strat? How does the Tokai fare against a MIA std Strat?

Is Tokai so good as they say? (equal or better than gibson). Enlighten me a bit. thanks

But basically i am mostly interested on what to check on the upcoming tokai , points of detail serial, distinguishable marks for model and origin? I heard that MIJ have stamped serial on back of headstock and 2 screws on the trussrod cover. Anything more?

Thanks again
Yannis

 

[hans-j?rgen]

But basically i am mostly interested on what to check on the upcoming tokai , points of detail serial, distinguishable marks for model and origin? I heard that MIJ have stamped serial on back of headstock and 2 screws on the trussrod cover. Anything more?

Lots of questions which come up here regularly including the answers... OK, since these seem to be the most urgent ones: a stamped serial number on the back of the headstock is the most important property of a Japanese Love Rock vs. a decal with a number between the tuners or no number at all on Korean models. Furthermore the bridge on a MIJ Love Rock sits on a thin post that is directly drilled into the top while a MIK has bigger posts that sit in extra metal bushings (= Nashville style bridge). Last but not least MIKs all have maple necks which isn't always easy to tell from a mahogany neck on a MIJ Tokai if you don't know the typical graining.

 

[math2014]

Lots of questions which come up here regularly including the answers... OK, since these seem to be the most urgent ones: a stamped serial number on the back of the headstock is the most important property of a Japanese Love Rock vs. a decal with a number between the tuners or no number at all on Korean models. Furthermore the bridge on a MIJ Love Rock sits on a thin post that is directly drilled into the top while a MIK has bigger posts that sit in extra metal bushings (= Nashville style bridge). Last but not least MIKs all have maple necks which isn't always easy to tell from a mahogany neck on a MIJ Tokai if you don't know the typical graining.

Cheers man, Is there actually a Made in Japan or something to be seen? Also i am told that MIJ have open book headstock shape (in Europe) whereas the MIK ones have a notch in the middle. Is that accurate?

 

[hans-j?rgen]

Cheers man, Is there actually a Made in Japan or something to be seen?

Yes, on newer ones they seem to write this in ink at the bottom of the headstock. Earlier versions also had a sticker with that which fell off after a while.

Also i am told that MIJ have open book headstock shape (in Europe) whereas the MIK ones have a notch in the middle. Is that accurate?

Only the versions for the Japanese market have the exact Gibson headstock shape, so if you or your dealer imports one directly from Japan, you'll also get that version. But the official Japanese export models for the UK etc. all have that notch in the middle, just like all Korean export models. If you search through ebay.co.uk, you will find dozens of new Love Rocks for the UK market, and on ebay.com the same for the Canadian market.

 

[math2014]

Cheers man, Is there actually a Made in Japan or something to be seen?

Yes, on newer ones they seem to write this in ink at the bottom of the headstock. Earlier versions also had a sticker with that which fell off after a while.

Also i am told that MIJ have open book headstock shape (in Europe) whereas the MIK ones have a notch in the middle. Is that accurate?

Only the versions for the Japanese market have the exact Gibson headstock shape, so if you or your dealer imports one directly from Japan, you'll also get that version. But the official Japanese export models for the UK etc. all have that notch in the middle, just like all Korean export models. If you search through ebay.co.uk, you will find dozens of new Love Rocks for the UK market, and on ebay.com the same for the Canadian market.

Oh ok, since i am in the UK, i should then expect a MIJ headstock with the notch, but the correct shape for the body horn right? Also i should look for 2 bolts on the trussrod cover and stamped serial right?

 

[hans-j?rgen]

Oh ok, since i am in the UK, i should then expect a MIJ headstock with the notch, but the correct shape for the body horn right?

That's right, the "wrong horn" like an Agile is only found on models for the north american market, i.e. they were made in Japan for the U.S., also with reversed volume and tone knobs.

Also i should look for 2 bolts on the trussrod cover and stamped serial right?

2 or 1 bolts seem to be common for new MIJ Tokais and 3 on MIKs, but I've also read that this is not a 100% sure identification method.

 

[math2014]

hmm so how can i be sure to authenticate it? The stamped serial only?