New to Tokai Stratocasters - is this a good one???

[Anonymous]

As Mick has said, the catalogues only give you an outline of what Tokai produced - there are exceptions. That's what the forum is here for. If people post pics and tell us about certain guitars, we learn from that. Well we do if we pay attention......

There's a huge body of knowledge on here, built up by ordinary members sharing details of their guitars. If one person says something, it might be true. If 10 or 20 people say something, it probably is true.

The moral? Don't believe just one person!

John - I might consider a swap - my Breezy for your GT?

 

[JohnA]

John - I might consider a swap - my Breezy for your GT?

Maybe one day, or maybe for a month or two, but for the time being I'm hanging on to the GT

 

[blake375]

How about just comparing an E and a U to see if they look like they were made in the same factory or not? Seems very simple - am I being thick?

I have one Springy with Es and one with Us, but one is on 'permanent loan' at the moment so I can't make the comparison.

 

[Anonymous]

How about just comparing an E and a U to see if they look like they were made in the same factory or not?

 

[DougMTX]

One more data point on an "E" that was in the bridge position on my TST-'62.

DC resistance reading 6.235 KOhm.

 

[Dave_Mc]

i thought some st80s were alder?

Please see my earlier post.

I completely missed that, thanks

 

[NWOBHM]

After reading this thread, and being along time user of Tokais since 84'. I decided to send pics of the E stamped pickups to Dimarzio Tech. [email protected] . To find out what was made by Dimarzio. Here's there reply. ( I should have used spellcheck, but, I typed it in a hurry)
Sorry, the pickups in the photo are not VS-1s and were not designed or made by DiMarzio.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Robert Walls [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 6:05 PM
Subject: OLD Dimarzio single coils?



Hi, Can you tell me f the old Tokai E-stamped pickups commonly found on late 70's early 80's Tokai Spricgy Sound guitars are made by Dimarzio? They have gey fiber bottoms with an E stamped on the bottom. I know Diamrzio used to supply the old VS-1 on higher end Toakiis back then. Are these the same pickups? Do you have a picture of an old VS-1? Regards,Robert PS, PIC ENCLOSED.

 

[greco_burst]

After reading this thread, and being along time user of Tokais since 84'. I decided to send pics of the E stamped pickups to Dimarzio Tech. [email protected] . To find out what was made by Dimarzio. Here's there reply. ( I should have used spellcheck, but, I typed it in a hurry)
Sorry, the pickups in the photo are not VS-1s and were not designed or made by DiMarzio.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Robert Walls [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 6:05 PM
Subject: OLD Dimarzio single coils?



Hi, Can you tell me f the old Tokai E-stamped pickups commonly found on late 70's early 80's Tokai Spricgy Sound guitars are made by Dimarzio? They have gey fiber bottoms with an E stamped on the bottom. I know Diamrzio used to supply the old VS-1 on higher end Toakiis back then. Are these the same pickups? Do you have a picture of an old VS-1? Regards,Robert PS, PIC ENCLOSED.

Good work NWOBHM

Thank you for posting the reply, is that enough proofs here?

Only in 1982 did Springy Sound have DiMarzio pickups and that was only in the ST-100 up from 1982

Here is the timeline of what the pickups stamped U and E from Tokai were called

E stamped pickups
1977 - 1978 = A Type Microphone
1979 - 1980 = ST-A Pickup
1981 onwards = ST Vintage Pickup

U Stamped pickups
1977 - 1978 = B Type Microphone
1979 - 1980 = ST-B Pickup
1981 onwards = ST Vintage Pickup

From 1981 both E and U pickups were called ST Vintage

8)

 

[Anonymous]

But how do we know we can trust greco_burst this time? Perhaps he's just winding us up again?

That's the trouble with posting crap, you damage your credibility.

 

[SUSHI GUY]

But how do we know we can trust greco_burst this time? Perhaps he's just winding us up again?

That's the trouble with posting crap, you damage your credibility.

Mike.....Trust me again. Mr.NWOBHM and Grecoburst both PMed me about this and it looks absolutely true. Also from my catalogs Plus readings it seems true very much. u know when Dimarzio says NO, nothing we should be saying anymore right? Mike?.....So for this one we accept it please. Grecoman sure acted very rude sometimes before but he feels no-good about that after. I think he now feels a bit regretted and thinks he should have gone cool and decent instead. So stop fighting w/him please Mikeman. Grecoman isn't bad actually but just too groovy, a bit careless lately. He is maybe in fact that our old good "Mickdal" u know...

I was checking the 1981 Tokai catalog yesterday and on the last page there was this goldparts Tele with rosewood neck and natural body and bindings. Is this your super tasty Tele Mike? TE120 u call? It actually saying there about it that it's "Arabesque" specs Tele. No model name but just says "Arabesque" specs Tele......J

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabesque

:wink: j.

 

[SUSHI GUY]

8) This is only my guess but I feel that "U" of the U pickup means actually, "UTILITY".....Does it make sense to ya??


* Main Entry: 2utility
* Function: adjective
* Date: 1851

1 : capable of serving as a substitute in various roles or positions <a utility infielder>
2 a : kept to provide a useful product or service rather than for show or as a pet <utility livestock> <a utility dog> b : being of a usable but inferior grade <utility beef>
3 : serving primarily for utility rather than beauty : utilitarian
4 : designed or adapted for general use <a utility tool>
5 : of or relating to a utility <a utility company>

"usable but inferior grade / designed or adapted for general use"

 

[SUSHI GUY]

8) And also my guess only but "E" of the E pickup means actually, "EXCELLENT"......Does it make sense to ya again??


* Main Entry: ex?cel?lent
* Pronunciation: \ˈek-s(ə-)lənt\
* Function: adjective
* Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin excellent-, excellens, from present participle of excellere
* Date: 14th century

1 archaic : superior
2 : very good of its kind : eminently good : first-class


8) "superior, very good of its kind : eminently good : first-class"

 

[SUSHI GUY]

After reading this thread, and being along time user of Tokais since 84'. I decided to send pics of the E stamped pickups to Dimarzio Tech. [email protected] . To find out what was made by Dimarzio. Here's there reply. ( I should have used spellcheck, but, I typed it in a hurry)
Sorry, the pickups in the photo are not VS-1s and were not designed or made by DiMarzio.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Robert Walls [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 6:05 PM
Subject: OLD Dimarzio single coils?



Hi, Can you tell me f the old Tokai E-stamped pickups commonly found on late 70's early 80's Tokai Spricgy Sound guitars are made by Dimarzio? They have gey fiber bottoms with an E stamped on the bottom. I know Diamrzio used to supply the old VS-1 on higher end Toakiis back then. Are these the same pickups? Do you have a picture of an old VS-1? Regards,Robert PS, PIC ENCLOSED.

Good work NWOBHM

Thank you for posting the reply, is that enough proofs here?

Only in 1982 did Springy Sound have DiMarzio pickups and that was only in the ST-100 up from 1982

Here is the timeline of what the pickups stamped U and E from Tokai were called

E stamped pickups
1977 - 1978 = A Type Microphone
1979 - 1980 = ST-A Pickup
1981 onwards = ST Vintage Pickup

U Stamped pickups
1977 - 1978 = B Type Microphone
1979 - 1980 = ST-B Pickup
1981 onwards = ST Vintage Pickup

From 1981 both E and U pickups were called ST Vintage

8)

The infos from both men above are really good, useful......J

:wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

I was checking the 1981 Tokai catalog yesterday and on the last page there was this goldparts Tele with rosewood neck and natural body and bindings. Is this your super tasty Tele Mike? TE120 u call? It actually saying there about it that it's "Arabesque" specs Tele. No model name but just says "Arabesque" specs Tele......J

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabesque

:wink: j.

Do you have a link for that catalogue page Joeman? I've had a look in the Registry, & I can't see any Teles in the 1981 catalogue.

 

[Anonymous]

8) And also my guess only but "E" of the E pickup means actually, "EXCELLENT"......Does it make sense to ya again??

No.....

:wink:

 

[SUSHI GUY]

http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/tokai/1981/jp_14.html

 

[Anonymous]

I was checking the 1981 Tokai catalog yesterday and on the last page there was this goldparts Tele with rosewood neck and natural body and bindings. Is this your super tasty Tele Mike? TE120 u call? It actually saying there about it that it's "Arabesque" specs Tele. No model name but just says "Arabesque" specs Tele......J

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabesque

:wink: j.

Hey that's really interesting, thanks for that. Black scratchplate? I'm not keen on that at all - white looks much better. The trouble is that so much has been changed on mine that it's hard to know what's original! I guess that must be a TE120 if it's from 1981.

Arabesque? That's a new one on me.