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Diamond said:
Your eyes will fall out your head when you first see this guitar...when you open that case you'll think you're dreaming, but you're not, it's real.

All the best, you just bought the last LP you'll ever need.
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Amen to that
 
It's been a week now and I still haven't received the guitar. This is the message I've been getting from the USPS tracking service for a week now regarding its whereabouts.

Label/Receipt Number: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Class: Express Mail International?
Status: Origin Post is Preparing Shipment

We have received notice that the originating post is preparing to dispatch this mail piece.


Sounds like the guitar is still sitting in Japan waiting to be shipped.
 
Easy Crossing said:
......

Sounds like the guitar is still sitting in Japan waiting to be shipped.
Click to expand...

Have you asked the seller if he's sent it? The whole postal system is a bit overloaded at this time of year, I wouldn't worry too much just yet. :D
 
I spoke with the sales person and he seems more upset about it than I am. Says, I'm not the only customer he has that didn't receive their order but says the holiday, and I agree, overloaded the shipping company. However, it's been my experience, that USPS doesn't need a holiday as an excuse to be late, they generally are late any day! The Worst mail handlers one could ask for. Really the biggest issue with USPS is they rarely, if ever, make current their tracking service. Even after the package is delivered the tracking service will say something different.
 
Check with your local USPS office and make sure they haven't attempted to deliver and collect customs duty. My experience is that, if a customs duty has been levied, the USPS attempts to deliver one time, leaves some kind of a notice/post card, and holds the item at either the local or central post office.

Hope it all sorts out for you.
 
From your earlier post, it sounds like it hasn't shipped yet. When it does via EMS and you track it on USPS, it'll give you the city, time, etc. when it's scanned.

Point of entry will more than likely be San Francisco. At that time, USPS takes over and you'll have updates of it's progress.
 
Actually this is the very reason I've always been hesitant of buying from out of country, especially music equipment that gets stuck in some cold truck or hanger for days or weeks on end, not good at all. In the states, I generally pay for overnight, thus minimizing chances of damage typical of long road trips. And yes I think the guitar is still sitting at Tokyo International, as that was the last status given by EMS a week ago.
 
Easy Crossing said:
Actually this is the very reason I've always been hesitant of buying from out of country, especially music equipment that gets stuck in some cold truck or hanger for days or weeks on end, not good at all. In the states, I generally pay for overnight, thus minimizing chances of damage typical of long road trips. And yes I think the guitar is still sitting at Tokyo International, as that was the last status given by EMS a week ago.
Click to expand...

Don't let it freak you out. I've bought alot of guitars from Japan - some arrive quicker than others - especially during the holidays. Even if the guitar arrived at the airport in SF, if US Customs is on holiday, it won't be received until they get back - imagine the backlog.

Of all the guitars I've brought over from Japan, none have been damaged and only one has gone missing - for which I was promptly refunded.

Just chill and know it'll be on the way.
 
I plan on writing a very comprehensive review on this guitar, but for now all I can say is WOW! As a die-hard Gibson LP owner of many, many years now, my expectations for a guitar are really high and this one has exceeded those expectations. I couldn't beleive it, right out of the case this guitar was ready to go; neck, action, intonation, pick-up height, weight, finish, tone, wood selection etc. all perfect. And I haft to be honest that's never happened with any of the Gibson LP's I have owned and I have owned lots of top shelf LP's dating way back. Is it just my LS-150 that the Luthier went the extra mile or are all Tokai's built this great? I will have photos up shortly. Thanks guys for recommending such a wonderful guitar!
 
Easy Crossing said:
I plan on writing a very comprehensive review on this guitar, but for now all I can say is WOW! As a die-hard Gibson LP owner of many, many years now, my expectations for a guitar are really high and this one has exceeded those expectations. I couldn't beleive it, right out of the case this guitar was ready to go; neck, action, intonation, pick-up height, weight, finish, tone, wood selection etc. all perfect. And I haft to be honest that's never happened with any of the Gibson LP's I have owned and I have owned lots of top shelf LP's dating way back. Is it just my LS-150 that the Luthier went the extra mile or are all Tokai's built this great? I will have photos up shortly. Thanks guys for recommending such a wonderful guitar!
Click to expand...


WOW, that's great :D

Another convert 8) ..................
 
Easy Crossing said:
I plan on writing a very comprehensive review on this guitar, but for now all I can say is WOW! As a die-hard Gibson LP owner of many, many years now, my expectations for a guitar are really high and this one has exceeded those expectations. I couldn't beleive it, right out of the case this guitar was ready to go; neck, action, intonation, pick-up height, weight, finish, tone, wood selection etc. all perfect. And I haft to be honest that's never happened with any of the Gibson LP's I have owned and I have owned lots of top shelf LP's dating way back. Is it just my LS-150 that the Luthier went the extra mile or are all Tokai's built this great? I will have photos up shortly. Thanks guys for recommending such a wonderful guitar!
Click to expand...

I think i have basically the same guitar as yours but mine has the old model number LS-135 (if it's a plain top).
My reaction was exactly the same as yours except i never owned a Gibson, too expensive and too many horror stories.
 
I think the LS-150 number may change also as I was told by the dealer that the Tokai prices increased after Christmas and I think the model numbers follow the price.
 
After a little newness wore off I did a little dissecting and discovered some things about the LS-150 that's not listed on the the Tokai specs.

1. All the Hardware is chrome plated SAE NOT Metric as some have said 2-29/32" bridge post spacing 3-3/34" tail piece post spacing - ala ABR-1
2. The potentiometers are CTS 500k 3/8" short shaft - like the pre 1977 LP's
3. The pick-up selector is the short style Swichcraft
4. The input jack is switchcraft as well
5. The maple top is, pancaked around the edges flat and thin like the older LP's
6. Fret ends are not binded - makes for easier fret replacement
7. Nut appears to be bone
8. Bridge studs are screwed directly into the wood - No inserts just like older LP's.
9. The pickups are dead ringer to Pearly Gates tone - I know tone is subjective but these pickups are NOT cheap sounding and fit the bill for playing about any style music especially classic rock
10. Nitro finish nice and thin with the red appearing to wash-out like an old relic, NOT in-your-face tomato looking like a lot of Gibson's new stuff.

I know I'll discover more but for now hats off to the Japanese they really know how to build a great guitar and at a fraction of the cost of others who have less to offer.
 

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