New To Tokai

[JVsearch]

Ok, Tonight I removed the hardware from the LS-150 and the following are my findings:

1. The bridge posts will accommodate the Tonepros AVR-II, Stewmac ABR-1, Gibson ABR-1, and Gibson Nashville Tunamatic, all of which fit nicely with exception to the Nashville which was slightly snug.

2. The bridge posts are size 8-32.

3. Gotoh, Gibson, Stewmac and CW tail pieces all fit the Toakai tail piece posts well.

4. Tail piece post and insert threads are Metric.

5. Tail piece stud insert holes diameter in the body are 14mm - Gibson's are 12mm

To sum it up, every piece of hardware on my 1960 Gibson Les Paul RI will redly interchange with the LS-150 with exception to the tail piece post inserts and tail piece adjustment screws which are metric. I also took measurements of both guitar bodies and necks with overall dimensions pretty much identical.

Thanks for doing this! Good info here, and the ABR situation should mean that we can use the Callaham or Pigtail ABRs as a drop in replacement.
(Edit - I would have thought the Gibson Nashville would not have fitted on the same posts as an ABR, different mounting system?)

Tail piece inserts and studs are a problem I guess, but if the tail pieces fit well then no big deal. Pigtail do offer a metric threaded stud set for import guitars, and when I get around to trying them I'll let you know what happens.

 

[BlueThird]

Quite convinced I'm not the most mechanically competent person around here, but think I'm right in saying that the standard imperial bridge post is 6-32 rather than 8-32. The Callaham ABR-1 is certainly designed to work with 6-32 posts, and he's able to do customs posts for older Love Rocks (4mm for the guitar, 6-32 for the bridge).

Perhaps togps can shed some further light here?

 

[Easy Crossing]

Quite convinced I'm not the most mechanically competent person around here, but think I'm right in saying that the standard imperial bridge post is 6-32 rather than 8-32. The Callaham ABR-1 is certainly designed to work with 6-32 posts, and he's able to do customs posts for older Love Rocks (4mm for the guitar, 6-32 for the bridge).

Perhaps togps can shed some further light here?

6-32 is correct for Gibson bridge posts. However, the 6-32 posts were/are problematic as they tend to bend over time. Therefore, the 8-32 would be stronger and they still fit the ABR-1 bridges, at least the one's I tried. An even better upgrade is to use 8-32 stainless steel posts. To increase sustain use longer 2.5" x 8-32 s/s posts to where they penetrate well into the mahogany not just the maple. Also, if any of the bridges sold hold true to the 6-32 posts, it doesn't take much to drill the bridge holes from 6-32 to 8-32.

 

[Easy Crossing]

Prior to putting the hardware back on the LS-150 just for added information, I removed one of it's Kluson tuners and compared it with my Gibson deluxe Kluson tuners and they interchanged perfectly. The only visible difference I saw between the two was one was branded Gibson Deluxe and the LS-150 tuners had no branding.

 

[JohnA]

Great info - Thanks for all the effort!!

 

[Easy Crossing]

For anyone interested the pickups that come with the LS-150 are

Neck: 7.48 Ohm

Bridge: 8.45 Ohm

 

[DaveWW]

Well done for doing that. It's the sort of thing people search for - now they'll find goodl info.

Dave

 

[Easy Crossing]

Check your measurments for the hardware, it should all be metric. You need to measure in Millimeters.

Mick

I Checked hardware i.e. bridge, tail piece measurements with my Calipers set to MM and compared them to my American made 1960 Les Paul RI which both measured the same identical dimensions.

 

[leadguitar_323]

Check your measurments for the hardware, it should all be metric. You need to measure in Millimeters.

Mick

I Checked hardware i.e. bridge, tail piece measurements with my Calipers set to MM and compared them to my American made 1960 Les Paul RI which both measured the same identical dimensions.

Thats really odd, unless Tokai have changed to imperial on some guitars because all there hardware except for the CTS pots are metric. I'll do some digging and report back..

Mick

 

[Easy Crossing]

Check your measurments for the hardware, it should all be metric. You need to measure in Millimeters.

Mick

I Checked hardware i.e. bridge, tail piece measurements with my Calipers set to MM and compared them to my American made 1960 Les Paul RI which both measured the same identical dimensions.

Thats really odd, unless Tokai have changed to imperial on some guitars because all there hardware except for the CTS pots are metric. I'll do some digging and report back..

Mick

As I said earlier the tail piece posts and inserts are metric. All the remaining hardware on the LS-150 interchange with my 1960 Les Paul RI which is USA. The measurements I am referring to above are the spacings for the bridge and tail piece posts which are identical to my Gibson LP.

 

[Easy Crossing]

 

[Easy Crossing]

 

[Easy Crossing]

 

[marcusnieman]

Noticed the Gibson truss rod cover on yours - I had a quick peek at mine awhile back and it looks like the holes line up perfectly.

As for the frets on the LS150, they're very Gibson like - low, flat top profile and wide:

 

[Easy Crossing]

Noticed the Gibson truss rod cover on yours - I had a quick peek at mine awhile back and it looks like the holes line up perfectly.

As for the frets on the LS150, they're very Gibson like - low, flat top profile and wide:

Yes truss rod holes match perfectly. The neck is very well made and straight with fast action and no fret buzz anywhere.

 

[MIJvintage]

what are the frets (fret height) like on the LS-150?

fretless? :lol:

frets?

Marcus?

anyone? ................................

I'm not an expert on frets but the LS-150 frets feel pretty much like my Les Paul frets. In any case the neck feels and plays as well as any Gibson I've played.

Hey Easy C, I'm not an expert either, I just happened to have a micrometer for a few hours, and a bit of spare time ...........
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=14666
sounds like you might have a 'mic' too :wink: ...............

 

[Easy Crossing]

Well I was going to measure the frets on the LS-150 and compare with my LP but the battery for my micrometer died.

 

[JVsearch]

Check your measurments for the hardware, it should all be metric. You need to measure in Millimeters.

Mick

I Checked hardware i.e. bridge, tail piece measurements with my Calipers set to MM and compared them to my American made 1960 Les Paul RI which both measured the same identical dimensions.

Thats really odd, unless Tokai have changed to imperial on some guitars because all there hardware except for the CTS pots are metric. I'll do some digging and report back..

Mick

It might be worth getting some info from Gotoh, because they supply Gibson with Kluson type tuners for most of their guitars. Maybe modern economic progress requires that they only make imperial size tuners now?
What about other parts? I mean Gibson don't make any of the hardware on the LP (except pickups) so somebody is making it for them...

Or maybe Tokai see the LS-150 as a true clone of the American Gibson Les Paul?

 

[leadguitar_323]

Hi JV, i highly doubt that gotoh would only make imperial parts now as they supply their own metric market as well..I will have more info soon..

Mick

 

[Easy Crossing]

I couldn't resist, added a little nostalgia. The Spragues are the real deal from the 50's and the control pots are matched RS Guitarworks short shaft Super Pots w/braided wire 50's style. Top-wrap DR pure nickel strings with Les Paul nickel plated aluminum tail piece.