Tokai ALS43

[stratmoto]

Ben,

Someone in the shop should be able to demonstrate it for you. Listen for it to ring out nice and clear, unplugged. Watch them play it. If they struggle with something, ask them if it OK.

If you know any chords, give them a try. If not, play every fret of every string. 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, over and over, from the top to bottom, until you have played every note on the guitar. It gets a bit harder in the upper register, but relax and take your time. You do not have to plug it in to an amp.

You should not have to fight with the guitar, and it will get even easier with practice.

They can show you volume and tone controls, how the pickup selector works for different tones.

I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Peter

 

[warxy]

thanks a lot Peter, this will come in great help.
also when i do that, in what order should i do it? you know, should i: let them do a demo -> i try it myself(check frets...) ->let them do a final check -> pay. is there anything i missed out?
the only problem is will they even let me touch the guitar at all.
Ben

 

[Ozeshin]

thanks a lot Peter, this will come in great help.
also when i do that, in what order should i do it? you know, should i: let them do a demo -> i try it myself(check frets...) ->let them do a final check -> pay. is there anything i missed out?
the only problem is will they even let me touch the guitar at all.
Ben

Heck yes....if they know that you're serious about the purchase they'd be crazy not to let you touch the guitar.
I sold 2 Fender squiers just the other week to a guy buying a Strat for his girlfriend and a telecaster for himself.
He asked me to demo them for him because,according to him,I made them sound better than he could.
I played both of them for them and then I insisted that he try both of them for comfort,feel etc.
He was reluctant at first due to his limited ability but after he tried them..combined with the demo he bought them both.
So don't worry whether you can play yet or not...you're not there to show off to the sales guy...the aim is to try it with a strap...see how it sits...is it neck heavy(does the guitar headstock dip to the floor when you let it go).
The Chinese and Korean Tokai are almost as heavy as the Made in Japan versions so you'll need to feel that weight and be aware that it can get tiring playing the guitar for extended periods.
For me that heavy weight is a personal preference and the heavier the better but not everyone likes that.

 

[warxy]

ok cool thanks.

The Chinese and Korean Tokai are almost as heavy as the Made in Japan versions

why is it almost? whats the difference between the Chinese/Korean and the Jpan made ones?
regard
Ben

 

[Anonymous]

why is it almost? whats the difference between the Chinese/Korean and the Jpan made ones?
regard
Ben

Body wood. A Gibson Les Paul, or a Japanese Tokai Love Rock will have a solid mahogany body, a mahogany neck, glued in place (called a set neck), and a solid maple cap on the top of the body to give it the distinctive curved top. This makes any LP a heavy guitar.

The Korean Love Rocks tended to have an alder body with a sycamore cap, and a set neck made from maple. I think the Chinese ones are the same. These woods tend to be lighter. OK, maybe they're not quite as good as the Japanese ones, but more than fine for a beginner.

I started taking lessons again recently, after playing for many years. My teacher has a Gibson LP, but didn't want to have to use it for gigs several days each week, so he bought my Korean LR, and he loves it! It gets played at gigs several days each week. So one of the Chinese ones should be fine for you, at least until you start playing gigs at big venues!

:wink:

 

[warxy]

oh do they sound different?
anyway does you LR have fast action?
Ben

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, but not so much that you need to worry about it. Relax! You'll be fine with a Chinese Tokai LR bought from a decent dealer. A good dealer will see you as a potential customer for life, & will look after you.

When you're used to a Strat, ANY reasonable LP seems fast and easy to play lead stuff on. Personally, I find rhythm playing easier on a Strat, but plenty of people disagree with that.

Really Ben , I think you're worrying too much. I'm sure if my first guitar had been a Chinese Tokai, I would have learned quicker than I did. You have the rest of your life to mess around with different types of guitars - just as soon as you have learned the basics.

8)

 

[warxy]

ye you are right, i think i am worrying too much. :wink:
alright will find a day at the end of this month and try get my hands on this guitar and try it out, if i dont like it i guess i will have to get maybe some thing like a epiphone or squier.
thanks anway guys

regard
Ben

 

[Anonymous]

Don't buy an Epiphone! If you decide you want a Strat or a Tele rather than a Les Paul, come back and ask some more questions, & somebody will help you out, even if it's not a Tokai you're looking at. Friendly people on here.... :wink:

 

[warxy]

well i always prefered the les paul shape and the sound, if not epiphone then i guess maybe some thing like Ibanez, washburn? or what do you rekon?
i guess i will need to think of some backup solution now :roll:
Ben

 

[marcusnieman]

well i always prefered the les paul shape and the sound, if not epiphone then i guess maybe some thing like Ibanez, washburn? or what do you rekon?
i guess i will need to think of some backup solution now :roll:
Ben

This Epi just arrived - sounds great, feels good, flawless nitro finish - right up there with the Elite (ist) models. I bought it to re-sell but I'm probably going to keep this one:

 

[warxy]

exact model?

 

[Ozeshin]

Not to be at all rude m8.....but you've asked us whether or not the Chinese Tokai that you're looking at is adequate for a beginner to learn on.
To that end ALL of us that have replied have said that YES...A CHINESE TOKAI IS FINE FOR YOU TO LEARN ON.
Yet everytime we answer with a positive you answer with a negative....

if i dont like it i guess i will have to get maybe some thing like a epiphone or squier.
thanks anway guys

WTF
Seriously not having a go at you but your guitar choice is going to wind up being.."is the colour right,is it too heavy,does it come with a case and the influence from the salesguy as HE will try to push the most expensive guitar your way".
Brand names won't come into it...playability won't come into it(again because the salesguy will tell you which one HE prefers)
My FINAL comment on this topic is to say that every Chinese Tokai i have played have all been of the same quality.
Yet out of the many Epiphones that I've played over the years there have been many many dogs.
I'm done..good luck with your choice m8.

 

[Ozeshin]

well i always prefered the les paul shape and the sound, if not epiphone then i guess maybe some thing like Ibanez, washburn? or what do you rekon?
i guess i will need to think of some backup solution now :roll:
Ben

This Epi just arrived - sounds great, feels good, flawless nitro finish - right up there with the Elite (ist) models. I bought it to re-sell but I'm probably going to keep this one:

To be fair though Marcus..Ben sounds like a young kid just starting out.
Here in Oz we very VERY rarely have access to MiJ Epis.
Ours are made in Chine or Korea and those are the models that he'd be looking at more commonly....and we all know it's a lucky dip as to whether you can find one that satisfies all your needs...with the Chinese/Korean models you always seem to sacrifice something :-?

 

[Anonymous]

Also remember that many of us on here are, well lets say over 40, and we've played for 20+ years. Lots of us play gigs with our bands, & we get fussy about guitars. The differences we fuss about really don't matter to a beginner.

Once you're playing regularly with a band, you can start to worry if your Chinese Tokai is good enough for you. But not till then.

Cool?

8)

 

[marcusnieman]

Nicely said, lads.

 

[warxy]

im not saying i might not like it because its a chinese made, you know what, i am actually a chinese. what im trying to say is that if that ALS43 is not going to have some thing like a right neck that fits my hand or is too heavy and anything else like that, then i need a backup plan. not that because its chinese then i hate it. and that because i am a chinese, i know that some times chinese made product have lots of doggy things going on.
and yes i am a little kid, and i am very new to guitar, and every negative i said is not that i disagree you guys but i just want to make sure every thing is still ok even theres only little changes.

Seriously not having a go at you but your guitar choice is going to wind up being.."is the colour right,is it too heavy,does it come with a case and the influence from the salesguy as HE will try to push the most expensive guitar your way".

seriously i will never ask questions like that, as these are personal referrence

sorry if i offended you guys in anyway, i just dont speak well.
P.S i am a perfectionism and a little pessimist which makes me struggle to make decisions
regard
Ben

 

[leadguitar_323]

Hi Warxy, just to clear things up for you, that guitar Marcus showed us is a "Made in Japan" Epiphone, you CAN'T buy those here in Aus. The Epiphones we get here are crap and i wouldn't waste my time even thinking of them. Keep checking Ebay Australia out , a very nice second hand Tokai LS 95Q went for similar money to the ALS 43 you are looking at and these pop up from time to time and are far superior to anything else mentioned in this thread, they are also Made in Japan. Another point, most people think a learner should not spend too much on a new guitar, i disagree with this as better quality guitars play a lot better than cheap crap and therefore are easier to learn on, it is also much more inspiring to hear yourself sounding like the music you are trying to play instead of sounding like a strangled cat.... :wink:

Mick

 

[Anonymous]

Another point, most people think a learner should not spend too much on a new guitar, i disagree with this as better quality guitars play a lot better than cheap crap and therefore are easier to learn on, it is also much more inspiring to hear yourself sounding like the music you are trying to play instead of sounding like a strangled cat.... :wink:

Mick

True Mick, but a Chinese Tokai is neither cheap nor crap!

 

[warxy]

thank you

you CAN'T buy those here in Aus.

thanks, didnt think so

Ben