Mick51
Well-known member
Recently, I had the opportunity to purchase Villager's 2005 LS-320. It is a wonderful, well built instrument, and I am quite sure that we will have many happy years together.
This one..
Let me say that I did not purchase this as a collector, purchased ait at a price that was more than fair, and understood that it was not a new instrument going in.
The less than perfect:
Three minor doinks on the top. A scuffing/scratch of the finish on the side, below the binding, near the p/up selector switch. Two minor indentations on the side, lower bout, above the jackplate; these appear to be slightly through the lacquer. Has apparently hung on a neck display rack, from what looks like a reaction on the lacquer where the neck and head join on the top - left hand - side. One small doink on the back. The bullet-shaped TRC had only one screw, at the apex. It appeared to be trimmed off 2-3 mm above the nut. The TRC screw from the bottom had apparently been used as the top screw on the pickguard.
I'm not impressed with Tokai's choice of knobs - definitely not as good manufacture as my 1981 LS-120. Not keen on some of the wiring - specifically from teh p/ups to the p/up selector. Should be vintage braided cloth.
The good to really good:
Arrived in six days from France to central Iowa, USA, and two of those days were weekend. Packed very well, arrived safely. (what's a doink if the neck and headstock are intact? )
The top is simply fantastic. Long tenon with a considerable lip. Fretboard (not fret-edge, which this model does not have) binding and execution is excellent. Neck is excellent, nice, beefy grip, without being too large - virtually identical to the 1981 LS-120. Body is very resonant. Frets are broad and rather tall - if you can't bend with these, raise the action and use a slide. Intonation is just about dead-on - close enough that I'm not messing with it.
I did change p/ups. The Seymour Duncan/Seth Lovers were quite good, better than I expected. But, their voice just isn't "live" enough, something subjective. Swapped them with a pair of Wolfetone (Wolfe Macleod) Legends, with lightly aged covers, AL-2 magnets. Just excellent. I asked for a set that would pge Clapton's tone in "Sitting on Top of the World," and these do. I have several sets of Wolfetone Dr Vintage; the Legends are slightly rounder in tone.
What have I missed? Just an excellent guitar, wonderful dealing with Villager, even my wife is happy.
Some pics from swapping the p/ups, for anyone interested..
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_03.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_04.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_08.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_10.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_11.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_15.jpg
Finally, with her older sister..
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This one..
Let me say that I did not purchase this as a collector, purchased ait at a price that was more than fair, and understood that it was not a new instrument going in.
The less than perfect:
Three minor doinks on the top. A scuffing/scratch of the finish on the side, below the binding, near the p/up selector switch. Two minor indentations on the side, lower bout, above the jackplate; these appear to be slightly through the lacquer. Has apparently hung on a neck display rack, from what looks like a reaction on the lacquer where the neck and head join on the top - left hand - side. One small doink on the back. The bullet-shaped TRC had only one screw, at the apex. It appeared to be trimmed off 2-3 mm above the nut. The TRC screw from the bottom had apparently been used as the top screw on the pickguard.
I'm not impressed with Tokai's choice of knobs - definitely not as good manufacture as my 1981 LS-120. Not keen on some of the wiring - specifically from teh p/ups to the p/up selector. Should be vintage braided cloth.
The good to really good:
Arrived in six days from France to central Iowa, USA, and two of those days were weekend. Packed very well, arrived safely. (what's a doink if the neck and headstock are intact? )
The top is simply fantastic. Long tenon with a considerable lip. Fretboard (not fret-edge, which this model does not have) binding and execution is excellent. Neck is excellent, nice, beefy grip, without being too large - virtually identical to the 1981 LS-120. Body is very resonant. Frets are broad and rather tall - if you can't bend with these, raise the action and use a slide. Intonation is just about dead-on - close enough that I'm not messing with it.
I did change p/ups. The Seymour Duncan/Seth Lovers were quite good, better than I expected. But, their voice just isn't "live" enough, something subjective. Swapped them with a pair of Wolfetone (Wolfe Macleod) Legends, with lightly aged covers, AL-2 magnets. Just excellent. I asked for a set that would pge Clapton's tone in "Sitting on Top of the World," and these do. I have several sets of Wolfetone Dr Vintage; the Legends are slightly rounder in tone.
What have I missed? Just an excellent guitar, wonderful dealing with Villager, even my wife is happy.
Some pics from swapping the p/ups, for anyone interested..
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_03.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_04.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_08.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_10.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_11.jpg
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu103/Mick51_98/Tokai LS-320/GD_0502_15.jpg
Finally, with her older sister..
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