Tokai LS90Q HDC - Payment sent, now the waiting game begins

[JohnnyKane]

I sent my payment for a Tokai LS90Q in Heritage Dark Cherry yesterday to Rich Tone, now I'm just waiting for confirmation that they have received the wire and for the guitar to be shipped. I'm so excited.

Now some questions for you guys. I understand the quilt top is a thin veneer, but someone mentioned maple and another one mentioned sycamore. Which one is it? Not that it matters, I'm just curious.

Is the finish nitro or poly? I'm going with poly, since the higher end Tokais mention nitro on their specs as a selling point, and this one doesn't, but I want to make sure.

The serial number on the back of the headstock is 0920326 (as you'll see in the pic below). Can you guys confirm if it is indeed MIJ (although "Made in Japan" is stamped on the headstock), and date of manufacture? I'm guessing 2009?

Now for the pics (this is the actual guitar I'm getting):

A little story about me: I've been looking for a great guitar since I started playing. I had an Epiphone Les Paul Studio which didn't cut it, but what the hell, I used that. Then I bought a Jackson King V which I sold in about two months because it sounded like crap (sadly, some guys broke into the apartment of the guy who bought it and they stole it from him... he had it for a month. He really loved the guitar ). Then I started looking around and found out about Tokais, Burnys, Edwards and Grecos, but they were all out of my budget, so I bought an Agile AL-3000M which I absolutely love. Check out the pic of my and my Agile below:

Half a year later I had enough money to spend on an expensive guitar and I was going to buy an Edwards, but then I stumbled upon the Tokai LS90Q in HDC and fell in love with it. It was $400 more than the Edwards I was planning on buying, but what the hell, I decided to pull the trigger and here I am now.

 

[marcusnieman]

Cool... congrats on a fine looking guitar.

I think the veneer is maple - sycamore is more flamey if I recall but I could be wrong.

Poly finish

Absolutely made in Japan in 09.

Let everyone know when the new baby arrives.

 

[Diamond]

I cant wait till you get the guitar, you are going to be blown away when you first lay your eyes on it...you wont believe how good it is.
Do me a favour when you get it, start a thread over at TGP and explain to those geniuses how great a Tokai is.

The poly is very thin and perfectly done, I struggle to see the difference between a nitro and Poly Tokai.
IMO, Nitro works well on a Strat, a Strat needs all the help it can get when it comes to resonance and sustain because of the screw on neck...but on a Les Paul set neck type guitar the resonance and sustain is there whether it's poly or nitro.

Many years ago I read a comment from a very knowledgeable member here, he said...Sycamore is maple.

 

[looktoyourorb]

Congratulations on your new axe.

I'll be shot for saying this but you'll see your LS compare rather nicely with a LP standard. Just be aware you may wake up in a few days/weeks wanting to buy another one.

All the best and keep on rocking.

 

[JohnnyKane]

Congratulations on your new axe.

I'll be shot for saying this but you'll see your LS compare rather nicely with a LP standard. Just be aware you may wake up in a few days/weeks wanting to buy another one.

All the best and keep on rocking.

I'm already doing math for an LS150....

Thanks for the comments and the replies, guys. I really can't wait to get it. It's gonna be at least a couple of weeks (probably more) until I get it, since I live in Panama, and Rich Tone is sending the guitar to Florida, where it will be forwarded to me in Panama, but as soon as I get it I'll promise a lot of pics and a review.

 

[JVsearch]

IMO, Nitro works well on a Strat, a Strat needs all the help it can get when it comes to resonance and sustain because of the screw on neck...but on a Les Paul set neck type guitar the resonance and sustain is there whether it's poly or nitro.

Interesting theory, but the screw on neck is not the reason why the Strat sounds the way it does when compared to the LP. There are about half a dozen other factors:

Scale length, bridge with very sharp string break angle, tremolo, thinner body and neck, different woods, and oh yeah single coil pickups.

There was a study done about neck joints and the bolt on neck proved to be the best joint for transferring vibrations, with the set neck coming in a close second. However all joints have a filter effect over some frequencies. This filter effect was not measured in the study, and I don't know how reliable the findings are.

 

[Anonymous]

Do me a favour when you get it, start a thread over at TGP and explain to those geniuses how great a Tokai is.

Sure, that's a great idea! Let everyone know what we already know about Tokais. Then the prices will go up, particularly on secondhand Tokais. So it will take you even longer to get that LS150...

In the UK, Goldstar prices have gone up by over 50% in the last couple of years, & I think it's largely our fault. And I'm as guilty as anyone.

Seriously guys, do we WANT everyone else to know? Let them enjoy their Gibsons, Epiphones, Mexican Fenders.....

Mike

 

[Anonymous]

IMO, Nitro works well on a Strat, a Strat needs all the help it can get when it comes to resonance and sustain because of the screw on neck...but on a Les Paul set neck type guitar the resonance and sustain is there whether it's poly or nitro.

Yeah every time I hear Hendrix playing a poly finished Strat, it always strikes me how he totally fails to get any sustain out of it....

:roll:

Strats won't sustain... :roll: Jesus, where do I start?

Diamond - that ain't the smartest comment you've ever made!

 

[Diamond]

lol

Hendrix had a Strat going into a fuzz pedal into 100 watt cranked Marshalls, he didn't need his Strat to sustain, through that rig any guitar sustains.

Are you comparing the sustain of a Strat to that of a Les Paul?

 

[Diamond]

Don't worry, Mike, I'll not say another good word about Tokais, and I'll do all I can to discourage guitarists around the world from joining this forum or buying Tokais...that way prices will remain low and you'll be able to continue finding bargains.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you comparing the sustain of a Strat to that of a Les Paul?

In a way, yes. It doesn't take much overdrive to get a decent Strat singing, it's just that LPs are fat in the midrange, but you can get as much bottom end out of a Strat on the neck pickup. Listen to Stevie.

:wink:

 

[Mole Man]

Do me a favour when you get it, start a thread over at TGP and explain to those geniuses how great a Tokai is.

Sure, that's a great idea! Let everyone know what we already know about Tokais. Then the prices will go up, particularly on secondhand Tokais. So it will take you even longer to get that LS150...

In the UK, Goldstar prices have gone up by over 50% in the last couple of years, & I think it's largely our fault. And I'm as guilty as anyone.

Seriously guys, do we WANT everyone else to know? Let them enjoy their Gibsons, Epiphones, Mexican Fenders.....

Mike

+1,000,000 to that!!!

I also kind of dislike how the internet in general and forums such as this fine one in particular have a tendency to just thow out all kinds of hitherto specialist, hard won knowledge and experience so folk whose only thought is to grab an underpriced guitar on ebay can use and abuse it. It's all great until the new convert suddenly bids ?10 over your head, and then you're gone, you're done... Dammit we're creating our own bidding competition on here!!

(In a grumpy mood, sorry).

Darren

 

[Diamond]

Do me a favour when you get it, start a thread over at TGP and explain to those geniuses how great a Tokai is.

Sure, that's a great idea! Let everyone know what we already know about Tokais. Then the prices will go up, particularly on secondhand Tokais. So it will take you even longer to get that LS150...

In the UK, Goldstar prices have gone up by over 50% in the last couple of years, & I think it's largely our fault. And I'm as guilty as anyone.

Seriously guys, do we WANT everyone else to know? Let them enjoy their Gibsons, Epiphones, Mexican Fenders.....

Mike

+1,000,000 to that!!!

I also kind of dislike how the internet in general and forums such as this fine one in particular have a tendency to just thow out all kinds of hitherto specialist, hard won knowledge and experience so folk whose only thought is to grab an underpriced guitar on ebay can use and abuse it. It's all great until the new convert suddenly bids ?10 over your head, and then you're gone, you're done... Dammit we're creating our own bidding competition on here!!

(In a grumpy mood, sorry).

Darren

Once upon a time we were all new converts.

 

[Axchisler]

Great thread, lmao! To answer some of JohnnyKanes ??? though... I'm pretty sure the 90 is Sycamore but, who can tell the difference? Here's a 100 w quilt maple:

From what these great guys here have taught me 8) . Yours is a poly finish, 2009.

The other guitar pictured is an LS230 custom koa top. Other than looks I can tell you that both play incredible, and I actually like the sound of the 100 better (both are '08 models btw).

I can't disagree with looktoyourorb. Two months ago I had little knowledge about Tokai, now I have two and an Orville due to arrive tomorrow ! Be careful!

Was your King V anything like this one?

I bought this when I was in a Metallica tribute a few years ago and have owned more than half a dozen as well as RR1 V's. All were outstanding guitars and I got them all for great deals for USA made craftsmanship. I'm not as much into the metal scene now though and always wanted a nice Les Paul, but could never justify paying $3000+ for one, and I never found one I really liked in shops. Then I heard about Tokai and it was over. Know anyone looking for a nice USA King V? :wink:

Hey Stratman323, about bottom end, Les Pauls have a neck pickup too ya know 8) .

BTW that Agile looks pretty sweet! Are those real mop inlays!

Must look away, must look away, must look away.................

Keep this all to yourself tho...

 

[JohnnyKane]

Great thread, lmao! To answer some of JohnnyKanes ??? though... I'm pretty sure the 90 is Sycamore but, who can tell the difference? Here's a 100 w quilt maple:

From what these great guys here have taught me 8) . Yours is a poly finish, 2009.

The other guitar pictured is an LS230 custom koa top. Other than looks I can tell you that both play incredible, and I actually like the sound of the 100 better (both are '08 models btw).

I can't disagree with looktoyourorb. Two months ago I had little knowledge about Tokai, now I have two and an Orville due to arrive tomorrow ! Be careful!

Was your King V anything like this one?

I bought this when I was in a Metallica tribute a few years ago and have owned more than half a dozen as well as RR1 V's. All were outstanding guitars and I got them all for great deals for USA made craftsmanship. I'm not as much into the metal scene now though and always wanted a nice Les Paul, but could never justify paying $3000+ for one, and I never found one I really liked in shops. Then I heard about Tokai and it was over. Know anyone looking for a nice USA King V? :wink:

Hey Stratman323, about bottom end, Les Pauls have a neck pickup too ya know 8) .

BTW that Agile looks pretty sweet! Are those real mop inlays!

Must look away, must look away, must look away.................

Keep this all to yourself tho...

My King V looked like this:

The Agile IS pretty sweet. I love her. She has low action and sounds great (although the neck pickup is kinda muddy and I'm thinking of changing both for Toneriders). The inlay is abalone, actually, not MOP.

 

[JohnnyKane]

Ah, forgot to say what I wanted to say. Just got an e-mail from Rich Tone Music this morning. They received the bank wire and now I have a UPS tracking number.

I can't wait to get this guitar.

 

[Spell]

Congrats!

That LS90Q HDC is a great looking guitar and I'm sure it have a great sound! I'm now starting to save some money to buy one. Like someone said, if you ever buy one you will end up wanting more and more lol that's what is happening to me lol

Cheers!
Migul Santos