MattThorpe
Well-known member
If you think your Tokai MK II pickups sound a bit thin, weak or limp or maybe you have changed them already for something having a more satisfying fuller tone, then read on.
Don?t discard the MKII pickups they have great potential ! The problem is probably the pickup magnets. It seems to be a quality problem where the magnets get inconsistent strength of charge. Some will be OK though!!
For whatever reason my magnets were inconsistently charged.
This is quite a cheap and easy fix ! I'm so glad I didn't get rid of these Tokai pups when I originally decided to change them. If you correct the magnet charge these pups sound better than Gibson Burstbucker Pro IMO.
In 2008/9 I bought two new Tokai LS Love Rocks. The first an LS150F which at the time the catalogue spec. stated this had PAF Mk 1 pickups. They look like the ones identified as Keiyo on other threads in this forum. They have a nickel-silver base plate with long legs, 4 brass screws, a deep nickel silver nickel plated cover and western electric style braided wire. They measure DC kohms as 7.7k neck and about 11.4k bridge. These are probably actually Mk IIs.
These pickups were very weak sounding and so without much thought I changed them.
The second guitar I got was an LS80 definitively described as having Mk II pickups. These pups looked identical to the first though DC resistence on the bridge was nearer 12k. These sounded better than the others although the bridge proved a little too thin sounding and so I changed it.
Since those days I have done quite a lot of research into pickup making and have spent many many hours experimenting with different components, base, magnets, pole pieces, covers, coils and listening critically to the results.
My disection of all pickups I could get hold of including the Tokai ones and this research led to discovering that everything about the design of the MKII was right. They are in fact made of almost identical materials to most of Gibson?s humbucker range and similar to Seymour Duncans too. I have some Gibson Burstbuckers, 490Rs and 498Ts also Duncan JB?s and Customs. The MKII bridge has potential to be closer to a 498T with the right magnet. The MKII neck is similar to a 490R or maybe a Burstbucker #1 or SD Seth Lover.
The MK1? II? (LS150F) pups had very very weak magnets - for some reason.
The MK11's (LS80) were a little stronger but the bridge was the weakest.
A friends LS100Q magnet strength was fine.
Eventually I got some rare earth magnets which I then used to re-charge pickup magnets. I use a pair of neodymium magnets. Neo magnets are cheap and don't need to be large. Mine are 25mm in diameter and 5mm thick. They are N38 spec with about 7KG pulling power. WARNING! If you decide to get some they can be dangerous!! ? if they collide they may shatter or if you get your finger in the way you can get some nasty cuts or blisters. Read the Safety notices.
Best way to charge the pup magnets is to use a metal vise (vice) and carefully place a neodymium magnet each side of the jaws so that the neodymium magnets attract each other.
NOTE: Magnetisation on a pickup magnet is across the width NOT along the length.
The 'North' side of the pickup magnet is the thinnest longest edge that faces the 'slug pole piece' coil where south is the opposite edge facing the 'screw pole piece' coil, when inside the pickup. Replace the mag with exactly the same orientation.
To remove the magnet from the MKII pickup. Release the two solder blobs holding the cover onto the back plate and carefully remove the cover. Then loosen the four brass screws on the back plate but do not remove. Now carefully, from the end that has the coil wires, push the magnet through the centre of the pickup and out of the opposite end. There may be some resistance, due to wax, gently prise the magnet loose from the coil and back plate surfaces. Be careful as the wires to the coils are fragile.
You can use a compass to identify the North edge of the magnet. Clearly the North edge is the one that attracts south on the compass.
Best to identify the North edge with a marker pen.
The Neo mags on the vice jaws need to be identified as North or South. I have mine as follows. As you face the vice ? the neo mag on the far side should be facing you as ?North? The magnet on the jaw near to you should be ?South?.
I wrap the pickup magnet in a sheet of paper (still noting where North is!) to stop it touching the Neo magnets. Gently slide the pickup magnet with its North side facing you between the Neo magnets from left to right and visa-versa. Pass it through slowly two or three times. Do not change the orientation ! Keep North facing you!
Re assemble the pickup.
The 'North' side of the pickup magnet faces the 'slug pole piece' coil where south is the opposite edge facing the 'screw pole piece' coil, when inside the pickup.
These really are great sounding pickups.
The original magnets in the original pickups put back into the LS150F sound absolutely gorgeous and have plenty of volume and a fullness and warmth of tone never before heard !
I hope this is of interest !
Don?t discard the MKII pickups they have great potential ! The problem is probably the pickup magnets. It seems to be a quality problem where the magnets get inconsistent strength of charge. Some will be OK though!!
For whatever reason my magnets were inconsistently charged.
This is quite a cheap and easy fix ! I'm so glad I didn't get rid of these Tokai pups when I originally decided to change them. If you correct the magnet charge these pups sound better than Gibson Burstbucker Pro IMO.
In 2008/9 I bought two new Tokai LS Love Rocks. The first an LS150F which at the time the catalogue spec. stated this had PAF Mk 1 pickups. They look like the ones identified as Keiyo on other threads in this forum. They have a nickel-silver base plate with long legs, 4 brass screws, a deep nickel silver nickel plated cover and western electric style braided wire. They measure DC kohms as 7.7k neck and about 11.4k bridge. These are probably actually Mk IIs.
These pickups were very weak sounding and so without much thought I changed them.
The second guitar I got was an LS80 definitively described as having Mk II pickups. These pups looked identical to the first though DC resistence on the bridge was nearer 12k. These sounded better than the others although the bridge proved a little too thin sounding and so I changed it.
Since those days I have done quite a lot of research into pickup making and have spent many many hours experimenting with different components, base, magnets, pole pieces, covers, coils and listening critically to the results.
My disection of all pickups I could get hold of including the Tokai ones and this research led to discovering that everything about the design of the MKII was right. They are in fact made of almost identical materials to most of Gibson?s humbucker range and similar to Seymour Duncans too. I have some Gibson Burstbuckers, 490Rs and 498Ts also Duncan JB?s and Customs. The MKII bridge has potential to be closer to a 498T with the right magnet. The MKII neck is similar to a 490R or maybe a Burstbucker #1 or SD Seth Lover.
The MK1? II? (LS150F) pups had very very weak magnets - for some reason.
The MK11's (LS80) were a little stronger but the bridge was the weakest.
A friends LS100Q magnet strength was fine.
Eventually I got some rare earth magnets which I then used to re-charge pickup magnets. I use a pair of neodymium magnets. Neo magnets are cheap and don't need to be large. Mine are 25mm in diameter and 5mm thick. They are N38 spec with about 7KG pulling power. WARNING! If you decide to get some they can be dangerous!! ? if they collide they may shatter or if you get your finger in the way you can get some nasty cuts or blisters. Read the Safety notices.
Best way to charge the pup magnets is to use a metal vise (vice) and carefully place a neodymium magnet each side of the jaws so that the neodymium magnets attract each other.
NOTE: Magnetisation on a pickup magnet is across the width NOT along the length.
The 'North' side of the pickup magnet is the thinnest longest edge that faces the 'slug pole piece' coil where south is the opposite edge facing the 'screw pole piece' coil, when inside the pickup. Replace the mag with exactly the same orientation.
To remove the magnet from the MKII pickup. Release the two solder blobs holding the cover onto the back plate and carefully remove the cover. Then loosen the four brass screws on the back plate but do not remove. Now carefully, from the end that has the coil wires, push the magnet through the centre of the pickup and out of the opposite end. There may be some resistance, due to wax, gently prise the magnet loose from the coil and back plate surfaces. Be careful as the wires to the coils are fragile.
You can use a compass to identify the North edge of the magnet. Clearly the North edge is the one that attracts south on the compass.
Best to identify the North edge with a marker pen.
The Neo mags on the vice jaws need to be identified as North or South. I have mine as follows. As you face the vice ? the neo mag on the far side should be facing you as ?North? The magnet on the jaw near to you should be ?South?.
I wrap the pickup magnet in a sheet of paper (still noting where North is!) to stop it touching the Neo magnets. Gently slide the pickup magnet with its North side facing you between the Neo magnets from left to right and visa-versa. Pass it through slowly two or three times. Do not change the orientation ! Keep North facing you!
Re assemble the pickup.
The 'North' side of the pickup magnet faces the 'slug pole piece' coil where south is the opposite edge facing the 'screw pole piece' coil, when inside the pickup.
These really are great sounding pickups.
The original magnets in the original pickups put back into the LS150F sound absolutely gorgeous and have plenty of volume and a fullness and warmth of tone never before heard !
I hope this is of interest !
