Tokai ST50 1978 on the way

[Omiewise65]

https://de.stageguitarservice.com/product-page/tokai-st50-springy-sound-japan-1978
I have bought this guitar from a Switzerland dealer . Checked the serial number of the neckplate.
6004734
Sold as 1978 Springy sound ST50
Emerson wiring and pots and U stamped pups.
It is still on the way , so I can’t check it
Does this smell fishy to you guys , or am I only paranoid?
Please check the pics , thanks
Michael

 

[Sigmania]

If that is actually the number on the neck plate, then it is the wrong neck plate.

It is possible that the serial number is stamped on the neck pocket depending on when in 1978 it was made.

Size of neck plate will also help in dating it.

See other examples of early Springys here:

The Earliest Springys

 

[Omiewise65]

Have to wait a couple of days until it has arrived and I can take it apart.
Is the skunk stripe of the neck legit for a 78 springy st 50 ?

 

[Sigmania]

Look through that thread and you will answer a lot of your own questions. In a word, yes.

 

[Omiewise65]

on the 5th pic I can see 50 stamped into the neck , like on my LS50 .
Other early Springys doesn’t seem to have these stamps ….
Am I right here ?

 

[Omiewise65]

Thanks so far , very appreciated

 

[Sigmania]

on the 5th pic I can see 50 stamped into the neck , like on my LS50 .
Other early Springys doesn’t seem to have these stamps ….
Am I right here ?

You should look at the thread I linked....

 

[Omiewise65]

Finally got my ST-50 BB from a swiss pro seller . 1978BB Potis changed to CTS , Emmerson wiring . Pickguard 1ply white (which looks so wrong !) .
U stamped pickups , glad with them !
Very light body , compared to my Classic Player 60s MiIM Fender .
Great player , can’t put it down !
I’m a happy camper !
Thanks Tokai

 

[Omiewise65]

Well , it’s only a 50 and you guys own the one’s with the extra bling .
But hey , I love it . Glad I‘ve got her .

 

[Sigmania]

....Checked the serial number of the neckplate.
6004734

This is what was throwing me. You had written a 6 when it was supposed to be an 8.

Congratulations!

I can't see the whole neck plate, but it is one of the earliest ones with the number on the plate. Very cool.

And ST50 guitars are awesome. Is it a U shaped neck?

If you pull off the pick guard, the model number may also be stamped in the neck pickup compartment as well or in the neck pocket.

Enjoy and HNGD!

 

[Sigmania]

And 1 ply is correct for a 50s maple neck.

 

[Sigmania]

1978 catalog






1978 Vol 1 & 2 catalog shots




VintAxe scans

 

[siamackz]

I have a few ST 100s with “the extra bling” but my humble ST-42 is my go to guitar So enjoy this lovely instrument!

 

[bigbadjohn]

I have a 1978 ST60 when I bought it last year it had only been out of its case 3 times from new

 

[Sigmania]

Wow! That’s an extremely low number to be on the neck plate.

That is a very very unusual guitar

And looks pristine.

 

[bigbadjohn]

Yes, I never took much notice until today when I posted Pictures as you will know 78 was the beginning of neck plate serials or the bigger size. I am lucky to have it for the sake of $20
I took a 40 mins ferry journey somebody nearly bought it the night before he wanted $700 cad and was offered 680 which he would not accept he was true to his word not even 699 so I paid 700 I think the local guy thought he could come back later and get it for less.
At first, I thought it was a fake being so pristine
He had a nice Breezy Tele that was all beat up unlike mine.

 

[bigbadjohn]

I just found one same as mine a little earlier buy surprisingly a higher serial number

very first model with small neck-plate and no ser.no.

https://www.vintage-guitar.de/fullresolution_1524_en.html

 

[ATO]

Yes, I never took much notice until today when I posted Pictures as you will know 78 was the beginning of neck plate serials or the bigger size. I am lucky to have it for the sake of $20
I took a 40 mins ferry journey somebody nearly bought it the night before he wanted $700 cad and was offered 680 which he would not accept he was true to his word not even 699 so I paid 700 I think the local guy thought he could come back later and get it for less.
At first, I thought it was a fake being so pristine
He had a nice Breezy Tele that was all beat up unlike mine.

Wow that's £430 GBP, what a bargain!

 

[Sigmania]

I'm still struggling with this one.

There should not be a serial number this low on a neck plate. They start around 8002000.

And looks like it is the wider plate.

Is there a fretboard stamp at the end of the fretboard? It's hard to see in the photos.

Also, if you take the neck off, can you tell us if there is a serial number also stamped in the neck pocket?

 

[Sigmania]

I think the number on that neck plate, 8000690, is some sort of error.

If it was actually that serial number it would have the narrower neck plate and the number stamped in ink in the neck pocket.

In order for your guitar to have been made then they would have had to re-tool the production line, make your guitar, then switch back to the narrow hole pattern and make another couple thousand more guitars before switching again.

My guess is that someone screwed up setting up whatever machine stamped the numbers on the plates that day.

I'll keep an eye out. Maybe a bunch were done before they caught the mistake, but yours is the only one I have seen so far.

Meanwhile, could you measure the outside of your neck plate and the distance between the holes, center to center? That would help date it.

And you may want to check out this thread.

The Earliest Springys