Yet another help me identify my Love Rock

[ansla]

Hi All,

Can you help me determine the model of my Love Rock? I've searched the forum, the catalogs, other websites etc. and still can't make up what it is. At first I thought it could've been a Japanese Love Rock, but I'm leaning towards Korean.

Here are some pics of it: http://s605.photobucket.com/albums/tt131/ansla78/Tokai

I thought it could be a MIJ, since the previous owner told me that the one before him said it was from the 80s. AFAIK, the Korean production didn't start before mid-nineties. The general feel from looking and playing along with the fretwear suggests that it is made early nineties, late eighties. The TRC has only two screws (no third hole on the headstock), the nippled headstock was used in '85-'86 (Catalog pics: Link 1 and Link 2) for export models from Japan. Also at that time the MIJ exports model name were ALS, which could also be the reason the previous owner thought it is Korean.

The bridge on the other hand says Korean, right? As does the two rectangular/oval router marks at the bottom of the pickup cavity and the lack of a serial number.

As you see, the guitar is not all original. The pickups are Seymour Duncans (neck sh2, bridge sh1) and the mini-switches are for coil-split and out-of-phase. Great sounds in there, I really like these options. I also like the visual aspect, the dark burst with the flamed top looks amazing. Any help to determine the approximated age or model will be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Ozeshin]

Weeeeelll......it IS Korean.
The lack of a serial number and the fact that the bridge posts screw into collars points to this.
MiJ models have the bridge screwed directly into the body with no threaded collars.
It SHOULD be a Basswood body/Sycamore laminate and maple neck.
Not sure of the model number but pretty sure of that part.

 

[leadguitar_323]

Hi mate, just curious, why start another thread about this guitar?


Mick

 

[leadguitar_323]

Early dimpled Tokai's {80's models} were US market only, the UK models didn't get the dimple until a long time later. The fittings on the guitar suggest Korean as no Japanese models had the bridge post inserts, the, what looks like a long tenon, has me a bit confused. It will be a laminate top. Not too sure of early Korean body materials. The 2 links you posted are irrelevant as they are MIJ models and early US market.

Mick

 

[ansla]

Hi mate, just curious, why start another thread about this guitar?


Mick

Hi Mick,

Mainly because the other subforum (if that's what they are called) is meant for pre-1985s. With your help I now know it is not that old. What didn't come up was the model, and since it is post-'85, this would be the place to enquire about it? I guess most people, at least the more knowledgeable ones, read both subforums, so in that sense it was perhaps a bit pointless...

On the other hand, Ozeshin already had some information in his post that didn't come up earlier, about the woods used. Thanks for that, by the way! I think I'll need to weigh the guitar. From what I've read, basswood should be pretty light and the guitar isn't all that light.

 

[leadguitar_323]

Alder was also used on earlier Korean models and would weigh more.
Can you get some pics of the grain of the wood on the back?

Mick

 

[ansla]

Early dimpled Tokai's {80's models} were US market only, the UK models didn't get the dimple until a long time later. The fittings on the guitar suggest Korean as no Japanese models had the bridge post inserts, the, what looks like a long tenon, has me a bit confused. It will be a laminate top. Not too sure of early Korean body materials. The 2 links you posted are irrelevant as they are MIJ models and early US market.

Mick

I think I have missed the dimpled headstock in UK models when reading about these guitars. I thought that was used for North American markets only. Thanks for that! Do you know from which year the UK models had that?

Yes, those were MIJ models for early US markets. The guitar in the 2nd pic (ALS80HS) just seemed so much alike that I thought I'd post it.

 

[ansla]

Alder was also used on earlier Korean models and would weigh more.
Can you get some pics of the grain of the wood on the back?

Mick

I uploaded a couple I have here at work (ahem). If you need better ones, I can upload them when I get home. The one with the dent is from below the pot cavity, a pretty common place if the strap fails and the guitar falls down. You may seem the grain a bit better there without the laquer. I also uploaded one with the guitar in the case it came with. Not sure if that is original.

Forgot to ask: was the dimple for UK models or all of Europe? I'm in in Finland as was the seller.

 

[leadguitar_323]

I would be more inclined to say alder after seeing those pics, if it was basswood you would have a nice dent where the finish is missing as it is very soft, the pics aren't that good as far as looking at the grain but where it is chipped and inside the cavity shots the smooth tight grain look like alder as well, some better pics would help. The white or cream covers are also a Korean thing. The UK and Euro members will let you know when the "dimple" started in Europe.

Mick

 

[ansla]

Thanks Mick, you've been very helpful! I'll try to take some better pics of the grain later.

It is easy enough for a newbie to get confused even with the more common models, let alone one these oddities. It seems to have features from both MIK and MIJ models and I just can't figure it out on my own. It is definitely starting to look like a MIK, but I'm still pretty clueless about the model.

 

[ansla]

Ok, I uploaded a couple of pics of the backside of the guitar. The backside is pretty dark and doesn't show much grain, but if you know the wood, you should be able to recognize it. So... Anyone got a clue about which model I got?

 

[leadguitar_323]

I would think, looking at the grain in that one that it is Alder.Basswood doesn't have much of a grain and i can clearly see long stripes in the grain on that one. I am curious to know how these sound with Alder as a back material because i like the tone of alder in strats over Ash, so iam interested to know how it sounds on a LP.

Mick

 

[leadguitar_323]

Hmmmm, after doing a bit of searching it could also be basswood. It has some dark lines in it and a few of the pictures of basswood i saw have that same colouring. Sorry i am not being to helpful this time.

Alder

Basswood

Mick