Tokai and Fernandes

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guitar-steve

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I recently got a cheap used sunburst Fernandes Tele Custom Copy "The Revival" in sunburst with a beautiful binding. A fine player for sure. Is it true that Fernandes and Tokai guitars are (were) made in the same factory?
 
As far I am concerned maybe some Fernandes could be made by Tokai,but most Fernandes are made by Fuji Gakki,where Fender Japan are made also.That,s the reason why Fernandes are so good as Fenders and better priced.You don,t have to pay for the trademark.
 
Currently Tokai is manufacturing Fender Japan models. This is why you won't see new Fender replica's in the US as Fender is currently one of Tokai's biggest customers.
 
I understand from a couple of people in Japan that Tokai and Fernandes came out of the same factory gate in the 70s and 80s. Fernandes were only available for a couple of years in the mid-80s here in the UK. The UK distributor at the time was Blue Suede Music who also distributed Tokai. I think there was a slightly higher price for the Fernandes guitars but they covered pretty much the same range of replicas and pointy headed metal-orientated guitars. The model numbers were similar so instead of TST you had RST, instead of TTE you has RTE. Fernandes now have a Uk distributor based in South Wales and is separate from Tokai UK. I see a few places locally such as South Wales Music Exchange with the new line of Fernandes guitars which seems to be the LP type guitars and st/te with the politically correct headstock (the not so nice one). Prices for the sts are ?399 or thereabouts and made in Japan. I know the US operation carries a much wider range of guitars but they're only starting up again here so they'll probably stick with what they know will sell. If you come across the brand 'Burny,' probably an LP or SG copy, this was, and maybe still is, Fernandes' brand in Japan for Gibson copies. So, to sum up, they probably were related to Tokai in the 70s and 80s, probably not now.
 
I agree with you Tommy.But it is very tricky to tell a high quality Fernandes guitar from another model as there is no clear names as Tokai does.I have on my own a cosumer,s office blind test from 1.996 and Fernandes models were the winners,better than Fender USA models,R8 model in particular.I have some information about telecasters replicas from spanish importer also.But for 90,s models only.
 
Hi TommyR
is it possible to getin touch with Blue Suede Music? I'm sure they would have heaps of information to help with Tokai, even some old catalogs. Ask him about the "Tokai is coming" ad campaign they did in 1982 and see if you can get a copy of the ad to post. It is quite "tittilating"
I did have an original 1984-5 Fernandes catalog but threw it out around 5 years ago.
sorry.

regards Peter

 
Peter I have seen a 77 Tokai catalogue cover on a Japanese site so I suppose they have this one.This the adess(no www) http.//sound.jp/retrobazar.
About the pups my ast-56 ones have no letters and no numbers on them.
 
I think Blue Suede is now defunct Peter. The new distributor is Sutherland Trading Company. It would be really interesting to see some of the mid-80s Fernandes catalogues alongside the Tokai ones for a comparison. If any readers have access to the UK magazine Guitarist with copies from 86,87 or 88 (mine were thrown out) I'd say there would be some reviews and advertising there.
 
I noticed a slight difference between my ast-56?(I am driving to a ast-56 neck and a ast-62 body)tokai an a Fernandes Revival series from 90,s strato.My ast got 8 screws on the pickguard as opposite as 9 on the fernandes.
 

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