Trouble Dating my axe..

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A

Anonymous

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serial number is 1-1-0-2-0-0-6

i have looked thru the 'date yo axe' section in the gibson section but can find no 7 digit equivalent of years. If any of you can help me, please reply, =-)

spec:
LP classic with stock ceramic magnet pickup
honeyburst, etc (my details are in the gibson db section)

happy axing,
mizu
 
Tokai Love Rock Model #1102006
LS-50 (1982)
Vintage Cherry Burst
w/ modified pickups

[Anonymously Posted by: 'toneshun']
 
I can get a ST-65 Tokai,but I don,t know anything about this model.Anybody can help me?There is no such on catalogues in this site.I was told by salesman he couldn,t tell me body wood was made,but this was a japanese guitar.The price asked is 19800 yen used.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'luis']
 
Luis, that price converts to approx $162 (US), if its in any shape at all I would buy it. The 65 indicated that the guitar is a replica of a 1965 Fender model (not sure if its a Tele or Strat). The date can be approximated by the headstock and logo script. If they are exactly like a Fender then the guitar was made sometime before '84-'81, if the headstock is only similar then after those dates.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ned']
 
Ned,the serial number is L-30603.Could this means any similar to Fender L series?

[Anonymously Posted by: 'luis']
 
Ned - re your point about the '65' in ST-65 representing 1965 as the replica year. I don't think this is true - as far as I can see, for all Tokai models since the dawn of time, the figure is the retail price of the guitar in Yen. LS-320 = Y320,000, ES-100 - Y100,000, etc. Certainly it's the way all the Tokai catalogues work

Barry

[Anonymously Posted by: 'barry']
 
Barry,

I think that scheme only applies to the Gibson replicas. I believe the number in the Fender reps indicate which year is copied.

Luis, Not sure about the L.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ned']
 
The ST-65 was a AST-56 really.I asked salesman again and he was a mistake.The colour is vintage white.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'luis']
 
Hi Ned

Re the model numbering, I'm 99% convinced; it's certainly a source of confusion amongst owners and traders alike. Check the catalogues that have prices on your site, and you can see that the Fender clones (ST, TE, PB, JB) also have the same Yen-model number relationship as the Gibsons.

I had always wondered why there was (and still is) a "50" sticker on the back of my early 1980s, owned from new, Tokai Strat, when it's obviously a rosewood neck 1962 Strat replica, not a 1950s replica. It's clear to me now that it's an ST-50.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'barry']
 
No problem. That makes sense, for some reason the rosewood neck on a 50's model never caught my attention but I should definately know better.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'ned']
 
I've got a "50" sticker on the back of the headstock on my guitar too, however my guitar is a Love Rock so that would dispel the ST-50 theory.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'kent']
 
Just read an article and I'm waiting for the author to give me permission to post it on the site. But the Fender replicas TST-56 and TST-62 refer to the year being copied.

The water seems to be getting murkier instead of clearer with this issue.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ned']
 
Hi Ned,
Looks like your move went well! I wanted to add something to the confusion...I have 2 ast62's and 2 ast 56's , 3 of them I bought here in Dallas at Whittle Music in Oak Lawn in 1981 they are all made in Japan! I recently bought a Fiesta Red AST 56 on E bay for $350 it also is a made in Japan from 80-81 ...Until Mikes started selling them on line I was not aware of the Korean Guitars/ Love Rocks etc... My early 80's Love Rock LS70 flame top burst #5025124 is from what year? Huh? Thanks!

[Anonymously Posted by: 'mark harvey']
 
Mark,

I think the A=Korea is a relatively new thing, although not sure when exactly.

Yes move went well and we are now finally settled in and loving Austin.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ned']
 
I cannot believe how much information there is regarding Tokai Guitars!! Incredible! Anyhow, I have a question not unlike a couple of other fellows on this board. I went to a flea-market a couple of weeks ago and picket up a Tokai, I didn?t pay much for it and did not really have high hopes whether it was in working order or not. But was I surprised when I put on some new strings and plugged it in, it played beautifully! My question is this: How old is this guitar and how much would you say it is worth? It is B/W in MINT condition, s/n L14979. Any response is appreciated, thank you.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Niklas']
 
Niklas, you don't mention what type of guitar it is but the L serial numbers were normally used on Tokai's Fender '64 replicas, both Strat and Tele (same as Fender's own serials). It's probably a TST-50 strat or a TTE-50 tele and probably dates from 1984 or 85. Tokai's were not available in Sweden earlier than '84. The 50 series was probably the most sold Tokai strat/tele's in Sweden. Look for a small oval gold decal on the back of the neck where it joins the body, it tells the model no of the guitar. It's probably missing, I guess a lot of people removed them. If you want more info you can send me an e-mail.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Michael']
 
Thanks Michael - I think we've found an expert. Please continue to contribute as you seem to know a lot about Tokai's and their history.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ned']
 
Hi Michael, maybe you can help date my Tokai tele ... It has a Fender shaped headstock, a thicker (non-spaghetti) Tokai logo with the legend Breezysound below it. The serial # is 21820, it's black with a rosewood neck and a retro-styled six saddle ashtray bridge/tailpiece. I got it real cheap a coupla years back here in London, it's wonderful, I do my Steve Cropper schtick on it. Thanks in advance, Joe :smile:

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Joe Presedo']
 
Joe, I just stumbled on the fact that Tokai used the same serials on their '64 replicas. Probably the '57 replicas with maple necks also used the same numbering as Fender did. Maybe they used the same type of numbering for all Fender replicas, in that case we will be able to determine which model year the replica is supposed to be, it doesn't always say that on the headstock. The 84-85 Traditional Series catalog tells you what model year the guitars are supposed to be, for example TST-50 strat rosewood='64 and maple='57. The problem is determining when the guitar was made. If you remove the neck and pickguard you'll find some numbers there but I haven't been able to find out anything from them.

Ned, you seem to have been in contact with the Tokai factory, is there any possibility to get some information from them on how to date the guitar? I have a strat (off white/maple neck) myself that's supposed to be late 80's but I don't know what model it is, it used to have Tokai's modified headstock but someone has made it to look like the real thing again (the rounded top part is a little smaller but it actually gives the headstock better proportions). It has a 6-digit serial no and cheaper tuners (not Kluson type), I would guess it's an AST-40.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Michael']
 

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