This one's for sale in Japan right now. And I'm pretty sure it's the earliest ST I've seen, at least.
It's a Tokai ST-42BB Springy Sound with serial 7000131, so 1977 and possibly the 131st ST ever built... if the serials were truly and correctly sequential. So basically a pre-production guitar. Note the small neck plate.
B-stamped pickguard with the black-bobbin pickups seen in the earliest ST and a brass control shield. The 2037 stamp is new to me. It could possibly be a reverse date (something seen in other MIJs from time to time, notably Fernandes instruments), if so it could be Feb 30th or March 2nd 1977. Or something else entirely... seems a bit early to be a manufacture date, doesn't it?
Very clean warranty, dated 53/3/5, 53 being the imperial calendar date for 1978 (year 53 of the Showa era, i e Hirohito's reign). I would assume that this points to a late 1977 manufacture date. Love the bridge cover and tools.
Quite a clean guitar, well-played but also well taken care of.
It's be interesting to see what it sells for. A lowly 42, but early enough to be historically significant. I can see the serious collectors coming out in force for this one.
It's a Tokai ST-42BB Springy Sound with serial 7000131, so 1977 and possibly the 131st ST ever built... if the serials were truly and correctly sequential. So basically a pre-production guitar. Note the small neck plate.
B-stamped pickguard with the black-bobbin pickups seen in the earliest ST and a brass control shield. The 2037 stamp is new to me. It could possibly be a reverse date (something seen in other MIJs from time to time, notably Fernandes instruments), if so it could be Feb 30th or March 2nd 1977. Or something else entirely... seems a bit early to be a manufacture date, doesn't it?
Very clean warranty, dated 53/3/5, 53 being the imperial calendar date for 1978 (year 53 of the Showa era, i e Hirohito's reign). I would assume that this points to a late 1977 manufacture date. Love the bridge cover and tools.
Quite a clean guitar, well-played but also well taken care of.
It's be interesting to see what it sells for. A lowly 42, but early enough to be historically significant. I can see the serious collectors coming out in force for this one.
