Why aren't you bothered that it doesn't say GIBSON?

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pages plexitone

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Ok, probably not an issue if you're on this forum right! :D But I have buddies that just have to have that Gibson or Fender name on the headstock. All my Nihonjin buddies wouldn't take a Navigator or a Tokai or a Greco if you gave it to them!

And that's cool, I can't fault them for that. I'm that way about certain things too I guess. But guitars, man, I'll play all the good ones. I don't care who's name appears on the headstock!

I have Edwards and Tokai and Fender Japan and Gibsons and they are all cool! I play out with my Tokai LS custom and actually have had guys come up and say "That's a copy!" like it was a filthy thing and I was busted! 8)

My #1 happens to be a Gibson standard that I stumbled into and the stars aligned on the day it was made. Just a '99 swiss-cheese standard but sound and playability-wise it's perfect?! I've had some really really bad Gibsons in my hands too (as I'm sure many of you have). :p Like the guys in Nashville were drunk!

I'm drawn to Tokai because of their consistency. As I'm sure many of you are. And I have a beautiful flame top for less than what I'd have to pony up for a new GIbbie standard.
 
I guess if you're into trendy labels then get the Gibson. If you're into music get what sounds good. Do you drive a porsche and wear Jimmy Choos too?
 
I'm not bothered because no matter what the name says my Tokai is the best Les Paul I've ever played.

I'm all about the product, not the name. Some people just don't understand that, and it keeps prices down for the rest of us :lol:
 
Funny you should mention. My first Tokai actually says Gibson on the headstock. It was so well done it became a buying point for me... That everyone would think it's a Gibbo, then I tell them no it's a Tokai, and then they're like "really?" "No way." :wink:

LesPaulTokai.jpg


Nope, it's a Tokai 8) .
 
I'm kind of the opposite of most people I guess. I like having an obscure name on my headstocks, Seymour Duncan being my favourite. OK, not an obscure name as such, but an obscure name on a headstock. The idea of having a Fender Custom Shop equivalent guitar for the price of a Mexi-strat appeals as well.

One part of it comes from having lived in countries (Australia, NZ, UK) where the American brands are ridiculously over-priced, leading me to look at cheaper alternatives. The other part is that I'm morally opposed to intellectual property rights, but that is a whole other story.
 
Paladin2019 said:
I'm all about the product, not the name. Some people just don't understand that, and it keeps prices down for the rest of us :lol:

yeah, same here :lol: at the start i was annoyed that all these good brands were so cheap, then i realised it meant i could buy them cheaply so I got over it rather quickly.

youami said:
I'm kind of the opposite of most people I guess. I like having an obscure name on my headstocks

yeah, same here. :lol:

I wouldn't necessarily say I'm morally against intellectual property, in fact I'm probably in favour of it, to a certain extent anyway. If you invent something good, you should be rewarded. I'm just against it when it's used as an excuse for profiteering, and as an excuse to sue/prevent competition.
 
Paladin2019 said:
I'm not bothered because no matter what the name says my Tokai is the best Les Paul I've ever played.

I'm all about the product, not the name. Some people just don't understand that, and it keeps prices down for the rest of us :lol:

Agree 100%
 
I think Tokai is a cool brand. If people choose to believe that I play a Tokai because I can't afford a Fender, well that's up to them isn't it? I won't lose any sleep over it.

Mike
 
Axchisler said:
Funny you should mention. My first Tokai actually says Gibson on the headstock. It was so well done it became a buying point for me... That everyone would think it's a Gibbo, then I tell them no it's a Tokai, and then they're like "really?" "No way." :wink:

LesPaulTokai.jpg


Nope, it's a Tokai 8) .

man, that's great dude! I should have that done so that when someone goes "that Gibson is awesome" I could flip it over and show the MIJ stamp :D Ok, I won't do that...but it sounds cool!
 
"Why aren't you bothered that it doesn't say GIBSON?"

Because I already have a Gibson and happen to think that Tokai are better!
 
i've taken all my MIJ Tokais to a top luthier for a set up over the years

he's seen everything in his time 50's and 60's fenders and Gibsons etc

and has built a few guitars as well ...but he always comments on how well

Tokais are made and often how superior they are compared to the originals

i love them ....
 
I think that the way this thread is shaping up is that quite a few of us have actually owned Gibsons in the past so we have had the opportunity for comparison.
So when we say that the Tokai that we own now is a superior guitar to the Gibsons that we have owned...we know what we're talking about.
And the bottom line is as you stated:
And I have a beautiful flame top for less than what I'd have to pony up for a new GIbbie standard.
You're getting a replica that is constructed NOT as the modern LP is but as the '59-60 model was for FAAAAAAAAR less money.
OH..and for the record...
I figure if a Tokai is good enough for Billy Gibbons to play alongside of "Pearly Gates" then it's sure as hell good enough for me :p
 
I have actually passed up some nice guitars due to them being altered and having a lacquered "Gibson" decal on the headstock. I want it to be original and I love having it say Burny, Greco, Tokai, Fresher, etc on the headstock's! It introduces people to alternatives that are equally as good if not better than the guitars they are copying. So many people at my work now are interested and are finally starting to see the light. Thank you Japan!
 
Some players, like myself, who are born under that bad lefty star :wink: can't even get the guitar they have their heart set on. Gibson builds RI of loads of historic guitars, then plain refuses to do a lefty or two. My local luthier/guitardealer advised against buying a lefty Gibson other than a historic original (am I going to fork out $26K? are you mental?), reason being all the botch jobs he'd encountered. For years I have searched for an LP Jr and finally found it in a Tokai.
 
JuniorEnthousiast said:
Some players, like myself, who are born under that bad lefty star :wink: can't even get the guitar they have their heart set on. Gibson builds RI of loads of historic guitars, then plain refuses to do a lefty or two. My local luthier/guitardealer advised against buying a lefty Gibson other than a historic original (am I going to fork out $26K? are you mental?), reason being all the botch jobs he'd encountered. For years I have searched for an LP Jr and finally found it in a Tokai.

Dis omdat Tokai die beste in die wereld is. :)

Hulle sal enige model guitar in a lefty bou, en al vat hulle doen is 10% op die gewone prys sit.
 
Ik ben denk ik een van de weinigen die je post kunnen lezen, Diamond. Stel hem alsjeblieft in het engels zodat het internationale publiek kan meelezen.

I think I will be one of only a few here to be able to read your message Diamond, please refrase in english so the international crowd can join.

To answer your point; I thought Gibson stopped building lefties all together?
going back On Topic;
I realise Tokai doesn't build all it's models in lefthand orientation either, however they do not straightout refuse to build you a lefty piece. And they do offer model throughout (almost) each price/quality level.
 
Ozeshin said:
I think that the way this thread is shaping up is that quite a few of us have actually owned Gibsons in the past so we have had the opportunity for comparison.

not me. I'm thankful i found out about tokai and the other japanese brands before i ended up forking out for a gibbo or fender. :lol:
 

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