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Not convinced that Tokai are entirely wedded to either metric or imperial measurements: I think they quite possibly use both within the same guitar.

A little while back, I was interested in upgrading the bridge on my 1984 Springy to one of the Callaham ones. Exchanged a few emails with Bill Callaham himself but eventually had to give up on the idea. His advice was that I should only go ahead if his bridge was a direct replacement for the existing one, which means that it needs to have a string spacing (and mounting screw spacing) exactly equal to 2" 7/32. Otherwise it won't work as well as he wants it to.

No matter how many times I did it, and no matter how much wishful thinking I applied, the measurement on the Tokai kept coming back to 55mm and an odd little bit, or ??which seems far more likely to me ? 2" 6/32. Same story at the neck pocket. That the neck width is 1/32" narrower proved to be the clincher for me. I'd decided that I could cope with the bridge not working perfectly, since I don't use the tremolo all that much anyway and was really after the tonal improvement from the Callaham bridge, but I didn't want to be pushing my strings over the edge of the fretboard any more often than I do already.

Think what's happened is that a lot of people have looked at the measurements, realised that they're not the same as the standard American ones, and concluded that they're metric. But at least for some of them, in my view, the reality is that they're actually slightly different imperial ones.
 
leadguitar_323 said:
Check your measurments for the hardware, it should all be metric. You need to measure in Millimeters.

Mick
I Checked hardware i.e. bridge, tail piece post measurements with my Calipers set to MM and compared them to my American made 1960 Les Paul RI which both measured the same identical dimensions. Also, holes are drilled American as well and even the neck widths are the same measured at the last fret.
 
Would be useful to make absolutely certain of this.

Could it be that the hole spacings etc are metric imperial measurement equivalents and the hole and thread sizes etc are metric? It seems likely that the hole centres and neck widths, scale etc could be the same but actually manufactured to an equivalent metric dimension.

The spec's (below) shown on the tokai web-site include quite a few of those listed as addityional above. Note that all dimensions listed are metric.

BODY : Maple Two Pieces Top
: Mahogany One Piece Back
NECK : Mahogany One Piece
Set-Neck Deep Joint
Head Angle 18?
FINGERBOARD : Rosewood
RADIUS : 300R
FRETS : 22F ♯213
SCALE : 625/312.5mm
BRIDGE : HLS- VB(Brass Saddle)Bridge
HLS-VT Aluminum TailPiece
TUNERS : Gotoh SD90-SL
NUT(width) : Bone(43.0mm)
INLAY : Dish(Amber Cell)
PICKUPS : PAF-Vintage MK2?2(Made In Japan)
CONTROLS : 2V.,2T.,
3way Toggle SW
POT : CTS
SWITCH : Switchcraft
CONDENSER : Sprague Orange Drop
JACKS : Switchcraft
FINISH : Lacquer Finish
COLOR : CS,VF,BS,GT

I just don't want anyone to make a mistake if upgrading hardware.

Dave
 
The easiest way to tell is to try swapping a few bits between the two guitars. I once had a Tokai (old one though) with a Gibson ABR and it was force fitted, very close, but not quite!
 
DaveWW said:
Would be useful to make absolutely certain of this.

Could it be that the hole spacings etc are metric imperial measurement equivalents and the hole and thread sizes etc are metric? It seems likely that the hole centres and neck widths, scale etc could be the same but actually manufactured to an equivalent metric dimension.

The spec's (below) shown on the tokai web-site include quite a few of those listed as addityional above. Note that all dimensions listed are metric.

BODY : Maple Two Pieces Top
: Mahogany One Piece Back
NECK : Mahogany One Piece
Set-Neck Deep Joint
Head Angle 18?
FINGERBOARD : Rosewood
RADIUS : 300R
FRETS : 22F ♯213
SCALE : 625/312.5mm
BRIDGE : HLS- VB(Brass Saddle)Bridge
HLS-VT Aluminum TailPiece
TUNERS : Gotoh SD90-SL
NUT(width) : Bone(43.0mm)
INLAY : Dish(Amber Cell)
PICKUPS : PAF-Vintage MK2?2(Made In Japan)
CONTROLS : 2V.,2T.,
3way Toggle SW
POT : CTS
SWITCH : Switchcraft
CONDENSER : Sprague Orange Drop
JACKS : Switchcraft
FINISH : Lacquer Finish
COLOR : CS,VF,BS,GT

I just don't want anyone to make a mistake if upgrading hardware.

Dave
The hole size for the control pots is 3/8" - My Gibson CTS pots fit right in the hole with no problem - The actual thread sizes SAE or Metric for the LS-150 bridge and tail piece I will measure and determine when I change strings this week.
 
JohnA said:
The easiest way to tell is to try swapping a few bits between the two guitars. I once had a Tokai (old one though) with a Gibson ABR and it was force fitted, very close, but not quite!
I will be switching out pieces/parts between the two guitars to make sure and may even provide some photos as well. I wouldn't want someone buying parts that don't fit. Keep in mine this guitar is a 2009 Tokai LS-150 so take your own measurements before trying upgrades. Who's to say if a 2008 LS-150 is the same as a 2009 LS-150?
 
Easy solution...there's not one part on an LS150 that needs "upgrading", including the pickups.

:)
 
jawilluk said:
Are you suggesting that the LS150 is the 'perfect' guitar?

I'd have to say that it's pretty **** close. I like it better than any of the Gibson Historics (R8, R9) in terms of fit, finish, feel and tone. I wanted to buy a Les Paul that needed no upgrades or tweaks and one that I would keep for a lifetime - the LS150 is all that.

Sure there are higher spec models, (LS250, 320, etc) but for the money, there's not a better value out there. The Edwards 130 relic is a nice option but for a couple hundred more, the LS150 is within reach.
 
jawilluk said:
Are you suggesting that the LS150 is the 'perfect' guitar?
With all due respects to Gibson, we would NOT be having this discussion if it weren't for the greatness of Gibson, I'll put it this way. If a person can't live without the Gibson name on the headstock then the Tokai LS-150 guitar is not for that person.
 
jawilluk said:
Are you suggesting that the LS150 is the 'perfect' guitar?

I'd suggest an LS90 with MK2 pickups is pretty close to a perfect Les Paul type guitar...the LS150 is probably beyond perfect.

For me "perfect" means a guitar that gives a guitarist the opportunity and ability to produce "the famous LP tone/feel" in ALL it's glory...the rest is up to the skill of the guitarist.
 
Easy Crossing said:
jawilluk said:
Are you suggesting that the LS150 is the 'perfect' guitar?
With all due respects to Gibson, we would NOT be having this discussion if it weren't for the greatness of Gibson, I'll put it this way. If a person can't live without the Gibson name on the headstock then the Tokai LS-150 guitar is not for that person.

Then that person isn't looking at playing the guitar as much as it being eye candy with a name on it.
 
Ok, Tonight I removed the hardware from the LS-150 and the following are my findings:

1. The bridge posts will accommodate the Tonepros AVR-II, Stewmac ABR-1, Gibson ABR-1, and Gibson Nashville Tunamatic, all of which fit nicely with exception to the Nashville which was slightly snug.

2. The bridge posts are size 8-32.

3. Gotoh, Gibson, Stewmac and CW tail pieces all fit the Toakai tail piece posts well.

4. Tail piece post and insert threads are Metric.

5. Tail piece stud insert holes diameter in the body are 14mm - Gibson's are 12mm

To sum it up, every piece of hardware on my 1960 Gibson Les Paul RI will redly interchange with the LS-150 with exception to the tail piece post inserts and tail piece adjustment screws which are metric. I also took measurements of both guitar bodies and necks with overall dimensions pretty much identical.
 
MIJvintage said:
MIJvintage said:
MIJvintage said:
what are the frets (fret height) like on the LS-150?

fretless? :lol:


frets?

Marcus?

anyone? ................................

I'm not an expert on frets but the LS-150 frets feel pretty much like my Les Paul frets. In any case the neck feels and plays as well as any Gibson I've played.
 

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