1981 Tokai LC60 from Tokyo

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Hello,

I accidentally won an auction at eBay for Tokai LC60 from year 1981. I placed the bid couple of hours before the auction ended just for fun and when I woke up in the morning I was bit surprised that I was still the top bidder :eek:

Here's the link for the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3775503409

What do you think, did I make a good deal or not?

B.R. Heikki
 
Yes, I think it's a good deal even though you'll have to pay shipping cost and also probably customs fee/tax (In Sweden it's approx 3% + 25%, how about Finland?). The 80's Tokai's are great!

Mike
 
Yes I have to pay the shipping, 3,2% customs and 22% tax. It will be something like 570 EUR after all of those. For that I can only get a new Korean made ALS50 from local store at Helsinki.

I also have read comments about pickups and those should be very good as well, so no upgrades needed.

I will post my comments when I get it home...

--Heikki-
 
Congratulations, I think you probably got a very nice guitar at good price 8). I watched that auction too, just because initial bids were so low,... didn't really want an LC but certainly tempting price for nice example of early & quite rare model ... seller Japanoldguitar is very reliable by the way, so guitar should be fine. Yes, please post a hands-on review when it arrives :-? .

Ian.
 
Oh yeah, got the guitar home now and yes, its feels like a very good deal.

It's very light weight, resonant and has a good sustain. When plugged the pups sound great as well. Compared to to my Orville LP Std it's absolutely better.

The neck is little bit more fat than in Orville and that's great. Pickups are a lot bettet than Orville stock. Hmm.

It really seems to have one piece body (both back and top) and one piece neck. Is the fret edge binding a standard feature for LC60 or is this somekind of LCXXX sold as LC60?
 
sihvoh said:
It really seems to have one piece body (both back and top) and one piece neck. Is the fret edge binding a standard feature for LC60 or is this somekind of LCXXX sold as LC60?

Hmm, can't see that in my '84 catalog but the specs are: (T)LC-60, 2-piece top and mahogany back, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. (T)LC-100, mahogany one piece top and back, one piece mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. It might be (T)LC-100 but it looks like a rosewood fingerboard in the pictures. The earlier specs might have been different of course.

Mike
 
Congrats man!

I have one of these in white and it's a killer. What I like about this model is the rosewood board. I prefer the feel over the ebony board like what you find on most customs.

I also have an 81' Tokai 335 in blonde with the same headstock inlay too.

have fun!
 
Hey Lee, good to hear from you ? haven?t seen you here for a while :-? . How?s that Rossington? Suppose that?s diluted your interest in Tokai? ? I know Barry has bought at least two old Gibbo?s since departing, though he had a Max & all sorts anyway (never found out how his 320 worked out, remember that saga?). What's the 81 335 like, any good? :-?

Ian.
 
Hello Ian,

Not diluted at all. I've been buying a few old amps lately so Tokai's have taken the back seat. Picked up a great 81 Springy though. Rosewood board sunburst and the lightest one I've ever had. Ripped the pups out of course and have a set of Van Zandt's in there now. It's my main gigging guitar.

The 335 is really nice and streets ahead of the new model. It has a new ABR-1 Gibson bridge as the old one just wore out. Same thing happened on my LS80 Reborn (I have a reputation for being heavy handed).

Have you ever tried restoring a Tokai ABR-1 - quite impossible as you have to drill the saddles out. That's how they got over not using a string retainer. :roll:

Anyway its a nice bridge and is wearing in just as nicely. I also have a set of SD Antiquities in her that suit the guitar well. Dont like the Tokai pups as you know. In fact when I got the 335 the second time around it had a Gibson "T" top in the neck socket...

There is a pic of the guitar on the main forum that was taken in the late 80's when iy was totally original along with a sunburst with the same headstock inlay that belonged to a mate.

Back soon

Lee
 
Cheers Lee, interesting stuff. No I?ve never tried swapping or fixing a Tokai ABR, though when I bought that LS60 the guy sent me a spare ABR ? always wondered why he did that, but maybe he?s had the same problems as you. Funny you should mention Van Zandt?s cos I just bought a set of their Vint. Flat-poles for my Tele project (ie self-build), no idea what they?re like though because they?re waiting at my wife?s office in Florida. OK so which amps have you been spending your dosh on then :-? ?

Ian.
 
:D You will love the Vanzant's! I have the True Vintage model in all of my Tokai strats. My first set was hand wound by Van in his garage back in the 80's. The quality of his stuff was amazing! 8) TG
 
Hi Tokaiguy ? thanks for the thumbs up on the Van Zandt?s ? just bought them on their rep without ever hearing a set ? cheaper than Barden?s, easier to get than Hamels, and maybe better suited to blues ? but it?ll be summer before that Tele is built & I can try them out. Speaking of summer; how?s the weather in Tx ? I see it?s snowing in NY, and first snow in London today :eek: .

Ian.
 
:D Hi Ian, There is a saying in Texas..."If you don't like the weather just wait a few minutes!" This morning in Dallas the temp was 32 degrees fairinhiet, right now it's about 70! Might hit 80 by the weekend...but nobody knows for sure! It could snow by midweek. 8) But I could'nt live anywhere but Texas. I was born and raised in Miami Florida, came to Dallas in 81'. There is just something special about Texan's, great music ,lot's of opportunity, and lot's of beautiful woman! You would like it! My sister-in-law is from Cornwall, she and my brother have a ranch north of Dallas and belong to a "British" Club. Many of your countrymen are here. I have a "Lad" who works for me from London...nice enough guy but Me thinks he spent too much time "on the Dole" E's a Ard one to Motivate!! But a pleasant "Chap" Cheers! 8) TG
 
Ha, ? yeah does sound the sort of place I?d like (thinking of moving to France actually). Cornwall eh, well that?ll be wild, wet, & windy this time of year ? nice in summer though. Sorry the lad from London is a lazy git :wink: .

Ian.
 

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