3 Early 80s TOKAI ls -120s from the same seller?

mojo hobo · Jul 1, 2010

I came across these 3 early 1980s Tokai love rocks ls-120 all on sale from the same e- bay seller...I know their was a thread some time ago about one of his previous ls 120 auctions,he is claiming that all 3 ls 120 are solid flamed maple top,not laminate....we know otherwise...ls120 were veneer tops ...are there solided topped ls120s...just a thought...i have never seen one...

Heres the links:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1981-Tokai-LS-120-Dimarzio-PAF-Japan-Vintage-JV-MIJ-/320551056108?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item4aa254f2ec

http://cgi.ebay.com/1981-Tokai-LS-120-Dimarzio-PAF-Japan-Vintage-JV-MIJ-/320552787582?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item4aa26f5e7e

http://cgi.ebay.com/1980-Tokai-LS-120-Seymor-Duncan-PAF-Japan-Vintage-JV-/320551026630?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item4aa2547fc6

The first one is a stunner...I am a little bit tempted by that gorgeous top....if the seller is a TF member,i would love tho see more pictures of the pup cavities to determine if any is a solid top.
MOJO HOBO

Udonitron · Jul 1, 2010

There were solid topped 120's and 100's actually.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1981-Tokai-LS-120-Dimarzio-PAF-Japan-Vintage-JV-MIJ-/320551056108?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item4aa254f2ec

That is solid 100%, you can see the lines running from top and down the cut of the wood in the upper portion of the neck pup cavity

le juge · Jul 1, 2010

Possibly the second one.
For the first one, I've a serious doubt...

jacco · Jul 1, 2010

As far as it can be determened from such pics they all look veneer to me; when looking at the pu cavity I can see a little layer on top of every one.
But just use logic: why would such a great top like on the first be a 120 and not at least a 150? The third is the classical veneer 120 CS you see all the time.
Only the second one can bring doubt because that top isn't that great/doesn't have much flame.

Cali Girl · Jul 1, 2010

The pictures in each auction look surprisingly different for being owned by the same person. Some of the pictures for one guitar have the logo of a European guitar shop. :-?

jacco · Jul 1, 2010

Cali Girl said:
The pictures in each auction look surprisingly different for being owned by the same person. Some of the pictures for one guitar have the logo of a European guitar shop. :-?

The outdoor pictures of the 1st and 3rd guitar share the same background. The last 2 pictures of the 2nd are from a German guitar shop; maybe he still had those and thought they were good?

JVsearch · Jul 2, 2010

This is the guy that claims all his old Tokai LPs have braz boards, where most people who have looked into it seriously seem to think none, or very few LS were braz. :-?

Nice guitars though, and not bad deals!

JohnA · Jul 2, 2010

He's probably got some of his facts wrong, but it's only recently that the fact LS120's were mostly laminates came to light. He's selling some great guitars at good prices

JVsearch · Jul 2, 2010

JohnA said:
He's probably got some of his facts wrong...

Or, doing a bit of myth building!
I don't really understand why, because an LS-120 will sell itself as a great LP anyway, no need for braz, long tenons, PAFs etc

jacco · Jul 2, 2010

really?? a good deal? a minimum of 2000 euro for a LS120, even villager sells his for 1800 tops..

JVsearch · Jul 2, 2010

jacco said:
really?? a good deal? a minimum of 2000 euro for a LS120, even villager sells his for 1800 tops..

There's one for about USD $2k (make offer), which is pretty good, and the Euro has fallen in value significantly in the last 12 months, by almost 40%.

villager · Jul 2, 2010

adding the shipping at 400USD and 23% duty takes the first one to 3875 USD, or 3000 euros..

and jacco, your quote of my LS-120 prices are slightly out of date.

JohnA · Jul 2, 2010

jacco said:
really?? a good deal? a minimum of 2000 euro for a LS120, even villager sells his for 1800 tops..

If you are in the USA then they are a really good deal, they look to be very nice examples too, I particuarly like the first one

nice LS120's were close to 1800 euro three years ago, with the Yen at an all-time high, and the ever increasing value of high-end mij they will be a good bit more than that today.

Udonitron · Jul 2, 2010

le juge said:
Possibly the second one.
For the first one, I've a serious doubt...

I have to disagree. Check out the photo here. You can clearly see 2 ribbons running from the top right down through the cavity side cut.

RyanC · Jul 2, 2010

It does appear to line up based on that pic.

villager · Jul 2, 2010

no where near clear enough to tell for sure though

jacco · Jul 2, 2010

JohnA said:
nice LS120's were close to 1800 euro three years ago, with the Yen at an all-time high, and the ever increasing value of high-end mij they will be a good bit more than that today.

villager said:
and jacco, your quote of my LS-120 prices are slightly out of date.

ok, we're talking 4 months ago.. you lowered them a little bit, have you? :wink:

jacco · Jul 2, 2010

Udonitron said:
le juge said:

Possibly the second one.
For the first one, I've a serious doubt...

Click to expand...

I have to disagree. Check out the photo here. You can clearly see 2 ribbons running from the top right down through the cavity side cut.

Udo, I would like to learn here. I do not understand what you mean with 'ribbons'??

villager · Jul 2, 2010

jacco said:
JohnA said:

nice LS120's were close to 1800 euro three years ago, with the Yen at an all-time high, and the ever increasing value of high-end mij they will be a good bit more than that today.

Click to expand...

villager said:

and jacco, your quote of my LS-120 prices are slightly out of date.

Click to expand...

ok, we're talking 4 months ago.. you lowered them a little bit, have you? :wink:

heh no

he means you can see the wwod grain in the side continue into the top, but in this pic it looks close, but not exact, it could be the wood grain, it could be something else, but I had a big debate a while ago with tokai joe about this, and at the time had 4 or 5 ls-120's, I minutely examined them all, and it was hard to tell with some of them, if they were laminate or solid, I mean very very hard to tell, so I know how well the laminates are joined, and I wouldn't ever be 100% sure from an photo any more..

If I ever buy a 120 now I always assume its a laminate top until I can dismantle it and examine it for myself..

CliffsGuitarWorld · Jul 3, 2010

Villager said:

If I ever buy a 120 now I always assume its a laminate top until I can dismantle it and examine it for myself[

**** good advise !!

3 Early 80s TOKAI ls -120s from the same seller?

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