Rare MB Headstock Strat-Can I learn more about this please?

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Hi McCat & Iain

Nice pics.
BLOCK logo Goldstar is from late 83, Script logo Goldstar is from 84.
The 9=3 on the neck is the same as the body cavity, MB is the colour and there is a 'V' which we have not yet decyphered.
If we take your models as being TST-55+5 rather than a TST-60 which had entirely different specs the 'V' coding could signify a special finish, such as a painted headstock.
TST-60 was offered in 5 colours only - GS, YSO, MR, OW and BB.
BTW, I myself own an ST-65 MB Springy from 1982.

regards
Peter Mac
 
Thanks for the reply re my Goldstars, Peter. One question regarding the 9=3 code. If we assume production stamp 9 was September, was this started in Sept 83 but finally shipped early84, taking into account spraying/drying and shipping? I'm basing this on April 84 Goldstars purchased new Aug 84 L227xx etc .

I have the original receipt and tag for the Block logo L11444 this was purchased 28th November 1983, from Guitarzan Middlesborough. Like a lot of mathcing headstocks from the period the neck code is 5=12MBH. I will PM you and Iain some pics tomorrow.
In the meantime here is the scratchplate from the Block which I believe is as it left the factory, there is still plastic film around the scratchplate screws. This is the second MB Goldstar owned that has the yellow tape tie tidying the pickup wires.

regards
Peter
(lifeline)
L11444pus.jpg
 
Nice shots. it would be great to get a shot with my metallic red and sonic blue toghether with your two.

DSC03596.jpg


My metallic red headstock does not have the H code either

DSC03571.jpg
 
Great pics Iain, I've always really liked your Sonic Blue. Yes we will get that picture of all four guitars. I will PM you next couple of days, currently travelling.
 
oh my god...
http://www.ebay.it/itm/1981-Tokai-ST-55-Springy-stratocaster-Lake-Placid-Blue-Original-Case-EC-/140731834763?pt=Gitarren&hash=item20c445618b

a maple fingerboard...
 
Cool guitar in the auction but that's not an original Tokai case :) Looks like it might be for an Ibanez or something.

Original case is rectangle with pink lining and brown splotchy covering. They also made some red lining and black covering later on. Hard to miss the "Tokai" badge by the latch.
 
mcdeadcat said:
bluejeannot said:
Very interesting guitar.Could you tell us whether the fretboard is lam or slab?and if there is a brass plate under the pots?I may also have something interesting to tell you about the PAF sticker which dates from the production of the guitar.Gabe.


Hi, can you tell me more about the PAF loose sticker please?

Well this is really weird ,I have an 84 Goldstar St 80,2 piece alder body nitro finished, slab board, 3 factory fitted black backed Di Marzio St 1Strat pickups which have those dinky PAF stickers stuck on the back.
Totally bizzare as strat p`ups were never patent applied for.What one of these stickers is doing in your guitar is anybodies guess but I think it proves they were in the factory in 83/84.Maybe they were going to fit them but changed their minds or maybe one just fell in your guitar.we`ll never know. I have seen other Vs1`s fitted to other members st 80s but they didn`t have the stickers.Strage eh?Another one of those Tokai mysteries if you ask me!I`ll post some pics of the back of the Di Marzios when I have time.In the meantime here is my guitar with the DiMarzios from a couple of years ago.They tend to be a bit fatter with a bit more grunt than the Us .Gabe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4ZJ00vV2eo
 
lifeline said:
Thanks for the reply re my Goldstars, Peter. One question regarding the 9=3 code. If we assume production stamp 9 was September, was this started in Sept 83 but finally shipped early84, taking into account spraying/drying and shipping? I'm basing this on April 84 Goldstars purchased new Aug 84 L227xx etc .

I have the original receipt and tag for the Block logo L11444 this was purchased 28th November 1983, from Guitarzan Middlesborough. Like a lot of mathcing headstocks from the period the neck code is 5=12MBH. I will PM you and Iain some pics tomorrow.
In the meantime here is the scratchplate from the Block which I believe is as it left the factory, there is still plastic film around the scratchplate screws. This is the second MB Goldstar owned that has the yellow tape tie tidying the pickup wires.

regards
Peter
(lifeline)
L11444pus.jpg


Interesting that mine has 9=3 stamp (although the 9 has been partially oversprayed and the = sign is faint) I think I may have purchased mine around the same time - so maybe it is a date code? with the V being the painted headstock
 
Yes Mcdeadcat, also our serial no's are close yours L14947, mine L14371. Neckplates presumably taken from stock when guitars finally assembled after stamping/ spraying/drying.
It would be great if Tony could advise details of his guitar.
 
bluejeannot said:
mcdeadcat said:
bluejeannot said:
Very interesting guitar.Could you tell us whether the fretboard is lam or slab?and if there is a brass plate under the pots?I may also have something interesting to tell you about the PAF sticker which dates from the production of the guitar.Gabe.


Hi, can you tell me more about the PAF loose sticker please?

Well this is really weird ,I have an 84 Goldstar St 80,2 piece alder body nitro finished, slab board, 3 factory fitted black backed Di Marzio St 1Strat pickups which have those dinky PAF stickers stuck on the back.
Totally bizzare as strat p`ups were never patent applied for.What one of these stickers is doing in your guitar is anybodies guess but I think it proves they were in the factory in 83/84.Maybe they were going to fit them but changed their minds or maybe one just fell in your guitar.we`ll never know. I have seen other Vs1`s fitted to other members st 80s but they didn`t have the stickers.Strange eh?Another one of those Tokai mysteries if you ask me! Gabe.
paf001.jpg
:-?
 
Hi guys,
I have a feeling that the PAF stickers on those pickups are not for DiMarzio. They are for the next generation of Tokai 'A' pickups or the C.A.R. pickups used on the U.S. models being exported.
It's hard to tell without seeing all the guitar, body and neck codes, etc to determine what is is and its age.
Some recent information outlined that ONLY the ST-100 had DiMarzio VS-1 and all the other models had Tokai-made 'E' or 'U' pickups.

regards
Peter Mac
 
Two 84 Goldstar St 80s.
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=156227&highlight=#156227


http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/tokai/1984/en_05.html
Hi Pete, here`s the 84 catalogue .Notice that the Goldstar st 80`s were fitted with black backed Di Marzio VS 1s with plastic covered as opposed to cloth covered wires and little round rubber grommets as opposed to mounting springs.
As you can see ,DouDou`s are exactly the same as mine minus the PAF stickers.They may have had them originally but who knows!

http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd79/bluejeannot/Tokai%20St%2080/?action=view&current=paf002.jpg

http://s670.photobucket.com/albums/vv70/doudoubass/?action=view&current=PICT6835.jpg

They also have slab boards as opposed to lam,referred to as flat rather than round in the brochure,laquer as opposed to poly finish, celluloid pickguards and D as opposed to C shaped necks,just like my 3 tone sunburst St 80 and DouDou Bass`s strat. now resprayed blue.
The rosewood necked Goldstar St 80s were supposedly based on a 1960 strat as opposed to the usual rosewood necked 1964 St50s. St 100s seem to be fitted with some kind of locking nut and Floyd type whammy(E.T. tremelo) as well. Regards Gabe.
 
Sorry for the confusion, let me clarify.
'Slab' fingerboards were used on Fendah Strats from 1959 - 1962
Until the end of Springy, all ST-80 had 64U necks and Tokai 'E' pickups - only the ST-100 had VS-1 and ST-70 had a 'slab' neck.
By 1984 Goldstar specs had changed to TST-80 with slab board and VS-1.
The introduction of the 'slab' neck was largely due to the U.S. model TST-62 being released with 1962 specs (which included a slab board.)
SRV was still an endorser and his No.1 guitar was a 1959 slab board Fendah.
Interestingly the slab board only lasted a few years before going back to a 64 lam board.
For the record, I have always liked the Slab board neck - it is a little chunkier with great tone and feel, i've just never been able to aquire one.
regards
Peter Mac
 
Peter Mac said:
Until the end of Springy, all ST-80 had 64U necks and Tokai 'E' pickups - only the ST-100 had VS-1 and ST-70 had a 'slab' neck.

Not all the st100 Springy had VS-1, is it right? I'd never seen one but that means nothing... my st100 springy has "E" stamped pick ups...
 
It seems to me that a slab board gives the guitar a little more midrange.This could be purely subjective though.What does everybody else think. :-? Gabe
 
Hey Bluejeannot,
I'd love to see some more pics of that sunborst TST-80 YSOR.
Things like headstock, serial#, stamp codes if possible, bridge and pickups.
This will go a long way to finding the sequence patterns for Tokai.

regards
Peter Mac
 
Hi Peter, here are the photos.The neck plate serial number is a little hard to see but it`s L11357,and the machine heads are stamped Tokai like a Springy not De Luxe as on other Goldies.Hope this helps.All the best, Gabe.
Goldstarst80012.jpg

Goldstarst80015.jpg

Goldstarst80025-1.jpg

Goldstarst80033.jpg

Goldstarst80051.jpg

Goldstarst80049.jpg

Goldstarst80018.jpg

Goldstarst80020.jpg

paf001.jpg

Goldstarst80045.jpg

Goldstarst80037.jpg
 
I have just seen this on the Strat Forum,some more Di Marzio VS 1s with the PAF stickers fitted to another Goldie ST 80. http://imgur.com/a/MjYfG
 
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