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guitarmad70

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I have now tied myself up in Tokai Knots and need some help!

I have had this guitar for a little while but not really delved into the bowells, however a fret dress was begging so in the process I decided to catalogue everything as I went.

I had no doubt that this was a very early Goldstar signified by the "Rock and Roll Fanatics" script, similarly I chalked the Tokai saddles up to factory leftovers.

Where this gets complex is that although I think the body has been refinished early in its life, signified by the lack of internal markings, it has also been done professionally in Nitro and also now shows the signs of a used nitro body which is some 30 years old. However it is a one piece alder body and the pickups are E marked not U, which then throws my TST50 senario out of the window, so if anyone could shed some light I would be very greateful

Dai


https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r8h7d8t20fgk2xd/ZWOlH2j6C-
 
Hi if it is a refinish why would a sunburst paint job cover the codes? Are you saying they were sanded off the cavity. If it is overprinted with nitro, can you not just acetone off the finish in the cavity? Do you have any photos of the cavity?
 
Are there any signs of a small piece of masking tape in the control cavity or neck pickup cavity? Sometimes Tokai didn't get round to removing the tape that covered the body code stamps after the final coat. It's even possible they never covered it in the first place.

Definitely try the acetone in the control cavity as per Iain's suggestion, hidden body codes have been uncovered before on high end Tokais finished in nitro by the factory. Look at the pictures in Iain's book to get a feel for where to look.

Good luck! That might be TST80.
 
I'll take the pick gaurd back off and post some additional pictures, but when i has it appart it was difficult to tell if it had ever had a bit of masking tape like my ST40 or the blank bit, there is similarly nothing in any of the pickup routings.

I will have a go with some acetone but i'm not really sure how to go about this, can someone post the link on how to do the test?

Thanks

Dai
 
Hi guys,
It could possibly be ST-80 (E pups ; nitro finish) and keep in mind that Tokai did sometimes change the colour through the production run in which case body cavity numbers would be deleted. In other cases the tape was left covering the stamp and then sprayed over. In this case, the neck stamp is your best bet of matching neck to body.
As a 1983 model, only ST-70 had the slab board - all others had the 1963 style curved board, even 80, 100 and 120 models.
regards Peter Mac
 
Hi Pete ,I think you will find that Goldie st 80s had a slab board,st 70s to my knowledge were only made with a maple neck with separate maple fingerboard.There were no St 70 rosewood fingerboard Goldstars.Regards Gabe.
 
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=156205&highlight=#156205

At the risk of being boring ,here again are two 84 slab board Goldies.These two have Di Marzio pickups but I have seen and played an 83 Goldie st 80, owned by an ex member of this forum (made in Japan by r and r fanatics logo)also with a slab board and but fitted with E pickups as standard..Gabe.
 
Hi all

Gabe this looks very similar to your ST80, are the saddles Final Prospec of Tokai?

Ive updated the pictures folder with the internal and neck pocket shots, all it really confirms is that is a one piece body. I don't have an asetone only thinners, not sure if this will do the same thing, but im a bit concerned to go at anything with melting material?!?

Besides which I am already 99% certain by the way the finish looks with the gently sinking over the body that its nitro.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r8h7d8t20fgk2xd/ZWOlH2j6C-

The mystery continues?
 
Still think it`s an St 60!Try a black UV light to test for nitro or try a tiny amount of acetone on a cotton bud on the finish under the scratch plate,thinners wont work.The saddles on my 80 are final prospec,but the machine heads are stamped Tokai !weird or what :-? Gabe.
 
I suspect that the bridge block on your guitar may not be steel.Try it with a magnet.Is the serial number L series by the way?.Gabe
 

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