Mystery model: Tokai ES-1200

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Mestari

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So I've seen some topics about this model, and basically all of them are on the lines of "that's a fake, this model has never been made". However there has never been nothing but low quality pics available.. so enter myself and the insanely good sounding guitar that I bought a few years back, Tokai ES-1200!

It is of course a 335 copy as all the ES -series are, but with block inlays, tulip on the headstock, 42mm nut, birdseye maple top and back, 6-digit serial, etc.. which makes it very different from the usual ES-series.

Overall quality and finishing says that it is the real thing and not fake at all. Check out the pictures below, hopefully some of you have some opinions about this!

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Mestari/library/Tokai

I can also take more detailed photos if that's needed.

Cheers, and thank you in advance!
 
DEFINITELY the real thing.

What makes it different from the regular ES series?...it's identical to a current ES162.
The only thing that's 'different' is the colour, it's not a regular Tea Burst, it looks like the colour is Cherry.

Not sure what ES1200 means, maybe it's a mis-print, maybe it's a ES120. :D
 
Hi Mestari, nice guitar.
I just happened to be looking through some older posts and saw yours. What a surprise to see that we seem to have similar guitars, except mine is an ES 120 from 1994. Same birdseye maple top, block inlays, amazing sound, etc.

Some pics are available here.

[/img]http://s1089.photobucket.com/user/edwardstele/media/IMGP0005.jpg.html?sort=3&o=6
R1132925.jpg.html
http://s1089.photobucket.com/user/edwardstele/media/IMGP0004.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7[/url]
 
Hey guys thanks for the comments! I don't use the internets that much nowadays so my replies may take some time :)

andyb, that is very interesting and surprising indeed! So at least my guitar isn't a one-off custom. Any thoughts on the model number and serial? I'd assume that mine is made in 1990, and could ES-1200 be the predecessor of ES-120? Or just a misprint in manufacturing?

I can see that yours is in much better condition than mine, that is a very nice guitar indeed!
 
Well, I'm not sure if it is a misprint or not. Apparently Tokai was none too careful with the numbering of its guitars over the years ...

If you want to see more comments from Registry members about my guitar, and some pics from a German Tokai catalog showing the guitar (or what appears to be the guitar) check out the topic in the Tokai Guitar Forum titled Newby authored by me (andyb). Here is the link, but I'm not sure if it will work (http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=19196&highlight=)
 
Yeah, checked it out and the link worked. Catalog picture seemed very much similar to both our guitars, although mine looks to be a bit lighter in colour compared to others.

Anyhow, that might just be camera/light issue so I think it's as close as it can get :)
 
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