Help identifying LS model Tokai from '85

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

aroomstudios

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2017
Messages
295
Reaction score
2
Location
California
Found this guitar seller say it is a LS80 1985. I asked to check the pickup cavity and take a picture of the 4 pots to help more. The pictures are pretty bad and I cannot tell enough from them. I should get some more pics tomorrow. If I do I will post them. Do any of you guys have any ideas from these pics? The color looks like a newer Tokai. Did they make this color in 1985? I like the color but do not need a 20xx guitar if it was 1985 then yes.

From the seller

Beautiful one piece mahogany body and neck. Rosewood fretboard. Long neck tenon. Lets see the serial number is 5031140 and it does have FEB. I think that means its a 1985 correct?
Anyway I don't see any particular designation as to model number but I believe its a LS-80?
Still has the original "Made in Japan" sticker. Do you want me to pull the neck pickup to check the cavity?
I am sure that the neck pup is original to the guitar. The bridge pup is a Gibson 57 Classic from 1988.
If there is anything else let me know. Thanks for looking.



2dsl102.jpg

oh0g2.jpg

2u7ukjt.jpg

98dbn9.jpg

rwqaag.jpg
 
mt301s.jpg

hv9il2.jpg

10mvg37.jpg

5x6edx.jpg

v3hutx.jpg


Sorry the pics are small this is how I got them. Hopefully this will give some more info. It defiantly does not have FEB.

What do you mean by
Were they making the dimpled headstock in 85?
 
Bad news, that's (a) not an LS80 and (b) it's not 1980's and (c) when the frets are onto the binding there's no FEB or nibs or whatever you call them and (d)I doubt that it's MIJ either, looks chinese to me sorry for your loss...
 
I have not purchased the guitar yet. I see a lot of people trying to pawn off Tokai's that are not what they are posted as. This is why I wanted to post here asking about it first.

Bad news for the seller who want $2,000 for it. If it was a LS80 I would have offered him $1,200 or so. I already have a LS80 so I do not really need another one but I liked the color.

Thank you guys for your help so I did not waste my money.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tokai-Love-Rock-Les-Paul-1984/172783291187?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Pretty sure they guy is a scammer. Check his other listings he is trying to sell:

John F. Kennedy Personal Sulka Scarf

For $8,000

I probably should have checked his other listings before.
 
That looks like a later Tokai but is MIJ. Probably 90s to 2000s range. Maybe $700 if it is a player?
 
I'll defer to wulfman's opinion on where it's made, sorry I saw the TRC but was thinking I didn't see enough of anything else to say it was MIJ conclusively.

It does look like a nice guitar but as I already have some early 80's Tokai's, I could never live with the dimple...
 
Hi guys,

this is NOT an LS-80 from any Year. It is most likely a TLS-50 from 88 or later. LS-60 and LS-80 from 1985 both have flame veneer tops - this one does not and only TLS-50 had a plain top.
Don't buy for 2,000 . . . ever.

Peter Mac
 
Yeah, I passed on that guitar. Just so I know if it has FEB (fret edge binding) it is a premium model correct? Like LS80 and above. I just want to know for the future. This is assuming it is 1978-1983 or so.
 
oh yeah, one more thing . .
the guitar has chrome hardware [ bridge and tailpiece] which has a bluish tinge to it.
All LS-80 and higher use nickel which has a yellow tinge and is usually tarnished.

Peter Mac
 
Back
Top