1981 LS-100s with mahogany top

aroomstudios · Posted: Sat May 12, 2018 8:10 pm Post subject: 1981 LS-100s with mahogany top

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tokai-1981-Love-Rock-Model-LS-100S-Mahogany-Top-1981/282955524324?epid=26017401242&hash=item41e176a8e4:g:l6kAAOSw2cVaoMEu

First of all this says it had been re-fretted and all the other stuff the description says. Since it was re-fretted or so they say. I really have no way of knowing this is a premium model. Could just be a ls50. The only real test is put some acetone on a small area and see if the finish in nitro. Nitro=premium model. Anyways, my real question. Is a Love Rock Standard like say a ls-80 or 100 with a mahogany top the same thing as a custom lc-100 or so? I know the custom would have gold hardware and so on block markers etc. But sound wise would they be the same?

guitar hiro · Guitar God Joined: 05 Dec 2013 Posts: 450

I have no doubt it is a 100 level LS but man, that is one heavy girl

wulfman · Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 8:43 am Post subject:

4.4 kg is hefty, not heavy IMO.

aroomstudios · Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 8:53 am Post subject:

Yeah, my two ls-80s from 1981 are also about the same weight as that one. I think one is close to 10lbs one about 9 lbs. The 100 is 9.7lbs or 4.4kg.

Do any of you guys know if this will sound like a custom? Ls series with a mahogany top should be the same thing as a LC custom right? LC-100 is one piece back nitro finish. The ls-100 is one piece back nitro finish. I know the gold hardware block inlays extra binding around the body will be different. But sound wise?

guitar hiro · Guitar God Joined: 05 Dec 2013 Posts: 450

'hog is 'hog so it should have the warmer tone of an all 'hog Custom, IMO

duff · Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 10:43 am Post subject:

Lc100 has an ebony board, ls100 rosewood.. i doubt anyone can hear the difference between the two, but i also think thats the same for a maple vs mahogany cap..

aroomstudios · Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 2:01 pm Post subject:

I think there is a huge difference with the cap. When I compare my 1981 ls80 maple cap to my Burny 1978 Custom mahogany. There is a huge difference with sustain. This is the same as past Gibson Les Pauls I have owned custom vs standard and so on.

As per the fret board ebony vs rosewood. I think there may not be a difference at all or if there was it would be very small.

Unless there is something else with the difference with a custom and a standard that brings the huge sustain I would say it is close to 100% the mahogany cap.

Anyone else think differently or know something I am missing?

_JDZ · Sus4add11 Joined: 10 Apr 2018 Posts: 40 Location: USA

Looking at Ebay, it is listed by (at least) five sellers.

If you are seriously considering it you need to find who actually has it for sale.

aroomstudios · Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 7:23 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I know it is listed by multiple sellers. I do not know why they do that in Japan on Ebay. I have seen that many times before with other items in the past. Ebay has a really good customer service so if I do not get the item I will get my money back. I am not really worried about that. I am just wondering if this is worth it or if I just just spend a bit more and get a LC-100. I like heavy guitars at least heavy Les Pauls (9-10lbs). The thing I did not like about the LC-100 is it is light. Well at least the ones I hear about here are in the 7lb range. I already have 5 Les Paul type guitars right now (one custom Burny 1978, two standards with humbuckers Tokai ls80 1981 and two with p90's new Tokai and Warmoth). So, really the last thing I need is more Les Paul's. I just thought this one might be cool. I am going to think about this one for a few weeks if I do decide to do anything. If someone else buys it first I am not going to lose any sleep over it or anything.

_JDZ · Sus4add11 Joined: 10 Apr 2018 Posts: 40 Location: USA

Can be a large difference in price between the actual seller and those on Ebay.

Yes, here it is:

https://www.digimart.net/cat01/shop4836/DS04198000/

aroomstudios · Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 8:53 pm Post subject:

That is cool it is less. I tried for the life of me to register at Digimart. I keep getting

Please enter your furigana with hiragana.

I have no idea what that means. Tried googling it and still cannot figure it out. I will try again tomorrow

Any of you guys registered at Digimart and know how to do it without speaking Japanese? The language translators translate most things but not everything.

_JDZ · Sus4add11 Joined: 10 Apr 2018 Posts: 40 Location: USA

You can use a proxy buyer like From Japan or Rinkya.

Or you can try to go direct through the sellers web site: http://www.lotusguitars.com/

aroomstudios · Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 9:12 pm Post subject:

Thank you _JDZ. I sent them a email.

aroomstudios · Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 10:48 pm Post subject:

They got back to me. They said they do not ship to USA and they sent me a CITIS link. I know you can get CITIS paper work in Japan in about 3 weeks but I guess they do not want to do it. Either way I could get it from one of the Ebay sellers if I want it.

CliffsComicWorld · Guitar God Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 981 Location: U.S.A.

I might consider selling this 1980 LS-100 8lbs 1oz
https://flickr.com/photos/147832065@N08/sets/72157667439898138