Pros and Cons of the Tokai Love Rock, all the Jap models...

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QuiltTop

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Hi!

It seems like Japanese guitar models always have problem with their hardware parts, especially the pots, pickups and caps. Did anyone of you replace the parts on your Love Rock? If so, why? Is it becos' they are not up to the standard or becos' they are producing problems?

If you have purchased your love Rock sight-unseen, was it up to what you've expected? If not, what are the parts you're unhappy with?

All comments are welcome but please no flame! Thanks!



Dave

 
All the hardware an pups from Gotoh are very good.I took my guitar to my luthier to change some parts but he told me not necessary.He was very impressed about Tokai Love Rock quality.
 
On my 2001 Love rock I changed the bridge for a more acurate Gibson style one with the removable saddles and retainer wire. I changed the bridge PU for a Duncan '59 and put a thinner PU surround on the bridge PU as well. OK - I like to fiddle, but it's the little details that keep a sad old fool like me happy.
I don't know if anyone else has noted this, but the PU surrounds on love rocks are thicker (deeper) than the Gibson ones. When you get your action set up, most of the pickup is hidden down in the surround (especially the neck PU). I think this looks cheap, as if they have just stuck any parts on. Mind you, the fact that it bothers me probably says more about my mentality than Tokais production values :smile:
 
My luthier prefers a Tokai/Gotoh tune-o-matic and bridge to Gibson ones,feels it as more easy to adjust.
 
NPH

Late 50's and 1960 Gibson's didn't have the retainer wire on their ABR1 bridges. This was only added later to stop the saddles falling out. You shouldn't have had one on your original Tokai bridge either. Again the original p/u surrounds were taller on the old Gibbo's back then. In fact, I've heard of original Gibson cream 50's p/u surrounds changing hands for $1000 a pair. Vary rare as a spare part. Make no mistake that 'all' Tokais from the early 80's are very exact replicas of the "golden" era of Gibson and Fender guitar manufacturing. Tokai really did their homework.
 
I have a '99 Custom Love Rock, that now has Gibson Pickups (490R & 498T) and as these have 4 conductor wires, I have push/pulls with a Phase reverse on the neck, a la Peter Green (this only really comes into play in the middle position though) and a coil tap on the bridge.

The reason I changed the pickups was not because the stock pickups sounded crap, but more down to the fact I wanted a bit more "oomph" from the pickups, which the Gibsons give. I kind of wish I'd gone for Seymour's or something else in a way, as the PAF tone is just not there, unlike the original Gotoh pickups, though the Gibsons do sound good, they just sound better on my Les Paul. Go figure, as they say.

Oh Well.....
 
Ok, thanks for all the comments. How about we try this...

I am currently contemplaing getting the LS70F for a fraction of a price as compared to the ultimate LS320. My understanding based on the brochure is that the difference between LS70F and LS200 is the laminated maple top. Underneath that it's essentially solid maple so there's really no diff. in getting the LS200 and LS70F if the difference I am paying is for a beautiful flame top.

If you have a LS70F, or the higher models... please comment upon my questions at the top. Is the LS70F a close replica of the fifties Les Paul? Are you satisfied with your LS70F? Is the neck beefy? Thanks again guys!

_________________




QuiltTop aka Dave Tang

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: QuiltTop on 2002-05-10 23:37 ]</font>
 
Hi Quilt Top,
Another thing I noticed between the two models is that the LS70 has a rosewood fingerboard while the more expensive model has ebony. I've always preferred a rosewood board, and also it's more correct to Les Pauls (except Customs).
The taller pickup rings on Tokais are replicas of old Les Pauls. New Les Paul models, except for the Historic series, all have very low pickup rings - which I don't feel look as cool.
I've got a mid-80's ALS 60 Love Rock in Vintage Cherry with a beautiful chevron flame. According to the old catalogs, it's several models down from the top of the line, but I can't see how they could have improved on this model. Solid maple top, not veneer, one-piece neck and the pickups! I don't think I'd ever swap them - real Clapton tone. It has the thinner neck though, which I like personally. I'm not sure if any Tokais have a beefy neck?
I guess the only thing I'd worry about is if the flamed sycamore on the LS70 looks too phony, sort of like on some Epiphone Les Pauls I've seen. I'd definitely want to see it before buying. Good luck with the hunt!
 
My impression is that the top on the Love Rocks is maple, with a thin flamed veneer. The LS200 & 320 have different pickups and I think they're nitro-cellulose finished (someone correct me if I'm wrong here).

The necks are the chunky '59 style as far as I know. Mine is anyway.

The Body on the Love Rock is 3 piece, where the LS200 & 320 are a single piece, I hear, although on some the 3 piece body is cleverly joined. Again correct me if I'm wrong. At least its all Mahogany, unlike the Epiphone Les Pauls, which have a mahogany centre & alder wings.

Above all, the Love Rock "feels right", which is why I own one.
 
You are right Skybone.LS70 top is maple with a thin veneer of flamed(nice) sycamore(seems like maple).About the body 2 pieces.
 
I have a 1992 sunburst Love Rock(bought new in 2001!). I changed the pickups to Gibson 490/498. Slightly tighter and better sound. Now i got a Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck in the bridge position. Whoah! This PU really reveals what my Tokai can do! When i get my hands on a SD Jazz for the neck position i will sell the Gibsons. Seymour rules!!
 
My 2001 LS70F-VF has a sycamore top. It looks really nice, not at all cheesy or cheap, a very subtle flame instead of tiger stripes. I swapped the pickups out for Duncan 59's as they have more attack than the stock Tokais. The neck is thicker than I'd like, though... The guitar is also a pound or so lighter than my 70's Gibson LP Standard and 70's Yamaha Studio Lord, which seems to take away something from the tone and sustain. It's still a heck of a guitar all in all, especially comparing it to the average mid-90's Gibson Les Paul Studio in the same price range ($750 or so).

Finish: 10
Quality: 9
Tone: 8
Playability: 8
 
hi i have got a 2001 love rock ls70f and it is one the best guitars i have ever played, the top is really nice, must admit its not as nice as my patrick eggle but that was 3 times as much. the finish on the tokai is 100% i would say, i tried out a gibson studio and i could not believe how untidy the guitar was - around the neck was a build up of varnish why did that get tgriugh quality control- oh i forgot they arent japanes are they??????
 
I purchased mine unseen and unplayed. I was sent many pictures but pictures cant pick up a lot of detail. Anyways, i was amazed at the high quality of my LS200. Nice flame, no problems with electronics, great sound.

The bridge would be the only thing i would change on mine as well. The gibson saddles have a bigger slot for the string whereas the one that came on the Love Rock was just a tiny slot.

Dana
 

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