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A

Anonymous

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Rob,

Other might be interested in this so I'll post it here.

Is your Gold Top a copy of Gibson's '57 Gold Top Reissue? or just a LP Standard in Gold?

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Barry Plows']
 
My Gold Top is a Gold Top LP Standard. I assume from the model number TLS 60 that it is a 1960 replica but I think it was advertised at the time as the '58 replica. I don't actually know what the '57 reissue was like. Would this be a model with an earlier bridge/tailpiece? Mine is the standard tuno-matic.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Augustin']
 
The Gibson 57 GT Reissue is the same as a Standard accept for the pups: GT uses PAF reissues and the Standard used 490R&498T's. I think the neck has a different radius as well.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ned']
 
Question...if anyone has a Standard Les Paul..are they maked differently on the backs of the pickups? In other words..do just the Reissue Tokai Les Pauls have the "Tokai 57 PAF" pickups? Also..I think we can discard the notion that the 60 in TLS-60 means it's a 60 reissue. Mine is a LS-50..and, I know there is no such thing as a 50 model reissue. Could the 50 simply mean it's a 59? Comments?

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Barry Plows']
 
Yeah, you're right about the model numbers not being exact dates, Chad, and that they might refer to the decade instead. My 1988 Gold Top has nothing at all on the back of the pickups, not even the Tokai name. They are zebra stipe under the chrome covers, though, as I used to have the covers off. I haven't had the pickups out on my 2000 '59 flame but I will look on the back of them when I next change the strings.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Robert C. Butler']
 
I live in Okinawa. I picked up a Tokai catalog the other day. I noticed something interesting. The model numbers correspond to the price of the guitar in yen. For instance, the LS60 cost 60,000 yen. Thats around $550. Looking at the catalog and the prices, it looks like most of the models are made in Korea. the best model costs around 320,000 yen. Thats around $3,000!! Thats the LS320. It looks like the LS200 and the LS320 are the only models made in Japan. These are the only models with a maple top. If I get the time, I'll scan the catalog.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Kevin Bailey']
 
Made a mistake, LS200 and the LS320 ar ethe only models with a flamed maple top. The LS74F has a "flamed sycamore laminated" top. The ALS56V has a "plywood" body! ugh!!!

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Augustin']
 
I have an old TLS60 bought new in 1988 and a new LS70 bought last year. As far as I know the new model is Japanese hand built and the quality is easily as good as the old model. In fact it is slightly better as the crown inlays are faultless and the fretting is better. The older model has some grouting around the inlays and the frets aren't as well finished at the ends. I couldn't find the LS70 on either of the two websites when I looked a few weeks ago so I don't know for sure where they are produced. As I understood it the models beginning with an 'A' e.g. ALS as opposed to LS are the Korean ones and a look on ebay over the last month seems to bear this out as there has been a mixture of both on there recently. I thought that the ones on the catalogue going for 200,000 yen and upwards were the custom shop series but I may be wrong on that. It's not very clear at all.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ned']
 
According to this catalog, ALS means that the body is made of ALDER. The ALS models seem to be cheaper (plywood, bolt-on) than the LS models. Tokai also has a ALC line which are the Les Paul Custom copies. I've got to pick up a power amp next week so Ill ask the people where the models are made. The catalog is mostly written in Japanese but the specs next to each guitar is written in English!

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Kevin Bailey']
 
Kevin,

Is there a way you can get me a copy of the catalog so I can add the specs to the website?

Ned (aka Webmaster)

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ned']
 
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