Funny Korean Tokai Love Rock Findings

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stratdeluxer

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Hey all....As you know I went and replaced every electronic part in my Korean Love Rock and went with good quality full sized pots,Gibson 3 way switch,new caps and a complete rewire inside....Anyway,while inside this thing I was taking readings off of both stock pickups...The neck read around 8.2k which is great.The bridge pickup only measured around 6.0k and that pickup sounded bright,thin,and shrill.....Solution: I Put a Gibson 57 Classic Plus in that position that measures around 8.8k.....I get all said and done with everything and all pots,switches etc. work fine,BUT....The Gibson Classic is microphonic! For the heck of it,I measured the stock Tokai humbucker completely out of the guitar circuit and got a reading of 8.7k.....Looks like whoever wired this guitar from the factory screwed up at the bridge position! I'll probably put the stock pickup back into the bridge position and it isn't microphonic like the Gibson pickup! ;o) If I would have done all the rewiring,switch,and new pots,I wouldn't have had to buy the Classic 57.....I payed on my credit card and told the music store of a problem so I'll get a credit back or another pickup to try....I honestly don't think the Gibson pickup will be that much better(if at all) than the Tokai stock one? Anyway..... ;o)the guitar is much quieter and has better components that should last the life of the guitar....

John
 
I'm starting to look forward to your daily posts and being witness this love affair that is blooming between the fireman and the Korean beauty! Ihave one Korean Tokai an SG 60 it's an awesome player pure "Woman tone". The two 85 LS80's that I have are more" 59' like "than my 92 Jimmy Wallace Gibson Les Paul! And both of them have Zebra humbuckers under the covers! They take care of the things you don't see! I know as a lefty this would be frustrating but check out the GoldTop on E- Bay. After picking up that Strat this week there is no-way I could bid and still live here with the rest of the family! Later! 8)
 
Tokai.....I Love to tinker with stuff and I'm always looking for ways to improve or customize my guitars to my likings. ;o) The first thing to go in any Korean or Japanese axe is the little rinky dink caps.The taper on them is real weird also.Then there's the little green 20 cent caps.. ;o) All the wiring is like 26 gauge and breaks in your fingers...The 3 way switch worked ok but it felt cheap too...I Like to put 500 pf caps across both volume controls to keep some highend into the guitar as I turn down...I actually use a more involved setup on my strats and teles,but just 1 cap with the 500k pots works fine...

I have to wait on Gibson to call me back to see whether they send me another Classic 57 Plus or if I'll just get my credit back and go back to the stock pickup? Someone here locally can repot the pickup for me,but I don't want to pay for the repairs! ;o) It's only 15 dollars but Gibson should cover it if the pickup is "supposed" to be factory wax potted? I'll keep you up to date....The guitar is great! I Put some DR Pure Blues .010's on it and lifted the action a bit and set everything all up(Intonation,oiled the rosewood neck etc.) You know,T.L.C. ;o) have a great weekend buddy.Look forward to your return post right here.

John
 
Whoops.....I meant to say.....The first thing to go on these Korean/Japanese guitars is the little rinky dink pots! Not caps,but the caps suck also! LOL

John
 
Hi John,
I think maybe the 57's are better suited to hollow body guitars like the 335 for example. I think the TKM Love Rock sounds great right out of the box, you probably did well to rewire it though.
 
Vaporboy....Seeing as my Tokai was wired wrong at the bridge pickup from the factory,I may actually like the stock bridge pickup? I like the stock neck pickup alot....How does the stock bridge pickup sound on your axe?

Gibson is sending me another 57 Classic Plus but I could return it if the stock pickup suits my tastes? The stock pickup measures around 8.7k resistance and the Classic Plus measures about the same...These measurements alone mean nothing because wire gauge,magnet types,pole peice sizing etc. all plays into it,but the stock pickup measures some pretty good resistance measurements.Not at all weak like most of the Japan made pickups I've measured in the past...

John
 
stratdeluxer (or anyone else to whom this would apply):

Do you own a Tokai "strat"? If so, have you done any mods to it? I'm particularily interested in knowing if anyone has bothered replacing the pups, with what (Kinman? Lawrence?) and what have been the results? Any problems with fit or wiring?

Thanks in advance.
 
BF....I don't own a Tokai strat but I do own several Fender strats...recently I sent Ned both info and diagrams on how to do the replacement of pickups on strats...Hope Ned gets around to posting it for those that want it. I'd gladly take some measurements for you off of 1 of my strats if you like as I own vintage reissue and modern American Deluxe strats and some in between also..

Ned are you listening buddy? ;o)

John
 
8) I've got 4 Tokai strats , 3 of them with Van Zandt's classics in them and one Springy Sound shoreline gold that has only had it's strings changed! the Vans are the same specs as texas Specials / I just prefer that tone . The stockers sound great, we need Fireman John to really analize the true differences! :D
 
stratdeluxer, tokaiguy:

Thanks for the input.... and the fast replies!

I'm not really interested in info about putting American pups in American guitars. I assume Van Zandts are American (I'm not familiar with them at all).

What I really want to know is if there would be any problems or concerns about putting American pups in Japanese or Korean, and specifically Tokai, guitars.

I don't (yet) own a Tokai strat, and I know they are suppose to be replicas of various vintage American models, but wouldn't either the Japanese or the Koreans be working in metric measurements rather than imperial measurements?

It is, therefore, the fit of replacement pups that I would be concerned about. But if Van Zandts are American, then that sort of answers my question, unless Van Zandts come in a metric measurement specifically for Asian-made guitars.
 
Beatlefreek....Maybe this will help you out...I own 2 Japanese guitars both Fender....1 is a 62 Tele Custom and the other is a 62 Fender Japan strat...

The strat has changed out stock pickups over to Seymour Duncan SSL5 Custom Single coils. After replacing to the new pickups I used the original stock Japan pickup covers because they had a nice vintage look to them over the SD white covers.....What I'm saying is that the American pickups replaced the Japan made pickups in every way perfectly.I didn't have to cut or trim covers or anything other than just change to the Duncans....

As I said earlier Bf, take some accurate measurements of your pickup covers side to side and front to back and let me compare those measurements to several of my American and Japan strats....

I've never used the Van Zant pickups but I've heard nothing but great stuff about them.....I'm currently using either Fender CS 54's ,Seymour Duncan SSL5 and SSL6's and Fender CS Fat 50's.....

In both Teles I'm using a Fender CS Nocaster clean in the bridge and either the 52 American Vintage Tele neck and a Texas Special Tele neck in my other Tele....I also use 4 way switches in both of my Teles.....Feel free to e mail me if you need more help...

[email protected](Florida)

John
 
I have a couple ST-50N Strats from Tokai Japan. One is still stock and untouched, the other one I cut out the whole pickguard assembly and replaced with Fender/WD parts. It sounds MUCH better with the new Deltatone pups. The stock Japanese ones were very "tinny" and unresponsive, with not much low end power. They sounded sick. Don't be scared to change out electronics...it'll improve your Tokai 100%. The only minor problems I had were the 11 hole pickguard was drilled a small amount off with the screw holes and neck dimentions, and the WD 5-way switch lever is wider than the WD plastic knob for it. (I still have to get the correct knob from somewhere.) Other than those minor issues, it was a breeze. I now favor it over my Fender American Standard by quite a bit. The funky headstock shape still leaves me cold, but the playability and sound MORE than make up for it's cosmetic quirks with the headstock.
Good luck, and here's a cool site for the surgery:
http://www.guitarnuts.com/
 
Living in Texas {Guitar Heaven} I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of my heroes, The old Charly's guitar shop was a place where you would find Rev. Billy G, The Vaughn Brothers, Eric Johnson, Andy Timmons, Anson Funderburgh and any touring musician to pass this way hanging out checking out the vintage gear. Mr. Vanzandt was one of the people you would see there on any given Saturday or weekday. He was a thin cowboy type with his name on the back of his belt. He hand wound pickups in his workshop in Mesquite Texas...Joe Perry, Pete Cornish{Clapton}were all users of his work. He passed about 10 years ago but his family carries on his tradition. In Japan he was so highly thought of that they came out with a Vanzandt 56'Replica useing his stuff! I saw one of these prototypes before he passed , a 56' replica in the plush tweed case, wish I knew who manufactured that thing ! Just a little info on a great guy who made some Baddass magnets and wire! Because of the SRV conection to the store limo's with European tourist's were a daily occurance taking pictures out front of the House that Stevie built! In a strip mall on the "RUFF" side of town! Later
 

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