Hello from sunny Edinburgh-Tokai Strat 1985 or older.

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vanzep

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:D Believe it or not the sun is shinning and I have dusted down the old guitar. I was considering taking up playing the guitar again after a period of abstinance..as I mentioned the sun is shinning which does not happen too often in Edinburgh so maybe I have heat stroke..lol
I bought my Tokai in 1985 (it was 2nd hand) for my 18th birthday and it was played until I got offered a Kramer Striker 300ST 5 years later. I pretty much stuck with the Kramer as I was going for heavy sound and the pickups and floyd rose were pretty good. When i got the old Tokai back out last week i was blown away by how good it sounded and how easy it was to play.
Im not too sure what model the Tokai is except it is a Strat copy in Metalic Red with a Rosewood neck and Final prospec bridge. The only thing i have changed is the tuning heads which i swapped for Schaler locking ones which were a direct fit..I will have to look out the old deluxe ones if i can find them - I know I kept them - I guess it was vandalism but when your 18....need i say more!
I have some pics if anyone wants to see how bad the vandalism was or can help identify the model.
Cheers
Nick
 
Hi Nick, just replied to your other post. Yeah post some pics, lets have a look at it. Sounds nice from what you said. :D
 
Try www.photobucket.com to load some pics. Or can someone explain how they load pics into the body of their message? I can't work that out.
 
Hi stratman,
Will try again.
Here is some further info in the meantime - Serial no. is L03552.
The weird thing is that there is no logo or model info on the headstock. The only reason I know it is is a Tokai is that i do remember when I bought it the guy in the shop said that they were shipped out from the factory without any logo as there was a legal case pending with Fender over them copying the logo...have you ever come accross this before. I am fairly sure it was second hand when i bought it but in nearly new condition.
Cheers

Nick
 
Hi! Including pics from photobucket is fairly easy:

below each pich you see a few boxes. You copy the string from the IMG field and just include the string in your post.
Then it's uploaded automatically.

Cheers. Rupert
 
I have photos listed on photobucket and facebook so you can view them.
I looked at one of the previous postings from earlier today and it looks the same as Goldstar TST-55 but as I say with no logo or stickers and i can definatley say they have not been removed as the finish on the headstock is factory perfect somust have been shipped out from Tokai in that condition.
Cheers
Nick
 
Ok 8 screw or 11 on the pick guard,any numbers on the last fret, or is there a oval sticker on the back of the neck headstock large like 70s or small you have said about the sadles and tuners
Did it sound good with the old strings then?? put some new strings on,and when you do,take the pick guard off and look at the underside of the pickups for any letters or numbers,+ black or grey,and is there a case,and how many string trees,flat or round.

It is really easy to upload pics,just follow rgrafend post :wink:
 
Hi!
The U-stamped pickups point to an ST50 model (or TST50). The headstock and the tuners somehow don't fit.

Do you have picks from the neck where it is fitted to the body? Any picks from the tuners?

Cheers. R
 
rgrafend said:
The U-stamped pickups point to an ST50 model (or TST50). The headstock and the tuners somehow don't fit.

Surely the custom colour would make it a 55, not a 50?
 
I have taken the neck off and have updated onto to photobucket and facebox - there are markings which are the same as on the pickup recess. Pickup recess markings in top left hand corner are 6=1 and the marking on the face of the neck above the truss rod are 6=11.Plus there is even some red paint on part of the neck where it has made contact with the body for this to happen I would suspect it would have to be an original neck fitted to this body during manufacture and when the paint was fresh and possibly still tacky - there is definately no sign of this being resprayed. Looks like this is an unusual one!
I am desperatley trying to find the original tuners.......
I might be interested in selling it but it would be a wrench as it has sentimental attachement as i bought it with my birthday money when I was 18 back in 1985 but you know everything has its price and I do have to admit that i am not the best guitar player in the world so it might be put to better use in more professional hands.
Cheers

Nick
 
A Goldstar i would go for a TST55 :wink:
Its a pity about the tuners and logo
 
Im still looking for the original tuners, I remember keeping them but finding them will be a task and they have got chucked out when I moved house..im trying not to kick myself. But there are ones on Ebay for sale some look identical....with only deluxe stamped on the back on not with the makers name.
 
Yes it is a shame. Nick - did the new tuners need bigger holes drilled to fit them? If not, I guess replacing them with Kluson type tuners would be a reasonable option for around ?25?

Has anyone else heard of Goldstars being sent out by the factory without a decal on the headstock? I've heard of people removing the "uncool" Tokai decal, there was a Springy like that that was discussed here a few weeks ago that sold for (I think) ?240 on eBay. I wish I'd bought that now, it would have been easy enough to get a replacement Springy decal for it. :(
 
No redrilling was necessary and the original bushes are still in place so should be easy to rectify. I must admit to being a bit :oops: about it - my only excuse is that i was in my teens....
So it seems to be the genuine article and a Goldstar TST55.
I guess you cant tell from the photos but there is no outline or difference in texture on the headstock or back of the neck to show where any decal or label has been removed so it would sem to point that it did leave the factory like that. I bought it at Ricks Music shop which was then situated on Candlemaker Row in Edinburgh's old town and they had just opened a couple of days previous and the guitar was the only one in the window (very small windows in these shops).The guy in the shop told me one of or both of the following reasons for it having no decals :-
1)Legal case with Fender.
2)Demand was so high that label mfg. could not kep up with demand for a while but they continued to ship.
Both seem plausible as there would be no reason for a shop putting it in the window without decals - if they were missing they would have been able to replace them.
If it does not have the decals this must in some ways make it more desirable like the Penny Black stamps that are missing a perforation. Im certainly not saying it would make it more desirable on the open market but to a Tokai enthusiast/collector it would be an interesting item.
Lastly does anyone know what year it is - I bought it in 1985 believing it to be pre-owned but in mint condition.
Cheers
Nick
 
vanzep said:
If it does not have the decals this must in some ways make it more desirable like the Penny Black stamps that are missing a perforation.

Actually I doubt that. If I bought it, I'd replace the decal.
 

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