Tokai ST-50 questions here..

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Marko A

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Hi all,

I?m new on this board but I?ve been luriking here for few weeks now.
I have Tokai stratocaster copy, which I bought used and it?d be interesting to know when this guitar has been made.
It?s really hard to verify since previous owner had scraped the text off from the headstock. Also pickguard has been replaced with one from Fender (pickups also), verified to be from ?79.
There?s no text on the neckplate, don?t know if it?s original or not.
Only thing there is, is ST-50 text on the rear end of the neck.
The body is black, neck feels quite thick to me.
Any ideas when this might have been made?
I have no idea what does ST-50 state for, is it base model or a copy of some particular year, Korean, Japanese ?

Thanks in advance,

Marko
 
Well, I guess these were quite a stupid questions. I know, I was just hoping that someone could give me a slightest hint about this guitar...

Marko
 
Marko, is the ST-50 text on a decal on the back of the neck? Most Goldstar Sound strats seem to be TST or AST models, a ST model might be a Springy Sound strat. The decals (oval) on the Goldstar Sound strats are normally placed at the heel with only the number on it (40, 50, 55, 60 or 80). The Tokai neck plate should have a serial number of some kind corresponding to the original Fender serial.no of the 50's or 60's. If it's a Springy Sound it's probably from the late 70's/early 80's.

Mike
 
Mike,

Thanks for your reply. Here is some pics of the guitar (it?s parted at the moment, waiting for some restoration)

First, you can see where the text had been scraped off:
1.JPG

2.JPG


Text on the neck:
3.JPG


Here?s the fingerboard. It has been refretted at some time with Dunlop 6100 Jumbo?s which are good but a bit too worn. See how the board has been worn on the side also:
4.JPG


Tuners:
5.JPG


Bridge:
6.JPG


Neckplate, no verification of the origin:
7.JPG


the Body:
8.JPG

9.JPG


This poor guitar have had pretty hard times before I got it, but hopefully
I?ll be able to renew it to good playable condition.
Thanks for all the possible help, and please do post comments

Marko
 
LondonBarry,

Yes they do:
10.JPG

(d**n, it?s hard to take a picture of a chromed item using flash)

Can you tell me something about them?
Thanks

Marko
 
There should also be some markings in the electronics cavity if it's a Tokai body. Any there?

Unfortunately all the markings are gone since cavity has been painted with some sort of aluminum (?) paint, to prevent electric interfere.

Yes, I do believe myself that it?s Tokai. At least that?s what the PO told me. He also told about fender pics on the guitar etc. And when I pulled everything off, all the serial numbers on the pics verified them to be fender.So I have no reason to doubt his words.

I?ll replace the frets with Dunlop 6105 (high jumbo) normally used on Gibsons. We?ll see how it?ll turn out. I?ll send some pics when the guitar is finished.

Thanks

Marko
 
ST50 (along with the saddles) fits with it being a Goldstar. I think Peter said that the extra T or A (as in TST or AST) just signified where it was going for export? Fits with it not being part of the stamp. I'm pretty certain that my TST-60 has a similar neck stamp, likewise my Breezysound. Anyway I don't know whether I'm seeing things (its been a long day :( ) but I'm sure I can see a mark left by the Tokai logo on that first headstock picture Marko. Do you have a bigger picture?
 
Your guitar puts me in mind of the "81 Springy Sound that I resurrected :lol:
It has the Final Prospec saddles and was routed for a HB at the bridge which yours appears to have been also from the pics.Like James noted there seems to by a faint ghost of the 7okai label. I beleive a post on another thread identified Goldstar Sounds as having the soft V and Springy's as have a C shaped neck. Not sure if that is correct? May have more to do with the year cpoied :-? Just some of my observations FWIW :wink:
 
Beerslinger,

Thanks for your thoughts, makes sense. And the neck really is C shaped, definitely. This board seems to be very informative, so thanks to everyone who helped on this.

Marko
 
Looks like the 'Tokai' logo as found on Goldstars (rather than the '7okai') to me, so I doubt the headstock has been reshaped.

The neck shape is to do with the model (50, 60, etc) not whether its a Goldstar or Springy.

The ST-50 is a '58 (maple) or '62 (rosewood) Strat replica and has the U shape neck. The ST-60 is a '54 (maple) or '62 (rosewood) replica - the '54 has the soft V, the 62 a U. The ST-80 is a '54 (maple) or '60 (rosewood) replica and neckwise follows the ST-60 (although Tokai do make a distinction between '60 U and '64 U!). This is all Goldstar info, as found here:

http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/tokai86_2.jpg
http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/tokai86_3.jpg

Hope thats clear :D

Don't know whether it applys to Springys of course.....
 
The neck has not been reshaped, that?s very easy to tell by looking at it.
It?s not so easy to tell from the pictures of course.
Don?t know clearly the difference betw/ U and C shaped neck, but it?s
not V shaped, that?s for sure.
When I compare the "text" or what?s left of it, to the pics you sent. To me it seems that it?s more Like Tokai than 7okai. Hard to say again.

Btw, what do you guys think. SHould I use the pickguard that I have it?s pearloid with humbucker hole at the bridge side or should I get one with single coild holes (white as per original)?

This board seems to be really informative and kind. Thanks!

Marko
 
Marko, I think it's up to you what pickups you want to use. I want a humbucker in the bridge position so I use Seymour Duncan Little '59's since I dont want to modify the body. Personally I like the pearloid pickguards, I use a grey one on my Japanese/American Squier/Fender Frankenstein strat :eek: . On my AST-40 Goldstar I use Duncan Hot Stacks together with the Little '59.

strat.jpg


Mike
 
Yeah, I did wonder if it was that Barry. Anyone out there got an ST-80 and can confirm? Peter, you've got one haven't you?

Mike, I don't normally like pearloid plates but that is nice :D
 
Hi guys,

i have never seen the 'ST-50' stamp on a neck....to me it looks wrong. The neck markings were like..9=12, etc - not ST-50.

the fingerboard for ST-50 are concave,as yours is - c1964.
Fenda had 3 shapes over the years - convex, straight and concave, Convex and straight are generally referred to as "slab" fingerboards, made between 1959 and 1962.
"U" and "V" is neck shape, "A","B" and "C" are neck width - the combinations do vary to feel and year eg 1959 slab boards were on "V" necks but 1960 slab boards were on "U" necks...

hope this creates more confusion

Peter Mac
 
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