Jonas
Well-known member
Hi everybody!
First of all I want you to excuse my rather bad english,-))
Although I registered on this forum months ago and been a visitor to this forum for many years I never posted anything,-)) That changes right now..
The first Tokai I purchased is a LS80S GT from 2005 via ishibashi music and have been addicted to Tokai ever since. Before that Tokai I always had Gibsons (and still have one, just for sentimental reasons), but after my first contact with this Goldtop everything changed, beacuse I saw that it was possible to build high quality guitars at a very reasonable price.
In 200& I bought a LS150VF and just after two weeks with this guitar it was clear, that this is the best Les Paul I ever owned or played, it was unbelievable (and still is,-)).
Everytime I read comments on Tokai guitars and how good they are compared to Gibsons I wondered if those people really compared a Gibson with a Tokai, because it was hard to belive for me, that a guitar which was for sale at half the price of a Gibbo could be that good.
I know it's a fact now,-))
Ok, so much for the history, let's get to the present: I'm always looking for a guitar which combines the best features of an old Gibson Les Paul Standard at an affordable price, and thought I found the best alternative with my LS-150, because an LS200 at that time had no advantages for me, except a nicer looking top, and LS320 was so hard to get, especially a 320 with good looking paintjob and top (think of all those 320 clownbursts out there,-)).
Well last week I browsed a website just by accident and what would my eyes see? Guess what, it was a really beautiful 2002 LS320VF with a somewhat interesting top figure and the store was just some minutes away from me. So I gave them a call as soon as possible and just sayed "Tokai" on the phone, "Tokai, is it still in stock?", "Yes it is" was the answer, so I jumped in my car, drove to the store and bought that baby without playing it via amp, just dry, that was enough for me. I never had a Les Paul in my hands with that kind of attack and playability and with that look, wow!
When I was home, I took out my folding rule and measured the LS150 and the 320. The 320's headstock is 2mm narrower, than the LS150 one, and also the body shape and top carving differs, the 320 is somewhat more "handy". It's a great guitar, and nothing even comes close to it, simply amazing. The only point that I don't like are the Seymour Duncan Pups, they sound to compressed for me, but that is just a question of taste, some may like it, some not.
I compared my 320 with the 320 of a friend of mine and we recovered, that the binding of my friends 320 (1998) is 2-3mm wider than the binding on mine, and also, that he has a different kind of Tokai case, which is different from my 320's and 150's case. Are there so many differences between 1998, 2005 and 2002 Tokai Cases?
Another point of interest for me is, whether the LS380 has the "correct" headstock which is thinner on top. But that's just for informational reasons,-))))
There is also a difference in the color of the plastic parts of my LS150 and the 320, the 150 ones are somehow pinky, the 320 more white, is that normal? Is this a matter of the model, or the production year?
I know that the 320 Bridge has brass saddles, does an LS150 feature this, too? I saw in the 2006 Tokai catalogue (thanks togps!), that models from LS135 upwards feature brass saddle bridges but I am not sure whether this was introduced in 2006 or even was standard before.
Ok, so far,-))
CU
Jonas
First of all I want you to excuse my rather bad english,-))
Although I registered on this forum months ago and been a visitor to this forum for many years I never posted anything,-)) That changes right now..
The first Tokai I purchased is a LS80S GT from 2005 via ishibashi music and have been addicted to Tokai ever since. Before that Tokai I always had Gibsons (and still have one, just for sentimental reasons), but after my first contact with this Goldtop everything changed, beacuse I saw that it was possible to build high quality guitars at a very reasonable price.
In 200& I bought a LS150VF and just after two weeks with this guitar it was clear, that this is the best Les Paul I ever owned or played, it was unbelievable (and still is,-)).
Everytime I read comments on Tokai guitars and how good they are compared to Gibsons I wondered if those people really compared a Gibson with a Tokai, because it was hard to belive for me, that a guitar which was for sale at half the price of a Gibbo could be that good.
I know it's a fact now,-))
Ok, so much for the history, let's get to the present: I'm always looking for a guitar which combines the best features of an old Gibson Les Paul Standard at an affordable price, and thought I found the best alternative with my LS-150, because an LS200 at that time had no advantages for me, except a nicer looking top, and LS320 was so hard to get, especially a 320 with good looking paintjob and top (think of all those 320 clownbursts out there,-)).
Well last week I browsed a website just by accident and what would my eyes see? Guess what, it was a really beautiful 2002 LS320VF with a somewhat interesting top figure and the store was just some minutes away from me. So I gave them a call as soon as possible and just sayed "Tokai" on the phone, "Tokai, is it still in stock?", "Yes it is" was the answer, so I jumped in my car, drove to the store and bought that baby without playing it via amp, just dry, that was enough for me. I never had a Les Paul in my hands with that kind of attack and playability and with that look, wow!
When I was home, I took out my folding rule and measured the LS150 and the 320. The 320's headstock is 2mm narrower, than the LS150 one, and also the body shape and top carving differs, the 320 is somewhat more "handy". It's a great guitar, and nothing even comes close to it, simply amazing. The only point that I don't like are the Seymour Duncan Pups, they sound to compressed for me, but that is just a question of taste, some may like it, some not.
I compared my 320 with the 320 of a friend of mine and we recovered, that the binding of my friends 320 (1998) is 2-3mm wider than the binding on mine, and also, that he has a different kind of Tokai case, which is different from my 320's and 150's case. Are there so many differences between 1998, 2005 and 2002 Tokai Cases?
Another point of interest for me is, whether the LS380 has the "correct" headstock which is thinner on top. But that's just for informational reasons,-))))
There is also a difference in the color of the plastic parts of my LS150 and the 320, the 150 ones are somehow pinky, the 320 more white, is that normal? Is this a matter of the model, or the production year?
I know that the 320 Bridge has brass saddles, does an LS150 feature this, too? I saw in the 2006 Tokai catalogue (thanks togps!), that models from LS135 upwards feature brass saddle bridges but I am not sure whether this was introduced in 2006 or even was standard before.
Ok, so far,-))
CU
Jonas
