Pruning Tokai collection -need advice and opinions

In 1999 I bought my 1st Tokai, a black MAT.
Impressed with reviews, and the quality of Tokai guitars, I bought more. And more. And you know the rest.


Now I need to prune the collection to a reasonable level, but need your advice. I would like to keep some player guitars and some special models.
What would you keep?


How do I identify these models?
I have gleaned a lot of info from this website on identifying headstock scripts and dating the guitars, but have a problem whether the guitar is an *# 40, 60, 80, 120 or whatever. I know that the numbers relate to the original list price, but how do I tell?

It seems a common selling practice to disassemble guitars to show neck and pickup stamps. This seems like a lot of work and ( I think) affects the originality of the guitar. Is it really necessary? Or only on certain guitars?

The list follows. These guitars range in condition from simple projects to OhMyGod gorgeous condition.

Any constructive thoughts, suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Alan


Custom Edition White
.38 Special Butterscotch
Acoustic Natural
AST 56 Candy Apple
AST 56 Tobacco burst
ATE 52 Butterscotch
Blazing Fire Aluminium
Breezysound Paisley
Breezysound Wine
Custom edition Purple
Fernandes/Fender Fiesta Red
Goldstar Red
Hummingbird Blue
Hummingbird Rosewood
Hummingbird Rosewood
Love Rock Flame burst
Love Rock Flame burst
M.A.T. Black
M.A.T. White
Magnum .44 Flame top
NES 100 SB Sun Burst
NES 160 Orange
Super Edition Blue burst
TPB-57 Butterscotch
TST 62 Sunburst
TST-56 Tobacco burst
TST-56 Gold
Tsunami Red sunburst

I know it's the answer to everything on here, but pics are the only way for us to tell what you have. If you start with detailed pics of the guitars in one piece, making sure you include details of any stickers, stamps etc, it might be possible to identify most of them. If some prove difficult to ID, you might have to strip them down a bit to get exact information. It's up to you if you want to do this or not.

If you post your pics on a site like www.photobucket.com you can post the links on here so we can all see them.

Good luck,

Mike

stratman323 said:

I know it's the answer to everything on here, but pics are the only way for us to tell what you have. If you start with detailed pics of the guitars in one piece, making sure you include details of any stickers, stamps etc, it might be possible to identify most of them. If some prove difficult to ID, you might have to strip them down a bit to get exact information. It's up to you if you want to do this or not.

If you post your pics on a site like www.photobucket.com you can post the links on here so we can all see them.

Good luck,

Mike

Click to expand...

Mike
Fair enough.
I'll start dragging them out of storage and see if I can get images posted within a few days.
Alan

I wish I hadn't just purchased a Fakai and could consider one of yours!

I put some images, of some of the family, in the batch set called 'Tokai' at :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stockstillsphotos/

And, obviously, my photographic skills completely disappear when in the presence of so much beauty!!!

Let me know your thoughts.

Do you realize the NES 90 is a Fake Tokai ?
There's another recent thread about these...
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=7530

Mick

I thought they'd been established as Korean rather than fake? I'm sure we get these in the UK too - i've definitely seen one at my local Tokai dealer.

leadguitar_323 said:

Do you realize the NES 90 is a Fake Tokai ?
There's another recent thread about these...
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=7530

Mick

Click to expand...

Mick
I believe that there are extremely well made, Korean ones with a lot of information (Tokai, Made in Korea and a serial number) marked in gold on the rear of the headstocks. And a genuine looking Tokai label inside.

There are, however, some suspect ones like the one on Ebay right now
Tokai Hollow Body Electric Guitar - RARE!
Item number: 270255386880

I asked this seller what was marked on the rear of the headstock and his answer was "his guitar doesn't have anything stamped on the back of the headstock."

If you find a Korean version of the NES90, buy it, because it is, without a doubt, one of the finest built guitars I have ever seen.
And this controversy may serve to lower the value of the Korean ones.

Alan

Sorry guys, any Tokai with that headstock logo is definately a Canadian ordered "fake". Tokai NEVER made a gretch replica. Tokai also used the same sticker on the inside of their guitars {compare the label on the inside of the other hollow body you have, it is different} The NES 90 was made in Korea but was not made in the same factory as the Korean Tokai's, it was one of a run ordered behind Tokai's back by the "at the time" Canadian distributor, from what we can work out he couldn't get the guitars and finishes on the guitars he wanted from Tokai so he went and made orders of his own and had another factory in Korea make them for him, Maybe the same factory that makes "Dillion" guitars, as similarities have been pointed out before. This information has been confirmed by Mr Adaichi {Tokai's president} in a series of e-mails sent last year. I even tried to get in touch with the distributor my self but to no avail as he has no website and did not answer my calls or the calls from another Canadian forum member who helped get the relevant info.
Do a search on the forum as there is plenty of information on these guitars. I would also like to say that this doesn't mean that these are poorly made instruments as i have been told that they are quite good, check out the reviews on Harmony Central for the "Tokai Zakk Wylde" replica as this is also a "Fake" Tokai.



Mick

That guitar should have a Gold sticker on the back of the headstock saying "manufactured under licence for tokai gakki co. ltd." Make in korea,followed by a serial no. Also the listing you posted on ebay has the same sticker inside as yours this same guy has a series of "Fake" tokais, look at his ebay store.
Headstock shape is also not Tokai. It is not my intention to misinform, a lot of research has gone into identifying these guitars.


Any guitar with this type of logo is a "FAKE" tokai


Mick

Thanks for the info, Mick!

Ah, but all Tokais are fakes anyway - don't you guys listen?

:wink:

Mike

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

leadguitar_323 said:

That guitar should have a Gold sticker on the back of the headstock saying "manufactured under licence for tokai gakki co. ltd." Make in korea,followed by a serial no. Also the listing you posted on ebay has the same sticker inside as yours this same guy has a series of "Fake" tokais, look at his ebay store.
Headstock shape is also not Tokai. It is not my intention to misinform, a lot of research has gone into identifying these guitars.

Any guitar with this type of logo is a "FAKE" tokai


Mick

Click to expand...

Mick
I agree with you.
Anything with an 'electric battleaxe' shaped headstock marked -"Make in Korea' is not the same as mine, (or the one listed on Ebay) which has a Tokai headstock. And mine is marked correctly, "Made in Korea."
You state that the definitive answer is contained in the emails that you and
Mr Adaichi exchanged.
Would you be so kind as to share the relevant emails with this forum's members?
Thanks, Alan
PS - before anyone brings it up, I do realize that I mis-identified this guitar in my first post, as a 160 rather than a 90.

That picture is not for the headstock shape it is to show you the sticker or transfer that these "fakes" have on the back of the headstock. Yours doesn't have a "Tokai" headstock and last but not least Tokai never made a "Gretch" replica guitar. If you find this hard to believe , search the registry. I have provided plenty of links to previous posts and there are a few Tokai dealers on this forum so send Togps or Stratmoto {both dealers} an email and find out for yourself. I forgot to mention that the headstock logo is the biggest giveaway, the fake 335 models share this logo.....NOT TOKAI.
Feel free to send Tokai an email yourself there is an email address on their site .

Mick

PS...look at this link and the links contained in it ....all is explained there.
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=11246

I would like to get more opinions on which guitars on the list might be considered more 'keepable.'

I'm not a speculator, nor am I a 'real' player. I hope soon to have the time to learn and practice. I would appreciate advice from those who do play well, and often.

Some specific questions.

One I will keep is the .44 Magnum. Does anyone else have one?

How does the .38 Special compare to other Strat copies?

How does one tell the model designation of the Japanese Love Rocks?

The Japanese "love rocks" can be hard to identify, year model and specs like' how many pieces the back has, same with the top, is it solid top or veneer, is it maple veneer or sycamore and so on. If you can supply this information it will make it easier to identify your guitars.

Mick