Tokai Acoustics

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

megid

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
48
Reaction score
0
Location
Cleveland, OH
Hi,

I was wondering if the acoustics are finished with nitro. I haven't really found too much information about tokai acoustic guitars and hoping that someone can fill me in here.
 
Well, to answer my own question....

Some acoustic models that I know of:
Martin D-28 copies
CE 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 600, 1000, 1400
TCE 30

Gibson copies:
J200 Jumbo
Hummingbird 7656

From what I gather, around 1972, a Tokai representative went to the Martin factories to study their production techniques as they made a deal with each other. From what I've heard, every one of the models, including the lower ones, are excellent not only for the price, but pretty comparable to actual Martin's.

I believe that the CE200s were finished with poly... they're also all laminate tops. The CE250s and 300s were also laminate tops, but I believe were finished in nitro (based on oxidation on the finish I've seen which only occurs on nitro finishes?)

In 1983, they introduced the TCE30 model for only a year, which is the same price as the CE300, but it has a solid spruce top.

Not entirely sure about all of this; asked a japanese ebayer who's sold multiple Cat's Eyes.

He has listed a way to read serial #'s too for a CE250:
Made in 1981, Serial 2516901.(25 for CE250, 1 for 81, 6901 is production number)
From what I gather, not all the acoustics were set up to read like this though.
To quote CheShireCatSmile on serial:
"I have a CE600 and I think there were higher end models above. The model labelling doesn't remain consistent either--newer models have an entirely different model system, and there are some quite high end recent models as well.
Dating these is a bit confusing--I've read conflicting things (first 2 digits, or last 2 digits of serial for date), that would make mine either a 1976 or a 1984 model. The headstock on mine (all caps CAT'S EYES) doesn't seem to appear anywhere around 1984 in catalogues, so I would guess earlier. I'm not sure if my CE600 is an "exact" Martin copy, but it sure is a nice guitar--I'll try to take some photos and post."


Again, I'm not entirely sure about much of this... so please feel free to correct me or add to this.
 
I've owned a few Tokai Cat's eyes, a CE400 and a 500, I'm pretty sure they weren't nitro. I assume the high-end ones probably were. Like you say though, very nice guitars!
 
My mistake... just found out that oxidation can occur on any finish. Just asked a professional luthier :D
 
megid said:
Man, there's not that much love for the Tokai acoustics here huh?
I've got a black Tokai CE-300 that I've had for about 15 years. I'm pretty sure its nitro. Very nice sounding guitar. Built like a Martin (inside).

But mostly I've got OBGs.....
rk%20my%20gibson%20acoustics01.jpg

....that I really like.
 
Beautiful man... I really like that Dove on the left. I can't seem to find any acoustic ObGs. They seem really hard to find.
 
Just wanted to let everyone know; just got my Tokai Cat's Eye TCE-30. Plays like butter, sounds sooooo sweet. I got this for $199 -10% coupon from ebay, and OH MY GOD, the BEST deal I've ever had on almost anything in my entire life. This guitar is a STEAL at this price! I've played my friend's Martin, and this is very comparable. I would definitely put this up against any $1000+ acoustic. I will have pics up soon.
 
megid said:
I got this for $199 -10% coupon from ebay...

Those 10% off vouchers from eBay are great aren't they? :p Every now and then, eBay manages to do something right, for a change, & 10% off the cost of a guitar is well worth having.

Congratulations.

Mike
 
Beautiful guitar!

Here are some pics of my TCE-30

P1150679.jpg




P1150680.jpg




P1150677.jpg


A really nice even-grained solid spruce top for such an inexpensive guitar! Sounds like a dream, feels like the woman of my dreams!
 
Oh c'mon, I thought it was a good name. What, no one names their guitars here?

I have Picoleeta (Orville LP. I know, very bad), Norma (Norma ES-335 copy. I know, somewhat generic since it says NORMA on the headstock), and now, Kitty!
 
megid said:
Oh c'mon, I thought it was a good name. What, no one names their guitars here?

I have Picoleeta (Orville LP. I know, very bad), Norma (Norma ES-335 copy. I know, somewhat generic since it says NORMA on the headstock), and now, Kitty!

Kitty's also slang for ........... as in "mind if I pet your kitty?"
 
Solid tops in old Tokais(until ?83) above CE-700,sometimes S=Solid is written inside the box.
 
So I went to Guitar Center the other day and played a vintage Martin D-28 and I'll be damned if my Cat's Eyes didn't sound AND play better!
 
Back
Top