Sorry, dating again

Roboherb · Dec 20, 2003

Hi all

First time at this board, so please bare with me.

I know this has been asked sooo many times, but I am still confused on dating (my Tokai I mean :wink: )

It is a tele shape, maple neck, breezy sound on the head with a small 'spaghetti' logo. No letters to tell me the model, just the number 18192.

From the dating pictures, it looks to me to be around the early 80's, can anyone be more accurate? What model is it (TTE????)?

Thank you to anyone that helps.

Cheers

Pete

Anonymous · Dec 20, 2003

sneakyjapan · Dec 20, 2003

access to a digital camera?

Roboherb · Dec 21, 2003

First let me thank you both for your replies. Made to feel welcome, thanks.

I only bought the guitar yesterday morning, and was trying to find info when I can across this site. I looked at the 'how to date your Tokai', but was still puzzled. I still have a lot to read up on.

I would be glad to put a picture or two out from my camera. Where, and how, do I post it? Sorry if it's a stupid question. Newbies! :lol: (no offence intended to anyone else, just poking fun at myself)

Thanks again you guys

Pete

Anonymous · Dec 22, 2003

Roboherb · Dec 22, 2003

Cheers, good idea that. Posted a general picture at the following site. Can change it for a closer one of just the head if it helps.

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/roboherb/myhomepage/aboutme.html

I can give you a few more details, but not sure if relevent or not. The neck plate is stamped 'Made in Japan', and the bridge has no lips on the top and bottom, only the back where the 6 adjusters are. Well you notice these things after you first give it a good clean

The only job I needed to do was to re-wire the switch. Mid position was dead. All sorted now, and sounds ok. Would sound better with someone who can play.... :wink:

Any, well all, help would be very much appreciated

Pete

sneakyjapan · Dec 22, 2003

OK so you`ll be the Brit Pete and I`ll be the Canuck Pete. Posting pics eh.... sorry, don`t know how. Boy do I feel like a dumbass.

Anonymous · Dec 22, 2003

Roboherb · Dec 22, 2003

Where in the world is Canuck? Now I feel like a dumbass... :lol:

So when I said I was confused, looks like I'm not the only one. I will look into the cavity soon, and post any details.

When I looked at the 7okia, I thought very early '80's from looking on the site. Also the chrome looks old enough, even the knobs look like they are starting to blister. The scratchplate screws are also well tarnished. As for the plate, not sure. As I said in my first post, the number is on the head just below the 7okia logo.

Will post again when I look inside. May be a few days, as I am playing at the moment.

Cheers

Pete (uk Pete that is...hehhehe)

Roboherb · Dec 22, 2003

Change of plan. Doen't take long just to slacken the strings and drop the neck off, so that's what I just done. Here's what I found...

Instead of adjusting the saddle height, someone had stuck a card the size of a credit or phonecard, under the neck. With that and the switch wired up wrong, makes me wonder about the previous owner. That said I did buy it from a second hand shop, but I got a 'thing' about blondes. (guitars only, not so much trouble... :lol: )

The good news (I hope) is I found a code there, on the neck and the socket...and they match! The neck has a 'c' below. The code is S-206KL. Any help? At least I know the neck and body belong together.

Cheers

Pete

Anonymous · Dec 22, 2003

ian · Dec 22, 2003

Neck codes, logo, and neck plate all suggest this didn?t start life as a Tokai. However, that reminds me :- between 1973 & 1975 Ibanez imported electrics into the UK under the name ?Antonia?; the guitars had no serial number but were clearly stamped ?Made in Japan? on the neck plate. After 1975 the words were removed. At that time various Japanese brands were apparently made in different sections of the same factory (see Ibanez Forum), so other makers probably used neck plates with the same wording (for all I know some may still use those neck plates today). But of course it?s also fairly easy to swap neck plates or add transfer logos.

Ian.

sneakyjapan · Dec 22, 2003

oh yeah there certainly were some peculiar things going on with MIJs during the 70s and 80s. I`ve been following this thread and learning some important info. I hope Smakutus is reading too... he`s pondering a Tokai as well and he`s uncertain about the model. Folks here are very helpful and offer a lot of good advice. I`ve never been shy about asking shop staff to look under the hood, as it were, before buying a used gitar. Especially these days with so many less than honest sellers out there and with certain models that are gaining in popularity... Tokais, old Fenders from Japan, Grecos, Burnys etc.

Canuck?.... we`re part of the Commonwealth and gained independence in 1867... without a war. We`re America`s neighbor to the north. We`re Canada eh.
Sometimes referred to as Canuckistani these days.

Roboherb · Dec 23, 2003

Thanks guys

Feel cheesed off now. Any chance of some good news..like it's a fender MIJ :lol: ? Sounds good, but don't know what to do with it. I don't know if I should take it back for a refund, or try to find out what it could have once been. This was supposed to be my first collectable guitar, but it seems I bought a ?200 dud.

If anyone knows of a maker, who screws there neck pickup to the body, rather than the pick guard, please drop me a line.

Thanks for the help and advice

Pete

Anonymous · Dec 23, 2003

Nik Lloyd · Dec 23, 2003

Hi Pete,
I think I would try to be a bit more positive about it. There are many quality MiJ Replicas about, that yours could be ( most of which we know even less about that Tokai's) . Fernandes, Vesta, ESP, Burny and many others which regularly get mentioned on this site. They are all Great Quality, and although yours is not a Tokai, I still think that any Tele of that quality (Great Ash Body on yours !) has got to be worth the ?200 you paid for it. The going price for a Tokai Breezy Sound from the early 80's is ?350 minimum. I have seen similar markings to yours on Fernandes and Jap Fenders, but hopefully someone will recognise them.
The traditional way to fix the neck pick up is direct to the body, so that is right. The later Std Fenders have the pick up mounted via the scratchplate. I think if the guitar plays and sounds nice, value it for just that !! and when a nice original Breezy comes up, perhaps trade it in.
Just my humble opinion of course !
Nik

sneakyjapan · Dec 23, 2003

just looked at the pic.... doesn`t look genuine to me, but I`m not that well versed in Tokais, just the ones I own and have seen on the Japanese net. It`s the sticker that looks phoney to me. Much too small, my opinion.... somebody is taking advantage of the surge in Tokai popularity and sold a fake. If it were me, I`d have returned it already. In fact I bought one tele of the net here that I kept for an hour and sent it back... the worst representation of Japanese guitars I`ve seen yet... an old Greco tele. There are plenty of Tokais out there that are without a doubt original and you would have peace of mind.
By the way... that body looks a lot like the sen body Greco strats I have fron the late 70s. Evidently it was a popular wood then. Keep us posted whatever you decide to do.

Bluesbrush · Dec 23, 2003

It wasnt that long ago that every Tokai I found had the logo scratched off....or in the case of a very nice Love Rock had a Gibson logo added. Most were just blank but one had the F word.

How the tables turn. It might not be long before they start scratching the F word off those chinese/Korean/Mexican jobs and start putting fake Tokai logos on to raise the price.

Oh the humanity.
BB

Roboherb · Dec 23, 2003

Oh....nuts!!! It was from a Cash Converter shop. Go on then, tell me more bad news. :lol:

I've made arrangements to take it back tommorrow, will let you know what happens.

Pete

Roboherb · Dec 23, 2003

Ok, an update...

I have contacted the local Trading Standards. They have given me some info that may be of use to you guys, although I hope you are never in a position to have to use it

If the label on the goods have been changed, then the product is 'mis representing itself'. If the goods are new or secondhand, you still have the right to a full refund.

Thank you guys, just found other replies on page 2

. While I see your point about if I like it, keep it, I think on this occasion I shall take it back. I was keen when I saw the logo in the shop, and now find it's a fake...kinda knocks the edge of the idea of my new 'toy'.

I am so glad there are helpful people like yourselves out there.

I will let you know the result tommorrow

Cheers

Sorry, dating again

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