Please help..What model is this tele? "Updated Pics&quo

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sonnygonz

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what wood is it ?and what year is it made?what model TE?
serial 1017812 in backplate
TEB on pickups
no made in japan decal
its formerly 2tone burst but scraped to natural by the first owner..its has
a marking on the neck pocket 3=10 and in the cavity control 3=10 GS .Z
on POTS D1M.

MANY THANKS AND MORE POWER TO TOKAI LOVERS!!
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TokaiBodyfront.jpg

TokaiBackCloseup.jpg

TokaiBridge.jpg

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Hi Sonny,
Welcome to the forum. Looks like a well played TE-50 from 1981, and made in Japan. The pickups are original. It's hard to tell from your photos, but it looks like alder to me--these were either alder or Japanese ash (sen). Too bad about the finish, but if it plays well I'm sure it sounds good!
:D
________
 
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cheshirecatsmile said:
Hi Sonny,
Welcome to the forum. Looks like a well played TE-50 from 1981, and made in Japan. The pickups are original. It's hard to tell from your photos, but it looks like alder to me--these were either alder or Japanese ash (sen). Too bad about the finish, but if it plays well I'm sure it sounds good!
:D
thanks..so,its a te-50 model..it does play well sir/ma'am..just needed some refrets..
 
im curious ive never seen a te-50 in two toned burst..mine is a 2pc center joined body originally in two tone burst finish..
 
It looks like a one piece from the front doesn't it? It's actually two:

149_4917.jpg


Tokai seem to hide their body joins better than anyone else I have seen. And I include Fender & Bacchus in that.
 
uhmm.would be there a possibilty that this tokai of mine is a TE-70?i can show you tommorow a pic that this is realy a 2tone burst finish before..beneath the pickguard is a untouch original paint,.and this is my first tokai tele and im very surprise to its sound...very sweet even in a Guitar to Amp rig only..it tone likely to have a breath!many thanks
 
Well I'm not an expert, but I think the TE70s were sen (Japanese ash) while the cheaper models were alder. But I might be wrong about this. Yours looks more like alder to me.

It shouldn't make any difference to the quality of the sound though, alder tends to sound softer and warmer than ash/sen, so both woods have their good points. Sen looks prettier though.

8)
 
Post your pics anyway, it's always interesting to see other member's Tokais. And it's Mike, not sir... :wink:
 
stratman323 said:
Well I'm not an expert, but I think the TE70s were sen (Japanese ash) while the cheaper models were alder. But I might be wrong about this. Yours looks more like alder to me.

It shouldn't make any difference to the quality of the sound though, alder tends to sound softer and warmer than ash/sen, so both woods have their good points. Sen looks prettier though.

8)

It's alder - same as my 81 TE55:

CIMG2497.jpg

CIMG2498.jpg
 
Nice grain for alder Marcus.

The more I see, the more I'm convinced that the reason these 80s Tokais are so good is the quality of the wood they used. Great craftsmanship too, but even a great craftsman can't do much with poor wood.
 
Thanks Mike. The knot holes are kind of a giveaway for Alder - not as pretty as Sen/Ash.

Yeah, the craftmanship is one of their biggest strengths. As noted earlier, their center joins are flawless. You can't see the seams at all thru the finish - you have to look at the wood patterning to see them and even that is difficult sometimes.
 
TE70s were sen (Japanese ash) while the cheaper models were alder

TE-50s, 70s and 80s were all made out of either ash or sen. The major differences beyond that seem to be in finish (nitro for TE-80 and up), binding (TE-70), pickups (TE-70 and 80s have different pickups from lower models, TE-Hot and TE-A respectively--TE-50s are TE-B), and V-necks and brass saddles on TE-80 and up. Lower models sometimes also have 3 piece bodies, although not always. The higher models also originally came with a bone nut instead of plastic.

:D
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Interesting, thanks. Is the V neck on a TE70 the same shape & size as a Springy ST80?
 
Is the V neck on a TE70 the same shape & size as a Springy ST80?

TE-80s have Vs; TE-70 are U. I don't have a TE-80 (wish I did!)--that info is from that Japan Vintage magazine article. My TE-50s feel different from my Springys/Goldstars--I think the shape is a little different. I think they're all 42 mm at the nut though. My 1980 TE-50 has a rosewood fingerboard and the neck shape is C or U but super shallow--very easy to play. I'd have to measure, but the one Breezy (1982 TE-50) I have with a maple neck feels a tiny bit deeper--still a different feel from a maple neck Springy or Goldstar though.

:)
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Thanks. My 1980 TE70 neck feels chunkier than either my 1980 ST60, or a RW board Goldstar ST50, which is a shame really. Still nice though.
 
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