.38 Special Bass Questions - MODS, PLEASE MOVE TO BASSES

DeanT · Feb 3, 2008

Hi All -

I just joined here and would like to find out some info on the .38 Special jazz bass.

Specifically, how can I tell if they are genuine? I haven't been able to find much info on them. I found one that has a "Fokai" headstock label, but there doesn't seem to be a serial number anywhere on it. The seller claims is MIJ.

How do you tell their age? Are they decent basses? How much is one in good shape worth in US $.

Thanks.

bruceboomstick · Feb 4, 2008

.38 Special and .44 Magnum were "gun" series from early to mid 1980s. Good quality, but considered entry level (I had a .38 guitar) which weighed in at 180GBP (slightly cheaper than a squier strat at the time).

As a Tokai original design I doubt there's much benefit in fakery - it's easy to dress a no name strat as a Goldstar than to get replicate a .38 Special.(non standard body and headstock)

By Fokai to you mean 7okai? My one had a full T as it was post lawsuit, earlier ones may have carried a more fenderish logo.

Other than that there's not much info to be found on them.

DeanT · Feb 4, 2008

Thanks for the info Bruce.

Yes, it has the 7okai headstock. Here's a lousy cellphone photo I got of it:

Here's another:

I like the fact that it has a unique look, compared to the Jazz Sounds. I was just trying to get some info on what people think of them. Apparently they weren't very popular because the's practically no info on them out there.

bruceboomstick · Feb 4, 2008

I think they came out an unfortunate time - In the UK the Tokai name was selling pretty well, but primarily on fender and gibson copies. No one really wanted the originals - no matter how good !!

I hadn't heard of them until one in a shop and thought "it's a tokai so it can't be bad!"

I had mine for about 4 years before I sold it - I recently heard that the guy who bought it still has it. It was a really great guitar - very versatile.

I never saw the bass version in the flesh - but that one looks like every other I've seen on the web - all the main details are right to my eyes (I'm no expert mind!)

DeanT · Feb 5, 2008

Mods. I would appreciate if you could move this thread to the basses section. thanks.

Also, for those interested, I found an old catalog page from 1983 with the .38 Special Bass. I haven't found anything earlier (or later for that matter) with the .38 Special bass.

.38 Special Bass Questions - MODS, PLEASE MOVE TO BASSES

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.38 Special Bass Questions - MODS, PLEASE MOVE TO BASSES

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