Well...I've had my lefty Tokai ES 120 for over a year and...

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GPCarpenter

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...the honeymoon is still going strong...it's just an amazing guitar...after owning both Gibby 335s and a Heritage 535 and being disappointed in both, this guitar is everyhing I ever expected in a 335 and more. The only mods I've done is add a Gibson Historice truss rod cover and black pickup ring screws...plus I aged the hardware. I can't recommend those guitars highly enough!

I think I might have gotten a one-off ES 120, I've been told by a couple people that they didn't think the ES 120 was available in a plain top, that only the 110s and lower models were...but it's definately a 120...says so on the sticker inside the f-hole.

000_0246.jpg
 
He says the same thing about his ES120.....it's the best 335 he's owned (his two vintage ones don't see any playing time anymore because of blondie)

33de-1.jpg
 
marcusnieman said:
He says the same thing about his ES120.....it's the best 335 he's owned (his two vintage ones don't see any playing time anymore because of blondie)

33de-1.jpg

I listened to some of his clips on youtube...good stuff...do you know him?
 
Maybe it's a higher model number because it's a lefty? For example, in the 1985 catalogue, a custom colour Goldstar ST50 was a 55 - in other words it cost more because of the custom colour. A lefty Goldstar was an ST55, even in standard colours - so they charged a bit extra because it was a lefty. Maybe it was the same with the ES models?

I'm still very impressed with my ES130, very nice guitar.

:p

Mike
 
GPCarpenter said:
I listened to some of his clips on youtube...good stuff...do you know him?

One of my best friends and guitar mentor. His real name is Brian Calway. Here's a little blurb from one of his sponsors - Category 5 Amps:

http://www.category5amps.com/artist_brown.html
 
Did some work on mine last night, as it'd developed a ground problem. Finished about 7:30, and finished playing about... 1am. The Gibbos in the cupboard don't often get let out...
 
Well I love my ES130. It is still at the repairer's currently though (having upgrades done to pickups, bridge & tailpiece).

Best regards,
Darren
 
GPCarpenter said:
I think I might have gotten a one-off ES 120, I've been told by a couple people that they didn't think the ES 120 was available in a plain top, that only the 110s and lower models were...but it's definately a 120...says so on the sticker inside the f-hole.
000_0246.jpg




Is this a MIK or MIJ ?
 
Blaze said:
We re talking about what price range for this ES 120 MIJ beauty ,let say in USD..

eBay is a good starting point to get an idea of what is out there and what it's going for:



ES175

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tokai-Japan-Premium-ES-335-VNT-Flame-Nitro-H-C_W0QQitemZ230274220888QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item230274220888&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14

ES130

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tokai-ES-130-SB-50s-style-lacquer-Finish-w-HC-Nmint_W0QQitemZ300291855988QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item300291855988&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

ES135:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tokai-ES-135-SB-Made-in-Japan-New_W0QQitemZ200307427678QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item200307427678&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

ES145:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tokai-ES-145-SB-lacquer-Finish-w-HC-Like-New_W0QQitemZ300291856514QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item300291856514&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Tokai-ES-145-OHSC-NEAR-MINT-COND_W0QQitemZ160314523222QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item160314523222&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
 
That natural plain top is very cool - pure understated beauty.

I expect my honeymoon to begin in a couple of days, when the DHL man gets here... Got this sweet ES 135 from Gottfried:

es135-small.jpg
 
Blaze said:
We re talking about what price range for this ES 120 MIJ beauty ,let say in USD..

Mine was $1,250...that includes shipping from Japan to the Atlanta area and a hardshell case.
 
Hi all And my 2002 Tokai is called an es 100 and has a ton of flame
osoyoosagain182-1.jpg


so there are the odd variables- the guitar has a nice vertical grain and also nice horizontal flame. It just can't be seen very well in this pic.
regards
 
GPCarpenter said:
Blaze said:
We re talking about what price range for this ES 120 MIJ beauty ,let say in USD..

Mine was $1,250...that includes shipping from Japan to the Atlanta area and a hardshell case.


8) hi GPC......my tokai catalog is the newest one so all the model#s
are newer and higher than then. but i guess today's es135L was
the es120L last season and its still all the same then the available
colors were/are sunburst/trans red/vintage natural..................
this gtr is lefty and its the limited edition so they only make some
only sometimes whenever needed. this model dont have flametop
so your plaintop baby is all standard genuine tokai w/no stranges.
the list price in japan now is 135000 yen w/o tax. the best 335
replica especially in the world of the lefty gtrs!!

i have 2 small questions for ya if ok. so tell me if ok....thanks!.....

@ what georgia satellites doing today? good good guys i met them
in 1989 in tokyo. they were very popular internationally then
i guess they came to japan happily a lot i think. where are
they now doing what u know??

@ is the "athens" area really nice and beautiful? i know someone
before who went there and i wish she is very happy there if
she really went. winder/bogert/athens.......those towns..........
do you know there well?

thanks GPC.....................................................joe japan.






8)
 
Too right Ozeshin that is a '79 I banez 2619 ebony board 2 tri-select for hum, single, and out of phase. The people at Ibanez call these lp killers and thru a B jr with a jenson it rips.
ibanez2619001.jpg

ibanez2619004.jpg

ibanez2619002.jpg




would still like to get an mij lp though
regardsIbnose
 
TOKAI JOE said:
GPCarpenter said:
Blaze said:
We re talking about what price range for this ES 120 MIJ beauty ,let say in USD..

Mine was $1,250...that includes shipping from Japan to the Atlanta area and a hardshell case.


8) hi GPC......my tokai catalog is the newest one so all the model#s
are newer and higher than then. but i guess today's es135L was
the es120L last season and its still all the same then the available
colors were/are sunburst/trans red/vintage natural..................
this gtr is lefty and its the limited edition so they only make some
only sometimes whenever needed. this model dont have flametop
so your plaintop baby is all standard genuine tokai w/no stranges.
the list price in japan now is 135000 yen w/o tax. the best 335
replica especially in the world of the lefty gtrs!!

i have 2 small questions for ya if ok. so tell me if ok....thanks!.....

@ what georgia satellites doing today? good good guys i met them
in 1989 in tokyo. they were very popular internationally then
i guess they came to japan happily a lot i think. where are
they now doing what u know??

@ is the "athens" area really nice and beautiful? i know someone
before who went there and i wish she is very happy there if
she really went. winder/bogert/athens.......those towns..........
do you know there well?

thanks GPC.....................................................joe japan.






8)

How are you Tokai Joe...thanks for the info.

As far as the Georgia Satellites, I've known Rick Richards for close to 40 years....we played in a couple of bands together when we were younger and then the Satellites and my band in Atlanta would often be double billed into the same clubs...we did thousands of shows together...before they got their record deal we had a friendly rivalry about which band would get a deal first. He's always been one of my favorite guitarists and he's a great guy...incredibly funny. My old band still does a couple of reunion shows every year and we try to get whatever band Rick is in to join us...it's always a great time

And yes, the Athens area is quite nice....not quite country and not quite city...and always a good music scene there.
 
:eek: thanks a lot GPC and you say you are a cool buddy of
rick richards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no **** i was just asking about them
not trying to meet one of his great buddys here!
a real suprise here and wow..........

r u still meeting him sometimes since? is he still playin cool
TV yellow colored gibsons mostly? jr n special.........
whats your old band name?

thanks again GPC!




8)
 
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