What the Heck IS This???

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

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

ramsale

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
Messages
193
Reaction score
0
Location
USA
I just bought on eBay...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=860564151
Any clues?
I figured it was worth a try...
 
Love that one, if it hadn't been in the US I would have bought it! Congratulations! Can you tell us a little about it? How does it sound and feel?

Michael
 
This is the first Tokai ST natural finish I have seen anytime.Congratulations ramsale,it is a beauty.
 
I don't have specifics on it yet, but will keep you posted when it arrives from Toronto. I had previously bought a Korean model Strat from Mike's Music and it had some minor cosmetic problems, but played great. A friend (Fender MIM Strat owner) bought that one from me, and I reinvested in the Ash Japanese one from eBay. Turns out it also is from Mike's, but sold under different user ID. He's good at packing and shipping speed, I just hope quality control on this one is better than the Korean example. If it's anything like the "vintage" Tokai Strats I've seen, it'll be a fantastic instrument. I'd still like to hear the details on the "one of two in existance" line though...
 
Hola Luis:
Esta guitarra puede ser una ST-50 que actualmente se distribuye en Europa. Coinciden las caracteristicas con las que tienen en Centromusica de Valencia. Mi Breezysound tiene el mismo cuerpo que esta por lo que sospecho que la mia puede ser una TE-50, tambien japonesa, es m?s, creo que en Espa?a solo se distribuyen las Tokai japonesas.
Un saludo.
 
No me jodas que las hay en Valencia.Escribeme a mi e-mail y lo hablamos en privado.
Gracias,Alex.
 
Luis: would you mind translation of what was written? I'd appreciate it much, and and find it interesting for sure...
Thanks!
 
Sorry Ramsale.Alex told the guitar seems a ST-50,as he saw the characterictics on a web page from Centromusica,a seller from Valencia-Spain.
 
Ah,he also states there are Japanese guitars in Spain only,but I couldn,t find them last summer,korean ones only.Maybe now they are avalaible now and I could get a Breezysound al last.
 
Thank you Luis. I still have not taken possesion of the new guitar, but maybe later this week. I did order a new Ritter gig bag for storage. Another seller on eBay has 'em all the time for $45, and price includes delivery in US. See: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=865424168
I sold my first one with my Korean Strat, and ordered another for the Ash Japanese model. They are GREAT bags with extra padding and alot of well thought out ideas.
I would recommend this bag to everyone.
 
http://www.centromusica.net/

Hola Luis:
En esta direccion est? la ST-50. La foto no se corresponde con las caracteristicas, pero hablan de cuerpos de fresno en acabado natural. Me temo que la Breezysound ya no se comercializa en Espa?a, la m?a podr?a ser de las ultimas que se vendieron aqu?. Desde luego tiene el mismo acabado que la ST-50.
 
Hola Luis y Alex,
Como estas?. El guitarra es ST-55, no ST-50.
Natural was considered a "custom" finish and so attracted a 5,000yen extra charge - but everything else are the same specs as ST-50. Body was always alder. We had quite a few of them in Australia. The ash body is a relatively new concept as ash is a higher priced wood than alder.
lluego
Peter
 
Well, the Tokai in question came UPS today. It IS a beauty! Action is set way too low, and 6th string buzzes a little bit, but I haven't had time to set it up yet. Neck is as good or better than the Korean model, but hardware and finish seem to be higher quality and "tighter" feeling. No apparent serial number on instrument anywhere, and no oval number sticker on back of neck. Original box WAS included, and calls model AST-50 and finish is marked as "N". (For Natural?) Other numbers on box lid might be serial? Looks like a pretty typical Strat from Tokai, with beautiful light grain ash and heavy gloss finish. I'll let you know how it plays in next post...
 
Well, I've had time to set up and noodle around some with the Japanese Ash Strat now, and here's my initial impressions... The guitar is very playable, cosmetics are flawless, and the only thing that bothered me was the tone. These pickups have the strangest, thin, over-the-top high end tone I have ever heard from an electric guitar. At first I didn't like the sound at all, but am really getting use to it, and enjoying it now. I have owned other Strats before, and most have the same basic tonal character in common. This example is like 1/3 less bottom end, and twice the high end using the bridge selection. Between phase positions, it's VERY bright. I had thought about "dressing it up" with some Texas Specials or Vintage Noiseless, but really want to leave it all original now. I have a regular American Standard to bastardize, so why mess with the Tokai? All in all, it's a beauty, plays clean, (Maybe out-Fenders the Fender...), and is a whale of a deal at under $400 US. Just my opinion....
 
Well, eBay hit me again... The "other" of the two in existance went up for auction, and I scores it also for $385 and shipping from Canada. Wife is about to kill me, but for less than $800, I have both of 'em now, and they ARE classy Strat clones. The first one is set up now, and plays great, and I'm waiting on delivery of the second. There's nothing wrong with having 6 or 7 guitars around the house, is there? Anyway, will prolly leave plastic on pickguard of second one in case I need to sell it in years to come... they sure are a beautiful copy though...
 
Getting older, and giving up most other vices...still have weakness for fine instruments though. If I get in a pinch, I'll let the Forum have first crack at the twin Ash Strats, but don't hold breath... I think a few others would hit the auction block before these.
:wink:
 
Back
Top