Please Help!! Specification and Age of my Tokai Silver Star

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rayq78

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I have a Silver Star, Olympic White. just got it in a forum swap.
Serial number and Tokai label was almost removed. Maybe the previous owners attempted to replace it with a Fender logo.

Only Serial number left was - 9006????
Stamped "36" after the 21st fret.
3 bolted neck.

Can somebody tell me if i got a geniun Tokai SS. And what are the specifications of this guitar.
 
Long sigh..... :roll:

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9012

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=13896
 
mrsuspend said:
I'll help out, I'm in a good mood. :wink:
It's an entry level 1979 replica of a Fender 1972 Stratocaster.

/Magnus

You must not only be in a good mood, but feeling clairvoyant too- you can be certain what it is without seeing it? And you're sure it's genuine too?

Wow.

:eek:
 
A neck stamped 36? I doubt anyone would bother faking that.

But you do have a point; the body might conceivably come from another guitar.

/Magnus
 
mrsuspend said:
I'll help out, I'm in a good mood. :wink:
It's an entry level 1979 replica of a Fender 1972 Stratocaster.

/Magnus

i have pictures...please dont mind the price because im not really selling it...=)

click the link..

http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/1952524/Tokai+Silver+Star+1979+Vintage+-+Stratocaster
 
Cool, yep it's probably what Magnus said - a 1979 SS36. The entry level Silver Star, a good copy of an early 70s Strat. Probably a 3 or maybe 4 piece alder body, cast bridge saddles like a 70s Strat, & a 3 bolt neck join with a tilting neck that should actually work, unlike many 70s Fenders.

The only thing I'm not clear about is the colour - it seems too white for a 31 year old Olympic White guitar, they usually yellow with age. I would say it's either been refinished, or maybe it was one of the "whiter" whites - Tokai certainly did a Snow White in 1985, it's in the catalogue.

Have you opened it up? There should be a colour code under the scratchplate, like this on my 1980 SS60.

IMG_2107.jpg


This is what Olympic White Tokais tend to look like after 25 to 30 years.

IMG_2034.jpg
 
do you mind clicking the link again. i uploaded pictures again taken under the pick guard. i dont think it is repainted. coz i can see the paint is whiter under the pickguard. maybe the flash of my camera made it whiter...=) . previous owner also told me that they converted the 3 way toggle switch to 5 way. i still got the 3 way switch.
can you tell me if i still got the original pickups? one of the treble pot was already replaced because it is smaller than it should be. i have not attempted to adjust the tilt of the neck yet. and what does the "36" mean? and how can i tell the age by just looking at the serial number.

Thanks for giving attention to my post. i did not realized the value of this guitar until you replied...=)

last favor...
can you fill-up this one for the specs of my guitar.

Neck =
Pickups =
Body =
 
BTW. im in the philippines. the previous owner told me that the owner of this guitar works on a luxury liner as an entertainer long time ago... and im the 4th owner of this axe... and im thinking of keeping this guitar.
 
OK, I was wrong, it is Olympic White, & the body code means it's a genuine Tokai (not that we see many Silver Star fakes). Good.

If I was you I would put the Tokai switch back on - the Tokai switches are not really 3 way, but the inbetween positions are almost half notches, so it's easier to get the 3 main positions, & just slightly more fiddly to get the 2 & 4 positions. I think they're the best Strat switches you can get.

SS36 is the model number - the cheapest one they made. As the model numbers got higher, the specs improved, at least in theory. A 36 or 38 will have a 3 or 4 piece alder body, a 60 should have a 2 piece alder body, an 80 will be nitro finished, etc. etc.

As is so often the case with Japanese Tokais, it's the basic models that are the best value. The higher models will be slightly better for a noticeably more money. And anyway, many real 60s Strats had 3 or 4 piece bodies, Leo didn't like to waste wood!

Don't worry about the changed pot, pots often wear & get replaced on any 30 year old guitar. I think the serial number starting with 9 means it's a 1979 - maybe Magnus can confirm this?

The pickups look original, though I can't tell you anything about them. The body is alder & the neck is maple. That's it I think.

Enjoy. 8)
 
rayq78 said:
BTW. im in the philippines. the previous owner told me that the owner of this guitar works on a luxury liner as an entertainer long time ago... and im the 4th owner of this axe... and im thinking of keeping this guitar.

Silver Stars were only released onto the Japanese market, so I assume the original owner bought it there.

It's a genuine vintage guitar - if you like it you should keep it.
 
Thanks for helping...i really appreciate that.. =)

Have a nice day!!! =)
 
I think the serial number starting with 9 means it's a 1979 - maybe Magnus can confirm this?

Yes, the 9 indicates a '79 Silver Star, same year as my own SS48!
The early Silver Stars are wonderfully easy to date, what I'd like to know is if the serial still made sense after 83/84 or if Tokai started doing their "fake Fender" serials on the SS (as they did on the Goldstars).

/Magnus
 
rayq - read this, if you haven't already.

http://www.tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/Andrew%20Munro%20Article-July2008.pdf

Lots of interesting Tokai background stuff. The Silver Star in the article was mine (I assume it was SS36/38/40), though I sold it to pay for the white one. It was a great Strat, lightweight with a slim neck.
 
mrsuspend said:
I'll help out, I'm in a good mood. :wink:
It's an entry level 1979 replica of a Fender 1972 Stratocaster.

/Magnus

thanks magnus...

please check my guitar and comment..dont mind the price... im not really selling it...

http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/1952524/recent/1/Tokai+Silver+Star+1979+Vintage+-+Stratocaster
 
mrsuspend said:
I think the serial number starting with 9 means it's a 1979 - maybe Magnus can confirm this?

Yes, the 9 indicates a '79 Silver Star, same year as my own SS48!
The early Silver Stars are wonderfully easy to date, what I'd like to know is if the serial still made sense after 83/84 or if Tokai started doing their "fake Fender" serials on the SS (as they did on the Goldstars).

/Magnus

thnx magnus... very informative for me...can you give me the link where to look at those serial number dating....
 
Im posting informations about my Tokai SS36. I hope this can help to those who are new also with this amazing guitar. I will update whenever I got new informations with Silver Stars and other guitar. Enjoy viewing...=)

http://tokaisilverstar.blogspot.com/
 
rayq78 said:
Im posting informations about my Tokai SS36. I hope this can help to those who are new also with this amazing guitar. I will update whenever I got new informations with Silver Stars and other guitar. Enjoy viewing...=)

http://tokaisilverstar.blogspot.com/

Wait til you play a nice old Springy
 

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