Tokai LS150 weight

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swissaxes

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Hi there,

I am pondering about buying a Tokai LS150 and had a few questions you might be able to help me with 8)

- Is it futile to search for a LS150 with a weight around 8 pounds (3.6kg)? So far, the listings on ebay and elsewhere that I have seen all had weights around 8.8 pounds (4kg).

- Pricingwise: Richtonemusic (UK) offers an LS150 without the case for 1199 GBP (**** the Yen exchange rate, in 2007 and 2008 this guitar sold for around 799 GBP :cry: )

Is there a source that (incl. shipping to mainland Europe) is cheaper?

Thank you very much!
 
It probably is futile as I think the lighter mahogany is now kept for the more premium models, but you should be able to get close to 8.5 lbs with an LS-150 (eventually or you might have to custom order it).

You have other options though:
A LP that is not made of mahogany?
A chambered LP?
A PRS or maybe a Tele (with humbuckers on it)?

LPs should (IMO) be around 8.5 to 9.25 lbs unless it's a Custom, but only because that was the original recipe.
Some people think that light ones don't quite have the "oomph" or power of the more common heavier ones.
If you're ok with not following the original LP spec then you will have no problems getting a lighter one, but it may not quite deliver, and if you can't play it first...

If you haven't got back/shoulder problems what's the point of an 8lb LP? A wider strap takes care of the extra half to one pound without a problem.
This is just my opinion, as a fan of the LP I accept it for what it is! :D
 
Hey, appreciate the comment!

You are right there are not many original '58/'59/'60 Les Pauls that fall in the 8 pounds range - although there are some.

Gibson LPs are fine - but for the specs of the LS150 you will have to go Custom Shop (solid mahogany back, long neck tenon, nitro,...) which - even used - is expensive enough. I originally wanted to buy a Collings 290 since I have heard great things about the manufacturer and the materials they use but these are also a bit expensive... :-?
 
Edwards and Bacchus are two options that there seem to be a lot of examples around the 8lb mark. I do think a Les Paul that's too light tends to sound a bit light weight too though, about the 9lb mark is still comfortable for me, and I'm an old git!
 
JohnA said:
Edwards and Bacchus are two options that there seem to be a lot of examples around the 8lb mark. I do think a Les Paul that's too light tends to sound a bit light weight too though, about the 9lb mark is still comfortable for me, and I'm an old git!

Edwards, yep they even make some 7.5lb LPs (not chambered!).

Bacchus... yours was the only light one I've ever seen, most are about 8.5 lbs at a minimum. You sure it wasn't chambered, because they did make a chambered one?

Personally, I'd like a chambered LP or maybe a Gibson CS-336 (chambered mini 335).
 
JVsearch said:
JohnA said:
Edwards and Bacchus are two options that there seem to be a lot of examples around the 8lb mark. I do think a Les Paul that's too light tends to sound a bit light weight too though, about the 9lb mark is still comfortable for me, and I'm an old git!

Edwards, yep they even make some 7.5lb LPs (not chambered!).

Bacchus... yours was the only light one I've ever seen, most are about 8.5 lbs at a minimum. You sure it wasn't chambered, because they did make a chambered one?

Personally, I'd like a chambered LP or maybe a Gibson CS-336 (chambered mini 335).

Pretty certain it wasn't chambered, gave it the 'tap test', chambering would only knock 1/2 lb or so off the weight so it would seem silly to have chambered it anyway.

Edwards seem to be cinsistently light weight, I've heared rumors they aren't 'proper mahogany' but they look and sound fine to me :D
 
swissaxes said:
Hey, appreciate the comment!

You are right there are not many original '58/'59/'60 Les Pauls that fall in the 8 pounds range - although there are some.

Gibson LPs are fine - but for the specs of the LS150 you will have to go Custom Shop (solid mahogany back, long neck tenon, nitro,...) which - even used - is expensive enough. I originally wanted to buy a Collings 290 since I have heard great things about the manufacturer and the materials they use but these are also a bit expensive... :-?

Oh yeah, forget the Historics when you can get the same specs in the LS-150, if you were in the USA, it would be a different story, because you could pick up a used Historic for $2k or less in the current economy, and the new LS-160 price would get pretty close to that landed at your door.

Gibson USA vs LS-160 forget about it, LS-160 wins on quality by a long way.

I believe the lightest burst recorded was 8.35 lbs, but some of the earlier LPs (52, 53) were in the under 8 lb range because they were made of Spanish cedar and not mahogany.

Collings make fantastic guitars by the reports that I've read, but yeah they're not cheap. However, if you have the money spare, get the best guitar you can.
 
JohnA said:
Pretty certain it wasn't chambered, gave it the 'tap test', chambering would only knock 1/2 lb or so off the weight so it would seem silly to have chambered it anyway.

It was only 7.5 lbs so maybe it was basswood! :wink:

I dunno John, have you seen the images of a chambered LP body - they easily take away a third of the material from a 5 or 5.5lb body = 1.7 lbs, maybe even as much as 2lbs.
I mean if a regular LP weighs 9lbs and a chambered one is 7.5lbs that's a pretty good indicator that it's a lot more than half a pound saved. The maple tops and hardware are the same so there's no savings there (maybe a little in the maple tops). I'm thinking of a Gibson R8 vs a CR8 which I had detailed experience with, and that was the difference in weight - 1.5 lbs.
 
Maybe it was basswood :wink: It was VERY light, and IMO sounded so too, my old Gibson USA deom '85 was close to 11lbs but sounded fantastic, all my Tokais are about 9lb's and sound great too. Obviously if sor medical reasons you need a 7lb guitar then you don't have much choice, but if it's just that you are weak and/or lazy I'd say an extra couple of lbs it worth the slight suffering you get from a LP
 
Just to add to the weight debate. My 1980 Navigator weighs 9.6 lbs and I definitely agree that heavy Les Pauls tend to have something.... I had a very battered Gibson Black Beauty once which weighed a ton but sounded awesome. My BLS Bacchus weighs 8.6 lbs and sounds great with P90s but somehow I doubt if it would sound as good as the Navigator if it was fitted with Humbuckers.
 
I have an LS92 that weighs the same as my Strat, about 7,8 lbs...hard to believe I know...it's a LOT lighter than all the LS160s I have. :)
It's lighter than a chambered G Les Paul I compared it to the other day.

Problem is, most of the guitarists choose a heavier one to buy, because the light one has a thinner tone than the heavier LS92s I have...no doubt about it, the heavier ones have a more ballsy tone.
 
JohnA said:
Maybe it was basswood :wink:

That was just a joke, there's no way it was basswood, just one of those rare, very light LPs (like the LS-92 Diamond mentions as well).
 
JVsearch said:
JohnA said:
Maybe it was basswood :wink:

That was just a joke, there's no way it was basswood, just one of those rare, very light LPs (like the LS-92 Diamond mentions as well).

I know it was joke, my reply was too :D

Definitely agree with Diamond though, an LP can certainly be too light.
 
My LS210 2007 model is only 8lbs! One piece solid mahogany back and sounds as sweet as a nut. :D
 
swissaxes,

I have an LS150 and never been minded to put it on the bathroom scales.

With respect I think that is probably is futile to try to search out a lighter weight example, Tokai quality control should be such that you are pretty much guaranteed a superb guitar, whichever you buy (try that with a big "G")!! My suspicion is that once you have your LS150 in your hands you simply won't care about its weight. Re. Richtone's (and everyone else's prices) what with the Yen exchange rate as it is my guess is that two years from now we will be pondering on this forum when "you could buy an LS150 for only 1199 GBP"!!

Best regards,
Darren
 
I've yet to weight mine but I suspect it's a little over 4kg. But I did see Kurusawa advertising one for 3.7kg, so it's definitely possible. Maybe just speak nicely to your dealer and get them to check if they have any in that weight.

Please, my lordy, don't go chambered. They may be lighter, but they're not exactly Les Pauls, are they? ;)
 
Mine tips the scale at 9lbs 4oz.

Over the weekend, I asked my guitar shop tech what the heaviest Les Paul he ever saw was...... 14 lbs 6oz. That's like strapping on a coffee table.
 
marcusnieman said:
Mine tips the scale at 9lbs 4oz.

Over the weekend, I asked my guitar shop tech what the heaviest Les Paul he ever saw was...... 14 lbs 6oz. That's like strapping on a coffee table.

:lol: :lol: :lol:
 
singemonkey said:
Please, my lordy, don't go chambered. They may be lighter, but they're not exactly Les Pauls, are they? ;)

Well they're not traditional LPs, but nevertheless may be a guitar that plenty of people would like (after they have acquired a traditional LP of course).
 

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