TLS-80GT or NOT?

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MIJorMIK

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Jul 16, 2010
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Location
Eugene, OR U.S.A.
I don't know what I'd do if these Tokai, Burny, Orville, Greco et al. guitars had accurate indentification and weren't manufactured all over Asia by shops of varying quality using a wide range of quality/not-so-quality components BUT since they OBVIOUSLY aren't here's my most recent foray into the "Made in Japan or Made Elsewhere" quiz...


What do we have here?

http://s907.photobucket.com/albums/ac278/N91592/ElPasoGoldTop/

Don't mean to have a "tude" about it its just that if I were proud about making something I'd be sure to make it apparent what I made...not so much these guitars...

Seller claims its Japan, I say Korean...

Any idea?

Thanks,

Russ
 
I would go with the seller and say it's made in Japan - it's got a serial no, the circuit board is Japanese, the pick-ups look like they've got 'Japan' embossed where the sticker is located. The truss rod cover's been changed and that's usually a giveaway indicator. 2002 Love Rock? There are enough signs here to narrow things down to Japan as the country of origin.
 
They look like the ones from my 2003 LS70 (?) - I think somebody said they were Mk 3s instead of the Mk 2s the more expensive models get.

IMG_1497.jpg

IMG_1485.jpg
 
Thanks gentlemen on your evaluations of the guitar.

The following comments were added anonymously after I posted the question about whether the goldtop is Korean or Japanese in origin.

"frets don't have the binding edge shaped with the ends, thus KOREAN"

and...

"it Korean, because it has that dimple in the headstock"

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE 'insights'?

Thanks for your time/experience in these matters!

Russell
 
MIJorMIK said:
"frets don't have the binding edge shaped with the ends, thus KOREAN"

Rubbish. Until a few years ago even many of the high end Japanese tokais had unbound fret ends. At the moment only the 100+ models have fret end binding.

MIJorMIK said:
"it Korean, because it has that dimple in the headstock"

Rubbish. The dimple just means it was made for the overseas market.

MIJorMIK said:
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE 'insights'?

Surprisingly - Rubbish! :lol:

The easiest way to tell is by the truss rod cover, which always has two screws if it's Japanese. MIK and MIC have three, but very occasionally you'll see one with two screws so it's not 100%.

Second easiest way is the two plastic plates on the back - they are cream on MIK/MIC, and black on MIJ. Again not 100% as these can be changed, although this seems very rare.

Another good way, but very hard to tell from photos, is that MIJ have nickel plated hardware and MIK/MIC have chrome. Similarly, MIJ have tall salmon-pink pickup rings and the others have short cream coloured ones (can be changed, again).

There are many other subtle differences, but the 'gold standard' way to tell them apart from the outside is the bridge hardware. MIJ always have thin bridge posts screwed directly into the body with no bushings or screw top. The tailpiece is set slightly closer to the neck as well, not in line with the neck volume control.

The guitar you showed has two truss rod cover screws and the distinctive MIJ bridge/tailpiece, which is all you need to see to know that it's genuine MIJ. It has also had its original truss rod cover replaced, but that's not a big deal and IMO looks better for it.

Next time you have one of these questions use these points as a guide and guess for yourself - we'll tell you if you got it right!

EDIT: By the way - why are you so cynical and untrusting? Every guitar that you've questioned has turned out to be what the seller said it was. Not every secondhand Tokai is a Canadian fake.
 

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