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Tokai ST100 Custom

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andyscott

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Hi gang.

Bought this beauty from Mark at Japanguitars a few years ago. Pretty sure there ain't another ST100 like it anywhere! :)

It's a 1981. I've had a few email discussions with Peter Mac about it and his best guess is that it's a sunburst ST100 which had gone back to Tokai to be customised. Possibly belonging to a Japanese rock star.

Whatever the story it's a peach!

I'm not going to put a price on it but I'll consider serious offers via pm.

Cheers,

Andy.

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I'm not sure now! :)

It was sold as a 1981, is there something to suggest it's a 1980?

There's no "100" stamped on the fretboard so it's not as early as that.
 
Interesting for the serial number indicates 3rd made in 1980, so very early 1980, should have a stamped model on the fretboard. So maybe neck plate has been swapped?
 
The brass nut (if original) and metal fittings may provide some clue. I don't think those brass nuts were used until a few years later on a production Tokai, were they?

Very strange mix of features and indicators. Like an ST-100 that was refinished and updated. But they would have to refinish the headstock which means a new decal.

Weren't very low serial numbers usually seen on "special" or at least very high spec guitars?
 
well, serial number and skunk stripe indicate 1980.

Is there "100" engraved near the last fret?

Strap pin on the neck side isn't original IMO.

If there is the "100" on the fingerboard could be a special order 1980 st100; but if there isn't could be the same a special order that factory not felt obliged to mark with a model number. "specials" are finish (with matched headstock also), plastic color and brass nut, that seems to recall schecter's strat copies of that period...
:roll:
 
jacco said:
Interesting for the serial number indicates 3rd made in 1980, so very early 1980, should have a stamped model on the fretboard. So maybe neck plate has been swapped?

Ah, during one of my discussions with Peter Mac he reckoned the serial probably isn't original and was added along with the sexy paint job when it had gone back to Tokai for the customisation job.
 
bluesyrat said:
well, serial number and skunk stripe indicate 1980.

Is there "100" engraved near the last fret?

Strap pin on the neck side isn't original IMO.

If there is the "100" on the fingerboard could be a special order 1980 st100; but if there isn't could be the same a special order that factory not felt obliged to mark with a model number. "specials" are finish (with matched headstock also), plastic color and brass nut, that seems to recall schecter's strat copies of that period...
:roll:

No "100" stamp. It was a Golden Sunburst to begin with, there's still a GS mark in the cavity under the red, so an ST100 which had been returned to Tokai for 'enhancements'. 8)
 
Cali Girl said:
Very strange mix of features and indicators. Like an ST-100 that was refinished and updated. But they would have to refinish the headstock which means a new decal.

That was Peter Mac's best guess.
 
Thanks for sharing the info Andy. I did have old pictures of your guitar but didn't know where it went. Are the neck amd body stamps identical?
 
No "100" stamp. It was a Golden Sunburst to begin with, there's still a GS mark in the cavity under the red, so an ST100 which had been returned to Tokai for 'enhancements'.

Wow! A piece of history! congrats!

So did you understand why no "100" stamp? If it was a standard returned to factory should have it...
changed fingerboard?? :eek:
 
jacco said:
Thanks for sharing the info Andy. I did have old pictures of your guitar but didn't know where it went. Are the neck amd body stamps identical?

Have some pics somewhere....hang on..

Here we go..

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There's a 7.....can't make out much else..

And the neck..

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So they share a 7 at least! :D

And the pups..

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bluesyrat said:
Wow! A piece of history! congrats!

So did you understand why no "100" stamp? If it was a standard returned to factory should have it...
changed fingerboard?? :eek:

I always thought the stamped fingerboards were from '79?

As far as I've been aware it's a 1981 ST100...at least that's what Mark/villager sold it as...actually he thought it might be the fabled ST120....but pfft...what does that guy know about Tokais! :D
 
Is the truss rod adjuster the hex allen type or slotted screw type? looks to be hex type, which indicates pre 1982 to me.

Seems the changover is either 1980 or 1981 to cross slotted screw type?

A 1981 model maybe right?
 
I always thought the stamped fingerboards were from '79?

As far as I've been aware it's a 1981 ST100...at least that's what Mark/villager sold it as...actually he thought it might be the fabled ST120....but pfft...what does that guy know about Tokais!

I think is established that vintage serials beginning with 0 are 1980. My st100 (bought from villager) is 0000126 and it has "100" mark. I believe that sticker substitution is for very late '80 models (or after, not sure about)... so your 0000003 is a little mistery and Peter Mac is right...
 
Bump!

I'd pretty much forgotten about selling this beauty and it's been languishing in the temperature controlled room I had especially built for my fine axes.

Or cupboard, as it's more often known as. :)

Anyway, it has to go now. If anyone's up for it let me know here or in a few days/maybe a week it'll be parked on eBay.

Andy.
 
Hi guys,

UPDATE: Having just acquired 3 x 1980 ST-80's (S/N 0009568, 0009925, 0013426) GS, GS and BB, and pulling them apart initially some solid evidence has come to light. Neck/Body stamps are 10=1, 10=11, 12=2.
1980 was certainly a huge feature changeover for ST and LS models.
Reborn Old had empressed number but Love Rock had sticker and this change over was around S/N 0009500 also.
After checking their features I have come to these conclusions -

1) Empressing of fingerboards stopped before 0009500.
2) Allen key Truss stopped around 0010000.
3) skunk/rosewood board stopped very early 1980.
4) Both neck and body code have 'A' stamp for ST-80 and higher. So does scratchplate up to S/n 0010000.
5) All 1980 guitars had type 2 neck plate. Type 3 (MIJ Fender) began 1981.

This can now be added to the collective.
Peter Mac

PS: Another Forum member now owns 0009568....and..loving it.
 
Peter Mac said:
Hi guys,

UPDATE: Having just acquired 3 x 1980 ST-80's (S/N 0009568, 0009925, 0013426) GS, GS and BB, and pulling them apart initially some solid evidence has come to light. Neck/Body stamps are 10=1, 10=11, 12=2.
1980 was certainly a huge feature changeover for ST and LS models.
Reborn Old had empressed number but Love Rock had sticker and this change over was around S/N 0009500 also.
After checking their features I have come to these conclusions -

1) Empressing of fingerboards stopped before 0009500.
2) Allen key Truss stopped around 0010000.
3) skunk/rosewood board stopped very early 1980.
4) Both neck and body code have 'A' stamp for ST-80 and higher. So does scratchplate up to S/n 0010000.
5) All 1980 guitars had type 2 neck plate. Type 3 (MIJ Fender) began 1981.

This can now be added to the collective.
Peter Mac

PS: Another Forum member now owns 0009568....and..loving it.


Hi Peter,


Regarding fretboard stamped serial numbers;
The change from stamping to stickering did not occur at the same time for Tokai Fender and Tokai Gibson models. At least not if you only look at serial numbers.
The first stickered ST I have found is 0008454, which is an ST-80:


The first stickered LS I have found is 0009533, which is a LS-60 Reborn Old.



So there's a 1000 guitars between those 2 models, of which several Tokai Fender models with stickers and Tokai Fender models with fretboard stamps. A mix.

Also you can see that the change from fretboard stamp to sticker on LS models was still during the Reborn Old period, not with the change to Love Rock as you suggested.
All these findings were already known, as seen in my Tokai production number thread and most likely I was not the first to notice this :)

But there is more.
What about a LS-120 Reborn with SN 0008635, while Reborn Old range starts at 0007474 and goes up to at least 0009575?
Or a TE-55N with SN 0010417 with a fretboard stamp?
I found numerous examples of a rosewood board Springys with skunk stripe with SN higher than 0010000, one of them my own ST-55N with SN 0012595. This occurred at the same time with non skunk stripe Springys (most of them higher end models). Again a mix. So your observation that this combo is early 1980 will not hold.
As there is a mix of use of original double ring tuners and single ring tuners on LS in the 0009000s.
And last but very important:
There is no LS after SN 0011696 but the 1980 production range goes to 0016685, so 5000 Tokai Fender models 'produced' after that last LS and no LS?
A similar thing is going on 1979 last LS has serial number 9006403 but the production range goes up to 9009945. The last LSs during 1979 have november and december codes.
There are a few examples op 1979 LSs with 'LS100' stamp in neck pickup cavity and '80' fretboard stamp.

So what could this all mean?
To me:
1. Production stamps like 10=2 etc are the only real indication of production date of the actual guitar.
It would be interesting to see pics of these stamps on late 1979 and late 1980 model. Do you have these Peter?
2. The sequence during production is first production stamp, then serial number, then model type.
 

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