Springy Sound St50 date?

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R

RGF

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Hi all,

Today I recieved my first Tokai Springy Sound ST50. Bought this guitar from a very nice german seller on ebay. It's my first time I played such an old guitar and I must say.. GREAT !


The seller told me it was made in 1978. When I looked up your Serial Information, I was wondering because of the serial number on the neck plate. First digit 0 means 1980, or are there earlier productions in 78 where they started with a 0 on first digit instead of 8?

Here are the facts I found out....
(if you need further information or a picture, let me know)

Thanks,
RFG

Serial 0011003
Spaghetti Logo
"50" On the last fret
Stamp under Neck Pickup with 5=2 Y9
Stamp on the Neck 5=1
"U" stamped on all pickups
 
Thanks Len,

So, impossible to think its an earlier 78 ?
There is also no information on the body nor on the neck (no serial found)
 
Found the ebay listing...

for me it?s impossible to think that this is a 1978 one...

1978 is not better or worse than 1980 springy..
But I really don?t understand why the seller says 1978...

1978 / 1979s often had black or red model stamps in the neck pocket. From my observation these disappeared in 1980
early 1978 neck plates have no serial number, later 1978 plates have the 8xxxxxx format
 
Hi Len!

Thanks a lot for your information. Sounds like 1980 :)

My birth year is 78, so ... I thought nice, cause Fxxxxr produced mess at this time, so I saw my Opportunity to buy a great guitar from my year of birth....
Nevertheless... It sounds Great!

Gr?sse,
RfG
 
1980 for sure.
Don't let Peter Mac see this, he will get confused about such a late model with fretboard stamp & matching codes :D
Pics would be nice.
 
Pictures:

1.jpg


2.jpg


3.jpg


4.jpg


5.jpg


7.jpg


8.jpg


9.jpg
 
Too late Jacco, too late. :lol:

I'm not confused, my medications keep me nicely balanced.

All I'm saying is if the fretboard stamping of LS/LC series ended around S# 0009600, why would it be continued with ST series for such a long time after.

I own a 1980 ST-80 S# 0009925 with no fretboard stamp, a clear oval shadow, and body/neck stamp 10=1 GS A.
Please explain how a later serial number has an earlier build?

Could be a '78 neck on an '80 body or a L78 guitar with a 1980 plate???


Peter Mac
 
As I pointed out before there is evidence that neck production, guitar assembly and serialisation were not done at the same time.
 
Hi Jacco,
I agree with the serialisation. I don't believe they were consecutive due to the assembly practices used by Tokai and other manufacturers.
At what point do you think your evidence shows when body and neck stamps were applied? The body had to be done prior to colour and finishing as the stamp is under the lacquer. necks could be stamped after finishing just prior to assembly to assure they matched.
OR . . both could be stamped and stay together throughout the processes until final assembly?
OR . . it could be something we both aren't aware of.
OR . . the neck's been swapped.

I got another theory. My ST-80 0009925 could have been made in Oct'79 and not Oct '80?
Fact 1 : Tokai changeover of MY (Model Year) was around October of the previous year. This I've had confirmed by Japan. The new serial# was implemented at this time.
OR . . maybe Tokai employed the 'Completion Backwards Principle' for assembly work?
What's that old saying "The more I learn, the less I know."

Peter
 

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