Tokai Goldstar sound age ?

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Tokai the noo

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Mar 20, 2014
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Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
Hi, I've just signed up today and wondered if anybody could help me to date this guitar ? My name is Brian and I live in Edinburgh, Scotland.
I bought this guitar recently as I had heard so much positive press about Tokais. I'm hoping that I'm posting in the correct part of the forum as I've been told that the guitar is mid 80's. Obviously the Seymour Duncan pick up is not original and I assume that the Kahler has been a later addition but I was hoping that I could get an approximate age from the serial number (L14425 ) and the images below.
I have a sizeable collection of guitars including Gibsons, Fenders ( USA,MIJ & MIM ) and a selection of the more desirable Squiers, but my favourite guitars of of them all are this Tokai and G&L asat. My normal course of action on buying any guitar would be to strip it down totally and set it up from scratch, but this guitar plays so well, I've not even re-strung it yet !
If this is an indication of what to expect from Tokai, I couldn't be more impressed. Any help would be greatly appreciated !
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mj9c5xl4dccwusq/2014-02-02%2012.22.57.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8own3albboktsht/2014-02-06%2000.46.30.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/323zqt7z2480xgl/2014-03-20%2019.51.19.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7d7tfo4ogd1jaqq/2014-03-20%2019.56.15.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/afg2qefxjw5prsv/2014-03-21%2000.26.55.jpg
 
Hi and welcome,

From the logo, this guitar was made after 1983.
From the serial # L14425, i would guess around 1984.
What I do need are the neck stamp, body stamp and location and what stamp are on the grey bobbins only.
Looking at it , I'd say the rear pickup is not original.

Colour should be Flamingo Orange, so your body stamp should read something like this : 10=5 FO Z, neck stamp would be 10=5.

The model should be a TST-55 but I will know more with the info you supply.

Peter
 
Hi there, as promised, here are some photos showing codes and locations etc,
Whoever fitted the Kahler was a bit brutal in their approach but it does work beautifully.
Cheers Brian.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hanh5a9qkhstdqf/PICT0002.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i3denpk23pxtpb0/PICT0006.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tgfrcntt2xxfn3j/2014-03-21%2023.53.02.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/oaig3ecgf1o2x1u/PICT0012%20%282%29.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qbgqmv4rwce7j6x/PICT0009.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/eiqxqhrv3qi4413/2014-03-23%2011.25.57.jpg
 
Hi Brian,
thanks for the added pics.

Pickup stamps would place this late '84-up. A year earlier and they would be 'U' instead of 'VII'

The routing holes along with body stamp 11=4 FO V would place this guitar as a TST-55 in Flamingo Orange ( Fiesta Red) built in November 1984.
Neck is 1964 C style 1 piece maple with laminated rosewood fingerboard.
Apart from the Kahler bridge and SD pup, this baby is 100% as it left the factory in 1985.

Peter Mac.
 
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