Some newbie Tokai advice appreciated please.

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southernbelle

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Hi newbie alert....I bought this guitar at a car boot sale (in the UK) and thought it was a fender but after some google research have decided it is a Tokai copy. I'm not a guitar expert so dont really know much about Tokai guitars (or Fenders for that matter). Its difficult for me to research as it has a Fender decal on the headstock rather than a Tokai one. It has a L+five digits serial number (leading to 24hrs thinking I'd bought a very valuable guitar haha!). Its a lovely guitar. Is it possible from the photos to tell me much aobut it? I'm going to keep it and play it for the time being. Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it.











 
Yes pop the pickgaurd and neck off - there should be some tell tale signs there - pictures tell a thousand words they say but with guitars its all in the cavities :)
 
Hi i asked my husband to take some photos while I was at work and this is what he gave me. theyre not great photos and he's strung the guitar up now so I'm loath to send him back to take better ones. If they are too useless then I apologise. Its being played now and sounds super fantastic. thanks in advance for your time.





 
Hi southernbelle,

Welcome to you and your hubby,

Without knowing whether the neck plate is Tokai or Fender and without the benefit of seeing the original Tokai neck,
I'm guessing the body is most likely an ST-60 Tokai mainly due to U pickups and finish color.
It would date to between 1983-85 as a best guess.

If the neck mounting plate is Fender, like the neck, there is a small chance it could be an SS-60 Silverstar from around the same period.
If the neck plate is Tokai, then it is most likely an ST model since SS models have decal serial #'s on the headstock or a 6 digit # on the neck plate depending on the year.

SS-60 Silverstars are similar to ST-60 models, but represent larger headstock CBS models.
All other SS models had 3 screw neck mounts, IIRC.
There might be SS + ST body differences that I'm unaware of .. like the small deeper wire channel body route right above the bridge on yours,
that I haven't found on any SS model examples yet.
 
It's definitely a Tokai body from some period.

The headstock is the smaller 50's/60's size and seems to be colour matched to the body pretty well - maybe just a logo change?

Sorry to say, but to be sure about the neck you will have to take it off again and see if there's a similar code to the "9=3" on the butt of the neck.
 
Hi guys,

Can you post the first 4 digits of the serial # please, plus the neck code.
It should be something like "9=3 MRH"

I would think this started as a 1983 ST-55 MR R Goldstar with a block logo. This has been replaced with a 1959-62 Fender logo ( 2 x Pat.#) whereas the 1964 logo had 3 Pat#.
The body and pups are from an ST-50 ( MR is a standard colour for ST) with the extra 5,000yen being for the coloured headstock
 
Hi Thanks for helping out. I will get the neck code when I can (hubby having too much fun playing it right now) and the serial number is L14590. the headstock is a good match of the body perhaps slightly 'flatter'. It s a help that you have thrown some body numbers at me so I can go and research a bit more. As a guitar it sounds and feels great. I'll be back with the neck code when I can. :wink:
 

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