Advice needed on 2 beautiful tokai love rocks, I have s/n's

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riffpowers

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Hi There I'm after some help.

I've seen a beautiful tokai love rock in a local shop.

It has covered pickups, open book headstock, is made in japan, comes with a case and has a lovely cherry sunburst plain top. It is second hand but in immaculate condition. Neck is a bit more "vintage" (chubbier) than a 60's profile gibson, or any 90's gibson I've ever owned.

Is there any way I can find out more about the guitar?? what model?? Value?? Even a ballpark???
 
Depending on what year it is it sounds like a Vintage Series made in Japan LS90/92/95.

Retail price in Japan for a new one is between 100,000 and 110,000 JYen depending on the year.

Does it look like the Cherryburst in this photo, these are LS92/95 models?
In the latest catalog the model number is LS110.

LS95%20Cherry_zpsdrz8yeim.jpg
 
Hi and thanks for the info!!!

Yes it looks just like the cherry one, except the top had more of a flame in it.
 
The white one is the LC "Custom" model.

Not sure of the model number in 2003, probably LC80/85, but from 2008, LC95/98 and at the moment it's a LC107.

LC model with an S is a maple top, LC without the S is all mahogany.

Here's one (Wine Red all mahogany) being played live by a friend of mine...into a VOX AC30.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN6DPab0xhA
 
Diamond said:
The white one is the LC "Custom" model.

Not sure of the model number in 2003, probably LC80/85, but from 2008, LC95/98 and at the moment it's a LC107.

LC model with an S is a maple top, LC without the S is all mahogany.

Here's one (Wine Red all mahogany) being played live by a friend of mine...into a VOX AC30.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN6DPab0xhA

Thanks diamond!!

My current dilema is do I get the sunburst as I think its a bit of a bargain although its not what I had my heart set on.

Or do I get the LC pictured above, or a new LC122S from Germany.

Some advice and opinions would be great.
 
Always get what your heart is set on, otherwise it'll be a temporary addition that is unloved.

Consider eBay as well as shops will obviously have a bigger margin for profit. I got mine on eBay, although I probably paid a fraction more than I would've been happy, I don't think I'll ever part.
 
riffpowers said:
Diamond said:
The white one is the LC "Custom" model.

Not sure of the model number in 2003, probably LC80/85, but from 2008, LC95/98 and at the moment it's a LC107.

LC model with an S is a maple top, LC without the S is all mahogany.

Here's one (Wine Red all mahogany) being played live by a friend of mine...into a VOX AC30.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN6DPab0xhA

Thanks diamond!!

My current dilema is do I get the sunburst as I think its a bit of a bargain although its not what I had my heart set on.

Or do I get the LC pictured above, or a new LC122S from Germany.

Some advice and opinions would be great.

Personally, if I had the funds I would buy the new LC122S from Tokai Germany.

Trust me, you'll only spend the money once because you'll never want to sell the guitar.
 
Diamond said:
riffpowers said:
Diamond said:
The white one is the LC "Custom" model.

Not sure of the model number in 2003, probably LC80/85, but from 2008, LC95/98 and at the moment it's a LC107.

LC model with an S is a maple top, LC without the S is all mahogany.

Here's one (Wine Red all mahogany) being played live by a friend of mine...into a VOX AC30.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN6DPab0xhA

Thanks diamond!!

My current dilema is do I get the sunburst as I think its a bit of a bargain although its not what I had my heart set on.

Or do I get the LC pictured above, or a new LC122S from Germany.

Some advice and opinions would be great.

Personally, if I had the funds I would buy the new LC122S from Tokai Germany.

Trust me, you'll only spend the money once because you'll never want to sell the guitar.

Your friends guitar looks and sounds fantastic !
I prefer the more aggressive tone of a les Paul custom over the more bluesy standard , I'm hoping that the tokai will give me that , even though it's a rosewood board .

Ok , I'm getting closer to making my mind up . I'm not going to go for the burst ls , it's a lovely guitar but ultimately it's not really what I was looking for .
I think the second hand lc pictured is out of the running , I think it's just overpriced compared to what I can get from tokai Germany .

So now I gotta weigh up how likely it is that I'll get a second hand lc on eBay for the right price , but if I wait too long I think I'll miss out on the new lc from Germany.
 
riffpowers said:
I prefer the more aggressive tone of a les Paul custom over the more bluesy standard , I'm hoping that the tokai will give me that , even though it's a rosewood board.

I would be careful to not over-estimate how much influence such minor differences in timber have on the tone as most of it at the end of the day comes from the pickup.

Nothing wrong with getting a guitar that looks the way ya want it and then throwing in pickups that suit your style.

An example of what you're missing out on by going for a 'custom' :lol:
Body_Small.jpg


I disliked the pickups it came with originally, swapped them and now I'd rather sell my leg.
 
riffpowers said:
Diamond said:
riffpowers said:
Diamond said:
The white one is the LC "Custom" model.

Not sure of the model number in 2003, probably LC80/85, but from 2008, LC95/98 and at the moment it's a LC107.

LC model with an S is a maple top, LC without the S is all mahogany.

Here's one (Wine Red all mahogany) being played live by a friend of mine...into a VOX AC30.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN6DPab0xhA

Thanks diamond!!

My current dilema is do I get the sunburst as I think its a bit of a bargain although its not what I had my heart set on.

Or do I get the LC pictured above, or a new LC122S from Germany.

Some advice and opinions would be great.

Personally, if I had the funds I would buy the new LC122S from Tokai Germany.

Trust me, you'll only spend the money once because you'll never want to sell the guitar.

Your friends guitar looks and sounds fantastic !
I prefer the more aggressive tone of a les Paul custom over the more bluesy standard , I'm hoping that the tokai will give me that , even though it's a rosewood board .

Ok , I'm getting closer to making my mind up . I'm not going to go for the burst ls , it's a lovely guitar but ultimately it's not really what I was looking for .
I think the second hand lc pictured is out of the running , I think it's just overpriced compared to what I can get from tokai Germany .

So now I gotta weigh up how likely it is that I'll get a second hand lc on eBay for the right price , but if I wait too long I think I'll miss out on the new lc from Germany.

The "more aggressive" sound of a Custom comes from the body IMO, in other words an all mahogany body/top versus a maple top.

The LC model with an "S" means a maple top which will sound pretty much like a regular LP, try find an all mahogany Custom.
 
Lucke Luke said:
riffpowers said:
I prefer the more aggressive tone of a les Paul custom over the more bluesy standard , I'm hoping that the tokai will give me that , even though it's a rosewood board.

I would be careful to not over-estimate how much influence such minor differences in timber have on the tone as most of it at the end of the day comes from the pickup.

Nothing wrong with getting a guitar that looks the way ya want it and then throwing in pickups that suit your style.

An example of what you're missing out on by going for a 'custom' :lol:
Body_Small.jpg


I disliked the pickups it came with originally, swapped them and now I'd rather sell my leg.

What a beaut!
What model is it, what pickups did you put in it?

Here's one of mine, the same colour LS100F HDC with some other beauties on display in a music store. :)

Toms%20KPA%20and%203%20Tokais_zpsd5emrlay.jpg
 
I would like someone to do a blindtest between a mahogany and maple cap, using the same pickups and identical spec. I wonder how audible the difference would actually be if at all.

Its an LS200 with Deacci Vintage II's.

It originally came with Bareknuckles Abraxas, but I rather disliked them.

P.S. Those are beautiful... I'd really fancy trying a Les Paul/SG with P90s...
 
I've reserved the white LC in the pics above and will be trying it out next week.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.
 
Paladin2019 said:
A price tag of ?899 seems a little excessive to me given its condition.

I agree ! What kind if price should I be aiming for ? I already told them I was concerned about the lack of scratch plate and case .
 
riffpowers said:
I agree ! What kind if price should I be aiming for ? I already told them I was concerned about the lack of scratch plate and case .

Not to mention the obvious wear on the gold hardware and lack of rhythm/treble ring. It does have the open book headstock but that doesn't jack the price up anywhere near ?899.

I think they're charging more than double what it's worth.
 
Just to let you know, I recently bought a brand new LC107s with replica Lifton Case from Tokai Germany. Thanks to the favourable Sterling:Euro exchange rate I got it shipped for ?780 or there abouts...
 
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