How common are Tokai double cut Juniors?

spikeymikey · Guitar God Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 719

Someone has loaned me a cherry red 2014(I think!) model and it's a really good guitar. Having owned an original 1959 Gibson LP Junior I can say that this is not far off to being everything that guitar was, which was seriously great. A bit heavier but not too much so. How much do these retail for and are there many around? I've not seen one before and I'm very impressed. I think this has a Fralin dog ear in it and Kluson 3plates added. A tortoishell guard would have been cool but not essential. Tokai scores again!

marcusnieman · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 5:56 pm Post subject:

I've been looking for a doublecut junior for some time without any luck - any brand (Greco, Burny, Bacchus, etc). I don't have $5K to spend on a vintage one either.

So I had one built by Revelator guitars (www.revelatorguitars.com ) here in the states and it just kills. Nitro, 59 neck profile, Lollar P90, Tonepros bridge..... couldn't be happier for less than $2K for a hand built.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh60RiklAIx/?taken-by=revelator_guitars

brokentoes · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 5:58 pm Post subject:

I have one from 2000, mustard yellow bought 2nd hand, a hair under 6 Lbs. I put a different P90 in it and a faber aluminium wraparound bridge. I love the simplicity of a junior ... balls out rock and roll. Of course since then a few more Tokai's have followed me home.

brokentoes · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:09 pm Post subject:

marcusnieman · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:25 pm Post subject:

brokentoes · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:35 pm Post subject:

4 months seems like a great turn around. So many horror stories out there its good to know some people have their act together. Pricing seems fair as well. My countries currency is in the dumpster right now along with Cites shinola has curtailed my GAS quite a bit. Probably for the better lol.

iam · Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 11:52 am Post subject:

You know you can order one directly from Tokai right? www.theguitarshop.jp

marcusnieman · Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 2:30 pm Post subject:

guitar hiro · Guitar God Joined: 05 Dec 2013 Posts: 274

brokentoes · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:09 am Post subject:

Less than $2000 U.S. and you want a Brazzy board as well ?? Guitars must be way cheap where you are from guitar hiro.

guitar hiro · Guitar God Joined: 05 Dec 2013 Posts: 274

the DC Jr. is as simplistic a solid body guitar construction gets.

No binding anywhere, minimal effort for inlays, single/small route for a pickup, single/small route for two pots, round over bit for the body top & back, etc.

Again, the simplest, easiest, quickest to construct glued neck solid body known to man.
Also, there are a ton of luthiers out there working in a very tight, competitive market.
Many of these luthiers do still have supplies of Honduran & Braz.

~$2K for such a build would not be a problem whatsoever.

brokentoes · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2018 1:53 pm Post subject:

All the more power to you hiro. I couldn`t find any luthier worth his salt in my country to hand make me a Jr. guitar with those specs for that little money. People here expect to be paid for their skill. Brazzy board would be an up charge even if the builder had a warehouse full.

Enjoy your guitar Marcus !!

guitar hiro · Guitar God Joined: 05 Dec 2013 Posts: 274

tons of top notch makers here in the states in a very competitive market, ready to deal for such an easy build, and with quality timbers

marcusnieman · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 7:26 am Post subject:

Hiro, sounds like you don't think I did any vetting of the builder or the guitar itself before I pulled the trigger. I've been looking for a double cut Junior for quite some time and could not find one other than going for a vintage Gibson at the tune of $5K plus for the condition I was looking for.

My pal Johnny Moeller (Fabulous Thunderbirds) turned me on to the Revelator brand - he has two of them with one of them being a Tele that he let me noodle around on and it was probably one of the best feeling, playing and sounding Telecasters I've ever had my hands on.

Have a look at the Revelator website www.revelatorguitars.com for their work. These are not mass produced relics (like Nash guitars have become). Each one is hand crafted and there is great direct communication with the owner - Eric Stein. He listened to specifically what I wanted and delivered in spades - nitro finished lightweight mahogany single piece body and neck, 59 neck profile with a 12" radius, 17 degree headstock angle, vintage fret profile (wide medium jumbo), Lollar P90, Tonepros locking wrap tailpiece, etc. I also didn't want a cheesy looking relic either.

As for the rosewood and specific mahogany, I've just emailed Eric to confirm the genetics of it.

For a custom build at $1875 delivered in a gorgeous tweed hardshell case, I'm as happy as a cat with a piece of string. And I haven't even mentioned how it sounds....... haven't put it down since it arrived. I've done several gigs with it at volume (I'm not just plinking about in the living room) and it just kills. I'll need to put up a proper bunch of photos.....

guitar hiro · Guitar God Joined: 05 Dec 2013 Posts: 274

Oh, I know you did your home work Marcus; no doubting that

and I did check pretty much everything on their web site before posting

Was just hoping you had some lumber upgrades; that's all

as long as you are happy with it that's all that counts; enjoy