I have a Martin Sigma model SBF2-6, made by Tokai in 1973, I have owned it around 30 years, It is in mint condition, it has a tele deluxe style body with a gibson looking neck. I would appreciate any info, including current market value, collector status, production numbers, etc. I have not had much luck finding any info on the net, and Vintage Guitar Price Guide, does not give a current value, but just that it was made by Tokai for Martin in 1973, and only produced 1 year. Thanks for any info
Tokai Sigma Martin SBF2-6
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Tokai was/is one of the most regarded acoustic guitars builder.In fact until '77, acoustics were the best sellers besides pianos.So I know Tokai built some guitars for Fender alonside for Sigma brand(I don't know who was Sigma brand owner).Tokai was making his own F series as far as I know until they presented CATS EYES own?s brand....And they were Japan distibutor for Martin so these SIGMAs could have been any mid/low segmente for Martin??????
Maybe Kazuhiro can shed some light on this as he's very knowledege when talking about acoustics....
Maybe Kazuhiro can shed some light on this as he's very knowledege when talking about acoustics....
This guitar is not an acoustic, the easiest way I could describe it would be to say that it's a martin sigma telecaster les paul hybrid copy made by tokai.
it looks reminiscent of a 72 thinline tele but with a les paul archtop neck.
I repeat, it is a solidbody 1973 sigma made by tokai, it has a humbucker in the neck position and a lipstick in the bridge position. It orignally had an ashtray bridge.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
hans-j?rgen
Well-known member
Yes, these guitars existed, there was one on ebay.de a few weeks ago from a seller in my home town which I mentioned somewhere in this forum. It had a Tokai logo though, and a few days ago I read an interesting article about Tele copies on the Vintage Guitars magazin site that also described them. The link should be in my posting about the "Kasuga connection" in the Announcement section.partsplus said:
http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=94
Here's another one about Martin electric guitars with the same passage and without any infos on collector's value either:
http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=123
I think the model on ebay.de was sold for about EUR 100, but I can't find my posting where I posted the link to the auction. :-?
Thanks Hans-J?rgen, for the links, it shed a little more light on the Tokai Martin Sigma. I bought this in 1976, (used) from a Martin Dealer, for $450.00, I was amazed by the craftmanship, tone and playability, I bought it after trying out several Fender Strats and Teles. It is as good or Superior to the other guitars I own, (early Ned Steinberger neck-thru, and G&L Telecaster-SC-2) A local musician/collector has made me a offer of a $1,000.00 for it, he is the guy who told me about the thing being made by Tokai. He is wanting it for resale, seems he has a Japanese buyer interested in it. He took several pics, then a few days later, he came by and offered a grand for it. I want to find out a little more before I turn it loose. My son is a guitar player also, and he says I could not find one that plays or sounds like this one for the $$. thanks for any info CHIP
hans-j?rgen
Well-known member
Holy cow, Batman, why didn't I buy that Hamburg based one...partsplus said:
It might have been one of the first electric guitars with a "Tokai" logo on it. And I wonder where my posting went, I think I added it to a thread that might have been deleted by the original poster.
hans-j?rgen
Well-known member
Here's a black Sigma Les Paul Custom copy for ~$900 from a german ebay shop, but I did't find other examples for Martin/Sigmas yet:
http://cgi.ebay.de/SIGMA-by-MARTIN-LES-PAUL-made-by-TOKAI_W0QQitemZ3780798516QQcategoryZ41436QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Seller says it's from the '80s though which might be wrong.
Another Telecaster copy with a Les Paul neck would be this Alembic copy that the seller claims to be made by Tokai, too:
http://cgi.ebay.de/VINTAGE-TOKAI-AMPEG-HEAVY-STUD-GET-100-GUITAR-NR_W0QQitemZ7361938024QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.de/SIGMA-by-MARTIN-LES-PAUL-made-by-TOKAI_W0QQitemZ3780798516QQcategoryZ41436QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Seller says it's from the '80s though which might be wrong.
Another Telecaster copy with a Les Paul neck would be this Alembic copy that the seller claims to be made by Tokai, too:
http://cgi.ebay.de/VINTAGE-TOKAI-AMPEG-HEAVY-STUD-GET-100-GUITAR-NR_W0QQitemZ7361938024QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Thanks again hans-j?rgen, for the posts. The VINTAGE TOKAI AMPEG HEAVY STUD GET 100 GUITAR, is very similiar to mine. I called the (retired) Martin Dealer who sold me the guitar 30 years ago, and from what he could remember, they were marketed in 1973-74, then discontinued, seems most Martin dealers did not push the Sigma electrics, and their life was very short lived. I will get my son to post a pic of it, in the next day or so. Thanks again for the response.
