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I recently made an attempt at finding out who made the single-line Kluson-style tuners (and also other hardware) Tokai used in the late 70s/early 80s. People reflexively say "Gotoh" whenever that question comes up and that's kind of understandable, they all look superficially the same. I'm not...

Belated Happy Holidays! Not sure where those are made... North Pole*? https://www.digimart.net/cat1/shop2140/DS08541670/ *Actually, they are apparently made in Japan! メリークリスマス、そしてハッピーニューイヤー! (´◡`)

Original: ゼマイティスを手掛ける神田商会の工場へ潜入！　作っていたモデルは“あの人”の……！？ | ギター・マガジンWEB｜Guitar magazine Translated: https://guitarmagazine-jp.translate.goog/article/2023-0202-zemaitis-factory-tour/?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

https://vdata.nikkei.com/newsgraphics/electric-guitar/factory/ Site is Google Translate friendly: https://vdata-nikkei-com.translate.goog/newsgraphics/electric-guitar/factory/?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

(Edit: Found on Tokai FB page, misunderstood as magazine ad, but it's part of the 1982 catalog) Funny sidenote, OCR and translation turned that into "Cats love my guitar" :)

I love to point out how exactly "golden era" Tokais are different from their role models and contemporaries, also because the majority of internet debates about quality and value are very unspecific. When I got my TE70 I noticed the neat fret end treatment, I had seen this before on some other...

Got my Tokai today: :) I had the seller take off the neck for shipping, so I could check the neck stamp right away: Body code is matching: Interesting that the color code seems to be YSO, not YS? January neck and body stamps and a low L+5 serial dates that to assembly in possibly...

I recently stumbled upon a thread where somebody asked if his rosewood Springy shouldn't have a 3-ply, 11-hole pickguard. To be "period correct" it should, but I found out there were obviously little inaccuracies vanishing in a transition phase possibly lasting from 1979-80. The 1980 catalog...

https://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/2019/Walter_Becker/Walter_Becker_Flipping_Book/83/ That's an insane collection (the catalog has almost 600!! pages), of course there are a few Tokai instruments in there! :)

I'm expecting delivery of a 1982 TE-70 '64 model with the period-correct 3-barrel ashtray bridge. As much as I admire how nicely that resembles what can be found on a '64 Custom Telecaster, I'm not a big fan of making compromises re intonation and I was wondering if the bridge could be simply...

https://jp.mercari.com/item/m68385557719 Camel, El Maya, Founder, Fresher, Frister, Gallan, GUITAR SYNTHESIZER, Guyatone, heerby, Hisonus, H.Ｓ.Anderson, John Bennet, Joodee, Orange, Westminster 11,000 JPY

Sorry for the mild rant but is getting needlessly confusing now. every single item from Japan is allegedly not shipping to Germany but when you click "see details": Huh? I thought this might have to do with current events, Japan Post announced limited services to EU countries last year but...

Schooling myself (probably stupid) on Tokai serials, currently (very) early 7okai Springys (just in case one pops up in my neighborhood and GAS gets the best of me, not going to join you hunter-gatherers :)) I learned that the numbers are sequential. Checking some pics I found here and...

Couldn't help getting a chuckle out of scrolling down this (Japanese) page: https://guitar.kaketayo.net/column/les-paul-model-head-script-logo/ Also saw a few labels I never heard of! o_O :)

Among the hundreds of guitar labels used for guitars imported from Japan, "Pearl" is one of the more obscure and curious ones. Yes, "Pearl" the drum company was responsible for those guitars and basses, which were quite likely never hitting US soil through official channels, probably for a good...

Yesterday a FAB-170 popped up on German eBay in my neighborhood, with only 2 pics, an announcement that they'd add more pics and a description today, and a pretty outerworldly price tag of 3,000€. Still, I was slightly GASsing and contemplated the feasibility and benefit of an investment near...

From this old thread over at MLP: Funny little accident or copycat fail? 🙃

Recently I started some more serious attempts on finding a higher-grade Japanese strat built in the late 70s-80s with a 12" fretboard as the only deviation from the classic replica style and while I learned that there actually are some models like this, none of those were showing up on the...

Hi, Title should give it away - I'm looking for a great old Strat with a small headstock and 12" fretboard radius. I've learned that e.g. the Greco EG-600 may or may not have a 12" fretboard radius, does anyone know which other Greco, Tokai, or Fernandes etc. models would have that feature...

Hi everybody! [/Dr. Nick] I'm now the new (kind of proud) owner of a black RLC-60! Since my brother brought a (loaned) Ibby set-neck black beauty home in 1977 I always wanted a MIJ Custom, and now, only 40 years later I could finally afford one. After some research I found out that the...