1980 LC60M Custom Inkie

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Now I’m wondering if any of the mahogany top LC60 mahogany top guitars were painted or if they were all stained WR?

Edit: Answering my own question.

Yes. Both came in black.

As for stain, CS for maple top, WR for mahogany.

IMG_2853.jpeg

And it’s looking like the volute and possibly Nagano build is one way to tell them apart?
 
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Also note the hex poles on the LC60M.

That looks like the short lived version of the “LS Dynamic I” pickup. Typically found on LS50 guitars in 1981.

LS Dynamic Pickups

Looks like 1981 catalog specs the pickups as “LC Dynamic”. If it tracks like the LS guitars, the hex pole version disappears before the end of 1981 for the 1982 model year.
 
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And that mention of an LC60S is a bit of a distraction.

I’ve never seen or heard of one other than that reference from 2012.

Probably a typo. 🤷‍♂️
 
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"The volute was used on the LC60S only in its only year (1981)."

Possible LC60?


No idea what an LC60S is, but the LC60 was obviously made in other years.

1982 catalog

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1983 & 1984

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1985

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The catalog seems to suggest that both the LC60 and the LC60M had the volute but we have seen 1981 WR guitars with and without the volute Edit: no, we didn't, so the same may be true for the BB, independent of LC60 or LC60M. Though it looks like the LC60M exists in the 1981 catalog only, IIRC serials suggest that they were made in 1980 and '81, the 1982 catalog has no LC60M anymore, only the LC60 in BB and WR.

Did you do some contrast editing on the pics of the BB? I saw it on Reverb.com and couldn't spot if it has a volute or not, no matter how much I zoomed in! :)
 
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Yep. I brought the shadows forward on the Reverb pic.

And I think that cartoon is misleading. Looks to me like only the LC60M has the volute.

Maybe you will find a volute on a mahogany top LC60. Let me know when you do.
 
So my view is that Peter meant LC60M.

That the LC60M was made in Nagaino.

That the LC60M ended production in 1981 when the Nagano production seemed to end.

And I am betting the volute is only on the maple top LC60M which is the Norlin copy.
 
Edited my post, mixed that up in my brain obviously. So the volute is likely a LC60M thing only. Alas there's no 1983 domestic catalog accessible through the net but it looks like the TLC60s don't have a volute either, so that concludes the short history of the "volute Tokais".
 
Btw, looks like the number count may have re-set each year (1980 & 1981) for the Nagano models.

At least for the LS models.

Tokai In Nagano

(LS models shown)

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That the LC60M ended production in 1981 when the Nagano production seemed to end.
The number of LC60M samples is very small but both of them :) are inkies and one clearly shows "Nagano" features. Coincidentally, the 1981 Greco EG-500 and -600 models are having the volute, too.
 
1981 arch top catalog.

Love Rock Custom
LC SERIES


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●Headstock: Introducing a headstock with beautiful custom-specific bindings. This binding is luxurious with a total of 6 plies of recream and black on the outside, and the contrast with the gold type peg that tightens the entire head part is full of richness. The logo of Tokai is also perfect, and it fully demonstrates the fun of the top model of the Mari Les Paul series.

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●Body: There are two types of body for the LC series, the old model ('57 model) and the re-issue model (72 model). A little introduction to the history of the old model... It was 1954 when the custom model was made. One-piece mahogany body with binding on both sides, two single-coil pickups mounted. It made a spectacular debut with nicknames such as Peace Mahogany Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, Black Beauty with Gold Parts, and Fretless Wonder. And in 1957, a revolutionary PAF humbucker was mounted, and it became a 3PU specification (LC110), and a rare 2PU specification (LC100) model. In addition, a considerable number of custom models are also made with optional models, and it is also famous as a model with a large number of custom specifications. After that, as you know, in 1963, it was named SG Custom (current SG body shape), and the first custom model ended here. However, production started again in 1968, and the top was changed to maple. As mentioned above, the LC100 and 110 faithfully reproduce the old model, while the LC60 is a middle-class model with a mahogany top and back, and a jointed neck of the reproduced model. The LC6OM is a modern custom that reproduces the reproduction model as it is with a maple top and mahogany back body construction. It constitutes the rich lineup of the LC series.

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Note that the catalog seems to say both have a volute,

but they also say the LC60 & LC60M do NOT have fret edge binding...

Can't believe everything Tokai says. They often violate their own rules. :cool:
 
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Note that in cartoon it says FEB on all models, but in the description it clearly says the LC60 and LC60M do not have FEB.

Frome the cartoon:

"Fret edge binding (LC all models)"

From the text description:

"Next, there are two types of fretting: ① fret edge binding (LC110, LC100) and ② over binding (LC60, 60M)."
 
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LC60M seems to be the '72 re-issue or "reproduction model" as opposed to the "old model" '57 re-issue.
 
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Thanks for the translations! Yeah, it's pretty messy, the other -60 models really didn't have FEB, maybe that confused the writer (but not the cartoon artist).
 
Loos to me like they all have FEB.

The LC60M CS you linked
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the CS in the OP had a re-fret

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and guitar hiro's LC60WR

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Enhanced showing inky serial number from 1980 starting with 01...

SN 01??441 ??

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SN
 
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