1985 LoveRock identification

[yngvai]

Hello All, I've been meaning to do post an enquiry here for some time about which model my Tokai is. Now I have a decent camera I have taken some pictures. It has fret edge binding, a plain 2 piece top and as far as I can tell a 1 piece body. So I think most likely it's an ls80?

More pictures here :-

http://s890.photobucket.com/albums/ac101/yngvai762/Tokai/?mediafilter=images

 

[Pegcityrocker]

That's a tricky one; LS80's from 1985 had a laminated flame top and I don't think they had fret edge binding. I think everything from the LS60 on up had either laminated flame top or else solid flame top on the higher end models. Beautiful guitar.

 

[mojo hobo]

MAN! That is beautiful I love the top and the colour,I think it might be a "SPECIAL" TLS-80 from 1985.If it is ?It is very rare beast!

I WANT IT!!! I love your sofa as well


MOJO HOBO

 

[yngvai]

That's a tricky one; LS80's from 1985 had a laminated flame top and I don't think they had fret edge binding. I think everything from the LS60 on up had either laminated flame top or else solid flame top on the higher end models. Beautiful guitar.

MAN! That is beautiful I love the top and the colour,I think it might be a "SPECIAL" TLS-80 from 1985.If it is ?It is very rare beast!
I WANT IT!!! I love your sofa as well
MOJO HOBO

Thanks for the feedback, I took a risk on ebay with this one (ad with poor pictures) and was glad I did when it arrived. I love the colour too mojo hobo, it sounds and plays great and I'm holding on to it ! I'll have to do a bit of research on the TLS-80, from other posts it seems the 1985 period wasn't so consistent.

Any idea what the pickups are? I've got some ideas about changing them along with all the electronics one day, I'm not getting along to well with the toggle switch :/ .

 

[DaveWW]

As said by others it's a nice looking guitar and a 1985 LS80 at the least. The pickups don't seem to be original can you post some pictures of the pot cavity?

 

[Ozeshin]

If it WAS an LS80 it would have 57 PAF pickups....it's about the ONLY definite way to identify an 80's LS80....other features like fret edge binding and flame or no flame were being experimented with in the 80's...especially 1985....but the pickups are ALWAYS '57 PAFS.
I can see a join in the back so it's a 2 piece back so it's possibly an LS80 with the cheaper GOTOH pickups from the LS60.

 

[yngvai]

As said by others it's a nice looking guitar and a 1985 LS80 at the least. The pickups don't seem to be original can you post some pictures of the pot cavity?

I've added a few to the album, it looks like the volume pots have M500 Ohm B, 63K and the tone pots have M500 Ohm 74K stamped on them.

 

[yngvai]

If it WAS an LS80 it would have 57 PAF pickups....it's about the ONLY definite way to identify an 80's LS80....other features like fret edge binding and flame or no flame were being experimented with in the 80's...especially 1985....but the pickups are ALWAYS '57 PAFS.
I can see a join in the back so it's a 2 piece back so it's possibly an LS80 with the cheaper GOTOH pickups from the LS60.

Hello Ozeshin, If I compare the sound to my Gibson I do find it a bit disappointing mind you my amp is one of those cigarette packet ones so it's not the most reliable test.
Can you tell me where you see the join in the back? If I follow any of the lines that look like joins round to the side of the body, they run diagonally from back to front. Did Tokai join body pieces at a diagonal to match grain?

 

[DaveWW]

Looks like a one piece back to me. I'd say it's a LS80 or pehaps higher. In 84 there was a plaintop LS70 but that had a two piece back. Looks to me like the the pickups have been changed - so no clue there. Anyway it's a really nice looking guitar with a great spec - I bet it plays/sounds great.

 

[yngvai]

Looks like a one piece back to me. I'd say it's a LS80 or pehaps higher. In 84 there was a plaintop LS70 but that had a two piece back. Looks to me like the the pickups have been changed - so no clue there. Anyway it's a really nice looking guitar with a great spec - I bet it plays/sounds great.

Thanks for your comments DaveWW acoustically it's great with a nice action. I'm really glad I found this one, it's nice to have something a bit 'different' whatever it might be. I wonder if the pickup might be an L8001/2 from a Burny, it's the closest looking MIJ pickup I found anything about ...
http://www.japanguitars.co.uk/strat%20mv%20008.jpg
In any case now I see no reason not the change them for something else later.

 

[Ozeshin]

in this pic the join is about 5mm to the right of the strap button.

 

[DaveWW]

Hi Oz,

You must be convinced - but I still can't see it. Looking on the end of the guitar none of the lines go at right angles from the base. They all run at a slight diagonal with the grain. So, they look like the grain and not a joint to me. Please mark up the joint on the end of the guitar because there must be something here I don't understand.

Dave

 

[greco_burst]

Nice guitar...
Do you still have the original saddles?...if so, are they brass?

 

[Kappie]

Hi Oz,

You must be convinced - but I still can't see it. Looking on the end of the guitar none of the lines go at right angles from the base. They all run at a slight diagonal with the grain. So, they look like the grain and not a joint to me. Please mark up the joint on the end of the guitar because there must be something here I don't understand.

Dave

I agree, looking at the grain of the side I am 100% convinced that it is a one piece back.

 

[yngvai]

Nice guitar...
Do you still have the original saddles?...if so, are they brass?

Hi Again, Greco, I have taken some pics of the bridge and saddle, there are a few different angles (there's more on my web album). It's pretty hard get a good shot, all the discoloration seems to be grime and rusty/black looking corrosion the threads are more dark grey looking to me.
The bridge and STP have JAPAN embossed, I have no reason to think the saddles are not original. Really not sure how to tell if they are brass I'd imagine some greenish looking corrosion if they were?

I can try to take another pic of the side grain of the body to show the grain/join but will do it later, I can't see a horizontal line anywhere but I've seen plenty of posts here about how good Tokai did their joins... Happy Easter btw !

 

[Diamond]

I can't see a horizontal line anywhere but I've seen plenty of posts here about how good Tokai did their joins... Happy Easter btw !

Not "did" their joins, you mean, "do" their joins.

Chag Sameach.

 

[yngvai]

I can't see a horizontal line anywhere but I've seen plenty of posts here about how good Tokai did their joins... Happy Easter btw !

Not "did" their joins, you mean, "do" their joins.

Chag Sameach.

You reminded me of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxuEBUXJ2rQ&NR=1

 

[greco_burst]

I think the guys have nailed this one already, an LS-80 of sorts, nice one too, congrats mate.

Here is another one recently seen on the forum, looks very similar....

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15134

 

[yngvai]

I think the guys have nailed this one already, an LS-80 of sorts, nice one too, congrats mate.

Here is another one recently seen on the forum, looks very similar....

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15134

Thanks greco_burst, thats an interesting guitar in your link too. I can see why the forum has the pre 1985 thread.

Thanks to everyone who has helped to pinpoint what I have and congratulations on having such a good forum it's a great help!