Chinese Tokais

[Essex]

Just to change tack a bit, my new ALS-48 has a serial prefix of CN followed by eight digits. Does that make it of Chinese or Korean production? There are no other stickers to indicate its origin.

Thanks

 

[DaveWW]

CN serial numbers are made in China. The guitar would originally had a sticker but quite a few dealers remove them it seems.

Dave

 

[Essex]

Thanks Dave, I figured the sticker may have been removed!

 

[messer]

Huh. Haven't seen that myself.

Perfectly finished Tokai LS-150 (owned by a guy named Roger?):

Nicely finished 2008 Tokai LS-70 (owned by me, and I'm very content, for the money I gave for this guitar):


MESSY cutaway finish of 2008 Tokai LS85F BS (stratmotos):

MESSY cutaway finish of 2010 Tokai (owned by masco):


2003 Gibson GT to compare:

Another Gibby:

To me those small cosmetic flaws are not important as long as it doesn?t affect the playability. For instance, my LS95S has overspray and rugged binding my LS80 not.

Messy binding area in a cutaway is totally acceptable for me, when guitar is advertisd as a great sounding one, finished in acceptable quality. Same goes for inlays.

Such guitars have SOUL, like our average girls-next-door, like these lovely girls with whom we live everyday. They have their cons, like asymmetrical breasts, slightly too big butts, funky figures, but we love them for ALL what they are, and for what they give to us.

But when you are buying >LS-150 or $4k Gibson, it's like going for one of these females:

Who knows if they have soul? Who cares?! They are supposed to be perfect, "90-60-90"...

 

[marcusnieman]

Wow... the girl in the black dress is stunning.

Is the discussion here whether the maple cap showing below the binding is a defect? I've always thought it a sign of a proper Les Paul... in fact it's something I look for. I tend to shy away from those not showing it.

 

[felixcatus]

Is the discussion here whether the maple cap showing below the binding is a defect?

No marcus, it?s not about the maple top that?s visible in the cutaway. I think Messer is talking about the white binding that is not uniform(wavy/rugged).
(see previous posts)

 

[messer]

Wow... the girl in the black dress is stunning.

Her name is Dasha Astafieva

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aftIOhmaix4

This guy has some serious problems:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNWMW-5g0OE

 

[marcusnieman]

Is the discussion here whether the maple cap showing below the binding is a defect?

No marcus, it?s not about the maple top that?s visible in the cutaway. I think Messer is talking about the white binding that is not uniform(wavy/rugged).
(see previous posts)

Ah ... I see what you mean.

 

[marcusnieman]

Wow... the girl in the black dress is stunning.

Her name is Dasha Astafieva

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aftIOhmaix4

This guy has some serious problems:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNWMW-5g0OE

She's stunning and he probably eats cock. What a douche bag