NOTE: CNC use is noted in the earliest flyer I have on Springys from 1978 (?). Which means it was likely in use in 1977 at the very beginning of the Springy and then Les Paul Reborn production.
1970s - 1978 ST Series Flyer (Japan)
TOKAI appears to have been a company that embraced this technology and in tandem with getting their hands on original vintage American guitars was able to create very faithful reproductions beginning in 1977 using the CNC technology which had been pioneered in the same town, Hamamatsu, in the 1960s.
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I have read in multiple sources that Tokai did not have a CNC Router until the mid 80s, and that FujiGen had one before them.
However, looks like they had this numeric control, NC, router by late 1981 based upon this translation and photos from the Spring 1982 catalog??
Not sure how this NC router differs from what folks call a CNC router?
It says in the description that it is the first one in the world.
Translation:
Strict material standards for the perfect guitar
Use of the world's first NC router.
....Amazing body processing: "NC router" boasting unrivaled and overwhelming accuracy. With this pneumatic control router, the LS series and LC series will be revived over time.
With the introduction of the "3D router" that can process not only the outer circumference and drilling, but also all three dimensional objects, high-performance Vintage models are born one after another. which is exactly the hometown of quality models.
Of course, Tokai is the first in the world to make a guitar with this NC router.
The body created in this way is now modified by an experienced craftsman to create a more perfect and accurate guitar with a neck joint. Neck processing & joint: The neck that is recommended in parallel is the mahogany 1-piece neck that Tokai adopted for the first time in Japan. With a head angle of 18 ° and no heel joint, this neck is extremely difficult to machine, and after the truss rod is set accurately, the grip shape is handed by a delicate craftsman….
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