Gibson ES-125 Copy

[edwardcr]

I'm a new member here, hoping for some enlightenment!!

I'm trying to find out if Tokai, or any of the other manufacturers often mentioned on this forum, make a copy of the Gibson ES-125, or something very similar to this model.

I live in Brisbane, Australia - something of a backwater where guitars are concerned, but I do have a very good Tokai dealer only 1 klm away from where I live who has access to all the models currently in stock in Aus, so the local website is a start.

However, the only model of the type I'm looking for that's available here in my price range is the FA-70-VS, which is the ES-175 copy, and which is deeper than I really want (the ES-125 is only around 2.5" deep). I can buy this here for AU$1180 + AU$200 for a Tokai hard case (it comes as standard with a gig bag).

This is my maximum price range, and is why I'm not looking for an original ES-125 - which would cost around AU$2-2500 to import here. I would also be very hesitant about buying a used vintage guitar sight unseen from overseas.

I'm looking specifically for the thinner body, florentine cutaway and trapeze tailpiece. If whatever I buy doesn't have P90s, I also plan to replace the humbuckers with high quality humbucker-sized P90s.

I already have a Tokai ES-155-SR in my collection, which provides my Gibson ES-335 sound, and it really is a great guitar - beautiful in the flame maple. It will be even better after a rewire and new pups in the near future!!

Edward

 

[Diamond]

I already have a Tokai ES-155-SR in my collection, which provides my Gibson ES-335 sound, and it really is a great guitar - beautiful in the flame maple. It will be even better after a rewire and new pups in the near future!!

Edward

No it won't be better, but do it anyway.

Unfortunately Tokai don't make anything like the ES125, only the FA70 and FA235.

 

[edwardcr]

No it won't be better, but do it anyway.

Unfortunately Tokai don't make anything like the ES125, only the FA70 and FA235.

Thanks Diamond.

1. Are the PAF-Vintage MK2 pups that good? As a first-time Tokai owner I'm not aware of these things, although they do sound pretty good compared to the pups on my Les Paul Traditional!

2. A pity, but I thought that this might be the case - and no luck with Edwards or Burny either

It looks like my options are either the FA70 or the Eastman AR372CE, and live with the thicker body, or simply convert my Hagstrom Viking Deluxe to humbucker-size P90s (a thin-body 335 shape with a trapeze tailpiece).

 

[jacco]

Or a Burny RFA-65 and Aria ProII L-1000SM