Help me date & model this Tokai Les Paul (w/pics!)

[five2one]

The stamped serial # starts with "10", so I'm assuming it is a 1981. But it has no script on the headstock other than "Tokai". It has Tokai stamped tuners. I don't see a model # in the control cavity, and it has a circuit board. A cream pu in the neck position and a zebra in the bridge. Honeyburst.

Okay, I figured out how to post the pics. Had trouble with blurry back-of-the-headstock pic, but hopefully the style of tuners tells enough .

--(Wow, I'll figure out how to put these pics in properly soon!) The blue "59B" tag is the bridge pu & the red "59B" is the neck. Anybody ever see the headstock without a script title? I've seen plenty guitars with rubbed out logos, but this one looks like it never had it to begin with. Thanks.

 

[jacco]

We need pics to ID

 

[JVsearch]

Can you pull the pickups out? It would be good to see what pickups they are, and whether or not the top is solid or veneer.

At a guess it looks like a 1981 Love Rock LS-120 with (most likely) a veneer top.
Probably a rather nice LP and worth a good bit of cash!

 

[jacco]

I'm thinking an 1981 LS100 VF.
Shots of the back of the pups would help indeed.

 

[JVsearch]

I'm thinking an 1981 LS100 VF.
Shots of the back of the pups would help indeed.

Yeah was going to say LS-100 was a possible as well, but it looks pretty flamey so I went for LS-120, and because of this in the 1981 catalogue:
http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/81cat_p3.jpg

Pickups are Seymour Duncan 59s I guess, so non-original can't help us.
Or they could be very early Duncans, and the guitar could have been ordered with them.

 

[jacco]

Mark has a 1981 LS100 VF with a serial# only 100 apart.

 

[Kappie]

The neck has fret edge binding, so it must be a very high end model.

 

[jacco]

Yes, LS80 or higher..

 

[JVsearch]

...Anybody ever see the headstock without a script title? I've seen plenty guitars with rubbed out logos, but this one looks like it never had it to begin with. Thanks.

Seen it on plenty of LPs from many different brands - the "Les Paul Model" or "Love Rock" is screen printed on, and it can be removed very easily if that's what you're trying to do.

But I'm not sure with Tokai if they put the screen print on top of the clear coat (as it would be on a vintage Gibson LP or Historic) or under the clear coat.
If it was put under the clear coat then you wouldn't be able to rub it off, and then indeed your guitar would probably have been specially ordered like that, or it has a re-finished headstock veneer.
The logo is a different kettle of fish as it is actually an acrylic piece that is set into the headstock veneer.

The big thing with your guitar will be to find out if it has a solid top, which you can do by studying the exposed edges of the maple top in the pickup cavities.
If the top is solid the guitar could be an even higher model than an LS-120 (which is what I believe your guitar is at the moment).

 

[JVsearch]

Mark has a 1981 LS100 VF with a serial# only 100 apart.

Well the serial being close doesn't mean it has to be the same model as that to be fair, and I think the OP's guitar has more flame?

 

[jacco]

Yes I know. I said that because in the 1981 catalog there's no LS100 with VF finish, in 1982 there is. But Marks and this one both have an early 1981 serial#.

 

[Pegcityrocker]

Considering it has a circuit board I don't think it could be higher than a 120. I believe the 150's and 200's had regular pots and wiring.