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"BEWARE OF IMITATIONS"

"In October 1981, Blue Suede Music launched the now legendary Tokai vintage series of guitars on to the UK market.

The reception from retail music shops, their customers, and our national music press was overwhelming:

"This is simply one of the finest guitars I have ever played and I've played most of them." Music UK.

"... it plays and sounds like the real thing and I doubt whether it differs in this respect from the genuine article" Guitarist

"I have never felt, played or heard a copy like this before" E & MM

"Solid, reliable, beautifully built and superbly playable, you really ought to tery one of these Tokais." Sounds

Isn't it time you found out for yourself just what all the fuss is about?"

Tokai ad June 1986

Tokai (International Musician & Recording World, Jun 1986)

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I found this line eye catching.
Eric Dixon on August 18, 2013 at 4:45 pm

"….Do you know how many 40 foot containers of Tokais that ad has sold?” Crack a smile boys…. it’s only rock & roll!"


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The Hiwatt trademark application makes for interesting reading given the characters involved. I see Rick Harrison was a BS Music director before he took over when the name changed. Looks like there was definitely a falling out with Eric Dixon.
 
Hard not to notice the shift in appeals to nationalism in these ad campaigns around this period of conflict with Fender.

https://www.tokaiforum.com/threads/ad-campaigns-over-the-years.29107/

Note that most of these are for Japanese markets.

Heavy emphasis on American iconography up until the dust up with Fender in 1982.

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Then interestingly a Japanese nationalist appeal immediately after in 1982/83.

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Then back to American imagery in

1984/85

IMG_0740.jpeg

1986/87.

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