Lawsuit?

[Sigmania]

"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)

 

[Sigmania]

This was the launch ad featuring Eric’s girlfriend.

Tokai Is Coming

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

Ah good, that confirms that, thanks!

 

[Sigmania]

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!"

 

[ATO]

I found this line eye catching.

I would take a statement like that, from someone like Eric, with a large pinch of salt.

 

[Sigmania]

Would be nice to be able to ask him.

 

[ATO]

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.

 

[Sigmania]

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.





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



Then back to American imagery in

1984/85



1986/87.

 

[Sigmania]

Not sure if everyone was aware of this faux pas by Fender. Pretty hilarious.

"Cropper’s ’52 reissue was either a prototype or one of the first off the assembly lines. Smith said the Stratocaster reissues weren’t produced until near the end of ’82. It’s possible that the Telecaster reissue appeared in stores before the Strat because it required less work to emulate its vintage appearance.

Advertising for the reissues began in mid 1982, but even there it wasn’t entirely smooth sailing.

“When Fender introduced the vintage series in the earliest vintage replica catalog, it was really rather hilarious,” said George Gruhn. “If you get out a magnifying glass or have good eyesight, and you look at the rear-view picture of the vintage Stratocaster reissue, you can read the brand name on the back of the tuners. It says ‘Tokai’!

“It would appear that Fender didn’t have their own thing ready, and they simply photographed a Tokai vintage replica Strat and either superimposed or stuck the Fender name on the peghead for the catalog and ran with it,” he added. “But sure enough, the tuners say Tokai on them.”

Bacon says Fender apparently wasn’t ready, because it took them several months for most reissues to begin showing up in stores.

“Production was planned to start in 1982 at the factory in Fullerton and at Fender’s newly appointed Japanese factory, Fujigen,” he said. “But the changes at the American factory meant the full range of U.S. versions didn’t appear until early 1983.”

http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=188

WTF?!? :lol:



By the way, the Vintage Guitar magazin hosts many excellent articles on their site, they are summarized on the "Brand Pages":

http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/default.asp

 

[Sigmania]

What happened in 1982?