Limited Edition TST Guitars

[Sigmania]

Bad link.

 

[Sigmania]

L17563

1984/85 ?

Tokai Stratocaster limited edition

 

[Sigmania]

TST36H ABR

SN L18775

TOKAI Limt'd Edition STRAT all black HH Stratocaster JAPAN 1980s w/Tokai bag EX | eBay

 

[Garold86]

Hi,

I have one of these - L23632. It's a HSS in All-Black.

I believe it's a 1985 example - there's nothing on the pots themselves to date, but there are some control cavity markings, including a couple of = sign, which I believe on the Goldstar's went out in 1985 itself? If anyone can help decipher what the code relates to, I'd be most grateful.

Additionally, if I can help in anyway with wider identification, let me know.

 

[Sigmania]

Very cool. The Fender style serial numbers ended in the Spring of 1986 from what I’ve been able to gather using pot dates.

I agree that your guitar is probably 1985. By early 1986 the numbers were around L30000.

And good point about the = sign.

I had been going by what Peter Mac had said about a year or so ago in another thread where he seemed to be implying that symbol disappeared by 1985.

What code is on your neck?

I have actually found mixed symbols of = and - going into 1987.

Mixed Symbols = & -

 

[Garold86]

There's nothing on the neck - it's painted black all the way down the heel (makes for a snug neck pocket!) and if there was anything it's long since gone.

Interestingly though, there is a very faded "36" in white pen underneath the neck plate.

 

[Sigmania]

That's wild, the 36 in white. I have not seen that before.

TST36HS-ABBR

 

[Sigmania]

TST36HS-ASWR

SN L23938

Excellent TOKAI SS36 Limited Edition 1982 Vintage Electric Guitar Ref.No.5288 | eBay

 

[Garold86]

I dug the multimeter out at the weekend, just to have a look at the pickup outputs.

Neck / Middle, a totally respectable 5.25/5.45k.

The bridge humbucker, a perforate-your-ear-drums 17.25k. I knew it was hot - I didn't realise it was quite that hot.