Mystery Jazz Sound JB Bass

[Sigmania]

Anyone know the model or the year this may have been made in?

Gold hardware, 4 screw tuners, 4 knob.

I can't see a serial number.

MADE IN JAPAN gold foil sticker.

Tokai Jazz Sound Safe Shipping From Japan | eBay

 

[mdvineng]

Domestic market 1994 see pages 6 and 7 Tokai 1994 Catalogue - Vintage Japan Guitars for nearest versions. AJB55

 

[Sigmania]

Oh cool! Thanks.

This is the period that’s a mystery for me.

Is it typical for these to not have serial numbers? I can’t see one, but not the best picture.

 

[Sigmania]

I just saw this down in the corner of that page in the 1994 catalog.

 

[mdvineng]

That headstock is anywhere but America for the most part! Catalogue comments depend on which country that particular Catalogue was meant to be published in.

Serial numbers or lack of, is a Tokai mystery! without knowing its history in the hands of owners etc

 

[mdvineng]

Serial number is on the neck plate Tokai AJB-55 1994 Natural | Reverb UK

 

[Sigmania]

Oh man…

That one you linked has the 6 digit serial number starting in 01 like that group of weird HSS Goldstars.

I think you just gave me a major clue as to when those were made.

Note the “S” in the neck pocket on both the bass you linked and the HSS Goldstar I put in the 90s in this thread:

Edit: I thought I had put it in the 90s thread, but it ended up at the end of the 80s thread and now I can't move it becasue of the limits on the number of images in a post with this new format. Trying to fix.

Tokai Springy and Goldstar Timeline

Interesting that the bass does not have the countersunk holes but the Goldstar does.

Also, is that neck design on the bass unusual with the extended fretboard?

Thank you!

 

[Sigmania]

I put it in this thread too as there are common features with these HSS Goldstars, and one Goldstar is one digit away from this bass and also has that “S” in the neck pocket (post #2).

Mystery HSS SSH Goldstars

 

[mdvineng]

21 fret as opposed to the usual 20 gives you the diving board extension. Only seen on a few.
Later years see models TW and LS with upto 24 frets but the former is a none Fender derivative and the LS is a Les Paul shape, this was then accompanied by a Violin shaped model with 24 frets. As these are late 90's models and low number designations, probably Korean.

 

[Sigmania]

Check out this “diving board”…

Date stamped in 2010. Very unusual.

Tokai AST-65 Goldstar Sound 2010 Japan Black | Reverb

 

[mdvineng]

No counterbore again and an extra fret.

More here on pages 9 and 12 Tokai 2018 Catalogue Vol.30 - Vintage Japan Guitars

 

[mdvineng]

Tokai Factory in Hamamatsu, Japan
See posts #30 onwards, for diving boards in your previous posts.

 

[Sigmania]

I think I may need to start a thread on "Diving Boards" and see where these fit and when they were made.

Diving Board Necks On Tokais

It's an odd neck for Tokai to make in my opinion.