Hi all. Wonderful resource you have here. I was recently exposed to the Japanese guitar underground after recommendations from a local music store employee. I was complaining about the lacklustre sound, sustain and ugly headstock of the Epiphone les pauls I was trying out in-store. I own a heavily modified '81 Gibson Les Paul Standard and it is my baby. I'd love another Gibson Les Paul, but am disgusted by their high price point (thus the trying out Epiphones). So, I was led here.
I have a friend who lives in Japan so he is searching for a well priced japanese Tokai, Greco or Orville for me. Even with the exorbitant shipping fee to Canada I can hopefully get something nice for less than the cost of an Epiphone. My friend knows nothing about guitars though so it's been a bit of a challenge for both of us thus far.
Onto my questions.
1st, what in god's name is a Long Tenon neck? Why is it better than a short tenon neck? Why have I played guitar for 20 years, owned a Gibson for 10 and have never heard of a tenon before now?
Is it the end of the neck that attaches to the body?
My next questions revolve around Korean made Tokais.
Are the maple tops on the Korean Love Rocks a veneer or a real cap? If there is a thin flame or quilted veneer and then a cap of regular maple under it would that sound much different from a solid maple cap? The Epi's I tried all had a veneer and no cap from what I could tell and were missing the... snap that my Gibson has. I have a Korean Dean Evo Special that has a real maple cap and it has the appropriate brightness.
I have no fear of made in Korea instruments. I'm seeking Japanese Les Pauls strictly because I was so disappointed in the Epi les pauls. I own 3 Korean guitars, the aforementioned Dean, a Madeira (Guild's epiphone) acoustic/electric, and a brand new Squier Master Series Chambered Tele. The Master series Squier was better built and sounder nicer to my ears than Fender tele's twice the price. Maybe it's just this Master series line but Squier seems to be a much better brand for the money than Epiphone.
Next, what can anyone tell me about the Korean Tokai PRS styled guitars? First, do they make a Japanese equivalent? JSD's guitar shack has a PRS style model on their web site that makes me so horny I want to print off the picture and go hide in the bathroom. Are they alder or mahogany bodies? Is the top a veneer and if so does it have a real cap underneath? I don't know if it's the lack of an archtop but the PRS SE series underwhelmed me. It just didn't feel quite right, yet i love playing real PRS guitars. Can anyone comment on the feel while playing vs a real PRS? Are the Korean Tokais using the same CNC machines as PRS?
Man, this is a ludicrous amount of questions. I better stop here.
I have a friend who lives in Japan so he is searching for a well priced japanese Tokai, Greco or Orville for me. Even with the exorbitant shipping fee to Canada I can hopefully get something nice for less than the cost of an Epiphone. My friend knows nothing about guitars though so it's been a bit of a challenge for both of us thus far.
Onto my questions.
1st, what in god's name is a Long Tenon neck? Why is it better than a short tenon neck? Why have I played guitar for 20 years, owned a Gibson for 10 and have never heard of a tenon before now?
Is it the end of the neck that attaches to the body?
My next questions revolve around Korean made Tokais.
Are the maple tops on the Korean Love Rocks a veneer or a real cap? If there is a thin flame or quilted veneer and then a cap of regular maple under it would that sound much different from a solid maple cap? The Epi's I tried all had a veneer and no cap from what I could tell and were missing the... snap that my Gibson has. I have a Korean Dean Evo Special that has a real maple cap and it has the appropriate brightness.
I have no fear of made in Korea instruments. I'm seeking Japanese Les Pauls strictly because I was so disappointed in the Epi les pauls. I own 3 Korean guitars, the aforementioned Dean, a Madeira (Guild's epiphone) acoustic/electric, and a brand new Squier Master Series Chambered Tele. The Master series Squier was better built and sounder nicer to my ears than Fender tele's twice the price. Maybe it's just this Master series line but Squier seems to be a much better brand for the money than Epiphone.
Next, what can anyone tell me about the Korean Tokai PRS styled guitars? First, do they make a Japanese equivalent? JSD's guitar shack has a PRS style model on their web site that makes me so horny I want to print off the picture and go hide in the bathroom. Are they alder or mahogany bodies? Is the top a veneer and if so does it have a real cap underneath? I don't know if it's the lack of an archtop but the PRS SE series underwhelmed me. It just didn't feel quite right, yet i love playing real PRS guitars. Can anyone comment on the feel while playing vs a real PRS? Are the Korean Tokais using the same CNC machines as PRS?
Man, this is a ludicrous amount of questions. I better stop here.