New to Tokai Stratocasters - is this a good one???

[Anonymous]

Wow what confusion,

You can clearly see ST80 in that catalog, and it says it has ST vintage pups, E no doubt
In 1982 Tokai had DiMarzio only in ST100/120 and no other year

And what is the source of your information? Why should we believe you rather than every other Tokai expert to post here, including Peter Mac, as Alan said?

If you are going to quote facts, it helps to state the source of your information. If the source is less reliable than the other sources, it's likely that people will believe the more reliable sources.

 

[Anonymous]

It's not "ST80" as the body says it's made of alder. ST80s are sen (translated here as ash).

Actually there seem to have been some alder ST80s, Alan, we have seen a few posted on here. Most were 2 piece sen bodies though.

The only consistent thing about Tokai specs is that they weren't consistent!

 

[AlanN]

Fantastic, thanks for the info Mike

Tokai's infuriating numbering system might also have something to do with that catalogue, but the fact remains that Es were used in the high end stuff; and the high end stuff on there says they're DiMarzios.

 

[Anonymous]

but the fact remains that Es were used in the high end stuff; and the high end stuff on there says they're DiMarzios.

Yeah ST60s were borderline cases, some seem to have been sent out with Us, others (like my ST60) have Es.

 

[togps]

....
but the fact remains that Es were used in the high end stuff; and the high end stuff on there says they're DiMarzios.

Check out for that issue the "History" section of my website. Thanks again for contribution, Peter!

BTW, the mentioned 1982 German catalog isn't a official Tokai catalog.
It was the Tokai flyer/brochure of the former 1982/1983 German Tokai distributor...

 

[AlanN]

Thanks Gottfried!

I love that stuff. Springy pickups:
http://www.tokaiguitar.de/content_images/S2.jpg

 

[SUSHI GUY]

Wow what confusion,

You can clearly see ST80 in that catalog, and it says it has ST vintage pups, E no doubt
In 1982 Tokai had DiMarzio only in ST100/120 and no other year

I agree with Mr.Grecoburst here. It looks that way no doubt.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Mr.Grecoburst here. It looks that way no doubt.

No doubt?

:lol:

Right, well we have two new Tokai experts on here who will be answering all our future questions. That's good. :roll:

And there will no longer be any doubt - so that's excellent. Up till now, we were aware of lots of doubt about stuff that happened 30 years ago. Now that doubt has gone.

:lol:

 

[Dave_Mc]

Jesus, your eyes must be better than mine if you can make out what that blob of pixels says. But I can tell you it definitely doesn't say "ST80" as the body translation says that one is made of alder. ST80s are sen (translated here as ash).

On top of that - ST100s have E stamped pickups, as do ST120s. Your logic is flawed, sorry!

i thought some st80s were alder?

 

[settebello]

well we have two new Tokai experts on here who will be answering all our future questions. That's good. :roll:

And there will no longer be any doubt - so that's excellent. Up till now, we were aware of lots of doubt about stuff that happened 30 years ago. Now that doubt has gone.

:lol:

Ok,so the first question is.
What is the meaning of the neck and cavity markings,like 5=3?

Volker

 

[Anonymous]

i thought some st80s were alder?

Please see my earlier post.

 

[SUSHI GUY]

Sorry Mike, just my opinion only. I just did some readings on the Japanese
info sites and they told me something like these. Not too sure yet ofcourse.

Before 1981, there were "ST-A Type" and "ST-B Type" pickups by Tokai.
"ST-A Type " was used for ST100/80/60?
"ST-B Type " was used for 2 lower models?

After 1981, there were "ST-Vintage" and "ST-HOT" by Tokai and they used
"ST-Vintage" for ST60 and the higher models.
"ST-Hot" for the models below ST60.

"ST-Vintage" was described to have the 1954 original Strat tone but
"ST-Hot" was the modern version and hotter so it's called "Hot".

I guess "ST-Vintage" has "E" stamp on it and "ST-Hot" has "U" stamp on it??

Tokai began to use Dimarzio on ST100 and ST120 only after 1982??

It's very hard to know the truth when not many official Tokai infos
are clearly available in English. Wish there are much more.
That german store info site seems to have some misinfos to me.
Is it where you guys getting the infos mostly from?
I keep on reading so let you know when good infos are found.

 

[SUSHI GUY]

well we have two new Tokai experts on here who will be answering all our future questions. That's good. :roll:

And there will no longer be any doubt - so that's excellent. Up till now, we were aware of lots of doubt about stuff that happened 30 years ago. Now that doubt has gone.

:lol:

Ok,so the first question is.
What is the meaning of the neck and cavity markings,like 5=3?

Volker

I was always wondering about that too. the biggest Tokai mystery.

 

[greco_burst]

Hi SUSHI GUY,

You are halfway there with the Official naming of E stamped pickups referred to as ST-A
Tokai called E stamped pickups as follows

1977 - 1978 = A Type Microphone
1979 - 1980 = ST-A Pickup
1981 onwards = ST Vintage Pickup

They are NOT DiMarzio, only is it so in the mind of the 'establishment' here, hehehe not me.

 

[Anonymous]

Fine, how do you know that with such certainty?

 

[greco_burst]

Fine, how do you know that with such certainty?

Sorry, i must not say how i know, i will get the establishments knickers in a twist.
Especially when the establishment provides a copy of a catalog page, which is 100% correct, but you must read carefully that page, it answers and confirms what i just wrote here, and the catalog mentions st-85/65, because of custom color, that is why 85 not 80 etc. The year of that catalog because it referring to ST-100 above having DiMarzio pups is 1982.


But those here can continue believing what they like really, it's okay. I have never seen any evidence that E stamped pickups are DiMarzio, I just wish the member who started this E pups being DiMarzio will show me a catalog that proves it. After all, Tokai is a business and if they have pickups that are DiMarzio, they would have published it, and advertised etc

Thank you! and enjoy your lovely Tokai

 

[SUSHI GUY]

Hi SUSHI GUY,

You are halfway there with the Official naming of E stamped pickups referred to as ST-A
Tokai called E stamped pickups as follows

1977 - 1978 = A Type Microphone
1979 - 1980 = ST-A Pickup
1981 onwards = ST Vintage Pickup

They are NOT DiMarzio, only is it so in the mind of the 'establishment' here, hehehe not me.

Ok Mr.Grecoburst. So the truth is that since 1977 until 1981 and to later
the higher class Tokai pickups both ST-A" and "ST-Vintage" all had "E"
stamp on them? And the lower class pickups like "ST-B" and "ST-Hot"
had "U" stamp on them? Do you know what "E" & "U" stands for????
You must be the specialist. Keep on helping us please. Thanks.

 

[SUSHI GUY]

"After all, Tokai is a business and if they have pickups that are DiMarzio, they would have published it, and advertised etc"

I agree with him very much here. No way they didn't wanna say it when they said it clear and loud for the Dimarzio VS1 pickups for ST100 since 1982 and all the other US pickups on the LS series guitars. Tokai was always getting their good pickups from Gotoh in those days, correct? and all those ones were very good, right? So why not just Gotoh? Assuming this way seems so much more realistic than that Tokai was using the Dimarzio pickups hidden for what reasons? and only for "E" not "U" too. People wanted the US pickups and that's the sales point for some models. So i don't think anyone gives the great quality expensive US pickups for free. That's not how this world is made usually, right? Not how things go and making sense......

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, i must not say how i know, i will get the establishments knickers in a twist.

I have never seen any evidence that E stamped pickups are DiMarzio, I just wish the member who started this E pups being DiMarzio will show me a catalog that proves it.

OK, so it's like this - you know they are not Dimarzios, but you "must not say" how you know. So we have no proof.

But the people (loads of them) who say they are Dimarzios have to provide proof to you. Maybe they "must not say" either? Why do they have to provide proof when you don't?

Doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[SUSHI GUY]

"But the people (loads of them) who say they are Dimarzios have to provide proof to you."

Sorry Mike but what were their genuine proofs?