hi i have a tokai super edition strat which i bought around 86 or 87 but cant seem to find any mention of this model anywhere red body with red headstock gold fittings locking trem and top locknut the headstock says tokai super edition the quality musical instruments of the world with the extra tokai a seperate logo says special series and on the trem it says extra tokai there is a number on the neckplate L 12441 it is a standard strat ie 3 single pickups which have a u on the bottom it is without a doubt the best sounding and nicest to play of any guitar i have played and i would never part with it any information as to what model it copied or any info in general would be greatly appreciated many thanks mal
please any info on a strat super edition
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Anonymous
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We need to see pics to tell you much about it, but it sounds like it's a modernised Goldstar - locking trem etc. The U pickups are my favourite - a bit punchier than the others.
Show us some pics, and somebody will be able to tell you more about it.
Mike
Show us some pics, and somebody will be able to tell you more about it.
Mike
Stereohigh
Well-known member
TOKAI SUPER EDITION STRATOCASTER WHITE - JAPAN *VINTAGE
ITS AN SD-50. I am thinking of buying it, can anyone tell me how much, you think they are worth, and if its a good guitar or not
I would also like some info on the super edition, how much its worth etc
Around 1985 I think for this one
ITS AN SD-50. I am thinking of buying it, can anyone tell me how much, you think they are worth, and if its a good guitar or not
I would also like some info on the super edition, how much its worth etc
Around 1985 I think for this one
leadguitar_323
Well-known member
Hello Stereohigh, you already have a thread asking about this guitar so maybe you shouldn't hijack this one, you won't have to wait too long for a reply... :wink:
Mick
Mick
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Anonymous
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bigmalh said:
I guess you didn't read this:
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9012
Not many people seem to....
With regard to hijacking, this is the Tokai forum - that's what we do! Some of the best discussions have been on threads that one or another of us have hijacked!
Stereohigh
Well-known member
I am not hijacking I am just looking for all round info on these guitars.
and if they are any good. any answers help both of us asking really.
and if they are any good. any answers help both of us asking really.
hi yet again
i have been looking at other posts on this website and people keep refferring to identifing marks ( numbers stamped on neck inside cavitiys etc ) type of neck and body wood nitro paint now my possibly stupid question (in which case i appologise beforehand ) is there a guide some where showing where to look how to tell etc i have looked all over my neck (even with a magnifying glass ) and can see nothing how can i tell what body wood or paint finish i have is there a laymans guide or is it a black art only privvy to a chosen few . help!!!!
thanks again Mal
i have been looking at other posts on this website and people keep refferring to identifing marks ( numbers stamped on neck inside cavitiys etc ) type of neck and body wood nitro paint now my possibly stupid question (in which case i appologise beforehand ) is there a guide some where showing where to look how to tell etc i have looked all over my neck (even with a magnifying glass ) and can see nothing how can i tell what body wood or paint finish i have is there a laymans guide or is it a black art only privvy to a chosen few . help!!!!
thanks again Mal
mrsuspend
Well-known member
Hi Mal, the neck markings are on the end of the neck (by the trussrod) so you'd have to take it off first. The body markings would probably be inside the electronics cavity and look something like 3=11 MR Z.
/Magnus
/Magnus
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Anonymous
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Your guitar looks like a mid 80s Goldstar with the addition of a FR type trem & locking nut. The fact that it has U pickups and an L serial number confirms this to me. I'm not sure, but I think they were produced around 86/7 - hopefully somebody else can confirm this. If I'm correct, it will have the same materials as a Goldstar - alder body, maple neck, rosewood board. Only the top of the range models (ST80 & ST100) had a nitro finish, so it's unlikely that yours will have that. I assume there is no sticker on the back of the neck at the base that gives the model number?
Like this one? Probably not, most of them were peeled off.
They tend not to sell for a great deal of money - it's the more authentic vintage copy Strats that sell for more - but if it's based on a Goldstar, as I assume, it should be a great playing, well made guitar that should outlive you! Just resist the temptation to sell it if you are ever short of money.
Like this one? Probably not, most of them were peeled off.
They tend not to sell for a great deal of money - it's the more authentic vintage copy Strats that sell for more - but if it's based on a Goldstar, as I assume, it should be a great playing, well made guitar that should outlive you! Just resist the temptation to sell it if you are ever short of money.
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bigmalh said:
No layman's guide, just us, and we are free! Stick around on the forum for a while and you'll know as much as we all do - just pay attention! Most books that I've seen ignore Tokais or get quite basic stuff wrong. Forum member & Tokai expert Peter Mac is writing a book, apparently. Since he has extensive knowledge of Tokais, it should be good when it's finished.
hi guys
i appreciate all the help and i am learning from reading other posts
i am not really looking to value the guitar as i will never sell it it plays far too nice . when i bought it i could finally afford a real strat but when i tried a few i was disappointed not the feel or sound i had in my head so i ended up trying every guitar in the shop (not interested in price just looks and feel) anyway the tokai won hands down got it for 200 back in 86 or 87 and loved it ever since
anyway here are some more pics the neck has no sticker on it and i dont want to unbolt it in case it wont go back the same
once again many thanks for your time and help Mal
i appreciate all the help and i am learning from reading other posts
i am not really looking to value the guitar as i will never sell it it plays far too nice . when i bought it i could finally afford a real strat but when i tried a few i was disappointed not the feel or sound i had in my head so i ended up trying every guitar in the shop (not interested in price just looks and feel) anyway the tokai won hands down got it for 200 back in 86 or 87 and loved it ever since
anyway here are some more pics the neck has no sticker on it and i dont want to unbolt it in case it wont go back the same
once again many thanks for your time and help Mal
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Anonymous
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This has failed to sell on eBay a few times now as they keep asking too much:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140256488120&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=004
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140256488120&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=004
i saw that on on ebay a while ago and thought from his discription it sounded dodgy as to its rarity as it does look like my super edition but is missing the extra sound decal and the special series decal from the headstock i thought a bit pricey too i still prefer my colour
Mal
Mal
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Anonymous
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bigmalh said:
So do I. It is strange the way the MR (Metallic Red) code has been blacked out on your guitar though. Maybe it was originally supposed to be a dfferent colour, but they changed their minds at the last minute? Not that it matters, but can you make out any lettering under the black ink (or whatever it is)?
iv'e looked and looked but cant make anything out ( mind you my eyesight is terrible ) i didn't like the look of the x though ( reject maybe )also any ideas what the 3 or is it an 8 to the left of the 26 means
i have orderd a nice gold hardtail bridge so i can replace the locking trem which along with the string lock (bar and clamps removed then put away somewhere by my wife (i.e lost) ) i have never liked or used much anyway i will post more pics when i have fitted it
regards Mal
i have orderd a nice gold hardtail bridge so i can replace the locking trem which along with the string lock (bar and clamps removed then put away somewhere by my wife (i.e lost) ) i have never liked or used much anyway i will post more pics when i have fitted it
regards Mal
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Anonymous
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I wouldn't worry about the X. I don't know what it means, but you see quite a few of them. My 1985 Metallic Green ST55:
And as for colour codes being changed, here's my favourite Goldstar, the white 1984 ST50:
You can see that it was originally supposed to be Sonic Blue (SO), but somebody decided to finish it in Olympic White after the stamping had been done. I don't know what the Z stands for either!
If you replace the flashy trem with a standard trem (I assume there's no extra routing to prevent you doing this?), & remove the string lock thingy and fit a standard Strat string tree instead (like I did to my old 1987 Fender Japan Strat), what you'll have is pretty much the same guitar as an 84/85 Goldstar, I would imagine. And that's a pretty good thing to have.
Try and keep the parts you remove though, just in case somebody wants to restore it to original condition one day. Well you never know....
And as for colour codes being changed, here's my favourite Goldstar, the white 1984 ST50:
You can see that it was originally supposed to be Sonic Blue (SO), but somebody decided to finish it in Olympic White after the stamping had been done. I don't know what the Z stands for either!
If you replace the flashy trem with a standard trem (I assume there's no extra routing to prevent you doing this?), & remove the string lock thingy and fit a standard Strat string tree instead (like I did to my old 1987 Fender Japan Strat), what you'll have is pretty much the same guitar as an 84/85 Goldstar, I would imagine. And that's a pretty good thing to have.
Try and keep the parts you remove though, just in case somebody wants to restore it to original condition one day. Well you never know....
dont worry all parts removed are going safely away I have gone for a fixed bridge at first if i dont like that i will get a standard trem (non locking) i might remove the top lock nut and fit a tree ( i removed the clamps and bar as they affected the action when i had my brass nut made i left the lump there as i convinced myself it helps the tone and sustain
am i right in thinking that the codes in the body were just for internal use to identify a day and month (possibly for wood seasoning in a kiln) and maybe the x ,y and z lettering is some form of grading ( gosh this is becoming quite addictive). wish i could find all my guitar mags from the eighties
Keep on rockin Mal
am i right in thinking that the codes in the body were just for internal use to identify a day and month (possibly for wood seasoning in a kiln) and maybe the x ,y and z lettering is some form of grading ( gosh this is becoming quite addictive). wish i could find all my guitar mags from the eighties
Keep on rockin Mal
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Anonymous
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I'm really not sure about the codes, to be honest. I don't think they tell me anything very fundamental, so I haven't taken in the the various theories. You could try doing a search to find earlier posts (there have been some), or maybe a real expert will add to this thread.
All I really care about is knowing enough to be able to identify a real Tokai from a fake, & I think I've learned that. And anyway, the people who made these fine guitars were Japanese - and they're supposed to be inscrutable, aren't they? :wink:
All I really care about is knowing enough to be able to identify a real Tokai from a fake, & I think I've learned that. And anyway, the people who made these fine guitars were Japanese - and they're supposed to be inscrutable, aren't they? :wink:
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