Loudmachine
Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2015
- Messages
- 5
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Hello everyone! I'm a first time Tokai owner and first time poster here on the forum, so be gentle!
I need some help identifying a new purchase - I bought a used Tokai Love Rock from a second-hand shop here in Huddersfield, UK. Here's what I know so far, after a bit of research and detective work...
It is a 2004 model, Serial # is 0409084, and is stamped into the headstock.
It is MIJ, and is labeled as such.
It is **** heavy, probably the heaviest LP I have picked up. I work in a guitar store and it weighs more than any Gibson LP Traditional or Standard I've encountered.
It has the thickest neck of any LP model I've encountered also - feels like a 50's.
It has no scratchplate, nor has one ever been fitted, due to no screwholes in the body.
It has 2 screws in the truss-rod cover (which still has the plastic cover on it).
It has a great flamed top, which could be Violin Finish as VF is written in the bridge pickup cavity.
It looks like a rosewood fingerboard, but next to a Gibson with a rosewood board, mine looks very light in comparison with too much grain.
The body is constructed from what looks like multi-piece mahogany, but not like other SEB models of Love Rock's that i've seen. The blocks seem to radiate out from the centre, as opposed to being a horizontal 'sandwich' construction. It has a VERY WELL MATCHED 2 piece mahogany back, but the join is near impossible to see.
In the pickup cavities is written 'VF', with either '1-31' or 'I-31' next to it. There is what looks like a number 4 written on the end of the neck block, which doesn't have a long tenon from what I can tell. There is also a Japanese symbol; I have no idea what it translates as.
I played it in my store today and the pickups and playability far outclassed a ?2100+ 2015 Gibson LP Standard. Really sweet sounding, loads of sustain, and more low end tone than punch. Not at all scratchy or brittle.
Now the good bit - I paid ?125.00 for it. It's absolutely got to be worth more than that. I KNOW it's a keeper, its the best guitar I've ever owned. I'm not looking to sell it, but I'd like peoples contributions as to what specific model it is and how I can further my own knowledge of it.
Here's a link to my album on Photobucket: http://s1026.photobucket.com/user/Loudmachine/library/Tokai%20Love%20Rock?sort=3&page=1
Photos show the serial, block construction, details of the writing in the pickup cavities, and the overall finish and appearance of the guitar.
Cheers in advance everyone!
Ben
[/url]
I need some help identifying a new purchase - I bought a used Tokai Love Rock from a second-hand shop here in Huddersfield, UK. Here's what I know so far, after a bit of research and detective work...
It is a 2004 model, Serial # is 0409084, and is stamped into the headstock.
It is MIJ, and is labeled as such.
It is **** heavy, probably the heaviest LP I have picked up. I work in a guitar store and it weighs more than any Gibson LP Traditional or Standard I've encountered.
It has the thickest neck of any LP model I've encountered also - feels like a 50's.
It has no scratchplate, nor has one ever been fitted, due to no screwholes in the body.
It has 2 screws in the truss-rod cover (which still has the plastic cover on it).
It has a great flamed top, which could be Violin Finish as VF is written in the bridge pickup cavity.
It looks like a rosewood fingerboard, but next to a Gibson with a rosewood board, mine looks very light in comparison with too much grain.
The body is constructed from what looks like multi-piece mahogany, but not like other SEB models of Love Rock's that i've seen. The blocks seem to radiate out from the centre, as opposed to being a horizontal 'sandwich' construction. It has a VERY WELL MATCHED 2 piece mahogany back, but the join is near impossible to see.
In the pickup cavities is written 'VF', with either '1-31' or 'I-31' next to it. There is what looks like a number 4 written on the end of the neck block, which doesn't have a long tenon from what I can tell. There is also a Japanese symbol; I have no idea what it translates as.
I played it in my store today and the pickups and playability far outclassed a ?2100+ 2015 Gibson LP Standard. Really sweet sounding, loads of sustain, and more low end tone than punch. Not at all scratchy or brittle.
Now the good bit - I paid ?125.00 for it. It's absolutely got to be worth more than that. I KNOW it's a keeper, its the best guitar I've ever owned. I'm not looking to sell it, but I'd like peoples contributions as to what specific model it is and how I can further my own knowledge of it.
Here's a link to my album on Photobucket: http://s1026.photobucket.com/user/Loudmachine/library/Tokai%20Love%20Rock?sort=3&page=1
Photos show the serial, block construction, details of the writing in the pickup cavities, and the overall finish and appearance of the guitar.
Cheers in advance everyone!
Ben
[/url]