TE-120 almost unplayed

[bunbury]

I've bought a te-120 Breezy, it's unmarked and in really good condition. It's come from a home where it was hardly played in the past 10 years.

I am curious about a couple of things. The headstock places it in 1984 or '85. The 6-digit serial number begins with a '0' ... Goldstar numbers stopped showing year when they replaced Springys, did Breezy's undergo a simlar change? A much more learned forum member than I says the last of these was made in 1985.

Anyone want to coment on the scratch plate? It's still got it's cellophane proetection on it, you can just see it peeling a bit at the lower end. Surely this can't be the orginal can it?

It plays really well and when I took the plate of the screw holes looked so fresh I doubt they'd been removed before and there's almost no change in the body colour (ie from light exposure ).

 

[Anonymous]

Hi bunbury!

I'd say '84-'85 is a good bet.

In any way this is one of the most outstanding Breezies I ever saw.

Congratulations!

If you ever want to sell her please let me know.

Cheers. Rupert

 

[sneakyjapan]

man...thats a beauty.

 

[DaveWW]

Stunning guitar!

We need some green eyed smilies on the forum to show jealousy :lol:

Dave

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not usually a maple neck fan, I'm not keen on those red tortoise guards, & I think edge binding usually makes a Tele body look too fussy. But..... I'd make an exception for that Breezy - that pearloid edge binding looks really good, & it's a fine looking guitar.

Nice one

 

[MIJvintage]

>Anyone want to coment on the scratch plate? It's still got it's cellophane proetection on it, you can just see it peeling a bit at the lower end. Surely this can't be the orginal can it?<

I recall villager having a similar Tokai Breezy some time ago, it also had the tortoise guard; I would be willing to bet it's original

 

[chrisheyes]

I remember a very similar one for sale by a Great Tokai Fan and Forum Friend tezza-j

It's a bit too Liberace for my conservative taste, but it's an exceptionally well made instrument, enjoy it.

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=5304&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

 

[bunbury]

Thanks for all the great feedback! Can anyone help with the serial number? Did the first number on a mid-80s Breezy indicate the year?

I think it's a couple of years younger than Tezza's, which went to another forum member .... (?) and also spent a while here.

http://www.japanguitars.co.uk/page%206%20Tokai.html

I hadn't thought about Liberace in this context before. I guess I may have to change my image to live with this guitar. :wink:

Bunbury

 

[Anonymous]

Liberace! :lol: Nonsense!

Even if that was true, all you'd need to do is buy a candelabra....

And learn how to murder a decent Chopin tune....

 

[bunbury]

Liberace! :lol: Nonsense!

Even if that was true, all you'd need to do is buy a candelabra....

And learn how to murder a decent Chopin tune....

Well, it seems that all I need is the candelabra :wink:

 

[luis]

Fantastic Breezy.Congrats.

Some moons ago Peter(Mac) and me were talking regulary and this and the almost impossible to find TE-200RR were my target.I had a very good Fender Reissue so I finally never buy any Breezy,maybe the only Tokai model I never owned.

 

[bunbury]

Fantastic Breezy.Congrats.

Some moons ago Peter(Mac) and me were talking regulary and this and the almost impossible to find TE-200RR were my target.I had a very good Fender Reissue so I finally never buy any Breezy,maybe the only Tokai model I never owned.

Hi Luis,

Thanks for kind words - it's a beauty. Do you have any thoughts on the serial number; 6 numbers and first is a 0? It's got an 84-85 headstock logo.

Tezza's near identical 120, which appeared here earlier this year, began with a 2 and was listed as a 1982 model. It had the same decal as mine. Tezza - correct me if I'm wrong please!

I should whisper this quietly, given your comment about rarity, but I've got two of these. The other has reverse 7-logo and a serial number begining with 1. I've always thought it was an '81. I'm starting to wonder if the serial number has nothing to do with the year.

Bunbury

 

[luis]

I would be guided by Tokai logo more than a serial number and yours is a post '83, just compare it to the another one you have with 7 Tokai logo.....It?s not easy "fine tuning" a dating, must check catalogs and compare and I don?t recall seeing any TE-120 after 1.987....will check again so my guess would be 84-86 period....

A 2 serial number in headstock+ 7 Tokai logo leans towards 1.982 if you follow Springys and Silver Stars code,you?re right.

 

[bunbury]

Sorry - duplicate post.

 

[bunbury]

Thanks Luis,

So with the 7-logo TE-120 the number '1' probabley means 1981, but with the later type of 'T' logo visible on this one it's almost certainly 84-85 and the '0' begining the serial number means nothing (as with a Goldstar).

That's good to know. I had wondered if maybe the plate had been swapped at some point.

 

[togps]

So with the 7-logo TE-120 the number '1' probabley means 1981, .

Yes

but with the later type of 'T' logo visible on this one it's almost certainly 84-85 and the '0' begining the serial number means nothing (as with a Goldstar).

Yes. Exactly. From 1982, all Tokai Fender replics doesn't indicates the manufacturers date. It reflects only Fenders model year.
BTW, bunbury, congrats to your Breeeezi!

 

[BillyWizz]

Very nice .