Tokai GoldStar ST55 on ebay... good deal?

[Gasp100]

Hey fellas, I'm trying to research this one as I'm in need of a great strat for little money and I'm concentrating on MIJ stuff and branching out from just MIJ Fender. This looks pretty sweet but I'm not sure if it's somehow faked or not? The GoldStar's were made in the mid-80's to early 90's right? I like the flame on the back of the neck, but I'm hoping it's not some type of foto flame stuff? What do you think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390227081832&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[Anonymous]

It really would help if you filled in your location.

Like this

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http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=13896

Tokai changed their products for different markets at different times, & the American market was the most susceptible to legal threats, though never the lawsuits that everyone seems to believe. I assume you're in the US?

I didn't know you got Goldstars like that in the States? I thought that you got the AST-57 & AST-62 in the early/mid 80s while we got Goldstars in Europe?

One for our US members I think.

Mike

 

[Gasp100]

I apologize, I actually DID have my location specified in my profile, but under my signature (which doesn't show for some reason). Anyway, it's corrected and yes I am in the US.
I guess it's not a fake, but could it be a newer version or something (if there is a newer version than mid-80's to 90's???
Clearly you can see that is has a MIJ sticker, a "55" sticker and if you zoom the ad you can see a six digit serial number which I "think" is legit for that time period.
If everything matches up I think it would be a nice find here in the US. I'm reading reviews of these GoldStar's with the modified headstocks and they all seem very positive, even favorable to Fender Japan guitars from the same time period!
I would probably upgrade electronics and pickups in the future, but if what it in there will tide me over that would be fantastic.
BTW - what are your general thoughts on the AST-62? To be honest I'm a huge 62RI fan but this one jumped out as being really clean and I can do maple too.
I think I somehow linked to your photobucket of your collection as well stratman... unfreakinbelievable! I'm a HUGE MIJ fan (LPs in particular) and I am way envious of your stash.
Thanks for any help guys - Greg

 

[Anonymous]

I apologize, I actually DID have my location specified in my profile, but under my signature (which doesn't show for some reason). Anyway, it's corrected and yes I am in the US................................
BTW - what are your general thoughts on the AST-62? To be honest I'm a huge 62RI fan but this one jumped out as being really clean and I can do maple too.
I think I somehow linked to your photobucket of your collection as well stratman... unfreakinbelievable! I'm a HUGE MIJ fan (LPs in particular) and I am way envious of your stash.
Thanks for any help guys - Greg

Ah, George Thorogood country - the man who got me into Elmore James. 8)

I agree it looks nice, but I'll let our US members answer your query as I'm not sure about when you got the ASTs & when you got Goldstars. I don't want to give you wrong advice.

But if the US market Goldstars are anything like the UK market ones, yeah I do kinda like them. They should certainly be at least as good as the Fender MIJ stuff from the same period.

 

[Gasp100]

I just bought it. Their feedback rating is okay based on the number of items they have sold (over 4000) and they offer a 10 day trial period and a 30 day warranty period. Can't ask for more than that from an ebay seller. I also got a decent deal using their "Best Offer" option.
I'd still like to get as much info as possible so if anyone else wants to chime in let me know. Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

OK, well I hope you know how to use split-post tuners, unlike the seller!

I'm wondering if it's one of the new ones? Mind you $400 is about ?260, which isn't a great deal of money. And the case should be worth ?40 or ?50.

It has a definite Jimmie Vaughan vibe about it.

 

[Gasp100]

"OK, well I hope you know how to use split-post tuners, unlike the seller!"

-- haha, actually, if you read Dan Erlewine's book on Guitar Repair he states that for split tuner style the best way to string is to wrap around the peg a few times, then lay string across the split and bend back, then tune to pitch. That is actually how I do it and it works really well.

"I'm wondering if it's one of the new ones?"

-- I guess this is my concern... I didn't think there were "new ones"??? I was under the impression with all of my research that the GoldStar line (even with this newer modified headstock design) was stopped in the early 90's? So, are you saying Tokai is still making these today? Clearly there is a sticker that say Made In Japan. To be quite honest, that is my only concern. Not that guitars can't be made elsewhere that have hi quality (Squier CV series comes to mind) but I don't want to be spending a lot on something MIK or MIC.

-- The Jimmy Vaughn MIM Fender is actually supposed to be really nice, I'm hoping this one exceeds my expectations. It IS to be used primarily for my "knock around" guitar while my other two stay home and well protected. I could see modding the crap out of this one, shielding (maybe noiseless pups), definitely an aged guard/knobs/etc...

 

[Anonymous]

Well, to me, the point of the split post is that you stick the end of the string into it so it doesn't stab you under the fingernail!

As for new Tokais, these are available in the UK:

http://www.tokai-guitars.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=126&category_id=18&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=31

but I don't know what's available in the US. Some Americans will be along soon & hopefully they will know.

I picked up a virtually unplayed 13 year old Jimmie Vaughan Strat a few weeks back - my only Mexican guitar. I'm still trying to decide how it compares to my old Tokais - it's nice, & it's brighter sounding than I usually like in a Strat, but it has an "attitude" that I rather like. And it is the perfect guitar for JV stuff, which isn't a huge surprise. :lol: But it did cost me over ?100 more than your Tokai just cost you.

And please don't ruin your nice new Tokai with aged plastic - it would look as ridiculous as it would if I did that to my JV. Clean & white looks great on a white/maple Strat.

[/list]

 

[Gasp100]

Nice one! Yes, I'll just wait and see how this one stacks up looks and component wise.

 

[Amo]

My old MIJ strat was as white and pristine as that once

Its now a sort of manky old yellowing blond ... sort of Pat Butcher of the strat world :lol:

 

[Gasp100]

Well, a couple of positive notes. The seller indicates its about 7.5lbs (which is a fine weight for me for a strat) and stated it's definitely a chunky C profile which is AWESOME!
I figured out how to use the Tokai Registry itself and I took the serial number (5 digits on neck plate starting with a 2 which indicates it's copied after a Fender 56-60 style strat) and compared to any guitar serial's in the registry with a similar serial number... I know, SUPER ANAL! Anyway, virtually every hit that included a date seemed to indicate their guitars were from 1984-1986. I also found one that had a very close serial number for "Chris Chamberlain" indicating his was a White ST55!
So at least now I'm much more comfortable that this one is indeed legit because those are my exact specs. Maybe this was one that happened to make it over the pond to the states some time ago?
Here is one from the registry that is only 4 digits away from mine. Now I'm very excited for this guitar!

Copy: Fender Strat
Model: Goldstar Sound
Tokai Model:
Serial Number: 20484
Date of Purchase: 1985
New/Used: New
Color: ivory
Country: Japan
Comments: It\'s a lovely player, maple fingerboard. It\'s a copy of a 195X model Fender strat. (unlaminated pickguard)

Submitted By: Mark Tyson

 

[Anonymous]

I figured out how to use the Tokai Registry itself and I took the serial number (5 digits on neck plate starting with a 2 which indicates it's copied after a Fender 56-60 style strat) and compared to any guitar serial's in the registry with a similar serial number... I know, SUPER ANAL! Anyway, virtually every hit that included a date seemed to indicate their guitars were from 1984-1986. I also found one that had a very close serial number for "Chris Chamberlain" indicating his was a White ST55!
So at least now I'm much more comfortable that this one is indeed legit because those are my exact specs. Maybe this was one that happened to make it over the pond to the states some time ago?

Well if you're thinking it could be a Europe spec 84 to 86 Goldstar, the problem is that we didn't get the modified headstock shape till years after the US did, possibly not till the 90s.

And from about 1982 onwards Tokai Strat serial numbers didn't indicate date of manufacture - they were copies of the numbers Fender would have used back in the 50s or 60s. And the decal on yours tells us it's post 1983.

This may have been different for US market guitars but I'm not sure.

 

[Gasp100]

I figured out how to use the Tokai Registry itself and I took the serial number (5 digits on neck plate starting with a 2 which indicates it's copied after a Fender 56-60 style strat) and compared to any guitar serial's in the registry with a similar serial number... I know, SUPER ANAL! Anyway, virtually every hit that included a date seemed to indicate their guitars were from 1984-1986. I also found one that had a very close serial number for "Chris Chamberlain" indicating his was a White ST55!
So at least now I'm much more comfortable that this one is indeed legit because those are my exact specs. Maybe this was one that happened to make it over the pond to the states some time ago?

Well if you're thinking it could be a Europe spec 84 to 86 Goldstar, the problem is that we didn't get the modified headstock shape till years after the US did, possibly not till the 90s.

And from about 1982 onwards Tokai Strat serial numbers didn't indicate date of manufacture - they were copies of the numbers Fender would have used back in the 50s or 60s. And the decal on yours tells us it's post 1983.

This may have been different for US market guitars but I'm not sure.

I see -- I think I recall reading on here that the headstock shape was changed for the US versions of the guitars in mid-80's so that matches up well with everything else I am pulling together. So yes, a guitar Made in Japan for export to the US in mid-80's. Works for me. This is verbage taken from the TokaiRegistry "Dating and ID" section where they show headstock shapes:

Re-shaped headstock on USA models AST56 & 62 (US Market) in 1985

1985 Script Logo & First appearance of modified headstock

I don't think the models themselves were any lesser in quality between the US made modified headstocks and traditional ones?