Tokais Made In China

[Sigmania]

Collecting MIC Tokai pics.

It seems like the thinking on this forum is that Tokai moved production of lower priced models from Korea to China around 2005?

It seems like the switch over to China was not so clear cut.

Starting out looking for patterns in the serial numbers of what are possibly Chinese versus Korean builds.

Using only examples I have actually seen photos of.

Acoustics
Cat's Eyes Made In China
Cat's Eyes CE-100T-Z Ziricote Made In China
Cat's Eyes CE-124-Z Ziricote Made In China
Cat's Eyes CE-118 Made In China
Cat's Eyes CE-150J Jacaranda Made In China
Cat's Eyes CE-185T Made In China
Cat's Eyes CE-190J Jacaranda Made In China
Cat's Eyes CE-190 Made In China
Humming Bird Custom Guitars Made In China 2005-2007
Humming Bird Custom HBD80 & HBT80 Made In China
Humming Bird Custom CJC Made In China
Open Book Tokai Acoustics Made In China
Tokai Tokai Acoustics 2017 Tokai Acoustics UK Price List
Higher End Chinese Built Tokai Acoustics


Fender Copies
CH Serial Numbers
C Serial Number AST Guitars
CN Serial Number Fender Copy Guitars


Gibson Copies
CH Serial Numbers
FC Serial Numbers Fine Corp Made In China 2006 2007
06 Six Digit Serial Number Made In China
07 Six Digit Serial Number Chinese?
07 Seven Digit Serial Number Chinese?
08 Six Digit Serial Number Chinese
09 Six Digit Serial Number
C Serial Number Gibson Copies, Made In China C08 C09 C10
CN Serial Number Gibson Copies 2010-
“Limited Edition” Made In China




Chinese Tokais:


FC + 7 digits (2006, 2007) Fine Corporation
CH + 6 digits (2005,
CH + 8 digits (2008,
7 digits (2009, ex. 9061006
C + 6 digits (2008, 2009, 2010,
CA + 9 digits (2010,
CN + 8 digits (2010-)
8 digit Fender clones "CE" mark (2015, 2016)


Questionable serial numbers:

6 digits white paint (2005, ex. 05xxxx
6 digits gold paint (2006 ex. 06xxxx) Some confirmed Made In China
6 digits impressed digits
8 digits (2009,
CH15 + 6 digits (2015
TM + 6 digit "Legacy Series" (2016,
TL Legacy Series guitars.
TW + 8 digits
Chinese Fake, Unauthorized and Questionable "Tokais"



Chinese factories making Tokais likely includes:

Fine Corp (2006 -2007) ? >
Fine Corporation - guitar, electric guitar, bass - EC21 Mobile
FC Serial Numbers Fine Corp Made In China 2006 2007



2005




CH + 6 digits
CH Serial Numbers

2006

"06" six digit impressed
Six Digit Serial Number Gibson Copies

"06" six digit gold paint
Tokais Made In China

"FC06"
FC Serial Numbers


2007

"FC07" serial number





07 seven digit
07 Seven Digit Serial Number Chinese?

2008

"08" six digit serial
08 Six Digit Serial Number Chinese

"CH08" serial number (Chinese)
Tokais Made In China

"C08" serial number (China)
C Serial Number Gibson Copies, Made In China C08 C09 C10
C Serial Number AST Guitars



2009


"09" six digit
09 Six Digit Serial Number

"90" seven digit
Tokais Made In China

"09" eight digit
Tokais Made In China

"C09" serial (Chinese)
C Serial Number Gibson Copies, Made In China C08 C09 C10
C Serial Number AST Guitars



2010





"C10" serial numbers
C Serial Number Gibson Copies, Made In China C08 C09 C10




CA serial number
CA Serial Numbers CA10 2010

CN serial (Chinese)
CN Serial Number Gibson Copies 2010-
CN Serial Number Fender Copy Guitars



Fakes?
CH Serial Numbers that Look Odd Suspicious Fake


Fakes? And then these odd ones that are hard to pin down. Made in 2015 & 2016
Odd (Non CN) No Prefix Serial Numbers, Chinese? 2015, 2016




Fakes? TM Serial numbers and Legacy Series guitars. 2016
TM Serial Numbers, Chinese? 2016
Legacy Series




Fakes? TW Serial number guitars. 2018
TW Serial Numbers, Chinese? 2018



CW Serial numbers?
CW Serial Number Tokais Chinese China

 

[Sigmania]

"CH" serial number 2008

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20753&hilit=sticky


"C" serial number 2009

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2659886731...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

7 digits 2009

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20753&hilit=sticky&start=15

"CN" serial number 2019

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185656615609

 

[Sigmania]

2008 ALS48 CS?

"CH08" serial number.

Made in China with white cavity covers.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225243561099

Tokai Love Rock Les Paul 6 String Electric Guitar
Cherry Sunburst
2008
Hard Case

Excellent Condition Tokai Love Rock
Made In China Under Japanese Quality Control Finish
One Or Two Minor Marks As Expected With A 14 Year Old Guitar

Solid Body Electric Guitar,
Heritage Dark Cherry Finish
Top: Flamed Maple AAAA (Veneer)
Back: Mahogany
Neck: Canadian Maple Set-Neck, U Shape
Fingerboard: Carbonized Jatoba Wood,
22 Frets
Scale Length: 628 Mm (24,72")
Nut Width: 43 Mm (1,69")
Korean Hardware
2 X Volume, 2 X Tone, 1 X 3 Way Switch

 

[Sigmania]

2006 ALC53 SW?

"FC" serial number

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26459&p=198419&hilit=chinese+serial+number#p198419

 

[Sigmania]

Unclear if these are legitimate Chinese Tokais.

Odd (Non CN) No Prefix Serial Numbers, Chinese? 2015, 2016




Tokai Goldstar Sound AST-33 2015 3 Tone Sunburst | Reverb

2015 TST33 GS?

Maple slab fretboard. No plug.

Tokai TST 38 Goldstar Sound 2017 Sonic Blue | Reverb

2016 TST38 SO?

Maple slab fretboard? No plug.

 

[Sigmania]

2009 ALC50 BB ?

6 digit serial under the finish. Does not show in photos.

SN 090793















http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26274&p=197280&hilit=chinese+serial+number#p197280

 

[Sigmania]

2009 ALS48 VF ?

7 digits with no prefix

Not sure if this one is legit?

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26226&p=196458&hilit=chinese+serial+number#p196458

 

[Sigmania]

SN 084001

Korean?

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26239&p=196527&hilit=chinese+serial+number#p196527

 

[Sigmania]

2009 ALC50 BB ?

8 digit serial number

SN 09100259

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26110&p=195654&hilit=chinese+serial+number#p195654

 

[Sigmania]

2009 ALS48 SR

7 digit serial number

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25861&p=193785&hilit=chinese+serial+number#p193785

 

[Sigmania]

Unclear if these are legitimate Tokais.

Odd (Non CN) No Prefix Serial Numbers, Chinese? 2015, 2016



SN 16070150

Hard Puncher

 

[Sigmania]

Chinese? 2006?

What model is this SG

 

[Sigmania]

I would have passed this one off as totally fake becasue of this unusual "CW" serial number were it not verified by the Australian distributor, TF member tokaiaustralia, who apparently got it when visiting the factory in Hamamatsu.

Made by Tokai in recent years, this Love Rock model came to us directly from the factory in Hamamatsu, Japan. There was a big factory clear-out of old stock, prototypes and factory seconds when the company changed ownership late last year and this is one of the guitars unearthed in that process. As the new Australian distributor of Tokai we were given loads of these guitars and will be re-homing them as we get them serviced!

Made in China, it weighs 3.8kg’s, it’s built with a laminate flame top and mahogany body. Rosewood fingerboard and a maple neck with a slim 60’s style profile. Stock pickups with what looks to be a full factory hardware loadout, looks to likely have been a demo for the factory in China to show Japan what they were capable of.

https://mojostompboxes.com/products/tokai-love-rock-les-paul-standard-honeyburst

 

[Sigmania]

This fake Tokai grabbed my attention with what looks like a "CH" serial number on the price tag...

CH08081650

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25737&p=192906&hilit=chinese+serial+number#p192906

 

[Sigmania]

There were some overlaps in 2008/09 of serial number schemes.

Possibly Chinese vs. Korean?? Who knows?

Examples:

90xxxx 7 digit serial number

09xxxxxx 8 digit serial number

C09xxxxxx

 

[Sigmania]

2009 Guitarist magazine

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/ngd-tokai-les-paul-als-48.313790/

 

[Sigmania]

Presumably Chinese Tokais

2009 catalog

2010 catalog.

 

[Sigmania]

2013 Price List

http://www.usamusic.nl/uploads/2/4/0/4/24048927/tc_retail_oct_2013.pdf

2014 Price List

 

[Sigmania]

2019 ES78

"CW" serial number?


okai's Traditional range of electric guitars offer amazing playability, finish and sound at an unmatched price point.

The ES-78 revives the iconic semi-hollowbody, electric-spanish design. Featuring the classic arched maple top, two LSC-F humbucking pickups and medium U style neck profile, the Tokai ES-78 screams vintage style and tone - without the vintage price tag.

BRAND: Tokai
MODEL: ES-78-VNT
SERIES: Traditional
INSTRUMENT: Electric Guitar
SHAPE: ES
COLOUR: Vintage Natural
DEXTERITY: Right
STRINGS: 6
STRING TYPE: Steel

BODY: Maple
NECK: Canadian Maple Set-Neck
NECK STYLE: Style U
FINGERBOARD: Carbonized Jatoba Wood
FINISH: Polyurethane
MACHINE HEADS: Vintage Style
BRIDGE: LS-VBC Bridge
PICKUPS: LSC-F x 2 (Made In Korea)
ELECTRONICS: 2V, 2T and 3-way switch
WIRING: Modern Style
SCALE LENGTH: 24.75"
NUT: Bone 43mm
FRETS: 22
COUNTRY: Made in China
HARD CASE: Tokai Padded Gig Bag

LENGTH: 1070mm
DEPTH: 65mm
UPPER BOUT: 285mm
WAIST: 230mm
LOWER BOUT: 410mm
WEIGHT: 3.3 kg Approximately

https://therockinn.com/products/cop...ollow-electric-guitar-made-in-japan-pre-owned

 

[Sigmania]

Notable quote by mdvineng in another thread:

There is more than one Chinese factory making Tokai guitars. Some legit guitars and some hooky ones. The Chinese are only using a licence to make them and not as a sub contractor supplier to Tokai Japan. There are some dealerships around the world now having their own spec Tokai's made from these factories, currently all low model numbers. Tracking and tracing them is impossible.

I once worked for a company as the Engineering director, this company decided to move manufacturing from Europe to China despite me warning them about the potential for cheaper copies hitting the market. The directors only saw potential profit margins increasing. First 6 months went OK and I was derided. Next 12 months saw the company go into liquidation due to cheap copies coming out of the back door of the same factory in China.

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26110

reborn old on MIC Tokais:

"I recently confirmed Tokai used more than one manufacturer in China. Certain minor details varied from factory to factory."

https://www.mylespaul.com/threads/tokai-facts-theory-photos-id-thread.167940/page-6