Tokai-UK lately?

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Apparently it's https://www.mia.org.uk/2020/05/emd-appointed-as-exclusive-distributor-for-tokai-guitars-in-uk-ireland/
 
There's a dealer in Shipley that has quite a few new ones but that was before the new distributor came along. No idea where they source them from.
 
8) tokai is a top quality guitar maker in japan and they have their legendary years from the late 70s until the mid 80s. the company was never big but always known as a topgun of the japanese guitar industry. how about tokai in uk? are they legendary like they are in japan?
 
Very quickly gaining broad respect and prices rising to reflect that, as are other classic MIJ guitar brands.
 
At one point about 15 years ago they were very popular and it was easy to find the Japanese models in many UK stores. After a few years they went out of fashion and for a long time you only ever saw the Chinese models. I hope they're coming back.
 
There's https://tokaiguitars.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=59_66

http://thelittleguitarshop.com/electric-guitars/tokai-guitars.html
 
Paladin2019 said:
At one point about 15 years ago they were very popular and it was easy to find the Japanese models in many UK stores. After a few years they went out of fashion and for a long time you only ever saw the Chinese models. I hope they're coming back.

8) the uk people ever discuss seriously that the japanese copies are often too good to be the copies? almost the replicas. that is it ok or wrong for them to be that way even in the outside of usa? morally and realistically? in japan, the people seem to be accepted that copy/replica tradition because that its only for the japanese small market basically and its in the outside of the usa laws. japan used to be a poor country so they worked/made so much to be like they are today.
 
You get the usual, it's not got Gibson/Fender on the headstock, so it's discredited as rubbish or not going to have the resale value as the former! Then there are the slow growing number of people that use their head and ears to find that the MIJ copies etc are as good and even better in a lot of cases. Epiphone Elite series being a prime example of a type that has grown respect here and in the USA, apart from the comments from some "the headstock is all wrong " People are catching on to the quality of workmanship with the woods etc. I had Gibson Eb3 and SG in the early 70's, loved them both. Time goes on and I sold them to fund other even more expensive hobbies (resale value wasn't great either) A few years ago I wanted an Eb3 again and originals were either crap worn out or eye watering in price, then I saw the Epiphone Elite Eb3 and it was faithfull to the original, including the electrics (many copies are not, including Gibson's) it is also better made as is the wood selection. Since then I have added an SG Elite, same high quality. My Tokai 81 VSB80 is also superbly made and again better quality than my 68 Fender P bass I had long time ago.
 
I just sold my walnut Epi Elite SG - with the correct, non export headstock. Aside from the slim neck profile (which is not my personal preference), it was an outstanding guitar and great sounding. I'd put it up against any non custom shop Gibson.
 
marcusnieman said:
HAMAMATSU said:
8) marcus, you still get the usual in usa too lately?

Sorry Joe, don't know what you mean.

You get the usual, it's not got Gibson/Fender on the headstock, so it's discredited as rubbish or not going to have the resale value as the former! Then there are the slow growing number of people that use their head and ears to find that the MIJ copies etc are as good and even better in a lot of cases.
8)
 
Gotcha..... surprisingly, there are a LOT of people in the states that are searching for quality made MIJ guitars because they realize the value and the workmanship against all of the non custom shop crap that Fender and Gibson are putting out. Myself, I'll never buy anything from them off the rack when I can still find a much better instrument made in Japan.
 
HAMAMATSU said:
marcusnieman said:
HAMAMATSU said:
8) marcus, you still get the usual in usa too lately?

Sorry Joe, don't know what you mean.

You get the usual, it's not got Gibson/Fender on the headstock, so it's discredited as rubbish or not going to have the resale value as the former! Then there are the slow growing number of people that use their head and ears to find that the MIJ copies etc are as good and even better in a lot of cases.
8)
Same here. But it's typically the kind of kiddo that doesn't knows what he's talking about.
I let them enjoy their concrete body Gibsons with holes in them made by a CNC machine, with their sterile pickups unless you paid ++4K dollars for one that will actually be decently made and fitted with decent PU's.
For me, the Tokai has real advantages. First of all, they are less likely to be stolen at shows, and they are cheaper to insure. Even if it happens, they are easyer to spot, because high quality Tokai's are rare. They are true custom shops instruments, and have the comfort and solidity you can expect with CS instruments, what is great for long tours.
 
I can't speak to Tokai and marketing in Japan, but a common business model in America is to buy a brand that was built off of creativity and innovation and ride it for as long as possible. I believe these are called “cash cows” in the business world. Then spend heavily on marketing/promotion and getting new sales as you run the brand into the ground rather than focus on build quality.

So exploiting the reputation rather than building on it.

It’s the reputation which creates the follow up sales, but it has to be continually nurtured.

If you’re a corporation you’re under pressure to increase revenues. At some point businesses often cut costs to create the appearance of growth....

Another American business practice is that when you see your competition building better products than you are building, instead of improving your build quality, you try to eliminate them through legal action or hire them to build your products and then slap your label on them (Martin, Fender, etc.).

It all seems like coasting and running a good thing into the ground which eventually catches up to you.

There were major differences that became obvious between Japanese and American business practices along these lines in the late 70s early 80s. America was slow to respond and was producing garbage, cutting corners, not innovating, etc.

American automobiles didn't last long and the auto industry made money off of parts to replace the garbage that was breaking while Japan was following a different model and producing reliable cars that went for 200,000 miles with few issues.

Sorry to say that to this day, I will not buy an American car even though they have changed. That made a lasting impression on me and I have had Hondas beginning in the 80s followed by Toyotas, not willing to gamble my money on something that may not hold up. Probably not fair, but this stuff has a history and many of us have a memory.

So just adding to Harima_San and Hamamatsu's points.

We can get lots of Gibson and Fender guitars here in the states, but the majority of them sound like garbage in my opinion. Many made at low cost in an effort to bolster shareholders’ portfolios. You have to get Custom Shop pieces to approach the quality of the Tokais I have had in my hands (LS/ST/TE 80 and higher models).

I'm jealous of folks in Europe and Asia that have had access to Tokais all along. It's often a struggle to find them here in the U.S.
 
Unfortunately UK Tokai prices don't really make any sense at the moment. Take the Tokai ULSS124S - Tokai's copy of the Gibson Les Paul Special - this is currently on sale in the UK for £1599 https://rosemorris.com/collections/tokai-guitars/products/tokai-ulss124s-yellow . That's £250 more than the guitar it is copying https://www.andertons.co.uk/gibson-...yellow-nickel-wraparound-hardware-lpsp00tvnh1....and the Tokai has a poly finish vs the Gibson's nitro finish.

And it's the same across all the models. The Tokai jazzmaster copy is currently more expensive than a Fender Original Jazzmaster.
 
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