identify this goldstar on ebay?

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
N

newguyla

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2008
Messages
18
Reaction score
0
hello to everyone, im pretty new here, been reading up on the threads i could find about tokai strats before i ask anything.. i would like to ask for some information regarding this guitar listed on the bay by respected seller, chingo..

he told me the body material is likely sen rather than alder, which i think is a nice gesture, so that there is no 'nasty' surprises if it isnt alder.. i would like you fellow forumers with much more experience than i have to identify the materials, the model number and etc., basically all the info i could need

it appears to be st50 goldstar sound, but i cant be sure, im still quite new at this..

http://imageevent.com/chingo123/june/tokaigoldstarsndblack3310
 
Hi there Newguy! :)
I looks like a very nice all original early (1984) ST50, indicated by final prospec saddles, deluxe tuners and U type pickups.
I'd say the body is alder but I'm open to suggestions...?

/Magnus
 
ahh, the reputable magnus.. your 'few' posts around the board helped enlighten me a little in learning about these vintage pieces of wood!

here's a link to another guitar for sale, the owner is curious to find out about his guitar too:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110276401361&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

if anyone wonders what my motives are, i intend to purchase a strat, one that is gonna be a base to be my 'blackie' strat.. thats why the relentless search for a quality bargain..
 
Thanks :)
I've only really studied these guitars since a few months back and
there are many who know so much more than me on this forum. I know a little bit about strats and precision basses since that's my own area of interest but that's about it.
Regarding the springy I think an st-80 should have a 'V' neck but I'll leave it to someone else to confirm..

/Magnus
 
Actually that one looks disturbingly like a Goldie apart from the name on the headstock... steel trem, final prospec saddles, deluxe tuners, U pups....?


/Magnus
 
newguyla said:
ahh, the reputable magnus.. your 'few' posts around the board helped enlighten me a little in learning about these vintage pieces of wood!

here's a link to another guitar for sale, the owner is curious to find out about his guitar too:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110276401361&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

if anyone wonders what my motives are, i intend to purchase a strat, one that is gonna be a base to be my 'blackie' strat.. thats why the relentless search for a quality bargain..
Click to expand...


It's not an ST80 as listed. Way too many things wrong with it. More than likely an ST60 - which is a nice guitar but the seller is kind of speaking out of both sides of his mouth.

E stamped pickups means it's an ST60??? :roll: He's got it the wrong way round. U stamped pickups came on ST60's such as the guitar he is selling

ST80s have a V neck - not a C neck as he describes his guitar (again, it's an ST60 more than likely)

It's a nice guitar but the difference in market value / resale of an ST80 versus an ST60 is pretty significant (he's certainly not asking for ST80 money with his opening bid amount of $495).
 
Some Springy ST60s had Us, some had Es, like the one I sold recently. All ST80s had Es.

As far as I know all Goldstars were alder.


Mike
 
thanks guys! that clears a lot up.. i'll let the owner know later, he's actually unsure himself, so cant really fault him too much

which of the two is a better value for money? i have a feeling that im not gonna keep them for resale value, rather a player's strat.. have a feling that i would be replacing the hardwares with callahams and switching fralins in.. wise decision, or are the stock materials awesome already?
 
newguyla said:
.. have a feling that i would be replacing the hardwares with callahams and switching fralins in.. wise decision, or are the stock materials awesome already?
Click to expand...

Why would you even think about changing bits on a guitar you haven't tried?
 
:eek:

****, that is true.. i guess i should try it first before i decide.. the rave reviews for those items make me believe that they're a worthy upgrade.. i'd never get to try them beforehand either, so i would purely be experimenting

im still deciding which of the 2 would be a better deal, i don't mind saving a lil cash on purchasing the goldstar over the springy, but im not sure if the springy is worth the extra few dollars (on quality and build basis, rarity is not a concern for me at the moment)

any suggestions?
 
If rarity isn't a concern then Goldstars are definetely better value for money than Springys and really just the same guitar with a different logo.

A lot of later Goldstars also have a steel trem block as standard, although IMO this makes no discernable difference to the tone. You can't fit a Callham block to a Springy anyway, the block and bridge are made as one piece.

As for the pots, switches, pickups, tuners etc, absolutely no need to upgrade any of these, the Tokai stuff is all excellent quality.
 
thanks john! well, thats a very good thing to know, but what if any of the parts or hardware get damaged?

*checks pocket* oh well, lets see how this goes!
 
84/5/6 Goldstars are quite simply the best value Strats you can buy, IMHO. Springys have the cooler decal, but you tend to pay around an extra ?100 for the name. But they were less common, so they might well hold their value better. However, a Springy ST80 will have a nitro finish, which many of us think is worth the extra money.

Your money, your choice. Most Japanese Strat & Tele pickups tend to be a touch on the bright side, but lots of people prefer that. Don't replace them before you have thoroughly tested them and checked if they suit your amp & your ears. As for the tuners etc., I have never considered changing them. And the Tokai 5 way switches are my favourite Strat switches of all - I even have one on my 86 US Fender!
 
i guess i would really need to get my hands on one first before deciding.. i've always wanted to at least have a EJ mod on the bridge tone control, to at least be able to rolled it down as compared to leaving it all the way open.. and also an option to use both neck and bridge pups at the same time.. are these still doable on the tokai?
 
newguyla said:
i guess i would really need to get my hands on one first before deciding.. i've always wanted to at least have a EJ mod on the bridge tone control, to at least be able to rolled it down as compared to leaving it all the way open.. and also an option to use both neck and bridge pups at the same time.. are these still doable on the tokai?
Click to expand...

Both easy mods, no difference whether it's a Fender, Tokai or anything else.
 
thanks to john and the stratman!

i will keep you guys updated with my process of acquiring a strat, and will be in gratitude of your generosity of sharing wisdom!
 
Personally I wire all my Strats with the middle pot as master tone - this rectifies Leo's one mistake in 1954! I have a wiring diagram for using a push-pull pot to give neck & bridge pickups in parallel, and also all 3 pickups together. In practice i very rarely use these extra positions, but there's no harm in having them I suppose.

Let me know if you want the diagram & I'll dig it out in a couple of days when I'm home again.
 
hi, i just received my tokai yesterday.. went to pick it up[ from the customs

sent it for setup today as it was fretbuzzing..

however, the guitar tech told me that it is not possible to wire the tone control knob to the bridge instead of the middle pickup? maybe he misunderstood what i said, or maybe he does not have the diagram to it..

anyways, i would like to have that diagram, although i doubt i would understand it.. just in case the tech needs it and i can send it to him

the pickups are slightly too bright and too low output for my tastes so far.. did not handle both overdrive and distortion (from my byoc muff clone, which i usually set at a healthy lower gain setting)
 

Similar threads

Homer J. Simpson
Vintage Tokai Anatomy: Early tuners (electrics)
2
Replies
22
Views
1K
Sigmania
Sigmania
Sigmania
Mystery Strat
Replies
1
Views
337
Sigmania
Sigmania
ATO
List by 1st body code
2 3 4
Replies
76
Views
4K
Sigmania
Sigmania
L
80's Tokai Breezysound - Help with details!
Replies
0
Views
1K
LouDur
L
Sigmania
Very Unusual High Spec Goldstar, Custom Build?
Replies
9
Views
1K
Sigmania
Sigmania

Latest posts

Back
Top