LS-1000 vs LS-230

Hi everyone,

What would be the "better" guitar? the LS-1000 (150) or the LS-230?

Or in other words: what are the differences between the 2 (exept for the pearl inlay at the 12th fret at the LS-1000)
I can't seem to find any differences.
Are the used woods maybe better?

Are there anyway differences between the LS-1000 and the LS-150? (again, exept the pearl inlay)
Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks,

Chris.

Ok, no one seems to know what are the differences, feels like talking to myself here....... :roll:

.
Lets see, what have we here: 'Joined 24 Aug 2008'.

OK a newbie. Lets see if he introduces himself;

Vignale said:

Hi everyone,

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Hmmm!
Then a list of questions. But no reasons given for asking. And then two days later, a little moan and rolling eyes.

How could forum members dare not to answer his questions immediately? You'd think they had lives to live or something. :wink:

Vignale said:

Ok, no one seems to know what are the differences, feels like talking to myself here....... :roll:

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Bro...I've never seen an LS1000 and I'd imagine alot of us here are in the same boat. Better is a subjective term - do you mean better in specs, materials, tone, or what?? From a tone perspective, you'll need to figure that out yourself - different people like different things.

Spec wise on the LS1000

2 piece 3A (although I reckon mine is a 4a) bookmatched maple top
1 piece solid mahogany body
Long tenon neck
Bone nut
Gotoh Custom PAF's
CTS Pots
Sprague Orange drops
Gotoh bridge
Gotoh tuners
Abalone Anniversary inlay on the 12th Fret
Tokai "Reborn Old" hard case

Neck is closer to a 60's neck (I have a Tokai 59 replica and it has a much fatter neck then the 1000).

I think the LS230 has Seymour Duncan (or MKII PAFS) pickups and a 5A top and there's your difference.

I seem to remember that the 230 has PAF vintage MK1's and i know the ls 200's had an ebony board as well as nitro cellulose finish.

Mick

PS i would have the 230 over the 150

Pretty sure the 1000 has a nitro finish as well. Sure someone will correct me if wrong. As for the board on the 1000, pretty sure it's Rosewood

Hi Guys

The two guitars are quite similar generally speaking.

Even I have had difficulty splitting out the differences and have had little info from Tokai other than what is publicly available.

The LS1000 is essentially the same as an LS150 with upgraded inlays etc etc. Both should be nitro finish guitars.

The 230 has increased quality flame top for sure in general. They are all different so we take pics of each to show the tops.

It features PAF MK2 pick ups - same as the vintage range. The base specifications appear very similar however. The condensers in the 230 are black beauty for sure as we've had the backplate off and taken photos for another customer.

The main issue, if you are trying to work out which to go for, is availability.

From what i hear getting hold of the good maple tops for LS150 is a bit of a nightmare and expensive. I think they occasionally get a few tasty pieces which are reserved for LS230 and LS370/470 and that's why we get a couple of these turning up now and then. You don't really see a duff LS230 top, the LS150s have been brilliant to "ok"...from the distant reaches of my memory!! :roll:

The last time we had any flame top LS150 was back in 2007 (i think), LS1000s arrived around christmas time, and we've just had a trickle of LS230s turn up.

You're pimping your ride slightly with a 230, the 150 is a cracking instrument which generally has the edge in terms of value for money The problem is you can't basically get one.

The 230s you'll fall in love with the maple tops....and it's as good as a second marriage!!

Just my two cents.....i'd love it if tokai finally did a comprehensive web site which had all the minutest of specs on it.

OH - and the LS150 technically is available in more colours then the 230 which is HDC or VF only.

guitarslinger said:

You're pimping your ride slightly with a 230, the 150 is a cracking instrument which generally has the edge in terms of value for money The problem is you can't basically get one.

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I have had a minter up for sale over the past 6 months without a single bite. It's not a burst, hence the lack of interest.

Now we are in an economic mess in the UK, I may as well keep it.

well, I have a LS1000 and I must say is a great guitar. Definitelly nitro finish. I also have a reborn old, completelly upgraded. Right now I'm recording some sound samples, comparing few guitars, as soon they're finished, I'll post here so you can hear difference.

Donkey Oaty said:

Now we are in an economic mess in the UK, I may as well keep it.

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Join the club. It's a crap time to sell anything - even vintage US made guitar sales are stale and risky.

So only difference between LS-150 and LS-1000 are neck profile and abalone inlay. Get 150 if want a thick Tokai neck(the thickest in Tokai in my experience) and LS-1000 if you prefer slim(the only slim ones in Tokai range because Tokai necks are not thin).

Hisashi has 3 LS230 in stock with Koa tops (limited models). The price is interesting, and I was tempted to buy one because the incredible quality and sound of my LS125, but my economy is not the best nowadays

Aqui tb andamos jodidos, ?verdad luis?

Dec?a Don Camilo Jos? Cela que no es lo mismo estar jodido que estar jodiendo.... :wink:

marcusnieman said:

Donkey Oaty said:

Now we are in an economic mess in the UK, I may as well keep it.

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Join the club. It's a crap time to sell anything - even vintage US made guitar sales are stale and risky.

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Yep we are the credit crunch sufferers LOL !

I managed to sell 95% of my stuff for a great price . I have some speakers left that I doubt will go anywhere , yet they have some hidden history.

The LS150 can hang on the wall and look pretty for the next five years; at which point I will offer it for sale again at a much better price ( market conditions apply and your house is at risk... blah blah blah :lol: )

user togps has some ls250 for sale, contact him

Hi Vignale and hi all,
Just to add up to the confusion... I have a very special LS 240 custom shop Spalted Maple Love Rock and it is way above any instrument I ever played. I bought it from the excellent seller togps and I actually had the opportunity to try two different LS 240's from him.
They sounded very different but both brilliant in their own way.
The one I didn't take only weighted 3,4 kgs, incredible for a non-weight relieved Les Paul. The sound was incredibly sweet, round, transparant with beautiful highs. The one I bought and now is my main main axe also has a beautiful sound, rich and full with highs jumping out like glass. The sound is extremely rich and cutting. Moreover it has an incredible punch and the notes are really pushed out and hit you in the face.
So it all boils down to your personal taste. In this case I would have liked to keep both instruments but buying two of these at the same time was a little too much.

PS: I recently played a PRS McCarty Korina and it comes nowhere compared to many of my Tokai's. The sound lacks the character and definition which my LS 240 has in abundance. I was actually quite shocked to find out that the PRS was that bleak...

luis said:

Dec?a Don Camilo Jos? Cela que no es lo mismo estar jodido que estar jodiendo.... :wink:

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Que? No habla....

marcusnieman said:

luis said:

Dec?a Don Camilo Jos? Cela que no es lo mismo estar jodido que estar jodiendo.... :wink:

Click to expand...

Que? No habla....

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I said to luis that here we're economically fucked too, like in Uk and USA.
And he made a joke with a funny quote from an spanish important writer, who was asleep in a conference (or something) and somebody told him "Don Camilo, you were asleep!" and he said "Wrong, I was sleeping, because is not the same thing being fucked than being fuking".

Thanks to you all guitarzans!
I guess I didn't opt for receiving messages in my mailbox from the Tokai forum, so I thought I didn't have replies, untill today I looked at the forum and was supprised by all the replies!javascript:emoticon('')

Cheers!