Old Tokai Guitar

A Primal Nut

I want to by a tokai les paul and am considering buying a japanese ls75q second hand off someone. Problem is that's its just over 20 years old - actually older than me! Anyway, can a guitar that old be anymore than a relic. Like obviously I won't know for sure until I try it out, but what do you guys think from experience - will it still be durable enough to play gigs and stuff like that. I can get new pickups and strings, but what other possible problems could be associated with a guitar of that age, which is said to be in "good condition for its age."

Karl Hungus

Dude, an older guitar can be a far better guitar than a new one. If you can get it for a good price, absolutely leap on it. The matured wood can sound fantastic, and I doubt you'll even need to get new pickups.

Seany

Agree with Karl Hungus. I bought a 27yr old Japanese Electra (think Gibson 335) last year and it sounds absolutely fantastic...best guitar i have ever owned. I got mine from chrisguitars.com

My advice is to make sure that it has been well treated. If the seller is in Ireland, ask if you can have it looked at by a professional or someone who knows about these things.

Tokai have a good name and in a lot of cases are holding their own against the gibson & fenders of this world.

Im sure there are some very good & also very bad examples of vintage guitars out there.

Kenny_D

My tokai les paul is 28 years old and is a dream to play. Nicest electric guitar I've played and better than a lot of gibsons I've played. Prob wont need to change the pickups. They sound good as they are though its personal opinion on what kind of sound you're looking for. Tokais are well known to be excellent les pauls especially the early 80's and late 70's models. How much is it? Are you getting it from the north by any chance?

Johnny Storm

Check the frets for wear. Frets, depending on how worn they are can be dressed/levelled (cost €25-75? total guess on my part) or replaced (cost couple of hundred euros?) or hopefully they may be OK as is.

Watch out for any cracks in the neck at the headstock or in the body where the neck joins the body.

Pick up the guitar, put your eye near the heel, sight down along the neck. Any frets look uneven or irregular? The neck should be straight or with a very very tiny concave curve.

Good suggestion there to have a pro look at it (if you can find a pro -LOL) or at least get some of your buddies who know guits to look at it too - two heads are better than one etc.

Anyway if you do buy it remember that it is mandatory for you to post pics of it here

Quattroste

I am not too sure about a 20 year old LS75q model. Go to www.Tokairegistry.com and check out the old catalogs or go the the link on the forum and ask the Tokai nuts

Old guitars can be better but it all depends on the price. If you want to share what your willing to pay I can let you know if you are in the right area.

A Primal Nut

Thanks for the replies. Yeah its a very good price (about 600 euro) compared to a new one and yes I am getting it from the north. I seen a tokai loverock les paul for e899 in Musicmaker so its good value anyway. I have a friend who knows a good bit about guitars, so I asked him to check it out with me when I'm seeing it anyway. I'm waiting on a response from the owner though so will see what happens.
The pickups get great reviews. Just curious, what are tokai PAF Vintage MKII pickups based on, like what seymour duncan or gibson pickups do they most sound like. I'm just want to get an idea of what guitarist use those kinda pickups. Like I don't care that much becuase I want a unique sound rather than copying someone, but I'm just curious about the sound more than anything.

Quattroste

600 sounds about right if its in very good condition. Even then I'd wave 500 in cash in his face and then turn to walk if he doesn't accept. You can always up the offer if that fails
The music shops in Dublin rip you off so the 899 price is for the twats.

Kenny_D

And the ones for 899 in the shops are very lower spec compared to the one you'll prob be looking at. I reckon those ones are korean and not as nice as the japanese one