Are some Tokais better than others?

[darkshadow54321]

My local guitar shop was selling some Tokai Les Pauls and SGs for around £350. Considering that the average Epiphone costs the same, and Gibson LPs are typically around the £1000 mark, this seemed a bit odd to me.

From what I've read, lots of people compare the quality to Gibsons... Are there cheaper/lesser quality Tokais, or are they not as good as people claim?

 

[Brow]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

I have a Japanese Tokai Love Rock/LP that I got on Ebay for £350 with a gig bag.

Playability wise, it's up there with my LP Standard (cost over twice as much) and after a pickup swap, it sounds great too

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

As long as you get the Japanese ones!!

 

[Uk Ant]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

Ok if your talking uk prices then the £300 or so bracket ones are made in China or Korea. They're not bad but tend to come with their Mk IV PAFs which are rubbish. Very muddy sounding. Build quality is pretty good mind. but finish is not as good as the JAP ones.
Jap LP's start at around £600 and are much better, the MK II PAFs are better but don't do the rest of the guitar justice.
Basically the more you spend the better guitar you get. The cheaper MIJ's tend to have maple vaneers for finish, although they do have a solid maple cap underneath. Unlike modern Gibson LP's these are not chambered so can be a tad on the heavy side.
Jap LP's have two hole trus rod covers, embosed serial number on the headstock and the bridge is mounted directly into the wood.
Korean and chinese ones have three hole covers, printed serial number, if at all, and the bridge is mounted into inserts in the wood.
For more information go to http://www.tokaiforum.com/index.php?sid=c8de049afdb0ba1455c178ac2ee45d4c

I;ve got two Tokais, one MIK Explorer and one MIJ LP, they're both great, in their own ways, but they both have had new pups.

 

[ModestCargo]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

As long as it's Japanese, it's good.

If it's mid '80s and older, it's even better.

My '81 Love Rock kicks some major ass with the Phat Cats in it.

 

[Uk Ant]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

As long as it's Japanese, it's good.

If it's mid '80s and older, it's even better.

My '81 Love Rock kicks some major ass with the Phat Cats in it.

Yep, those eighties ones are the ones to go for, but they can fetch big money.
Greco, Burny and Orville also made some great guitars during that time, almost all of them better than the rubbish that Gibson churned out in that decade.

 

[Lu_B]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

I have use of a MIJ 80's strat in Firemist Gold - bloody awesome for £295. It was my first purchase of evilbay about 6 yrs ago as a pressie for my hubby - nothing needed changing on it.

I have a MIK 335 - excellent build quality, totally rubbish pups but that's what got me to this forum and it now has a set of Seths and just smokes.

On the look out for another strat a big 70's headstock Silver Star this time, just waiting for one to come up at the right price.

I've not tried any of the newer ones from China though, I'm not against MIC as my Gretsch was made there and is excellent for a cheap guitar - again needs new pups.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

As long as it's Japanese, it's good.

If it's mid '80s and older, it's even better.

This.

Though the MIK stuff is not shabby at all - Made in the same plant where PRS imports are made-cannot remember the name off hand , but it's regarded as the best builder in Korea (Dillion are/were done here too)

BUT- you are not getting real mahogany with the MIKs- you get mystery mahogany, alder, etc.

MIJ-s are African Mahogany for the majority or Honduras Mahogany for the really pricey top tier Tokai models.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

Like said, check out the japanese ones. Even they vary in quality, but all stuff does imo. I recently bought a used but pristine japanese Tokai LP for 500€. The best LP that I've ever tried, including a couple of Gibsons. Even the pickups are great, eventhough everyone else seems to bag on them.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Are some Tokais better than others?

I've got an MIJ DC II Tokai. I can only say it's an excellent guitar and has more guts that just about anything else I own (and that's a few). Excellent guitar all round. I'd love to get hold of one of their LP Relics too. but they don't show so often.