Toner
New member
*since I accidentally deleted the original thread, I will repost everyones comments to keep it togeather, good thing for temp internet files*
I'm trying to find some information on a guitar I have. The headstock says Ltd. VI (roman numerals) and the Neck Plate has MRG001 hand engraged at the top and a Made In Japan stamped in the middle. Both humbuckers have "GOTOH" stamped on the bottom and are both 12 hex pole humbuckers. I also included shots of the neck and neck pocket with the neck off to show any markings or other possible identifying writings. The bridge also looks like it may have been hand machined because the edges are not perfectly straight as you can see in the closeup shot. The neck is very glossy and smooth, frets are in AWESOME shape and the action is amazing on the guitar.
I'm trying to find out the year, make, model, specs, and possibly what it's value is ballpark. (I've sent an email to ESP)
I'm hoping the s/n MGR001 is something special.
BigAlTheBird: Interesting... It's pretty dude!
Dr.Mavashi: Looks lovely. And I LOOOVE that neck, looks lit has some majore wide vibrato mojo, I bet it can really shine with the rite pups. Japanese know strats ...
J Moose: I found a Tokai that looks almost exactly like that in the attic of the infamous Chicago store in Tucson AZ last year... the Chicago Store is HUGE, like a Macys... but imagine if you could, a bomb going off at Guitar Center in 1968... just piles of crap EVERYWHERE.
Haunts me a bit because it was a really cool guitar, sound GOOD even though the strings hadn't been changed in at least 5-10 years... i was really tempted to make an offer, probably could've been mine for $100 if I wanted to carry it around for a whole day, figure out some way to fly it home too...
Anyway, maybe yours is/was a prototype?
Toner: It plays great and the action is low and it's just smooth. The pickups, I wish I could put these in every one of my guitars because the tone, clarity and pinch harmonics you can get from them is insane. I never pulled off pinch harmonics so good in my life honestly. It looks sharp and the binding color has aged nicely. I hope ESP has some info for me.
Kyuss Rock: Interesting piece. Serial number is pretty cool.
J Moose: Doubtful, really really doubtful that it has anything to do with ESP.
Toner: gotta start somewhere, we'll see, I hope so though!
J Moose: Try the Tokai forum... I'm telling 'ya again... that body & headstock look identical to old Tokais... they also came stock with Gotoh pickups... ESP's I don't think ever did.
Besides... if it was an ESP it'd have an ESP neck plate.
KeeperOS: This one looks like a real keeper, good for you!
Play it in good health man!
(However, what IS that mess in the rear route, cables tangled everywhere!)
Just a thought but maybe "Ltd" here stands for "Limited" rather than the ESP brand...
I'd follow Moose's advice and also check over at Tokai...
Pete Galati: Cool guitar. I'm not crazy about the hectic wiring job, but I like the guitar.
Toner: So far on the Tokai forum it's not looking like it is.
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9048
Toner: From Tokai:
"Hi Micheal it is not one that Tokai has made . I think it was made by Ibanez in the 1980s"
So......on to Ibanez now.
jeremy: love the pole pieces. they look like floyd locking nut screws.
Toner: They have a wider circumfrance, like the size of the invader screws, just not rounded off.
J Moose: Ah!
Maybe...
Did Samick ever make guitars in Japan?
They've been building them for a long, long time...
Could be a random neck though, maybe a replacement... with a old Japan body & they engraved the neck plate.
Anyway to date the buckers?
Wiring job really looks homebrewed- "one-off" rather then anything coming off a production line.
I'm trying to find some information on a guitar I have. The headstock says Ltd. VI (roman numerals) and the Neck Plate has MRG001 hand engraged at the top and a Made In Japan stamped in the middle. Both humbuckers have "GOTOH" stamped on the bottom and are both 12 hex pole humbuckers. I also included shots of the neck and neck pocket with the neck off to show any markings or other possible identifying writings. The bridge also looks like it may have been hand machined because the edges are not perfectly straight as you can see in the closeup shot. The neck is very glossy and smooth, frets are in AWESOME shape and the action is amazing on the guitar.
I'm trying to find out the year, make, model, specs, and possibly what it's value is ballpark. (I've sent an email to ESP)
I'm hoping the s/n MGR001 is something special.
BigAlTheBird: Interesting... It's pretty dude!
Dr.Mavashi: Looks lovely. And I LOOOVE that neck, looks lit has some majore wide vibrato mojo, I bet it can really shine with the rite pups. Japanese know strats ...
J Moose: I found a Tokai that looks almost exactly like that in the attic of the infamous Chicago store in Tucson AZ last year... the Chicago Store is HUGE, like a Macys... but imagine if you could, a bomb going off at Guitar Center in 1968... just piles of crap EVERYWHERE.
Haunts me a bit because it was a really cool guitar, sound GOOD even though the strings hadn't been changed in at least 5-10 years... i was really tempted to make an offer, probably could've been mine for $100 if I wanted to carry it around for a whole day, figure out some way to fly it home too...
Anyway, maybe yours is/was a prototype?
Toner: It plays great and the action is low and it's just smooth. The pickups, I wish I could put these in every one of my guitars because the tone, clarity and pinch harmonics you can get from them is insane. I never pulled off pinch harmonics so good in my life honestly. It looks sharp and the binding color has aged nicely. I hope ESP has some info for me.
Kyuss Rock: Interesting piece. Serial number is pretty cool.
J Moose: Doubtful, really really doubtful that it has anything to do with ESP.
Toner: gotta start somewhere, we'll see, I hope so though!
J Moose: Try the Tokai forum... I'm telling 'ya again... that body & headstock look identical to old Tokais... they also came stock with Gotoh pickups... ESP's I don't think ever did.
Besides... if it was an ESP it'd have an ESP neck plate.
KeeperOS: This one looks like a real keeper, good for you!
Play it in good health man!
(However, what IS that mess in the rear route, cables tangled everywhere!)
Just a thought but maybe "Ltd" here stands for "Limited" rather than the ESP brand...
I'd follow Moose's advice and also check over at Tokai...
Pete Galati: Cool guitar. I'm not crazy about the hectic wiring job, but I like the guitar.
Toner: So far on the Tokai forum it's not looking like it is.
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9048
Toner: From Tokai:
"Hi Micheal it is not one that Tokai has made . I think it was made by Ibanez in the 1980s"
So......on to Ibanez now.
jeremy: love the pole pieces. they look like floyd locking nut screws.
Toner: They have a wider circumfrance, like the size of the invader screws, just not rounded off.
J Moose: Ah!
Maybe...
Did Samick ever make guitars in Japan?
They've been building them for a long, long time...
Could be a random neck though, maybe a replacement... with a old Japan body & they engraved the neck plate.
Anyway to date the buckers?
Wiring job really looks homebrewed- "one-off" rather then anything coming off a production line.
