Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic

corbo · 04-19-2012, 12:04 PM

Question for the Tokai experts
any one familiar with a Tokai LP that would have 1958 stamped on back of headstock, came across one , guy knows nothing about guitar, he said he got it about 8 years ago
attachrd id a crappy shot but does it look like a japanese or korean model

stratlt · 04-19-2012, 03:36 PM

It has three screw truss rod cover or two screw truss rod cover?
Without serial number it is difficult to say from that picture.
By the way, I've seen just unpacked a new Made in Japan Tokai strat TST50 complete without a serial number, so it's no surprise to me.

reborn old · 04-19-2012, 04:50 PM

My best guess would be a MIK model that originally had serial #'s on a decal running between tuners.
After the decal came off, an owner added the 1958 number.
Can't really see much in your pic. I'm guessing it's ink rather than stamped into the wood ?
Ink hasn't been used for Japan Tokai serial #'s since 1981, and they were all 7 digit.
Is the 1958 # on top of, or under the finish ? (same gloss as finish or different ?)

The only exceptions to 7 digit numbers I'm aware of, are Chinese models with 9 ,
2007 LS-1000's with 2 #'s (from 01 to 50) and center dimple headstocks like yours,
and possibly some LS-1 to LS-7 and Custom Shop models, which all have open book headstocks.

corbo · 04-19-2012, 05:32 PM

TRC has 2 screws , problem with the front of headstock is that it has been converted to a gibson lespaul logos, owner is upfront about said he bought it this way used about 8 years ago, got a few pics but they are not very good

as always , appreciate the info , not new to guitars but the Japanese stuff is all new to me

tonebone · 04-19-2012, 06:01 PM

Looking at the control layout, which is all kinds of messed up, I'd say Korea.

Most definitely not MIJ.

kmrumedy · 04-19-2012, 11:26 PM

I saw this on Kijiji. Tried to buy it as it is only $300. Seller never got back to me.

gypsyseven · 04-19-2012, 11:34 PM

The headstock looks like those Tokais made for the UK market...
Probably MIK or even MIC...

corbo · 04-20-2012, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmrumedy

I saw this on Kijiji. Tried to buy it as it is only $300. Seller never got back to me.

me to , seems to be alot of that going on this month on kijiji

AbbeSauniere · 04-22-2012, 04:53 PM

What kind of bridge posts? The MIK and MIC have the thicker, slotted head posts.

1959burst · 04-22-2012, 05:15 PM

it's not a tokai it's a chinese fake.

Zack · 04-24-2012, 07:10 PM

its a...fakai!

garweft · 04-24-2012, 07:22 PM

I've never seen a Chinese fake with a nipple/dimple in the middle of the open book. That's a post lawsuit Tokai thing.

Grenville · 07-30-2012, 02:41 AM

From the control layout being back=to-front I'd think this was one of the made-in-Korea fakes made for the Canadian-market a few years ago .

04-19-2012, 03:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
stratlt Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kaunas, Lithuania Posts: 162 Thanks: 2 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic It has three screw truss rod cover or two screw truss rod cover? Without serial number it is difficult to say from that picture. By the way, I've seen just unpacked a new Made in Japan Tokai strat TST50 complete without a serial number, so it's no surprise to me.

04-19-2012, 04:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
reborn old Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 1,245 Thanks: 13 Thanked 68 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic My best guess would be a MIK model that originally had serial #'s on a decal running between tuners. After the decal came off, an owner added the 1958 number. Can't really see much in your pic. I'm guessing it's ink rather than stamped into the wood ? Ink hasn't been used for Japan Tokai serial #'s since 1981, and they were all 7 digit. Is the 1958 # on top of, or under the finish ? (same gloss as finish or different ?) The only exceptions to 7 digit numbers I'm aware of, are Chinese models with 9 , 2007 LS-1000's with 2 #'s (from 01 to 50) and center dimple headstocks like yours, and possibly some LS-1 to LS-7 and Custom Shop models, which all have open book headstocks.

04-19-2012, 05:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
corbo Bartlett Retrospec Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 519 Thanks: 40 Thanked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic TRC has 2 screws , problem with the front of headstock is that it has been converted to a gibson lespaul logos, owner is upfront about said he bought it this way used about 8 years ago, got a few pics but they are not very good as always , appreciate the info , not new to guitars but the Japanese stuff is all new to me

04-19-2012, 06:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
tonebone Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Coast Posts: 5,268 Thanks: 77 Thanked 81 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic Looking at the control layout, which is all kinds of messed up, I'd say Korea. Most definitely not MIJ. corbo likes this.

04-19-2012, 11:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
kmrumedy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 1,595 Thanks: 158 Thanked 213 Times in 49 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic I saw this on Kijiji. Tried to buy it as it is only $300. Seller never got back to me. __________________ I was born in 1968 with a curly umbilical cord like Hendrix had. The doctor cut the cord and plugged me straight into a 100w Marshall stack...... True story.

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04-19-2012, 11:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
gypsyseven Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rheinfelden,Germany Posts: 2,407 Thanks: 50 Thanked 66 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic The headstock looks like those Tokais made for the UK market... Probably MIK or even MIC...

04-22-2012, 04:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
AbbeSauniere Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 192 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic What kind of bridge posts? The MIK and MIC have the thicker, slotted head posts.

04-22-2012, 05:15 PM	#10 (permalink)
1959burst Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: in a brown lifton case surrounded by others Posts: 2,071 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic it's not a tokai it's a chinese fake. JMJ and corbo like this. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/greg1959burstwilson http://www.facebook.com/gregory.d.wilson

04-24-2012, 07:10 PM	#11 (permalink)
Zack Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Melbourne australia Posts: 3,736 Thanks: 455 Thanked 52 Times in 20 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic its a...fakai! __________________ Everybody knows valves are better.

04-24-2012, 07:22 PM	#12 (permalink)
garweft Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,683 Thanks: 32 Thanked 21 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic I've never seen a Chinese fake with a nipple/dimple in the middle of the open book. That's a post lawsuit Tokai thing.

07-30-2012, 02:41 AM	#13 (permalink)
Grenville Bartlett Retrospec Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Tokai cherry burst with 1959 stamped on headstock MIJ or MIK pic From the control layout being back=to-front I'd think this was one of the made-in-Korea fakes made for the Canadian-market a few years ago .

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