Burney, edwards or tokai

[willows]

I am looking at either a used Edwards E-LP-92SD, ($ 700 Australian), a used Tokai Love Rock LS 900F ($900 Australian), or a brand new Burney RLG 60 SL(about $700 Australian incl. shipping from Japan). Any thoughts?

 

[UITA]

Yeah, save up/rob a bank and get all three.

 

[mono]

IMHO it's between the Edwards and the Burny. Newer Burnys are good but I'd always prefer an older 80s model, and I've always heard great things about the Edwards but never played a new production model myself.

Go for Edwards, they have a great reputation for consistent and excellent craftsmanship!

 

[BrazenPicker]

My vote for the Edwards also. I was in Tokyo a few weeks ago, spent several days doing nothing other than going from one guitar store to the next, and they make some nice guitars. Something I've also heard mentioned a lot about Edwards guitars is that they tend to be light. If you're open to other brands, also take a look at FgN and Bacchus. As to the Burny, given that you have a lowish budget, personally I'd rather go the second hand route.

 

[Udonitron]

They all rock in their own right but given your monetary situation, you will not regret the Edwards!

 

[Professor Jones]

I've possessed an edwards lp and two tokai guitars in the same price range 800-1000 $, and the tokais were more carefully built. Just my experience.

 

[tonebone]

There are those Bacchus Universe models. Chinese, but have outstanding tops. Yes, veneer, but that's what you get at this price point on new guitars.

I've now seen several good reviews, but I guess you have to get better electronics/hardware in them to make them truly good.

Save $200, get the Edwards otherwise. Very well made. There's a lot of hype on the Tokais.

 

[Kemper59]

Listen to Tonebone, he knows what he's talking about.

Definitely buy the Edwards...whatever you've heard about Tokais for the last 30 years has been hype...whereas the MADE IN JAPAN Edwards are never hyped by "internet" guitarists.

 

[albion59]

I'd go for the Edwards from those three.

 

[Gabriel]

I can't believe tokai charges more for the flame top model with the sycamore veneer. There should only be the LS80 with the flame/quilt variants costing the same as the veneer costs next to nothing.

IMO the only Tokai's worth getting are the plain top LS 150. Great guitars at a fair price. But still I'd rather have a Bacchus Duke or BLS-59 120. A little more money and you're in 2nd hand Gibson R8 territory which is hard to skip IMO.

 

[Custom53]

I can't believe tokai charges more for the flame top model with the sycamore veneer. There should only be the LS80 with the flame/quilt variants costing the same as the veneer costs next to nothing.

IMO the only Tokai's worth getting are the plain top LS 150. Great guitars at a fair price. But still I'd rather have a Bacchus Duke or BLS-59 120. A little more money and you're in 2nd hand Gibson R8 territory which is hard to skip IMO.

I would go with the Burny.... if it was older, like stated above...

 

[Kemper59]

I can't believe tokai charges more for the flame top model with the sycamore veneer. There should only be the LS80 with the flame/quilt variants costing the same as the veneer costs next to nothing.

.

Maple veneer on solid full maple cap.
So it's like an LS92, except it has a AAAA maple veneer on top of the full maple top....and that costs Y6000 more.

If I put an LS98F and an LS260 in your hands you wouldn't know which is which.

 

[Gabriel]

Maple veneer on solid full maple cap.
So it's like an LS92, except it has a AAAA maple veneer on top of the full maple top....and that costs Y6000 more.

If I put an LS98F and an LS260 in your hands you wouldn't know which is which.

Is that a good thing?

There is a price point after which you pay for aesthetics obviously. If I put one of my partscasters in your hands and a Custom Shop telecaster you wouldn't know which is the most expensive either. But that's simply because I have spent several hours adjusting, dressing frets and cutting the nut so playability wise they are perfect.

The LS98F is the same guitar as the plain top yet it costs more. When you only care about playability, like I do, it's all about precise fitting. And that's what my Edwards offers me at a great price, no matter if it's made in Mars.

If I could get a Tokai with the proper headstock for the same money in Greece I would get it but having played both I couldn't justify the price difference, customs and longer shipping simply to have a more elegant name and "Made In" location.

 

[tonebone]

Listen to Tonebone, he knows what he's talking about.

Definitely buy the Edwards...whatever you've heard about Tokais for the last 30 years has been hype...whereas the MADE IN JAPAN Edwards are never hyped by "internet" guitarists.

Hi Craze! How's the Tokai guitar sales going? I bet December is a good month for ya.

Have you put up a post in "Business Classified" here yet? You should. Really. Not everyone knows you in the business of selling Tokai's. If you're in the USA, I bet you could get a lot of prospective buyers by letting everyone know you could get them whatever Tokai they wanted.

Do you sell any other brand of guitars?

I never said Tokai's were lousy guitars, btw.

 

[Kemper59]

Is that a good thing?

Of course it is...if I put a Gibson R8 and a Tokai LS150 in your hands you wouldn't know the difference either.

Like I said, there's a Y6000 difference between an LS92 and 98F...that's $50...not exactly a deal breaker.

If you've bought an Edwards and you're happy with it, then just be happy and enjoy it...no need to finds reasons to have a 'go' at Tokai whenever the opportunity comes along.
Tokai and Edwards are not enemies, they're friends.

For some reason guys on the internet think an LS92 has a different "playability" to let's say an LS160...not true, they have the identical playability, the difference is in the one piece body and hardware, but they're made in the identical way and they feel and play exactly the same.

 

[Kemper59]

Hi Craze! How's the Tokai guitar sales going? I bet December is a good month for ya.

Have you put up a post in "Business Classified" here yet? You should. Really. Not everyone knows you in the business of selling Tokai's. If you're in the USA, I bet you could get a lot of prospective buyers by letting everyone know you could get them whatever Tokai they wanted.

Do you sell any other brand of guitars?

I never said Tokai's were lousy guitars, btw.

C'mon, dude, you know very well I don't sell Tokais on the internet, surely you've seen my website, I'm the distributor in SAfrica, I only sell to SAfrican music stores.
When I have some fun here I'm not trying to sell Tokais, I'm just having fun and providing some factual information, some truth.

Here's the proof, go take a look.
Tokai Guitars

 

[Udonitron]

My 1st choice will always be Burny out of the three.
I love Tokai's but they just do not do much for me compared to the Burny I have.

 

[Gabriel]

Of course it is...if I put a Gibson R8 and a Tokai LS150 in your hands you wouldn't know the difference either.

Like I said, there's a Y6000 difference between an LS92 and 98F...that's not exactly a deal breaker.

If you've bought an Edwards and you're happy with it, then just be happy and enjoy it...no need to finds reasons to have a 'go' at Tokai whenever the opportunity comes along.
Tokai and Edwards are not enemies, they're friends.

For some reason guys on the internet think an LS92 has a different "playability" to let's say an LS160...not true, they have the identical playability, the difference is in the one piece body and hardware, but they're made in the identical way and they feel and play exactly the same.

It's not exactly like that. Someone that can't tell the difference between an LS150 and an R8 should not buy such guitars. I am not saying one is better than the other. But there are subtle but certain differences.

There is a 6000 yen difference between the 92 and 98F. Which translates to a 70 euro difference at richtone music which is probably the most straight forward way to purchase a Tokai guitar in europe (Tokaiguitar.de doesn't even have a web store for guitars nor sells on ebay). 70 euros is not a lot of money but it's a silly upcharge for the veneer.

In fact I am the kind of person that is happy with his edwards but gets even happier with a new guitar. And that's why I have 8 guitars right now and I plan to buy several more Edwards, Tokais, Gibsons, Fenders, ESP's etc in this lifetime so the market always appeals to me.

The LS92 and LS160 probably play the same set up by the same person with the same effort. And the E-LP-92SD probably plays equally well as the LS92. And for the money it offers a nice solid back, totally flush mounted long tenon, SD pikcups that you can either like or not but sure can sell to fund an upgrade and IMO slightly better hardware.

None feels like a gibson in ones hands. And that's because of nitro. I am pretty sure it does nothing when it comes to sound but the feel is pretty different in ones hands.

"Internet Guitarists" are the only reason people know about MIJ guitars outside Japan. You should probably respect them a bit more.

 

[Kemper59]

The LS92 and LS160 probably play the same set up by the same person with the same effort. And the E-LP-92SD probably plays equally well as the LS92. And for the money it offers a nice solid back, totally flush mounted long tenon, SD pikcups that you can either like or not but sure can sell to fund an upgrade and IMO slightly better hardware.

None feels like a gibson in ones hands. And that's because of nitro. I am pretty sure it does nothing when it comes to sound but the feel is pretty different in ones hands.

"Internet Guitarists" are the only reason people know about MIJ guitars outside Japan. You should probably respect them a bit more.

True, both the 92 and 160 need similar setups to play the same, but trust me the build quality is identical, they're built the same way by the same luthiers.

I've never played an Edwards so I can't comment, I take your word for it, I'm sure it's a great guitar.

"None feel like a Gibson"....thank G-d for that, who would want that?

Give me poly anyday over nitro, nitro is a huge PITA as far as I'm concerned, poly guitars feel better to play IMO...take your nitro guitar to an outdoor gig on a hot day and see what happens.

 

[tonebone]

C'mon, dude, you know very well I don't sell Tokais on the internet, surely you've seen my website, I'm the distributor in SAfrica, I only sell to SAfrican music stores.
When I have some fun here I'm not trying to sell Tokais, I'm just having fun and providing some factual information, some truth.

Here's the proof, go take a look.
Tokai Guitars

Craze, buddy.

I didn't know the particulars of your Tokai dealership. Thank you. Nice website! Refreshing to see a well constructed one after viewing so many disastrous attempts at website builds.

Guess I gave you a pretty hard jab in that post, but your endorsement of Tokais is so ffreakin' "over the top." I appreciate your enthusiasm, but more than once you've cast all other guitars as "also rans" in comparison to your beloved Tokai's. I'm not denying they're great guitars.

Regarding your "truth." There are no absolute "truths" in art and the tools used to create it. It's just too subjective. One mans nectar is another mans poison. Japanese women vs big bottomed girls (big legged wimens . . .), everyone has their opinions.

One truth that I know is a bonfide "truth." More guys than girls give a rats ass about MIJ LP's.

As to Gibsuns. Local GC just finished their guitar-a-thon sale. I couldn't resist, I had them pull down a R8 (Cherry) and a R0 ( LD ???) to get a close look (both for $2,699 USD). Wow. Paint on the binding, uneven binding, kinda sloppy around the neck joint. Nice weights tho. They had a GC "exclusive" for $3,300 (coil taps) ??? My opinion? My 81 Burny is better made. Fact. It's also a fact my Burny weighs a ton, but whatever. Some Gibsun Customs do too.

And I found out that me Burn's got a neck a tad bit bigger than a R0.

Get a post in the Business Classified section. This is an international forum, you've got a nice website worth looking at. You might attract some local (SA) sales for yourself, too.

Rock on, dude.