[CocoTone]

Quality wise, how do the Korean-built axes stack up in the Les Paul dept?? I`m impressed with the Tokai's. The Jap-built are better than Gibson in my opinion.

CT.

 

[Accept2]

Whoa, thats a bold statement. Im only familiar with old Tokais, but they were only comparable to some Gibsons in the 70s. Gibson back then was schizo, half the guitars were great, while the other half were guitar like things.........

 

[CocoTone]

Well, Guitarworld in Cobourg has a Tokai 335, new Japanese built, and it blows away two other new Gibson 335`s for sale locally. Fell, fit, finish, and TONE. I`ve gone back and played this guitar at least 5 times, and can`t get over it. They want too much for it in my opinion, $(1895:confused-smiley-010 )but it is a better guitar than the new Gibsons that I`ve played. I have not played the Heritage , or custom shop Gibson`s tho.

CT.

 

[guitarzan]

a guitar "blows you away" and it's American made equivilent is expensive as well.
it is sad that the price of the Japanese model is a problem.
we still have a mentality that it has to have a certain name or place of manufacture to demand a high price.
Japanese builders are awesome, and i would say they deserve to ask for a price that is competitve. it seems that guitars have not really achieved what cars have in regards to Japanese vs American pricing.
it isn't you Coco, i would be hesitant as well...but i shouldn't.

 

[hoser]

I have a tokai love rock (MIK) an agile LP2000 (MIK) and a Gibson les paul (96 studio LE).

comparing the agile and tokai is pretty easy. the agile is much heavier and has higher output pickups (I see now you can get different pickups with them...when I bought mine you couldn't). The tokai is much lighter with medium output pickups. both guitars sound and play well. My agile is stock, the tokai has had it's tuners replaced (just wouldn't stay in at all).

personally I wouldn't pay 1895 for a MIJ tokai when you can get one for much cheaper. try ebay, lots of sellers living in japan there.

 

[CocoTone]

I see your point. ANd I sell Honda cars for a living, so I shouldn`t think that way.

CT.

 

[traynor_garnet]

Well, Guitarworld in Cobourg has a Tokai 335, new Japanese built, and it blows away two other new Gibson 335`s for sale locally.
CT.

Is that Cobourg Ontario? That's my hometown!!!

 

[traynor_garnet]

I think Agiles are just incredilble. I own an AL-2000 (LP) and an As-820 (ES-335) and they are unbelievable! I showed a local shop my AL-2000 and he couldn't believe I got the guitar for $99 (blow out sale)!!! After he looked at it, he said "How much did you spend on the Groovers"? He almost died when I said the guitar came with Groover tuners . . . My AS-820 produces a servere drool factor for everyone that plays it.

I'm not a newbie and own/owned quality name brand US guitars. I had a 1991 Gibson LP Standard for about 7 years, still have a US Strat, and these Agiles hold up very well. Budget some money for new pickups and electronics and you will have a guitar that will blow away most guitars and hand with anything else out there.

I was a guitar snob for many years (Only F or G US thank you) but no longer. Inexpensive guitars once equalled "cheap" guitars. Now they are simply inexpensive.

 

[Accept2]

It costs about the same to make a guitar in Japan as in the US, thats why there are no cheap guitars being made in Japan now.............

 

[Zeegler]

Korea is the new Japan. You'll find that just like the Agiles, the Korean guitar builders are becoming extremely good at what they do. China are still a little bit farther behind, with India and Indonesia still making questionable products. My Xaviere XV500 is Korean made, and it's gorgeous. I have a Chinese made SX GG1 on the way too. It should be here on tuesday, so I'll give a full review of that when it gets here. I'm guessing it won't be as nicely made as the Xaviere, but you never know.

 

[JSD's Guitar Shack]

Well, Guitarworld in Cobourg has a Tokai 335, new Japanese built, and it blows away two other new Gibson 335`s for sale locally. Fell, fit, finish, and TONE. I`ve gone back and played this guitar at least 5 times, and can`t get over it. They want too much for it in my opinion, $(1895:confused-smiley-010 )but it is a better guitar than the new Gibsons that I`ve played. I have not played the Heritage , or custom shop Gibson`s tho.

CT.

The Tokai ES-120, which it sounds like is what your speaking of is very comparable if not better than a Gibby that costs twice as much. The ES-120 is hand made in Japan and is top notch all the way. The Japanese builders are very meticulas with details. He must have old stock as that model like all Japanese made Tokais are not available here anymore, you can only get one by ordering from overseas. Dealer cost was very expensive on that model.

Korean quality is very good but there is good and bad depending on where the product is made and how honest the distributor/importer and factory are. If the guitar is priced too low and the specs sound too good to be true then someones not telling the truth. You simply can not make a guitar from quality woods and sell it for peanuts.

Chinese made guitars may "look" nice but most still lack in overall quality. They simply are not made to last. Most Chinese made guitars are mis-represented spec wise, they are very sneeky in their buliding practices and use a lot of woods that are questionalble, not to mention they don't properly dry their woods before construction.

Also not all Grover tuners are created the same. The ones found of low priced guitars are usually knock-offs made under licence or illegally somewhere in Korea or China and are usually not the same quality as the Grover tuners you buy in stores but they look the part.

 

[dwagar]

I played a Korean PRS Santana awhile back, after a setup, I thought it was a great guitar. A bass player friend found it in a pawn shop for $350. A good score I thought.

 

[SCREEM]

I bought a korean made Parker PM20 that is just flawless, I put a SD 59 in the neck and a SD custom 5 in the bridge that I got from Jeff Flowerday and I am shocked at the tone I'm getting, I can nail SG sound now The build quality is tremendous at the $600 I paid. I own a '05 american deluxe strat that is trully an amazing guitar, it leaves me wanting nothing more in a strat, but the MIK Paker is fighting a close battle in becoming my main axe :confused-smiley-010

 

[CocoTone]

The Tokai ES-120, which it sounds like is what your speaking of is very comparable if not better than a Gibby that costs twice as much. The ES-120 is hand made in Japan and is top notch all the way. The Japanese builders are very meticulas with details. He must have old stock as that model like all Japanese made Tokais are not available here anymore, you can only get one by ordering from overseas. Dealer cost was very expensive on that model.

Korean quality is very good but there is good and bad depending on where the product is made and how honest the distributor/importer and factory are. If the guitar is priced too low and the specs sound too good to be true then someones not telling the truth. You simply can not make a guitar from quality woods and sell it for peanuts.

Chinese made guitars may "look" nice but most still lack in overall quality. They simply are not made to last. Most Chinese made guitars are mis-represented spec wise, they are very sneeky in their buliding practices and use a lot of woods that are questionalble, not to mention they don't properly dry their woods before construction.

Also not all Grover tuners are created the same. The ones found of low priced guitars are usually knock-offs made under licence or illegally somewhere in Korea or China and are usually not the same quality as the Grover tuners you buy in stores but they look the part.

So the price they're asking is not out of line then?? I gotta tell you, I'm hot for that guitar.

CT.