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NUGD! Tokai LS-50

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3.8K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  hollowbody  
#1 ·
I actually picked this up last week, but was away for the weekend so I couldn't post about her. She's a 1982 LS-50. This was Tokai's most inexpensive model, so it's a poly finish with a 3-piece top and other things that cut costs, but it's a monster player! Some parts are not original so I was able to get a pretty good price on it (pickups, bridge, tailpiece, truss rod cover).

The seller was unsure what pickups were in it, other than them being Seymour Duncans, but he had kept the stickers that had fallen off of them a while back. Turns out the pickups in it are Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro IIs, which are what goes into the Slash models these days (and have been in all of Slash's guitars forever), but these are from 1986 or 1987. Cool! I really like A2 humbuckers to begin with and I was probably going to put some Gibson Classic '57s into her anyway, but now I'm rethinking that.

In terms of playbility, feel and tone compared to my Gibson LP Standard, it plays and feels pretty much just as good. I don't like the height of the knobs on it compared to the US guitar, but when I redo the wiring on it, I'll probably get US spec knobs anyway. Tonally, the guitar is a little brighter than my US LP, but I also haven't really spent too much time fiddling with the pickup height and stuff, so that could change. For now, I'm quite happy with the guitar as a backup/alternate tuning guitar.

Here's some porn!

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#4 ·
Nice top on that Tokai (and the Les Paul). I used to have an LS-60 that had a plain non-quilted top but I just couldn't bond with it and I ended up selling it to a guy from Ottawa. I listed it here for awhile and a few people contacted me about it but it didn't sell until I posted it on the Buy and Sell website. Hope I don't sound too nosy but did you get this one from a Craigslist ad?
 
#7 ·
Thanks guys! And yeah, she's awesome. Very easy to switch between the two.

And Kenmac, yes, I found this one on the local Kijiji and Craigslists.

I can totally see what the hard-on for 80's Japanese guitars is now. The guy I bought this off also had an LS-80 and it felt great; not necessarily better, but in terms of build quality, it was obviously a more well-put-together guitar. I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled for an LS-80 or an LS-120, though those guys are really pricey.
 
#8 ·
A few years ago, I really thought about buying one, it was either an LS50 or LS60, but I just couldn't cosy up to cherry burst. Maybe I should have got it and had it refinished.
 
#9 ·
Robert1950 said:
A few years ago, I really thought about buying one, it was either an LS50 or LS60, but I just couldn't cosy up to cherry burst. Maybe I should have got it and had it refinished.
Click to expand...
Y'know what's funny? I never really liked cherry burst either, but when I was shopping for my Gibson, I played a ton of Lesters and the one that struck me best as a player was the cherry burst I ended up with. And when I went looking for a backup, I found a few that seemed like likely contenders, specifically Alain's OBG that I couldn't afford and a Black Greco Custom that was being sold locally. I didn't want ANOTHER cherry burst, but hey, these things happen ;)
 
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