Thinking of early 80's Tokai - Generally good?

LaCathedrale_UK

As per many other threads, craving some P90 in my life and I see there's an '82 model LS70 which is both a goldtop, and has P90's. I'm really thinking about pulling the trigger - but before I do I realised it might be worth a sanity check!

The serial number is 101xxxx so I gather that's 1982, 1st Run. It's a goldtop with P90's so that narrows it down to 1982 (so I imagine, built in 1981 and put out in 1982 as part of the first run). Mahogany body, laminate spruce top (possibly)., It's listed as a 1956 model, so I gather that means a relatively chunky neck?

Any other info would be grand - it's currently on eBay for £750!

Cheers

John_A

Bargain.  I have a 81 LS80 gold top and it's one of  the best les Paul's I've played.  Check the weight if it's a concern there are some heavy ones about. Should be a solid maple top.

tone1

I think most LS80's have Solid maple top with veneer flame finish..Not sure about a Gold top though (No point having a veneer)

John_A

Up to 1982 most LS80s are solid plain tops, LS120 are mostly flame veneers with the odd solid one, LS150 are solid flame tops.  All the gold tops are solid, pointless putting a veneer on and painting it.

goldtop

As seen on this catalogue page - http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/volume506.jpg ?

If so, very cool, and must be one of the rarer early Tokais.

LaCathedrale_UK

This one is listed as an LS70GT as discussed so would be that one top right. Is about £750 a good price? Or is it likely to go up significantly?

John_A

Think it's likely to go up to about £1000 but you never know, there are a lot of good guitars going cheap at the moment

photek

Ask about the neck profile as I have played a fair few with slimmer neck profiles.

LaCathedrale_UK

I see. i've asked on the profile. For much over £1000 I can get a modern (2012?) Les Paul Deluxe and just chuck some P90's in that - but I hear so much amazing stuff about the Tokai!

LaCathedrale_UK

Or of course, a modern LP Studio/Tribute - but I really fancy a nitro finished goldtop

John_A

I'm not certain, but I don't think the LS70 will be nitro, that, as far as I know only applied to the LS80 (humbucker a) and above

jumping@shadows

This would almost certainly be a poly finished guitar like the LS50/60, with a slimmer C shaped neck, and while less common, not really a particularly premium/desirable guitar imo 

LaCathedrale_UK

@jumping@shadows ; @john_A that's great, I've got a lower spec Burny on the line that's also poly finished at half the price, so maybe better to defer on this one - rather than clutter this specific Tokai thread with extra discussion around other suppliers, will start a separate thread around it. 

Thank you all!!

jumping@shadows

@WilliamAyerst  No problem mate- I find the poly finished Tokais to be pretty 'meh', and feel rather generic (may as well get a cheapie Epi really), and it's worth spending some more for the premium nitro examples to feel the benefit 

goldtop

You don't get nitro finishes on Tokais without spending about £1400+, I think? And, FWIW, Tokai's '80s reputation was based on the relatively low-end poly-finished models (LS50/60 ST-50, etc).

It's only recently that we've gone crazy for the rarer, spendier nitro-finished models.