Tokai Goldstar sound dating help?

bugileman

Hi I bought this tokai goldstar sound, im looking to date it if possible, any help appreciated 

Thankyou

bugileman

https://www.flickr.com/photos/187868368@N06/49752217038/in/dateposted-public/

bugileman

https://www.flickr.com/photos/187868368@N06/49752752811/in/dateposted-public/

bugileman

https://www.flickr.com/photos/187868368@N06/49753083412/in/dateposted-public/#

victorludorum

What does the logo look like?

ICBM

1988.

The pot code '84' indicates April 1988.

https://japtone.com/en/chapter-xi-how-to-date-burny-guitar-ii-additional-keys/

Kittyfrisk

Looks a lot like the 1984 version with the script logo  http://www.tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/tokai-fender.html  (the poor photo on the website doesn't help).

bugileman

ICBM said:

1988.

The pot code '84' indicates April 1988.

https://japtone.com/en/chapter-xi-how-to-date-burny-guitar-ii-additional-keys/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/187868368@N06/49753174491/in/dateposted-public/

ICBM

The reshaped headstocks were only for the US market, they continued using the Fender-shaped one everywhere else.

guitars4you

ICBM said:

The reshaped headstocks were only for the US market, they continued using the Fender-shaped one everywhere else.

correct

Not sure if true or not, but there was a story floating around, at the time, about a Tokai shipment to the USA, of guitars with the 'Fender' headstock - All were seized and the headstock sawn off 

ICBM

guitars4you said:

Not sure if true or not, but there was a story floating around, at the time, about a Tokai shipment to the USA, of guitars with the 'Fender' headstock - All were seized and the headstock sawn off 

And then presumably carefully re-packed and sent back to Japan as a warning, Godfather-style...

PhilKing

I had heard that it was the Fernandes Revival models.   I bought one new in 1982 and still have it, they are great guitars.  I almost had a deal to swap it with Mark Knopfler for a vintage LP Custom, however it got messed up because it was via a store in NYC and they wanted a cut on the deal.

guitars4you

PhilKing said:

I had heard that it was the Fernandes Revival models.   I bought one new in 1982 and still have it, they are great guitars.  I almost had a deal to swap it with Mark Knopfler for a vintage LP Custom, however it got messed up because it was via a store in NYC and they wanted a cut on the deal.

Just heard from another source that it was Fernandes - I recall the principle of the story, if not quite the right facts - Heard it was tied in with Rudy's so that might back up your story with MK as well

bugileman

Kittyfrisk said:

Looks a lot like the 1984 version with the script logo  http://www.tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/tokai-fender.html  (the poor photo on the website doesn't help).

Clearer one here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/187868368@N06/49753688421/in/dateposted-public/

bugileman

I've had alot of other opinion on other forums, that the guitar dates between '84 and '88. I would say that I'd be more incline to say 1988, as the routing, pots etc changed somewhat by the late 1980s. The 6 digit serial number is another thing that possibly shows a later model as previous 1980s goldstar show a 5 digit. Im a newbie to Tokai, so i do appreciate your thoughts. Thankyou. 

bugileman

One more thing, the maple neck is one piece, it doesn't have a cap. Not sure if this is the same for other years? 

ICBM

bugileman said:

I would say that I'd be more incline to say 1988, as the routing, pots etc changed somewhat by the late 1980s. The 6 digit serial number is another thing that possibly shows a later model as previous 1980s goldstar show a 5 digit.

Yes - unless the lower tone pot has been changed the guitar cannot have been made earlier than April 1988, and there's no obvious evidence of it being. What do the codes on the other ones say?

bugileman said:

One more thing, the maple neck is one piece, it doesn't have a cap. Not sure if this is the same for other years? 

Yes, they're made like a vintage Fender - maple boards have a single-piece maple neck with the truss rod fitted from the back, rosewood boards have it fitted from the front. (Fender changed to rear-fitting with rosewood boards in the 70s.)

Some of the other Japanese brands did use separate maple fingerboards though, I've got an Aria like that.

Kittyfrisk

bugileman said:

Kittyfrisk said:

Looks a lot like the 1984 version with the script logo  http://www.tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/tokai-fender.html  (the poor photo on the website doesn't help).

Clearer one here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/187868368@N06/49753688421/in/dateposted-public/

I didn't mean your photo was poor, I meant the Tokai registry one. Sorry for any confusion.

bugileman

Kittyfrisk said:

bugileman said:

Kittyfrisk said:

Looks a lot like the 1984 version with the script logo  http://www.tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/tokai-fender.html  (the poor photo on the website doesn't help).

Clearer one here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/187868368@N06/49753688421/in/dateposted-public/

I didn't mean your photo was poor, I meant the Tokai registry one. Sorry for any confusion.

No problem, thanks for providing the chart 

bugileman

ICBM said:

bugileman said:

I would say that I'd be more incline to say 1988, as the routing, pots etc changed somewhat by the late 1980s. The 6 digit serial number is another thing that possibly shows a later model as previous 1980s goldstar show a 5 digit.

Yes - unless the lower tone pot has been changed the guitar cannot have been made earlier than April 1988, and there's no obvious evidence of it being. What do the codes on...

The volume pot says 82k and the middle tone pot reads 84k

ICBM

bugileman said:

The volume pot says 82k and the middle tone pot reads 84k

All 1988, which confirms it. The volume pot was made in February, but obviously that doesn't change the dating on the guitar.