High end Tokai SGs - any current or past owners/ users on here ?

AK99

Bit of an outside shot - but been looking at their Premium / High End range recently, the SG100 and 200 series.

Has anybody any experience of them ? From previous experience with their MIJ Les Paul copies, I imagine the build quality would be at least on a par (or possibly better) than similarly priced Gibsons - but wondered how they compare other than that.

Any and all info. or thoughts much appreciated
Thanks, Alan

Hydra19

Sorry I don't have experience with tokais but I bought a Navigator SG on a whim but its actually a great guitar and at stands up to the navigator les pauls. I never played a gibson SG but this one is 1 piece Honduran mahogany and weighs 3.3kg. All I need in an SG

tony99

there's a lovely navigator LP on GG pre-owned at the mo, tasty blue custom, but sorry, I don't know much about tokais

steven70

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PeteC

Hi - Strangely enough I have an almost mint one-piece body Tokai SG185 that I bought from Gottfreid the German distributor a few years ago.  All Honduran mahogany. 
I've been thinking of putting it up for sale due to downsizing the collection after starting to build my own guitars in the past year. 
I can get some pics if its of interest ? 

I love the high end Tokais - I have an LS-150 that I won't ever part with as its as good as any other LP I have ever played. 

AK99

Thanks guys. I'm already a Tokai/Navigator and other things MIJ convert - so you;re already preaching to the choir


PeteC said:

Hi - Strangely enough I have an almost mint one-piece body Tokai SG185 that I bought from Gottfreid the German distributor a few years ago.  All Honduran mahogany. 
I've been thinking of putting it up for sale due to downsizing the collection after starting to build my own guitars in the past year. 
I can get some pics if its of interest ? 

I love the high end Tokais - I have an LS-150 that I won't ever part with as its as good as any other LP I have ever played. 

Pete - I've an older lower spec LS65 that I'm in the same boat with (and a couple of similar spec Tokai double-cutaways that may or may not make the cut long term) - so I know where you're coming from.

I'd be delighted to have a look at the SG if you're considering letting it go.

Sent you a pm- thx, appreciated, Alan.

Philly_Q

I've got an SG-155 (which I think became the SG-175 then SG-185 as the prices went up).

I bought it because it has a thicker neck than the Gibson '61 reissues, but otherwise similar specs.

It's a very good guitar - one piece body, Gotoh hardware, CTS pots.... I changed the truss rod cover and switch tip to look a bit more Gibsonish.  The finish is some kind of nitro - it reacted with the lining of the Tokai case, so I got rid of the case and replaced it with an SKB one.

At the time I had a Gibson Pete Townshend signature SG (the earlier one, cherry with a batwing scratchplate) which I sold in favour of keeping the Tokai.  In retrospect I wish I'd kept the PT SG as well, but never mind.

Might be worth mentioning that I also had an SG-75, which didn't have such high specs as the SG-155 (and cost a lot less) but the actual construction quality and playability were identical.

AK99

I could live with a lower spec one with a view to upgrading the bits over time if I hadn't my heart set on a nitro/laquer type finish. Interesting point about the lacquer reacting with the case though - especially one of Tokai's own. Maybe a local dealer using a cheaper case perhaps ?

(As an aside, I'm sure its been said endlessly - but that historical Yen based numbering system on older Tokais is a right pain in the chuff. My LS65 has a higher spec than the LS95s of only a couple of years later )

Philly_Q

AK99 said:

Interesting point about the lacquer reacting with the case though - especially one of Tokai's own. Maybe a local dealer using a cheaper case perhaps ?

No, it was an actual Tokai branded hard case.  The "damage" wasn't too bad - there were little bits of the plush lining all over the back and sides of the guitar, but you couldn't brush them away, they were actually stuck.  I think I polished them off with T-Cut.

It's quite a few years ago, though.  If the problem was common I'm sure they'll have sorted it now.

I had a similar issue with my old Hamer Special, but much worse - it looked like the guitar had been put in the case before the lacquer had dried.  It's been under my bed, still in the case, for years and years - God knows what it looks like now. 

AK99

A hairy Hamer Special, now there's a thought.. 

Needs a case-sticker - "Warning - don't feed the Hamer".:)

zedhex

An obvious alternative to a high-end Tokai would be an late 70s through to early 90s Greco. These were manufactured in Japan by Fuji-gen to a higher standard than either Fender or Gibson. I have an 1989 SS600 Greco that is a clone of the 1961 SG. It's beautifully made, and has a really nice light and resonant body. Acoustically, it's the loudest electric guitar in my collection. The only downside is that it has a very thin neck - but that's exactly what Gibson were producing at the time, so it's hard to criticise it.