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I don't wish to alarm anyone but I've bought another guitar.

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BucketBucket Frets: 7751
edited September 2017 in Guitar
Another green guitar, in fact.

Pr0n first, then words.

Well, it came with a case. Let's open it.


Hmmm... it says "made in Japan" on it.


Let's flip the headstock around, see what we got here...


Hmm, a Tokai? That doesn't look like a headstock they'd put on a Gibson clone...

Blurry pic of nice wide, slim-side-of-medium-thickness neck:


Ending at quite a small neck heel:


And two cutaways? Hmmm...

Hang on, that looks like the outline of a PRS.


Let's flip this bad boy round!


Yep - nice thick quilted maple cap, lovely carved top a la USA-made PRS models...  24 frets, compensated wrap-around bridge, and in fact, two aftermarket DiMarzios - a Super Distortion bridge and a PAF neck.

Let's zoom out.


So there it is - my Japanese-made Tokai PR100, probably made in around 2000 (making it the oldest guitar I own). It's beautifully made and finished, and it plays and sounds fantastic. My guess at the weight would be around 9 lb, making it a little heavier than I was expecting - it's approaching the same thickness as a Les Paul, and has a genuine quilted maple cap, which is quite a hefty slab of wood in itself. It sounds relatively dark plugged in, as well. It sounds a lot like a Les Paul, but it plays a hell of a lot better than most I've tried, and access to all 24 frets is fantastic.

I did some digging on this, which wasn't easy given that they were never sold in the UK, there are probably only a few in the country and no-one seems to really know anything about it, not even on the Tokai forums. I did work out that the model number corresponds to the price it sold for new, in Yen. This is a PR100, so it sold for 100,000 Yen new in Japan - taking inflation into account, that's equivalent to about a grand now. I didn't pay anywhere near that much for it...

I am so fucking chuffed, seriously, you have no idea.
- "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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Comments

  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27806

    :)

    Enjoy, young Bucket, enjoy.

    Having trouble posting images here?  This might help.
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  • DulcetJonesDulcetJones Frets: 515
    Well, I like it, and I don't usually take to green guitars.  Besides looking great, I've always been a fan of the two humbucker type LP kind if sound, and this one just plain looks it delivers that(and you said so already).

    “Theory is something that is written down after the music has been made so we can explain it to others”– Levi Clay


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  • mike_lmike_l Frets: 5700
    Nice young'un, good GASsage that man.

    Ringleader of the Cambridge cartel, pedal champ and king of the dirt boxes (down to 21) 

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  • stonevibestonevibe Frets: 7181
    Looks sweet & very green.
    Free Giveaway Draw - Dan's Guitar Store Precision Picks
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6405
    Enjoy ! Not enamoured of the headstock myself.  But all GAS is good.
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

    Feedback
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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    Jalapeno said:
    Enjoy ! Not enamoured of the headstock myself.  But all GAS is good.
    The headstock is pretty weird, yeah... I don't mind it though. They only used this design on the MIJ models.
    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • LixartoLixarto Frets: 1618
    Unsure of that headstock (!) but I'd like a blast on that nontheless :)
    "I can see you for what you are; an idiot barely in control of your own life. And smoking weed doesn't make you cool; it just makes you more of an idiot."
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  • mcsdanmcsdan Frets: 451
    Very nice :)
    [ Trading Feedback ]
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  • bntylrbntylr Frets: 8
    I've always loved green custom 22s. For some reason I had an inclination it would be that shape from the first picture of the back of the headstock. It's a stunner!

    Now I want one of these, and at the price you paid! It'd be interesting to hear how it would sound with PRS pickups in it. 
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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    edited August 2013
    bntylr said:
    I've always loved green custom 22s. For some reason I had an inclination it would be that shape from the first picture of the back of the headstock. It's a stunner!

    Now I want one of these, and at the price you paid! It'd be interesting to hear how it would sound with PRS pickups in it. 
    Not sure I'll go for PRS pickups, but I think I may change the bridge pickup at some point.

    The PAF in the neck sounds great, but I think I may get a lower-output (!) bridge pickup that matches it a little better. The Super Distortion would probably sound good in my Flying V, so my plan would be to put it there and maybe get another PAF for the Tokai.
    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • Van_HaydenVan_Hayden Frets: 437
    I remember Bob Murdoch showing them at the NEC show in about 2003 - they were really good, not cheap either. That's a bargain you got there!
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    Looks excellent, the colours fabulous
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  • DiscoStuDiscoStu Frets: 5586
    Bargain YAY!
    Headstock NAY!
    Trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57612/

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 72846
    There's only one thing that could make it tolerable.

    It comes in gold plated aluminium.


















    :)

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17736
    tFB Trader
    Nice one Bucket. 

    How come I'm twice your age, but own half the number of guitars?
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  • ChuffolaChuffola Frets: 2028
    Enjoy. Looks like a bona fide rock machine.
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  • NiallmoNiallmo Frets: 467
    Lovely.  I like the top on that.
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  • blueskunkblueskunk Frets: 2909
    Ohh very nice.
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16843
    Bucket said:

    Yep - nice thick quilted maple cap, lovely carved top a la USA-made PRS models...
    does the quilt extend to the binding and the scoop in the cutaway.   doesn't look like it does in the pics so it would be a nice thick maple cap with quilted maple veneer.

    not that it matters really
    Wez Venables Guitars
    Instagram
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  • thumpingrugthumpingrug Frets: 2944
    Hi Conner

    Im not sure about the headstock either but that aside, bye eck lad thats a nice one.

    One question though, have you got the end of a rainbow permanently tied to your house as I cant figure out how you can afford all this gear.  


    :-&

    (i still cant tell which icon is which, so hoping this is envy)

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