I have an ESP Strat that is my best guitar, so I'd like another Stratocaster, which will be sent off to be nitro finished in lime green.
I'd like a Strat as close as possible to my Navigator, I had a Custom Shop Fender that wasn't as nice so now I'm looking at Tokai Springy Sounds as I've always wanted to try one.
The thing is this guitar will be modded to most likely accept a bridge humbucker and the nitro finish.
Do I need to look for ST80 which are finished in nitro or does it not matter since I will be sending it off for a nitro finish anyway? That leaves just the body pieces of wood as the difference. I realise the Springy Sounds are guitars of a great reputation so I don't want to mod it and ruin it for someone in the future, although I'm sure some Springies have been modded for humbuckers. Either way. I'd get a new pickguard so I can always pop the old one with the stock pups back.
The few guitars I'm targeting have been Tokai ST80 with rosewood fretboard and a 1983 Tokai block logo guitar. Small price difference.
Am i wasting my time modding a Tokai or should I just look for an HSS setup already? If I go for Fender it costs a bit more than my budget, these Tokai fit right in and I believe they have very nice necks. This is the reason I'm not getting the neck and body made, as I cannot be sure how the neck will feel.
If you were going to build your desert island dream strat, which route would you go?
Comments
Springy sound are very good quality I've only played a couple but they were both really nice.
If you are getting it refinished then a Tokai Goldstar is pretty much the same as a ST80 springy, but the springy has a nitro and slightly different (not better IMO) pickups. Springy's are good but overpriced IMO, the value is really just based on collectability, not how good they are, although they are good.
My issue with old Tokais is the vintage radius and very often low frets, just because they are old and have been played alot, but if you find one you like then go for it.