Tōkai Gakki
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Contents |
[edit] History
Tokai Gakki Co., Ltd. (東海楽器製造株式会社 Tōkai Gakki Seizō Kabushiki-gaisha?), often referred as Tokai Guitars Company Ltd., is a Japanese guitar manufacturer founded in 1947 and situated in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka perfecture. Tokai Guitars produces acoustic guitars, electric guitars, electric basses, autoharps, and melodicas. Tokai have built a lot of Gibson and Fender replica models over the years such as the "Love Rock Model" and "Les Paul Reborn" Les Paul replicas and the "Springy Sound" Stratocaster replicas and the "BreezySound" Telecaster replicas. Tokai have also made a lot of Gibson and Martin Acoustic model replicas. In 1965 Tokai started making classical guitars and in 1968 started making the Hummingbird electric guitar models and in 1970 started making the Hummingbird Acoustic models. Brian May from Queen uses a Tokai Hummingbird Acoustic on some recordings. In 1972 Tokai went into a joint venture with Martin to supply Acoustic guitar parts and also build Martin's solid body Sigma guitars. In 1973 Tokai started making the "Cat's Eyes" Martin Acoustic replicas. In 1983 Tokai started making a metal body guitar called the Talbo which the band Devo played at one time. The Tokai "Les Paul Reborn" Les Paul replicas started around 1976 and around 1978 Tokai changed the name from "Les Paul Reborn" to "Love Rock Model". Tokai also made Fender replicas starting in 1977 and Stevie Ray Vaughan played a "Tokai Springy Sound" Stratocaster replica at one time. Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top and Robert Fripp have also played Tokai guitars. Tokai have their own instrument making factory and have built guitars for lots of well known brands (OEM). Tokai (and Dyna Gakki) currently build the Fender Japan solid body models and have done so since 1997.
[edit] Characteristics
The original selling price in Japanese Yen is often included in the model number for example TLS-100 = 100,000 Japanese Yen. The higher priced Tokai Gibson replicas use a long tenon neck joint which can result in increased sustain while the usual Gibson USA models use a short tenon neck joint. Tokai guitars have been made in Japan, Korea and China. Korean production started around the mid 1990's. The Japanese built instruments are very highly regarded amongst players and collectors, as equal in quality to USA made Gibson and Fender models. A drawback to some middle- to lower-range models is their polyester finish, as opposed to a nitrocellulose lacquer finish which was used on vintage Gibson and Fender guitars. Higher-end Tokai guitars, however, feature nitrocellulose lacquer finishes applied in much the same manner as the originals. Some vintage Tokai models can fetch as high a price as 'genuine' Gibson and Fender models from the same period. These Tokai models were made during the so called lawsuit era of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The highest quality Tokai models are considered by many to actually surpass the quality of contemporary Gibson and Fender models. Tokai Gibson replica guitars made in Korea (MIK) are of a lower quality, similar to Korean Epiphone guitars. The MIK Gibson replica guitars can easily be differentiated by the truss rod cover; Japanese guitars (just as USA-made guitars) use a 2 screw truss rod cover, whereas Korean guitars use a 3 screw truss rod cover. MIK Gibson replica models usually have white plastic plates on the back of the guitar, too, as well as a different bridge in "Nashville style", i.e. with additional bushings for the posts instead of the ABR-1 bridge with its thinner posts directly drilled into the wood. Furthermore MIK Gibson replica models usually have a maple neck instead of a mahogany neck like the Japanese models, and the body wood usually is either Alder, Agathis or Nato (Eastern Mahogany) instead of mahogany.
[edit] Serial Numbers
Tokai uses a 7 digit serial number usually pressed into the back of the headstock for the Gibson model replicas. Love Rocks use the first digit of the serial number for the year, 10XXXXX=1981 and starting in 1989 Love Rocks use the first 2 digits for the year, 89XXXXX=1989. Reborn models use the first digit for the year, 800XXXX = 1978.
The Tokai Fender replicas have a production number serial number with no year information.
[edit] Sources
2005 Interview with Mr Shohei Adachi president of Tokai Gakki.
