Tokai Firebird

scalino65

Hi
I had a very lengthy and great chat with Ash @TheGuitarWeasel yesterday about a p90 that I would like him to build for me that will instantly turn me into a (slightly) taller version of Steve Marriott (aint that right, Ash?....). However,Ash got me thinking about Firebirds after talking about Winter's blue one. Anyway, years ago, when I had more cash..., I bought a 63 fbird 3 and whilst it was great, I sold it (d'oh) but I'd really like to get a single pickup bird, paint it a daft colour and fit one of Ash's winterizer's in it.

Ash mentioned that he had tried a Tokai bird and rated it as a good budget option. 
I see a white fbird 1 on gumtree (anyone here?) but before looking at it, I just wondered if any of the good folks here had ever had or tried a Tokai bird and what they thought of it?
Many thanks
cheers
WIll

GoldenEraGuitars

Hi Will, I owned a tokai firebird many years ago. Lovely guitar and definitely in Epi killer, imo. Then again, at one point I had about 10 tokais at once so perhaps it's unfair to listen to me haha

Corvus

I had a MIC Tokai one, it was OK but not brilliant. A Korean one might be better. I see that one is asking 375, I'd struggle to pay more than 250 for a Tokai myself really, an MIC Mk1 on ebay finished the other day, looks like no bids at £285.

Is the JB Epi out of range? Couple of hundred more but has the through neck. I paid £660 for a s/h Gibson and my last cost £749 new last year. Mentioning cos similar price bracket for them.

mikeyrob73

I just sold my Pelham blue Epi for £270 
and it took months to shift

chrisj1602

I had one a few years back, it was a decent guitar, would happily buy another.

scalino65

Hi. Thank for all the replies. A big part of the attraction is to paint it in nitro myself. So, really looking for as cheap as poss, ideally with a knackered finish and to chuck Ash's p/u in it...might make an offer on the gumtree one.Epi could be good I guess to get the thru neck. Will keep an eye open!
cheers
WIll

57Deluxe

/\ Nitro?? - you mean golden syrup...

http://c8.alamy.com/comp/BF89BM/can-of-golden-syrup-on-white-BF89BM.jpg

Funkfingers

scalino65 said:

Epi could be good I guess to get the thru neck. 

Is Epiphone making through neck 'Birds now? They tend to be screw-on necks.

The best Tokai guitars were the Japanese ones. 

Corvus

The Bonamassa one is, the others aren't.

chrisj1602

Funkfingers said:

scalino65 said:

Epi could be good I guess to get the thru neck. 

Is Epiphone making through neck 'Birds now? They tend to be screw-on necks.

The best Tokai guitars were the Japanese ones. 

Epiphone bolt ons were about 20 years ago weren't they? They made a set neck Firebird Studio for a while and now they make the through-neck Bonamassa.

mikeyrob73

The one I  sold was a set neck 

Dave_Mc

I tried one in a shop years ago... I think it was Chinese, but it might have been Korean (just know for sure it wasn't one of the Japanese ones). It was alrightish, but nowhere near as nice as the Japanese-made Tokais... unfortunately, they don't currently make Firebirds in Japan. I haven't tried the Epi version so I'm not sure how it would've compared to it.

scalino65

damnit..wish i'd had this bright idea a couple of weeks ago, MikeyRob!

Funkfingers

HarrySeven may have a set neck Chibson Fauxbird for sale/trade. 

stimpsonslostson

This was posted on the Gordon Smith Facebook page today. No details at all... But I want one! 

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b625/stimpsonslostson/Mobile Uploads/Screenshot_20170514-185721_zpsnu4gb8ae.png

Funkfingers

Needs a P90. :-p

stimpsonslostson

Funkfingers said:

Needs a P90. :-p

 Firebirds don't have P90s, why should this?

scalino65

Anyone heard of Kauer Banshees?
US guy making great versions of a guitar that for legal reasons isnt a firebird, but ahem...looks a bit like one.....
here's one:

scalino65

here's my old fbird3. Very early 1963 so  3 ply rather than 9 ply body and no bird on the guard....

Funkfingers

stimpsonslostson said:

 Firebirds don't have P90s, why should this?

A small number of late 1965 Firebird III examples did.