NGD: Tokai Love Rock

grayn

I just realised, when I got home today, that I've not owned a Les Paul before.
I've had a few single cuts but never one that was as Mr. Paul intended.
The only actual Gibsons I've owned, were semis. 
I have been tempted by some of the higher end Epiphone Les Pauls.
And more recently by some of the higher end Tokais.

Anyway I went into my local, Aire Valley Guitars, who stock Tokai and have had some really nice
preowned Gibsons and Burnys in, this year.
First thing I saw there was a rather nice looking, preowned Gibson Les Paul Standard from 2000.
Going for a very nice price, as it had deepish but not large ding, on the front.
Wow! my luck was in and I soon had it pushing the gain stage of a Blackstar amp.
But as it turned out, my Wow! had been a little premature.
This little beauty just didn't have the the sound or the feel.

Some fettling would have helped but you kind of know when something isn't quite up to it.

The shop had been stocking lower end Tokais for a while and they are pretty impressive.
Then I spotted a real beauty, made in Japan.
A newly acquired, higher end, Love Rock guitar, with a heftyish price tag.
I had to have a go and now it really was wow!!
An immaculately built instrument, with a stunning, quilted, sunburst top.
It literally played like a dream and the tone was so obviously light years ahead of the Gibson.
Knocking out blues, rock, and even some metal, the Tokai was a joy to play.

But it left me in a quandary.
My heart shouted Tokai but my head said, hold on.
A preowned Gibbo will keep it's price and more.
A Brand new Tokai, even of Japanese origins, just won't.
But in reality it was the Tokai or leave empty handed.
So of course, the Tokai Love Rock, was put in it's classy fitted case and brought home.

On my receipt it says "Tokai ULS 165Q Japan".
Unfortunately I can find nothing on this model and Tokai's UK site is being refurbished, at the moment.
The nearest I can find numerically, is an LS 165S, which is a Gold Top with P90s, so no help there.
So I have no stats for this beauty.
It's obviously mahogany body and neck, rosewood fretboard and vintage tuners.
The quality is however, exceptional.
I've played quite a few awful LPs and a few nice ones too,
This is up there with the really good ones.

I've mostly been playing a PRS singlecut recently.
It's a wonderful guitar and this newbie even surpasses that.
Lots more to learn about it but this Love Rock guitar is really making me love to rock.

grayn

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grayn

gordiji

Happy NGD. I had 2 tokai's one ULS 150 which was stamped in the bridge pup cavity 'ULS 150'. The other LS145 which has no stamps in either pup cavity but i bought new & trust the supplier. All the 150 upwards models as far as i know have 1 piece backs which lower models don't. This is an identification point, it won't make any difference to the guitar.
The other thing on 150 upwards models is a long tenon joint visible in bridge pup cavity. These 2 things even without the stamp should confirm its what it says on reciept. Oh 1 piece necks too. 

Limehouse_Blues

Beautiful. I've had old and new Tokais and while people rightly praise the early 80s stuff, the best of the current Japanese built Tokais are immense as well. My 2016 wrap tail gold top is stupendous. Tokai have been building guitars a long time and they know how to do it right. Enjoy your axe. Plug in and rock out. 

mikeyrob73

Tony at Aire Valley is a good lad.

Nunogilberto

Looks lovely. A good LP (no matter what the make) is a joy to play, listen to and look at.

Bellycaster

That's a beauty, but beware, the third photo down clearly shows your Guitar is Haunted.

  

TheOtherDennis

Luuurvely.

grayn

gordiji said:

Happy NGD. I had 2 tokai's one ULS 150 which was stamped in the bridge pup cavity 'ULS 150'. The other LS145 which has no stamps in either pup cavity but i bought new & trust the supplier. All the 150 upwards models as far as i know have 1 piece backs which lower models don't. This is an identification point, it won't make any difference to the guitar.
The other thing on 150 upwards models is a long tenon joint visible in bridge pup cavity. These 2 things even without the stamp should confirm its what it says on reciept. Oh 1 piece necks too. 

Thanks for the helpful info.
I have no worries as to the genuine nature of the model number.
And of course, of the quality of this beauty.=)

grayn

mikeyrob73 said:

Tony at Aire Valley is a good lad.

Great bloke.

mikeyrob73

@grayn you must be pretty local to me then if that’s your nearest guitar shop 

grayn

mikeyrob73 said:

@grayn you must be pretty local to me then if that’s your nearest guitar shop 

Louandys is closer but I don't use it.

Rikki_Sixx

grayn said:

Anyway I went into my local, Aire Valley Guitars, who stock Tokai 

Aire Valley sounds like it could be local to me, is it near Leeds? (i.e. River Aire) 

If so I'll have to find it and pop in! Always nice to find a new music shop 

WezV

gordiji said:

The other thing on 150 upwards models is a long tenon joint visible in bridge pup cavity. 

That is a long tenon!!!!

grayn

Rikki_Sixx said:

grayn said:

Anyway I went into my local, Aire Valley Guitars, who stock Tokai 

Aire Valley sounds like it could be local to me, is it near Leeds? (i.e. River Aire) 

If so I'll have to find it and pop in! Always nice to find a new music shop 

They are in Keighley.
They are a small/medium shop, with a good stock of Fenders and Martins, with some Tokai, Ibanez and Musicman

Schnozz

Happy NGD!!

Btw - The 'Q' stands for Quilt, whereas the 'S' on the P90 Model stands for Single (Coil)

gordiji

WezV said:

gordiji said:

The other thing on 150 upwards models is a long tenon joint visible in bridge pup cavity. 

That is a long tenon!!!!

LOL wez. Senile moment, neck cavity !