Help. Is this Tokai Strat HH MIJ? SOLVED - thanks.

Chuffola

This is on the local gumtree and eBay.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/tokai-st36-limited-edition-strat-1984-mij-ultra-rare-in-a1-condition/1027835451

It's maybe the sort of thing I'm after and he's offered me a deal against my Superchamp. 

I like the look of of it but can't find anything about Ltd Edition Tokais or ST36s on the web.

Any help appreciated!

ICBM

Odd... most things look right for an old Japanese Tokai - like the neckplate and the '36' sticker, neck screws, pickguard screws etc - but I've never seen such cheap crap machineheads on a real Tokai! And yet there doesn't seem to be any evidence of others having been fitted - I would have expected Kluson-style, but you'd see screw holes at the ends of the row if they'd ever been on. So I think on balance they're probably original. It's not a modern one, anyway.

Dave_Mc

I don't know about that specific model, but I have a vague recollection of reading on the Tokai Registry that the cheaper older Japanese Tokais had pretty cheap tuners. The ST40, I think. If that one was a similar price (and the model name suggests it is), it may well have had similar tuners.

However, £390 sounds like quite a bit if it is one of the cheaper models.

If you're seriously thinking of going for it your best bet would be to ask on the Tokai Registry forum, those guys know way more than I do.

ICBM

Dave_Mc said:

If you're seriously thinking of going for it your best bet would be to ask on the Tokai Registry forum, those guys know way more than I do.

And much more than me.

Chuffola

Thanks guys. 

I was only considering it. I hadn't actually noticed the tuners! 

I think I'll pass on this one and keep looking...

Cheers for the advice/info. 

impmann

Yup that's real. And its a MIJ one from the mid 80s. And no, they weren't 'cheap end'... 

I had one that was identical. But yes, the machine heads are awful!

The Mother Earth strat (ex Matt Deighton of Mother Earth) I own had the same heads - I still have them, but have changed them for Klusons on the original neck and have changed the neck!!

Superb guitars though... worth £390? Deffo in my book.

B-)

impmann

Oh - look up 'Super Edition' Tokai on google. Some had locking trems but the best ones had standard strat trems in my book!!

Chuffola

Hmmm... The plot thickens. Google here I come.

Dave_Mc

impmann said:

Superb guitars though... worth £390? Deffo in my book.

B-)

I didn't mean that it wasn't worth £390 in terms of how good a guitar it was, I meant that compared to the usual going rate, that sounded like quite a bit. You can normally pick up st50s for £300-£400.