Tokai Jazz Sound - tart up or flog?

SpankThePlank

I have had an 80s one from new -  in all-original condish which I use for recording at home.

Problems are that the pickups are so microphonic (if that is the term) that you can hear the backing track coming through when soloed plus there is a lot of finger noise on the covers, the frets are horribly small and skinny and I am sceptical about the nut/bridge/intonation.

Should I attempt to pot the pickups (have some beeswax), replace the bridge and have it refretted? Or just look for a newer bass?
I recently used a new MIM Jazz (Fender Player? Maple f/b and metallic blue body) and felt and sounded great.  

I am either going to minimise the spend or sell this to buy something else.

Thanks for any opinions.

ICBM

If it was me and I didn't have any great sentimental attachment to it then I would sell it - keeping it all-original will maximise its value even to sensible people (bass players ) - and buy the Fender. Potting might not be totally effective. A top quality refret and new pickups will cost not far off the price you'd have to pay for a second hand MIM Fender.

Make sure you play the Fender you're going to buy first though - they vary enormously. A friend of mine bought a MIM Standard P-Bass some time ago and it was an absolute dog. Luckily he was able to return it, and then bought another one - identical model, even colour - which is one of the best P-Basses I've ever played.

goldtop

Tokai never really fired up the bass player market. Is it that bad? I've got an '84 that I rather like. But I've never had it at gigging volumes, so can't answer on the microphonics.

I think @ICBM is right about selling as-is and moving on to something that does inspire you from the moment you pick it up.

SpankThePlank

Thanks @ICBM and @goldtop ;

That was bas(s)ically what I was weighing up.  I'm not that sentimental about that bass and that may well be my approach.

Blueingreen

A friend of mine, really good time and feel bassist, always a great sound, played a Tokai Jazz for years.  One day I went to see a band he was in and he'd bought a really nice Fender Precision.  He said that he'd always lusted after a Precision and finally thought he could justify the expense.  I saw him a few more times with the Precision, still enjoying his dream bass. 

I didn't see him play for a bit then the next time I saw him he was playing the Tokai again.  He was still happy to own the Precision, no buyer's remorse or anything, but once the honeymoon period wore off he realised he actually still preferred his Tokai.

I never played one but that made me think they must be a pretty decent basses.

Musicwolf

I have a Tokai Jazz Sound c1984 which I’ve owned since ‘86.  It was a good bass in its day but about 5 years ago I got an Ibanez SR500 (as a long service award).  The Tokai was never going to get a look in after that so it’s been repurposed as a fretless.  If your Tokai isn’t doing it for you then get something different.  There are so many great basses out there these days.

SpankThePlank

@Musicwolf funnily enough I was at a friend's house yesterday and he had an SR300. although I am a classics kind of guy i had a little play and it was so much more modern just in the hands. Nobody will see me use it so.... :-)

Funkfingers

SpankThePlank said:

I have had an 80s one from new. Should I ... sell this to buy something else.

Does it have the black block typeface logo or the contentious, "spaghetti" one that mimics an early Sixties Fender decal? This will affect the perceived value of the bass. Does it have any model number stamps or stickers?

SpankThePlank said:

pickups are so microphonic ... a lot of finger noise on the covers

My solution to this would be to replace the pickups and controls with something professional. 

SpankThePlank said:

the frets are horribly small and skinny and I am sceptical about the nut/bridge/intonation.

The frets are what they are. It is impossible to comment on the nut/bridge/intonation issue without handling or, at the very least, seeing photographs of the instrument.

SpankThePlank said:

Should I attempt to pot the pickups (have some beeswax), replace the bridge and have it refretted?

IMO, no, possibly and no (unless the frets are severely worn).

SpankThePlank said:

Should I ... look for a newer bass?

Things appear to be shaping up that way.

goldtop said:

I think @ICBM is right about selling as-is and moving on to something that does inspire you from the moment you pick it up.

I concur. Less work for the OP. Quick cash to put towards something more appealing.

I will say, however, that the cost of a new MIM Fender might be enough to land a pre-owned USA model.

The Ibanez Soundgear SR series is usually very nice in the hands. The drawback is that the non-standard sized pickups in some models are difficult-to-impossible to upgrade, should the need arise.

SpankThePlank

@Funkfingers thanks for taking  the time to work through that lot :-)
It's the r/wood f/board w tort guard and slightly ill OW paint that you can see on t' web. Has reverse tuning heads w 4 screws and originally had the spaghetti logo with a T rather than the naughty Fender-like one. I was one of those who sanded off the logo years ago, but have since rectified it with nitro and a correct replacement transfer.

I bought it c. late 80s, though it may have been slightly NOS when I bought it. Can't remember.

I have just tried an Active Lead (remember them?) and it sounds better, plus I'm thinking another cheap option is some better strings. Mine are Picato rounds and quite possibly holding things back.  Maybe flats would be an improvement? I'm a guitarist mainly, hence lack of bass knowledge. 

Also, I have the wax so not averse to having a go, plus it doesn't cost money (unless the pickups get worse)... replacing the pots etc had been in my mind but will need to find out what is needed. Will that make a lot of difference?

I have read that the bridge is pretty much identical to a Fender type so perhaps best left alone. 

The frets are not badly worn, just.... unpleasant to me ;-)

mbe

Flats will eliminate most, if not all, of the finger noise and wear headphones to eliminate background noise on recordings.

Emiel

Any pictures? I might be able to help with dating and figuring out the model number/value.

SpankThePlank

@mbe thanks. Flats ordered and cans are a fair point, tho the finger noise is not the strings but my right hand touching the plastic covers. That's why I thought potting might help. :-)

SpankThePlank

@Emiel ;
I have worked out what it was in the past but I cant remember now! Cheers

Tokai Jazz sound https://imgur.com/gallery/8fP540U

Funkfingers

Static electricity.

mbe

Think about fitting chrome covers on the pickups to avoid tapping them.

SpankThePlank

@Funkfingers not static - more just a physical mechanical thing. 

Emiel

SpankThePlank said:

@Emiel ;
I have worked out what it was in the past but I cant remember now! Cheers

Tokai Jazz sound https://imgur.com/gallery/8fP540U

Nice looking bass!

With my limited knowledge, I'd say it is a 1984 JB40 in Olympic White.

SpankThePlank

@Emiel cheers!

ICBM

I'm sure you'll be able to sell that easily, and quite likely for as much or more than a MIM Fender will cost.

SpankThePlank

@ICBM ; you may be right :-) After this thread and thinking and looking around I have decided to go for the simplest and cheapest upgrades: new pickups (2x Wilkinson Alnicos for £50), new CTS controls and a set of Fender flats.  If there isn't a significant improvement after that I will sell it

The Fender I played felt and sounded great but when I went back to the Tokai it wasn't a million miles away, so after owning this thing for over 30 years I thought it must be worth a last go.  If everything goes well I will prob refret one day.

I'll report in due course.  Thanks for everyone's help!

SpankThePlank

Quick update - if only to help any future players in my position :-)

I have spent about £100 in total which got me a nicer loaded control plate, 2x Alnico pickups and a set of (heavier) flatwounds (my first - loving them).

This has transformed the Tokai into something much better.  The pickups are much more solid-sounding with a new-found depth and the strings have improved the feel. I have finally been able to set the intonation reliably (the old strings were lighter and of lesser quality) and the controls will last longer and be nicer to use (can't tell what difference there is with the sound yet).

All in, completely worth trying plus it saved me the hassle and finacial juggling of selling then shopping around for a new bass.

Thanks to everyone for your valuable opinions!