Product: Tokai ES-900
Price Paid: US $450,--
Submitted
01/16/2001
at
07:21am
by
Lue
Email: HJLueddecke at AOL<dot>COM
Features
:
10
I already had one excellent TOKAI Goldstar sound Strat copy. So when I jammed with some people the guitarist saw my "unusual" Strat and said he also owns a TOKAI guitar, a Es-335 semi-accounstic copy. Being a TOKAI fan I asked to see it. It was a blonde one with birdseye maple finish allover. 2 humbucker pickups, black/white/black
pickguard and 2 tone and volume pots. But as soon as I plugged it in, I knew I had to have it.
The neck is very slim a a phantatic player.It has transparent lacquer and the wood looks like honey. (nice colour) Mahogany ? can.t say exactly. The action is very low.
It has a stop tailpiece which plating has a bit worn out from sweat of the hand. The tuners look like the Gibson ones and no problem.
The fingerboard is rosewood with dot markers.
The body has the foorm of a ES 335 made pre-62. It is the one with the old body form with Mickey mouse ears.( Round cutaways)
The series No. is 60, i was told it is a pre-series model for the Frankfurt music fair somewhere in the 80s.
Sound
:
10
It was just the right guitar in the right moment as I was just joining a BEATLES cover band and to play BEATLES with a Strat ?
( well they used it on Nowhere man etc.)
SUch a phantastic sound ,Rich and full and also clear! I used to play a (GEorge Harrison) 60s Epiphone Casino and a 70s Gibson ES-335 in the 70's. and this one is right somewhere in the middle. Very clear tone. The low strings really sound like "wire". (You should hear "DAY tripper" played on it" ) Sounds as if there was no soundblock, but there is. (maybe it is not as solid as in a Gibson)
SOunds great without any effect added. Just guitar, VOX AC 30, (30th anniversary limited edition) and a cable.
Also great with Boss super overdrive.
The pre-owner told me the pickups were microphonic, so he had removed the metal pickup covers and it is no more now. (It looks good though,
black pickquard and black pickups on a yellowish guitar.
A guitar cannot sound any better than this one.
I brought it to our local professional guitar dealer and the wanted to buy it off me immediately. I have never ever seen a similar one.
I just once saw an advert
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
The only thing I ever had to replace was 2 pieces of rubber. Yes, they used
no springs to hold the pickups in place but rubber washers. So I
carried it to the local shop and had them replaced by Gibson springs.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
The black layer of the headstock carrying the TOKAI logo is very sensitive. ( but is looks great. I even like the elegant TOKAI logo more than the Gibson one) SO when I put on new strings, I found it easily gets dings
and scratches. but that's all.This is why I only give 9
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Bought it second hand, so no contact to official dealer, however, as stated Gibson parts fit.
Overall Rating
:
10
I play the guitar more than 30 years. I played Fenders Strats, Gibson
ES-335 and Les Paul and 60- Epiphone Casino and I do have a Rickenbacker 12 string. And I must say this one is my main guitar. I am sad somehow, as I had to buy a GRETSCH COUNTRY GENTLEMAN recently to replace my beloved TOKAI for the older BEATLES tunes. (I got under pressure from the other lads in the band requiring the change for opticals sake.) I would not sell it !! And if I would loose it, it would be really sad. My favourite feature on this guitar is the slim neck. And of course the wonderful semi accounstic sound.
