Tokai LS-320 Les Paul

This is a 2000 something (not sure of the year) used Tokai LS-320 I bought from Japan. It is a honey sunburst, highly flamed, which looks comparable to and has the same appointments as any top of the line current Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul.

The guitar has Seth Lover Seymour Duncan pick-ups, which sound in this guitar -- indeed very similar to the real PAF's in my all original 1957 first-year PAF model goldtop Les Paul. The sound is simply GREAT.

After I got the guitar, I had it set up with a set of 11's, which required a slight truss rod adjustment. The action gets as low as you'd like, with no buzzes. The neck is very solid and substantial -- feels liks the 57 Gibson -- wide and chunky enough for my taste, but not a club. Plays like a dream.

Seems to be built like a truck, like any quality Les Paul. The workmanshio and attention to detail surpasses any new Gibson.

Heard that Tokai is a pleasure to deal with -- but I bought this second hand, so had no first hand experience with the company.

GUITAR IS FANTASTIC. Been playing too many years. Have many top of the line vintage and new guitars and amps. This guitar fits in perfecty with the best of them.

2003 Japan made '59 LP replica ('copy' is not a word that does it justice). Usual LP construction plus long neck tenon that goes right into the pickup cavity (I've looked) and using the highest quality parts as covered in the other reviews. Came with a nice case. I changed the 'rocket' shaped Tokai truss rod cover for a Gibson one, but that's it. Also has the usual LP bugbear of poor high fret access but I've been playing around that for so long I don't even notice it, so I won't mark it down.

I use it straight into a Laney VC50 with no effects (it would be a crime to mask the sound of this guitar). I play all styles except country and this is good enough for me. Amazing tone and clarity from the neck (it has to be heard to be believed) and bridge pickups all the way up the gain scale and this guitar just gets fatter sounding the more you turn up the amp. Unbelievable.

Faultless. I actually raised the action because it was too low for my liking and put some .11s on it (Gibson scale guitars just feel too slack to me with lighter strings - it feels like I might bend them straight off the neck).

Does the Pope kiss airport runways?

No idea. I ordered this guitar new over the net from Guitar Shop Universe in Japan and they made it quick and painless.

Playing 14 years. Own 2 Strats (60 relic & AmSeries), 4 Les Pauls (Custom Shop Elegant, 02 Standard, Heritage H140 & this one), Vigier Excalibur Custom, 52RI Tele, PRS Signature Model (so good it hurts) and a Yamaha Pacifica (surely the most underrated axe in the world?). I bought this baby blind after hearing good things about them and I'm glad I did. Has made my other LPs redundant (I'm even thinking of selling them). If I was forced to choose between keeping this and my PRS signature I'd probably take the easy way out and blow my own brains out!!! It would never get stolen as it's carefully locked away. As for 'losing' it... Duh... don't think so.

This is a brand new Love Rock LS320 model, currently top of line of the Tokai guitars, made at the Tokai facility in Hamamatsu in Japan.
Basicaly a 59 Les Paul replica, with few own Tokai appointments such as the rocket truss rod cover.
One piece mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and one piece flamed mahogany body, neck with long-tenon joint, just like the old Les Paul new Historic reissues. Light weight guitar of this type, low 8lbs.
Bookmatched 4A chevron flame top, finished in Cherry Sunburst.
2 Seth Lover pickups, CTS pots, vintage style caps, Kluson type tuners, light weight tailpiece. Finish in vintage style lacquer.
The neck has a 59 carve, not baseball bat like a 58, not thin as a 60, very confortable. Pretty much mainstream carve by todays standards.

The Tokai case is also really nice.

I've been thru lots of guitars, currently I own more than 25, including some top of line PRS and McInturff. This guitar is at least on the same level of the best guitars I've played.
The sound has tons of dynamics, the guitar vibrates like no other. It's everything I could expect from a guitar.
The neck pickup is very full and clear, while the bridge has a tad more bite. Playing thru a Tweed Deluxe with a SD-1, you can sound almost clean to very crunchy, kind of Robben Ford. The guitar has the Knofpler dynamic when you play with your fingers.
The PAF tone is all there, hollow woody midrange. Compared with my 81 Heritage Les Paul, it has more presence, while the Gibson has more pronounced midrange. They complement each other, if you're seaching for ultimate Les Paul tones. But the sustain is unbelieavable. It's one of the very few guitars that you can bend a note and see the volume even rising a bit.

The controls work really well, you can get the woman tone, get jazzy, or agressive like Gibbons.

Finish is top notch, as good as it gets. Frets are medium jumbo, but rounded and smooth, unlike the trapezoid frets of most Gibsons.
The lacquer brings out the best of the wood, specially in the back, where the flamed mahogany really shines.
This guitar has now flaws.

Regarding the factory set-up, I only had to loosen the truss rod a bit. I did expect that, since the guitar came all the way from Japan to Brazil, took 4 days and stayed a lot on cold airplane cargo compartments. Every guitar that comes from airmail to me needs a bit adjustment. It's default.

Considering it's made as the old Les Pauls, which are around much longer than me, I have no doubts it will be pretty reliable. It's been with me only a month.

I've dealt directly with mr. Shohei Adachi, the president of Tokai Gakki company. He's been a gentleman all the way, have done everything to satisfy my needs. Sent pics, answered my emails the next day.
It's the best costumer support I've had in my life.

This might look to biased, but it's not. This has been the greatest experience guitar-wise I've been thru. I've had more than 50 guitars during the last 10 years, and this one is defitely the most pleasure surprise I've had.
I have no complaints. I'm usually pretty critical about gear, once I have a new guitar I'm always looking for its flaws, anything I can correct or not.
Maybe I'd like this guitar to come with Duncan Antiquities, but so far the Seth Lovers have delivered the goods. I might even change the pickups if the squeal to much under distortion (Seths are non wax-potted pickups), but it won't be because of tone.
The guitar is so good I'm selling some stuff to get another one.
I could sell 15 guitars of mine only to buy 320s.
If I had to have one and only guitar, this would be it.

Typical Les Paul set-up. Solid maple top. Duncan Antiquity pick-ups, Goldtop (listed as "paint of brass powder".) Perfect neck profile. Binding covers fret ends. Gibson bell trussrod cover as opposed to Tokai Half Moon and does not say "Love Rock" on headstock. This is not typical for this model. Fit and finish perfect. Came with Tokai late 50's replica Lifton case. Very accurate replica.

Sounds just like my real '57 Goldtop. The Duncan Antiquities are awesome! This guitar is very chimey and each note is articulated clearly, even with massive Boogie OD.

Everything perfect. No flaws. The Japanese are sticklers for detail and this is the highest model of Love Rock. Obviously handmade by people who will get an ass whoopin' if things are not perfect. Seriously, if Gibson were building this same quality, I'd buy more Gibsons, but at this price, I can't resist.

duh?

N/A. Getting in touch with Tokai is like trying to reach your dead relatives via seance. Fah-ged-about-it!

Own every guitar worth onwing. Something I wish I asked before buying this guitar? Sure, wish I asked for 20 more! Love it!

Made in 2000. Typical Les Paul appointments. This is pretty much an exact replica of a Gibson Historic '59 Les Paul. The AAAA Maple flame top is clear as can be...not one "artifact". Just the most beautiful flame job, but not over the top like recent Gibsons. This one is just like a real vintage 59. The back is one piece mahogany and is just the most beautiful piece of wood...just like that seen on an old SG from the early days. The fretboard is "Jacaranda", which I found out is Brazilian for Rosewood. It is dark and dense like ebony. Guitar finished in nitrocellouse lacquer as per specs from Tokai. These guys nailed it!

Has Duncan pearley gates. Sounds and plays incredible. Frets are covered by binding like Gibson. Inlays are actual MOP and not mother of toilet seat. Seriously nice work. Could only be handmade by fussy luthiers, IMHO.

Action, fit, finish all flawless. Even has oil filled condensors (capacitors) for the tone circuits. These guys do copy guitars right!

As durable and well put together as anything I own from brand G.

N/A Don't know. Bought used in New condition.

Teriffic value. This is the $6,000 Gibson for $1700. Can't and won't complain about that.