Tokai LS-65 Love Rock

This is a Tokai LS65 with all the usual les paul features, 22 frets solid mahogany body and neck, two piece maple cap,quality cream binding, gotoh tuners, bridge and tailpiece. The pickups are tokais own Vintage Paf Mk2 models. it came with a truss rod adjuster and a reasonable guitar lead.

I like rock and metal music mainly and i play through a Keeley DS1 ultra, Keeley twighlight zone (boss metal zone)and digitech distortion factory DF7 with a marshall supervibe for chorus. all of this goes into my marshall dsl 401.

I was surprised with the push this guitar has, the pickups are excellent. I am lucky to own two other guitars, an SG with seymour duncan jazz/JB humbuckers and an ESP with the zakk wulde set plus emg afterburner.

These Tokai pickups are easily the match for both of these guitars and they are just as smooth when played clean through the amp. unbelievable really as i was going to upgrade the pickups i will now save the money for something else.

I bought this guitar from music ground in leeds and they set the guitar up really well, perfectly intonated and with an awesome low action. the rest of the guitar is just so well put together everything looks solid. the only grumble i have is that the maple cap has a few dark spots too it in the grain that make it look like it has a dirty smudge in places. other than that it looks and feels the match of any Gibson.

Solid as they come with a real heavy weight feel to it, this thing is built like a tank and should last for a long toime.

Spoken to Tokai, very helpful even told me who was selling these things at the best price, they were right as well!!

For all the brand snobs out there give these TOKAIS a go. You wont be disappointed and with the #1500 you save you can get yourself a mesa boogie to just blow peoples heads off. Truth is i would love to own a gibson custom model but having tried several i was left a little disallusioned, the quality just isn't there. This tokai is right in all the areas that gibson go wrong.

My LS-65 was made in '92- got it just before Christmas '05. Hand made in Japan. Typical Les Paul set up- 2 volume, 2 tone controls, 3 way selector. Had 2 cream Dimarzzio pick ups. Came with hard shell case-Gibson quality all the way around- but better! Nice dark rosewood neck- and gorgeous lemon burst, flame top. Neck is small- like a 60's Les Paul Classic- weighs 8.25 lbs-light! Action low and sweet. Quality of finish was superb.

I play southern rock & blues- if you need a Les Paul sound- get one of these- save thousands! I've found nothing to dislike- fit and finish are as good or better than Gibson Custom shop- I know- I've got 1-58, 2-59, 1-60 Les Paul Historics. The Love Rock sounds, feels and looks just like the real deal- only difference is the cash you save. The look is every bit as stunning as any flamey Les Paul. Side by side- they are equal.

Top is Gibson quality AA or AAA flame top faded lemon color. Side by side with my 58 Historic- it's hard to tell the difference. Great frets, tuners, pick ups are good- hardware is top notch. I'm just wondering why Gibson can't build something this nice, for this price?

The Love Rock is built out of the same wood Gibson uses- mahogany-maple cap, rosewood finger board- and put together every bit as well. I assume it will last as well and yes- I have taken it out as the only guitar on gigs, with no fear. In fact, the reason I did buy it, was so I could leave the $3500-4500 Les Paul Historics at home when I play bar gigs. Strange things can happen in bars! Everything on the Tokai is as solid, and well built as the real deal.

Never dealt with Tokai- heck- they're not licensed to sell in the U.S. but any luthier who has Les Paul experience will have no problem with these. I do hear that in 2006- Tokai may be bringing a similar Les Paul copy into the U.S.- it will have a different headstock, and lower horn, may have other changes. The Japan built Love Rocks are the copies to own, because they are exact 50's copies, technically more right than any Historic Gibson has built. There is a form of support- called tokairegistry.com - a worldwide on line info center. There, you can educate yourself on their history, the different makes and models, with color pictures. Members help each other with ideas and suggestions. This is extremely helpful! I'd suggest viewing the web site before going after a Tokai, just so you'd know that people all over the world hold it in highest regard. Tokai's are becoming a phenomenon. Once thought of as just a copy- now folks realize, it's more accurately built than Gibson's best efforts. Their rising prices attest to the fact.

I've been playing and collecting guitars for over 30 years. I own a bunch of 'em. Another collector buddy and I have been calling Gibson for years asking why they call these guitars Historics- when they aren't accurate? Tokai brought in real 58-59-60 Les Paul's in the 70's- and in their methodical way, duplicated every curve, and part exactly. Try this- go look at the area between the pick ups on a Gibson Les Paul Historic- it's so arched, the pick ups rings are about to crack from being bent over. If you can-go look at any 1952-1960 Les Paul- that area is as flat as a pancake! Gibson won't, or can't get that right. Also, look and the body edge carve, about 1" in, around the top edge of a Les Paul. On a Gibson Historic, the carve stops about 2"-3" from the end of the lower horn; and it stops from the end of the toggle switch area. Go look at real 50's Paul- it goes clear to both ends of the guitar- all the way around. A Tokai (at least the older ones) have this body cut perfectly. Bottom line- I love Gibson, but I won't buy another one, unless it's a real 50's model. The fact is- Tokai produces a more accurate, and just as well built guitar! Tokai's can be obtained in the $500-1500 range, with some of the older ones now beginning to bring $2000 or more- folks are catching on! A new Gibson Historic 59- $4500-5000. Gibson's prices are all going down, Tokai is going up. The choice is yours. I'm buying Tokai from here on. They are just as good guitars as Gibson's finest. Makes you wonder why Gibson can't make a correct guitar at this price? If my Tokai were lost or stolen, I would get it back, or replace it with another Tokai Love Rock. If you love a Gibson Les Paul, you will love a Love Rock. And the price makes it that much sweeter!