Tokai Les Paul Custom

Well, this is your typical Les Paul Custom copy, this one was made in Japan, mahogany body with no maple cap, set neck, rosewood fingerboard (22 jumbo frets, complete with fret binding and pearloid block inlays), gold hardware and PAF style pickups. Mine's finished in white/cream, looks good with the gold hardware. Hardware is Gotoh throughout, which I was pleasantly surprised to find! Also came with well fitted hardcase, strap and straplocks, again a relief to find, though these schallers fitted by the previous owner, and not standard.
For the price, the features on this guitar stand out, esp the hardware, did not expect that, and gladly warrants a perfect 10.

Well, I've never been much into my humbuckers, and have always been a strat/tele man. However, after some strong recommendations from some very learned friends, and plenty of reading, I fell in love with this guitar - and when I finally saw one at a bargain, I had to have it! The sound is phenomenal unplugged, fantastic bluesy tone, and that's always a good sign. Suits me perfectly, for bluesy leads, general chordy janglings, and anything I might come up with in between. The neck pickup is deliciously warm, while the bridge gives a nice bite for rockier tones. This guitar has single handedly converted me to humbuckers, and for that matter Les Pauls, which I'll come to later. In short, this guitar is gonna put out just about any sound you could want, save for the hardest of metallers. For my tastes, it's a 10, but bein devils advocate, bridge pup could maybe be hotter to make it the most versatile .

Well, I won't lie, when I got the guitar, the setup was absolutely crap - the strings were literally resting on the bridge pup, which was also way too high, fingerboard was filthy, frets caked in crap. However, best part of an afternoon spent gettin acquainted with her and she's an absolute beauty now. Underneath all that rubbish was a gorgeous guitar waiting to shine. Action adjusts really low without any fretbuzz, fingerboard/neck is lightning fast. With no maple cap, this guitar had no problems in finish - just a perfect aged white job all over, looks lovely and understated - and more in keepin with the original gibson custom jobs. Tuners were v solid and hold a tune perfectly, and hardware in general is all top notch gotoh stuff. Beautiful work on the headstock and inlays. Guitar looks lot more expensive than I paid for it.
As the guitar came to me, this would probs go into the minus figures! But in its defense, this was down to the previous owner. As the guitar is now, this is definitely a 10. Perfect in every detail, a most excellent reproduction of the original

Not played her live, not had her long enough! Hardware looks definitely solid enough to last, and I would certainly trust it in a live situ, and will happily take her to my next gig without a worry, save for strings. Don't have a backup anyway! Finish nice and chunky, few light scratches but looks like it can take some abuse. Nice and heavy, feels plenty durable. As mentioned, have schaller locks on it, so no worries about the strap buttons - but can't comment on the reliability of the original equipment.
She holds a tune well, and doesn't show too many scratches - this is about my requisite for live reliability, and under that system, a 10 is well deserved.

No experience.

Been playin just under 5 years, so realise am far from being an expert. However, I do take a big interest in my guitars, and read up plenty on this company and this guitar in particular before gettin this guitar, and let me tell you to believe the hype. I'd been soured against gibson knock offs by an epiphone copy in the past, but this tokai has proved them wrong, and gibson were definitely right to be worried by these guys! I love the look of the guitar, it's sexy without being in your face, like an handsome woman...
Sound is to die for, stretches to every genre I like to play anyway.
Replaces a cheap as chips no name tele and a 95 USA strat plus, but this thing is so much higher quality in finish and sound, she oozes class, and happily takes place as my main guitar now. I don't see myself selling this, or needing another guitar - this covers all my bases, and I honestly don't believe, at my current level (and income) that a real gibson would be worth it.
Kinda heavy, but not as much as some copies i've played - in short, this a wonderful rock/blues guitar. If it's your thing and you see one for less than 500, then don't hesitate, you won't regret it!!

1984 model Tokai - typical black les paul custom with a cream scratch guard.Looks great! I am actually proud that it is a Tokai and not a Gibson.

Bought this as was advertised dirt cheap and I thought I could double or treble my money. Since buying it though my gibson LP studio has lived in its case, and thats the one thats going to go. Sligfhtly diofferent sounds to the gibson, but has a lovely sound of its own -instant peter green, and a great feel to it. Pickups unknown.

Well this was 22 years old when bought and apart from a few minor bits of wear was superb.

22 years old and probably feels and plays as it did in '84.

never used.

Been playing years, - usually strats and superstrats - I still love them, but my first Gibson was the studio les paul fireburst and I never really liked it and swung away from gibsons - only bought this because of price. Probably going to flog the gibson and try an ibanez next! - The Tokai is staying put!

Mine is an early 1984 ("401xxx" production number) LC "60" series made in Japan. Features: It is a classic 22 fret 1957 Les Paul Custom clone with a mohogany body, mohogany neck and, importantly for this model, a mohogany top. Typical LP controls (independent volume and tone controls for each of the two pickups, three-way toggle switch for pickup selection of bridge/neck and b+n full humbucking pickups -- original passive Tokai pickups). Finished in a beautiful gloss black. Has the typical LP Custom type appointments: tune-o-matic w/stop tailpiece, Gibson style tuners, gold plated hardware -- very little tarnish on this one--very good all-original condition Tokai. This is an excellent LP copy. Bought used without a case via EBAY auction. This would normally not get a 10 for features compared to modern features for guitars (coil splitting, active electronics, etc.), but considering that it is intended to be a close copy (and it is) of a 1957 Les Paul Custom, for something representative of that era, it would have been considered feature-filled (except for a possible add-on vibrato tailpiece--thank God it doesn't have one!).

Sound is great! It's the best thing about this guitar. Gets a solid 10! Very versatile with an overall warm tone. It is perfectly adaptable to ANY style of music that requires an electric guitar. I play a variety of styles from straight country to classic rock to modern "saturation" rock, early punk, grunge, post-modern grunge, you name it. I love to play! -- all in gig situations (usually not all during the same gig, mind you!). I have too many amps (and guitars--so says my wife); but, depending on the situation, I use primarily one or a combination (using A/B switch) of the following: 1975 Marshall Mark 2 JMP 50 watt head with 1990 Marshall 1960 A cabinet; 1968 Fender Bassman head and matching Bassman cabinet (the large cabinet with/2-12" speakers -- it's sooo coooool!); 1984 Roland JC-120; Line 6 POD Pro into Crest Audio and/or Peavey power amp, usually into a custom made 2-10" cabinet and/or the Marshall 1960 A cabinet; 1968 Ampeg B-25 head and Peavey bass enclosure w/2-10" speakers and one 18" speaker (I love the bottom this set-up gives the guitar--it's unmatched by fx pedals, eq devices, etc. and the Ampeg head's ability to select frequency cuts/boosts helps tailor the sound for guitar. Used in combination with the '68 Bassman set-up via A/B switch, it's unbelievable -- I get lots of comments from other guitarists/musicians about how completely punchy and full, literally top to bottom, this set-up sounds -- of course, it is every bit the pain-in-the-ass you're probably imagining to drag this set-up around, and me and my back are not getting any younger.... oh, the sacrifices we make for tone!) As far as fx--I'm overloaded. I've got a huge "motherboard" pedal board with way too much stuff involved -- about one of everything. It's got its own massive anvil flight case! I have gotten smarter and created a smaller fx pedalboard. My basic fx chain is this (on the "small" board, which I'm using mostly now): Boss T2 tuner (a must for shows)-->Vox A847 wah (currently being modded with Fulltone parts)-->Fulltone Fulldrive 2-->Rat2 Distortion (yes, I am a Rat fan--I know others do not like Rats, but I have been using them for years and I really like them -- especially after the FD2! melty/smooth distortion results)-->E/H Holy Grail reverb-->Ibanez cs9-->Ibanez DE7-->Whirlwind Selector A/B switch. The guitar is not noisy at all-very quiet. Guitar has definitely captured the classic mohogany topped LP sound (very warm -- think certain early Jeff Beck...). I've compared it directly with my 1974 Gibson LP Standard (a real nice LP for a seventies model -- guess I got lucky 'cause other 70s LPs are not so great). The '74 Gibson LP sounds considerably brighter and is much heavier than the Tokai. I paid twice as much for the Gibson LP as I did the Tokai and I almost always grab the Tokai LP over the Gibson LP when headin' out to play; not because of value considerations (not wanting to damage a very nice all-original Kalamazoo special order cherry burst LP Standard), but just for sound considerations alone! That says a lot about the sound quality of the Tokai. I have many other guitars, mostly Fender Stratocasters, G&Ls, a Hamer, etc. This Tokai, a particular G&L, and an early seventies Strat that I use mostly for country, are presently my three favorite solid body electrics. I think this Tokai is very underrated and really belongs in the category of a great guitar. I'd give it an eleven in this Sound category if I could!

I got this used, but was very impressed with the action, fit and finish. I've set it up to my particular liking and it adjusted well within expected tolerances. I wish it had a bone nut, though (it's plastic), and I'll probably change that.

This guitar has withstood live playing as well as any other quality guitar, and I've used it some in studio situations too. The gold plating on the hardware seems thin for a quality instrument, but I've yet to see any gold plated parts on any guitar that didn't eventually suffer from tarnish. You have to clean them well after each use to avoid it and this just doesn't happen with most musicians I've known. I would never gig without a back-up guitar. Anything could happen (and has in all my years of playing). I typically bring a relatively inexpensive but well-set-up and playable Stratocaster as a back-up to all gigs. It's crazy--no, that's excusable, let's make it, stupid! not to bring a back-up guitar to a gig (in my opinion)!

Never dealt with them--don't know.

I've been playing for a lifetime. My first "real" gig in a bar was in 1975 -- I was 15 -- I've played out ever since, though I've had a day job too (no wonder I'm so tired all the time!). Again, I've got way too much gear--I don't even know what all I have anymore. So much stuff it takes up half the house and all of the band practice space (350 square foot room). (yeah, I got one of them high paying day jobs -- guess that's why i never quit it to play full time after I was in my early twenties -- it allowed me the $$ to buy more gear!). Overall, I highly recommend Tokai guitars based upon my experience with this guitar and other early Tokai guitars I've played along the years. I can't speak about newer Tokai guitars. I've only owned this one and played several of the early Tokai strat copies -- I've been very pleasantly surprised each time. There's no question that the craftsmanship, quality of wood, attention to detail, and desire to recreate the classic guitars of the 50s 60s and 70s has combined to make the early Tokai guitars (at least in my limited experience with them) extremely desireable. I would not hesitate to buy an early Tokai over a more modern Fender or Gibson -- or even a vintage one if money is an object (and when is it not?). In my opinion, the early Tokai replicas are just as good or better (and I've owned a 1955 Strat and a 1964 Strat-why did I ever part with those guitars???-- as well as several vintage LPs and SGs over the years). Some people complain about the quality of the pick-ups, but I think they are fine and comparable to what would be in the Fender or Gibson guitar that was copied. I also believe that these early Tokai guitars are undervalued, even considering their recent elevation in price. I think if you can get an early Tokai LP (Custom or Standard copy) for $1000 or under, you're not going to be disappointed. For my money, they are the best guitar value out there.

My Les Paul Custom was build in Japan. I think it was build in 1991.
I'm not sure which types of wood were used for my guitar. I'm not sure that its mahogany which is used for the body because its very light and the tone is diffrent to guitars made of mahogany. The body is made of two parts of wood. Because of the bright colour I guess its basswood (You can see under the pick-ups). The finish is black.
The triple binding is ivory coloured. The neck is made of darker wood perhaps mahogany and the fretboard is made of ebony. The Tune-o-Matic bridge, the stop tailpiece and the tuners are made Gotoh. Like any other Les Paul it has got two Humbuckers. The hardware is golden.

I play mainly Rock (Alternative, Heavy Metal, Grunge, Punk Rock), but Jazz and Funk, too. My guitar is just as versatile as me. I'm using a Cry Baby, a Tubescreamer and Marshall DSL-401. The Stock Pick-Ups were microphonic and muddy so I changed them to a Seymour Duncan SH-1 and a SH-4. This made my guitar sound more versatile. Now I've got some jazzy tones in the neck pick-up (SH-1) and enough rock power in the Bridge pick-up (Sh-4). The sound has got much better after changing the PUs and the new ones only get microphonic at incredible high volume and gain settings.

The quality is as better as Epiphone guitars. Especially the electronics has doon better,the finish is nearly perfect. There are no loose controls like on a Epiphone guitar. The frets are a bit low because the guitar has been played a lot but the fret are filed perfect. There are only two or three little flaws in the finish and the binding.

This guitar will last for a few more years when I refret the fretboard. This guitar is 10 years old and there already some little and medium scratches on it. Until now its my only guitar thats why its used a lot, but I think I can really rely on my guitar in every situation.

I'm not sure if Tokai is still producing or if there is even a custom support center!

I'm playing for only about 2 years and its my first guitar but I compared it many other guitars and I have to say that it really rocks for that low price. And the quality is good. If somebody steal it I would get very angry because its my only guitar. And its a good one, too.

I bought it second handed, but the owner had been playing it with silk gloves, since it was as perfect as a new one.. It's excactly like a real Les Paul, only the headstock logo is different. I'm not sure what wood it is, but it weights as much as Gobsons. The fretboard is rosewood and the finishing is perfect.

I play mostly metal, but the original pickups need to be changed, they deliver the classic les paul tone, but I'm not a fan of that. Electronis are top quality, the guitar is dead silent. The sound is really good..

Everything is perfect, I've been dealing with much worse Gibsons than this baby.

I would take on the stage with no hesitation. The gold hardware will come off, but that's no problem. Stays in tune well.. like I said top quality..

never dealt with them..

I've been playing for 10 years now. This is my only guitar at the moment. I sold my Randy Rhoads and bought this one.. This just wipes tha Jacksons ass anytime.. If it got stolen, I'd hunt the bastard and took my guitar back.. This is as classic as a real Gibson Les Paul custom, I think even more classic, because Tokai's haven't been made as much as Gibsons, and still they stand bright next to Gibsons. I'll be hooking it with EMG '81 and '85 soon, and it'll be a killer then.. I believe, I'll buy couple Tokais in the future too..