DanH71 Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) Any help on identifying (date and place of production) on my newly acquired bass... So at closer inspection and by comparing it to other guitars I suspect I could have a tokai bass That has had its headstock sprayed and dodgy Fender decal put on. The bridge and its spacing to the pickup seem to be identical to the tokai as does the Fender jazz bass shaped headstock With its more acute and poorly rounded floor facing contour. Also the more rounded tip on the lower horn of the scratch plate seems To be like several tokai bases I have seen as is the more acute bevel of the body. The neck plate seems to have no serial though so don't know if this was replaced to disguise the fact It wasn't a fender (without bothering to put a fender one on in its place;) Slightly dissapointed it's not in part some rare Fender gem but I understand to that some tokai jazz basses are sought after..it certainly sounds very good with the basic pickups it has (very jazzy) Question is, how can I tell what tokai I do have (year and place of production)? looking here: http://www.tokairegi...kai-fender.html It illustrates that all tokai j-basses carried a fender copy ID number on the neck plate. My bass doesn't have such a number (it's blank) so how can I tell if I have an actual tokai other than going on a gut feeling/suspicion. Is there another tell tale sign other than this plate mark or the headstock decal (that I don't have)? Would there be a stamp on the body behind the neck that tells a tale? The headstock shape certainly looks like and meets the description of a post Fender law suit headstock by Tokai (anywhere from 82-86).. Thanks Edited June 13, 2017 by DanH71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 No idea but it's nice! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Dunno, but headstock truss rod adjustment isn't the stuff of reissues or 60's/70's copies, as far as I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doomed Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) Both my Japanese Tokai's have truss rod adjustment at the heel of the neck, my Chinese Tokai jazz has headstock truss rod adjustment. Edited June 13, 2017 by doomed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanH71 Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 Thanks for the replies. How do I tell if there's trust rod adjustment ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 My old Tokai Jazz had heel end truss rod adjustment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanH71 Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) [quote name='DanH71' timestamp='1497378687' post='3317713'] Thanks for the replies. How do I tell if there's trust rod adjustment ? [/quote] I'm guessing it's the cavity at the base of the headstock that has a screw inside;) To add to my confusion and muddy the waters in my search for its origin I've Now seen a Lake Placid Blue SX bass with the cavity on the heel of the headstock so how do I differentiate between the two to know if I have an SX or tokai!? I looked around and can't find a tokai with screws at the pick up facing side of the bridge so does this point to it being an SX more than tokai? Edited June 13, 2017 by DanH71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) The Tokia copies that I have seen with the Fender shaped head stock have had the truss rod adjustment at the body end as per 60`s and early 70`s Fenders. The newer Tokia`s have a different style head stock design so as not to infringe Fender`s copyright. To be honest, I can`t see this being a early 80`s Tokia copy as they are highly regarded Japanese made instruments and were thought to be as good as, if not better, than what Fender was making at the time. Why someone would put a Fender badge on one of them? What you more than likely have is a bitsa and one you seem to be happy with which is all good. Edited June 13, 2017 by jezzaboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 The UK distributior for tokai showed me a similar bass about 10 years ago (if not 15 years ago - where does time go?) and there was blue and a red one. Thy were nice, but the tokai link is a bit of a red herring in terms of build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanH71 Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) Thanks guys for the replies.. So the plot thickens... I suspected because if the difference between my guitars 7 screw bridge (5 Fender like and 2 at the front of the bridge facing the bridge pickup) that it wasn't a Tokai (I've not seen one with such a bridge, does anyone know any different?)... Then I find on ebay a seller with an item he professes to be a Tokai AB -LPBR (lake placid blue), which isn't a real code as far as I can see, with a stated bridge of BB-VBC, which comparing to Tokai images with BB-VBC bridges that it isn't (7 as opposed to 5 screws). Could anyone confirm that Tokai don't nor ever had 7 screw bridges before I report the guy (who has a shop) on eBay???? His guitar seems to have an SX headstock/neck with dodgy decal: http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tokai-Electric-Jazz-Sound-Bass-Guitar-4-string-AJB-LPBR-WITH-GIG-BAG-TUNER-b-/322520018526?hash=item4b17b0ee5e%3Ag%3AEagAAOSwxKtYA%7EQ1&_trkparms=pageci%253A242ce49a-507f-11e7-97e5-74dbd1807b7c%257Cparentrq%253Aa35af29b15c0ab66ae5f7b1dffff064f%257Ciid%253A1 I take it the price is rather generous too that he is offering. Edited June 13, 2017 by DanH71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 I've previously seen the weird gap between the lower edge of the treble horn and the pickguard on SX basses. The manufacturer of SX basses has sold the same basses to various distributors under various names and the same basses have been branded as 'Jim Deacon' in the UK. The headstock shape also seems like it might be similar to the shape used by some older Jim Deacon models Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanH71 Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 @Jean-Luc, Thanks for the info but not sure about to what you're referring when you talk of. Strange gap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 I'll try to explain: The curve of the pickguard doesn't look like it follows the curve of the lower (treble side) horn as evenly as a Fender - I can see a bit of a gap there where more of the body finish is visible. It looks like that part of the pickguard should extend a little lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanH71 Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' timestamp='1497458075' post='3318355'] I'll try to explain: The curve of the pickguard doesn't look like it follows the curve of the lower (treble side) horn as evenly as a Fender - I can see a bit of a gap there where more of the body finish is visible. It looks like that part of the pickguard should extend a little lower. [/quote] Thanks JLP. Yes the scratch plate is certainly a sign of lack of quality and could lead to it being an SX body. I have put up photos of my bass on the Tokai Registry Forum and some seem to think I have a Chinese low line built Tokai. Either way, I'm not bothered. I actually like the body and neck so plan to get an Omega/Badass/Hipshot A and new scratchplate to breathe new life into this familiar and feel good bass. Then on to the pups and maybe then the neck. The body is pretty hefty and solid so it's a good base to build on. Edited June 14, 2017 by DanH71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 I liked it better when you said "...Then on to the pubs..." I'd have drunk to that then sat back to see what pickups you favour. Heeheehee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanH71 Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 [quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1497462232' post='3318418'] I liked it better when you said "...Then on to the pubs..." I'd have drunk to that then sat back to see what pickups you favour. Heeheehee [/quote] Haha;) Pups ,,,pubs .. they both amplify the real you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Dan. The E bay link looks like a genuine Tokia, one of the newer models that are made in China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanH71 Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 [quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1497470900' post='3318536'] Dan. The E bay link looks like a genuine Tokia, one of the newer models that are made in China. [/quote] Hey Jazzboy, That's interesting. Several of the folk on the Tokai forum said it was a 'Fakai' (fake Tokai) because they said the decal was incorrect and the serial no wasn't a valid one. I only looked at this bass on eBay as I was trying to identify my own bass (seen in the my post) and I noticed it had a similar body and the same bridge that I have with the 7 screw mount. It's certainly not easy to know if something is genuine or not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shockwave Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 (edited) I remember a number of these basses being produced in the mid 2000's no named but matching headstock colours (For the J basses), high gloss necks with the full bits of tin (Bridge and pup covers). They had both P and J's and were reasonably well made with decent (Though usually heavy) woods. Many of them had mint coloured scratchplates. The rumour was (From the shopkeeper who sold them himself) is that they were made by the Chinese factory who called themselves Tokai (but had nothing to do with the Tokai we all know and love). They are decent basses but nothing special. Edited June 14, 2017 by Shockwave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanH71 Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 Cheers Shockwave. Yes, the body really does weigh some. Appreciate these basses aren't anything spectacular but I'm really liking the sound and feel of mine (not touched my VM squier since) Gotoh 204-1B is ordered and I was looking into new pups but I'm really liking the sound at present. Hope to have this as my project bass that I can evolve over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.