Another Tokai Goldstar ID question

[NewUser619]

Hi guys. Long time lurker, first time caller. It's a pleasure.

I'm looking at a (lefty) Tokai Goldstar near me for $850 NZD, which is around $550 USD. I've been looking for a white/rosewood lefty for ages but they're rare as hen's teeth around here and Fender stopped making them with their new Player series, even used MIMs are hard to find in that configuration, but I came across this Tokai for sale today. The seller says they bought it around the mid-90s from a shop in Christchurch, NZ. No case. No serial anywhere, and apparently no mods.

It has the Deluxe tuners btw.

Things that don't seem 100% inline with the usual, or at least some things that caught my eye:

- No serial number anywhere (I can't see one and seller says there isn't one)
- Backplate has that long hole in it rather than the 6 individual ones.
- Final Prospec saddles, I'm just not sure when they were phased out but around 83/84?
- Broken 'fixed' tuner. No big deal.

PICS ALBUM: Tokai Goldstar

PICS IN POST (smaller):

I don't have any photos of the pots sorry, just what's in the album above.

What do you think we're dealing with here? The guitar is about 700 miles from me and on a different island so I can't really check it out easily.

Any pearls of wisdom on this one? I'm wondering if it's just something made from different era parts that were in the factory at the time and this is the result but figured your more experienced eyes would see things I don't.

Cheers guys,

619

 

[felis]

Hi and welcome.

About the serial number, apparently there have been some Goldstar Sound models without serial number.

The ones I've read about, were from somewhere between 2000 and 2010 though.

 

[NewUser619]

Hi and welcome.

About the serial number, apparently there have been some Goldstar Sound models without serial number.

The ones I've read about, were from somewhere between 2000 and 2010 though.

Thanks for that.

2000 sounds too late by the sellers recollection. At the very least, the one pictured is MIJ though right? It points me to a tst55L but it's seemingly impossible to be 100% on that.

 

[Stu78]

The VI stamping on the pickups if they are original to the guitar, which I'm sure they are would indicate that that the guitar was manufactured mid 80's.

 

[NewUser619]

The VI stamping on the pickups if they are original to the guitar, which I'm sure they are would indicate that that the guitar was manufactured mid 80's.

Is it VI or VII?

I thought it was VI until I zoomed in and out looks like there's 2 lines there, just very close together.

 

[NewUser619]

There's a brass plate in there too which points to mid-80s MIJ.

The guy wants $940 shipped though, which is probably around $600-625 USD. Sounds like a bit too much to me or is that about right? There's no case.

 

[felis]

There's a brass plate in there too which points to mid-80s MIJ.

Yes, brass ground plate was used up until 1985.

 

[felis]

The guy wants $940 shipped though, which is probably around $600-625 USD. Sounds like a bit too much to me or is that about right? There's no case.

Mostly original and in somewhat good condition, I would say that the price is about right.....

And its a lefty...hard to find elsewhere.

 

[felis]

Here's a recent chat about price point for a mid eigthies Goldstar Sound.
I apparently was way behind on these days prices.

Thread 'Tokai vs ESP Stratocaster' https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/tokai-vs-esp-stratocaster.583498/

 

[NewUser619]

Here's a recent chat about price point for a mid eigthies Goldstar Sound.
I apparently was way behind on these days prices.

Thread 'Tokai vs ESP Stratocaster' https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/tokai-vs-esp-stratocaster.583498/

I knew they had it rough in Europe but that's something else. Reminds me when I was looking at Mesa prices over there. Crazy.

850 euro is $1400 NZD. This tokai feels like a bargain when you put it like that.

 

[NewUser619]

I bought it. I got a message saying he'd do free shipping which saves me $50.

Weirdly it doesn't have any trem springs in there but that doesn't sound like a huge deal.

Since we're here, does anyone know what size trem arm these bridges take?

 

[felis]

I bought it. I got a message saying he'd do free shipping which saves me $50.

Weirdly it doesn't have any trem springs in there but that doesn't sound like a huge deal.

Since we're here, does anyone know what size trem arm these bridges take?

Fender Japan part (mm sized) should fit.

 

[felis]

I knew they had it rough in Europe but that's something else. Reminds me when I was looking at Mesa prices over there. Crazy.

850 euro is $1400 NZD. This tokai feels like a bargain when you put it like that.

Exactly.....and a lefty...

 

[felis]

I bought it. I got a message saying he'd do free shipping which saves me $50.

Congrats....

Looking forward to your New Tokai Thread when it arrives...

 

[NewUser619]

Congrats....

Looking forward to your New Tokai Thread when it arrives...

Thanks man. The pots are labeled M250k which is something I've not seen before, and they had it listed as a "late 90s strat copy" which I don't think it is as everything is pointing to a mishmash of early-mid 80s Japanese Tokai.

Will definitely do a deep dive when it arrives and hopefully it lives up to the Goldstar reputation.

 

[NewUser619]

See the M250k markings on the pots and what looks to be the brass grounding plate. I took that plate as a good sign.

 

[simoncroft]

I've owned a few Tokais, but I'm not an expert. @felis knows vastly more than me. I just wanted to say 'Welcome To Strat-Talk', and I think you've bought yourself a very nice guitar there. Although I'm old enough to remember when Tokais were amazingly cheap on the used market, it seems players have woken up to how great these guitars really are, so I'd say you've paid about the right money. If it's a 1980s model, you've probably bagged a bargain.

To me, the big deal is this: If you still love that guitar in 10 years time, the purchase price doesn't really matter. I hope you have many years of playing enjoyment.

 

[NewUser619]

In

I've owned a few Tokais, but I'm not an expert. @felis knows vastly more than me. I just wanted to say 'Welcome To Strat-Talk', and I think you've bought yourself a very nice guitar there. Although I'm old enough to remember when Tokais were amazingly cheap on the used market, it seems players have woken up to how great these guitars really are, so I'd say you've paid about the right money. If it's a 1980s model, you've probably bagged a bargain.

To me, the big deal is this: If you still love that guitar in 10 years time, the purchase price doesn't really matter. I hope you have many years of playing enjoyment.

Aww thanks man that's kind of you. I think it's an 84 or 85 model judging fron pickups, saddles, brass plate, logo etc and the prices have definitely gone up over the past year or two so I figured while the markets strong I could sell it for around what I paid and no harm done if I didn't like it.

I had a fender Japan strat I couldn't like with it's maple board and very narrow frets, but these are apparently bigger frets and rosewood had always been my jam.

We'll see what shows up when it gets here in a week or so.

 

[felis]

See the M250k markings on the pots and what looks to be the brass grounding plate. I took that plate as a good sign.

All look mid eighties to me too...maybe the seller is mistaken a century?

EDIT; a 'decade'.....

 

[Thrup'ny Bit]

All look mid eighties to me too...maybe the seller is mistaken a century?

I have those same pots in my 1982 CSL...