The Tokai Guitar Information Source

 

Tokai Gakki Inc News

Mar 29 2007 - Tokai Returns to North American Market with SC-2C Carved-Top Model
Godlyke, Inc. is proud to announce the return of Tokai Guitars to the North American market! Tokai will be releasing five all-new models in 2007 to celebrate their 60th year of business. Manufactured by hand in the original Hamamatsu, Japan factory, these new Tokai models feature superior craftsmanship, tone, and playability that have come to be expected from an instrument carrying the Tokai brand name.

The Flagship model of the new Tokai line, the SC-2C Carved-Top model is the quintessential rock guitar. Showcasing an original Tokai single-cutaway body design that is at once familiar and unique, the SC-2C features the following:

  • African mahogany Body with string-through design
  • Carved top with choice of real wood cap
  • Perfect balance in standing or sitting positions
  • Quartersawn African mahogany set neck with extra-deep tenion for improved stability
  • 24 3/4 inch Scale Rosewood fingerboard with 22 jumbo Nickel frets
  • Tone Pros AVR-II Bridge for precise adjustment of the instruments intonation
  • Tone Pros/Klusion System II keystone machineheads for improved tuning
  • Simple yet effective Volume, Tone and 3-Way pickup selector control layout
  • Available colors: Solid Black, Solid White, Gold Top, Amber, See-Through Red, Violin, Cherry Sunburst, Tobacco Sunburst
  • Handmade in Hamamatsu, Japan
  • List price $1320 (solid), $1360 (trans), $1500 (flame top), $1550 (quilt top)
  • For information on the entire Tokai line, please visit our website www.godlyke.com or call toll-free 866-246-3596.

 
Jan 23 2007 - New Tokai's For North America

is proud to announce the triumphant return of Tokai Guitars to the North American Market. Come play the all-new SC-2C Model and celebrate 60 years of musical instrument mastery at Winter NAMM, Anaheim, CA Booth #1334

Get more information on Tokai Guitars at Godlyke.com.

 
Jul 20 2004 - New Tokai Guitars at Summer NAMM
Tokai will introduce new guitars which contain a new patent applied for body design at Summer NAMM in Nashville next week. These are the new Sound Stream models featured in guitar and bass configurations.

Here are some details on the new body design. A string vibration transmits parallel to wood fibers/ grains four times faster than it does perpendicularly. By creating a sandwhich design by glueing a seperate piece between the top and back a high speed sound reflection is produced. This new structure of the body does not only create the high speed sound reflection, but also a longer sustain and a clear sound.

Also the sound flows through a player's body while as one plays the guitar. The wood fiber/grain derection of the middle wood is perpendicular to the top wood nad the back wood. So the middle wood transmits a string vibration very fast to the whole body. Tokai reports that the sound is very close to the old vintage sound.

Sound Stream Ad

 
Jun 09 2004 - Gibson Sues Tokai
Now Tokai is being sued over its ''Love Rock'' guitar, which Gibson says is a Les Paul look-alike. Gibson also is taking issue with other models in Tokai's line that it says mimic copyrighted designs of Gibson's Flying V series, SG series, ES series and Explorer series, court records show.

For the full article:
Link

 
Jun 05 2004 - New DLX-2004 Model
Tokai has release a new model with a Les Paul type shape. The new DLX-2004 features abalone inlays and a heritage burst (black with gold hardware also available). Details can be found on the Tokai Info tab above.
 
Feb 04 2004 - Tokai partners with Wilkinson for new guitars
Tokai has partnered with Trev Wilkinson (yes that Wilkinson) to design a new line of guitars under the Tokai name.

Mr. Wilkinson had spent the previous three years developing his own Fret-King range of guitars. These guitars draw heavily on the influences of classic designs but all have their own identity and character. By incorporating "Authentic vintage" construction techniques he has created a series of guitars that are truly professional quality with the performance to match.

Mr. Wilkinson has adapted the FK designs with a few new twists for Tokai to build. Tokai is now producing versions of Corona, Countrysquire and Eclat, with Esprits and Elans etc.. to follow this year.

To get a preview of these new guitars visit http://www.fret-king.com and look for a dedicated page here at The Tokai Guitar Registry on these new Tokais in the next 2 weeks.

 
Dec 26 2003 - New Blazing Fire (BF100 BL)
Tokai has introduced a new Talbo model with a transparent blue body. Here are the specs:
Model: BF100 BL
BODY: Acryl Transparent Blue
HEADSTOCK:Acryl Transparent Blue w/Angled Scarf Joint
NECK:Maple
FINGERBOARD:Rosewood
BRIDGE:Fixed Bridge
Pickups:Humbucking x 2
Controls:1V ,1T ,3 way s.w.
Color:blue
Notes:
* 3.0 mm body thickness
** 4.0 kg. body weight
*** Made in Korea
 
Sep 14 2003 - New Tokai Catalog Posted
Tokai has posted it's latest catalog on their website. This new 2003-04 catalog is specifically for the Japanese marketing (Japanese language only). To view the catalog head over to the links page and select the Tokai Factory 2 link. Once again this catalog is specific to the Japanese market, none of these guitars are available outside of Japan at this time.
 
Aug 09 2003 - Custom Shop Love Rocks
Tokai has introduced a new model, the Custom Shop Love Rocks. These are made in Korea and are basically the same as the old 2001 Limited Edition Love Rocks. Check the Date Tokais page for more details.
 
Jun 20 2003 - New US Retailer
The Guitar Cellar is the first(that we know of anyway) US Tokai retailer. Check their site for the latest Tokai guitars. Link is available on the Links page under retailer.
 
Mar 15 2003 - Made in Korea Get Serial Number
The lastest batch of Tokai's coming from Korean now have a serial number, some of these we have already seen in the registry which prompted TGR's inquiry to Tokai. All serial numbers that start with the letter F are Made in Korea Tokais. Tokai Guitar Registry is still working to decode the numbers within the serial number.
 
Mar 11 2003 - Love Rock Relics
Made special for the UK are the Love Rocks Relics. Information and pics are available on the Date Tokais page: Click Here.
 
Jan 23 2003 - Tokai releases the Nightwing SG
It has 24 frets, magogany body with set in neck. All black hardware, pearl inlays, Volume and tone controls, 2 humbucking pickups. ALL BLACK HARDWARE. This is a top notch guitar with top notch electronics.

Above all it sounds huge!

 
Nov 04 2002 - INXS Free on DirecTV
If you've got DirecTV check out the free INXS show featuring Tim Farriss and his Tokai Talbo!!!
 
Aug 05 2002 - Tokai introduces the Nashville Model
During the NAMM show in Nashville Tokai introduced the new Nashville model (NTD100, NTS200, NTP300). All 3 feature veneer tops. You can check them out here:
Click Here
 
Aug 05 2002 - New Paisly Love Rock
Tokai has released a new Love Rock is a beautiful paisly. Check out the details!!!
  • Model: NLS80 PR
  • Body: Maple 3pcs. Top in Paisley, Mahogany Back
  • Neck: Mahogany Set-Neck
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood
  • Bridge: Gotoh
  • Tailpiece: Gotoh
  • Machineheads: Gotoh
  • Pickups: Gotoh
  • Controls 2V, 2T
  • Color: PR(Paisley)
  • Place of Origin: Hamamatsu, Japan

 
Apr 15 2002 - Specs on New Models
The specs on the new Love Rocks II and Tsunami models are now available. Click here to view the specifications.
 
Apr 06 2002 - New Tokai Models
As previously announced Tokai introduced two new models at Music Messe in Germany. Here are the pictures:
Love Rock II  Tsunami
 
Apr 01 2002 - Two New Models Announced
Last week at Music Messe in Germany Tokai announced 2 new models, the Love Rock II and the Tsunami. I've heard the Tsumani looks sorta like a Ric and I am expecting pictures soon.
 
Mar 13 2002 - Talbo Crystal Now Available
Along with the new Love Rocks the Talbo model is now available in crystal (clear). Check them out at: www2.wbs.ne.jp/~tokai/products.htm
 
Mar 12 2002 - Tokai and B-Benders
Here is an excerpt from the history of the B-Bender from StringBender.com. For the complete history check out the link in the Tokai Information section of the links page.

"The first 112 Benders had serial numbers. The customer list of the first 112 B-Bender owners includes some of the finest players of all time. The first B-Bender guitars from a major manufacturer were from Tokai Gakki. Tokai made a couple hundred guitars incorporating B-Benders that Gene made in his shop. Later, under different management, Tokai tried marketing, without success, a device of their own design that bent three strings at once and was available in a paisley Tele-style."

 
Jan 18 2002 - Love Rocks in the US
Yesterday at NAMM Tokai officially launched the new Love Rocks model into the USA. Look for announcements of new retailers soon.
 
Dec 18 2001 - Tim Farriss goes TOKAI!
Tim Fariss of INXS has become a endorser of Tokai guitars. Tim will be trying a new range of Tokai guitars in the coming months. Some models include the Talbo, JNR and Semi.
INXS.com also reports that the band is back in the studio preparing a new release.
 
Dec 07 2001 - Japanese Fender replicas come to Canada
There are now Japanese Tokai teles and strats available in Canada. There are 2 ways to tell these apart:
1) Price, Japanese models cost more
2) Model number: Korean models have a 3 in the fourth position while Japanese models have a 5. For example: AST30 would be Korean while a AST50 would be Japanese.
 
Dec 07 2001 - More Glay Info
After receiving the pictures of the band Glay I was curious as to exactly who they where.

Glay is one of the best Japanese rock bands of today. The name Glay is actually pronounced "gurei" [Japanese pronunciation of the color gray] and [to quote Hirohiko Inoguchi, Glay's executive producer] the misspelling of the word is "their way of being different."
Glay are Teru [on vocals], Takuro [on guitar], Hisashi [on guitar], and Jiro [on bass]. They usually perform with two supporting/guest musicians: Toshi Nagai [on drums] and D.I.E. [on keyboards]. However, D.I.E. left Glay in 1998 to pursue his solo career. Their new supporting musician is Shigeo "sk55" Komori, Fumiya Fujii's keyboard player. Shige also used to play for Hotei Tomoyasu.

 
10/22/01 - Glay Expo 2001 features Talbo's Just posted some pictures on the Ads & Reviews page of the 2001 Glay Expo in Japan. The guitarist for the band Glay is a Talbo player and has some really custom Talbo's, so head over to the Ads page and check it out.

8/31/01 - RUMOR: USA Compliant Love Rocks
It appears that Tokai has built a USA compliant Love Rocks, the headstock has been re-shaped to avoid Gibson's copyrights. No word yet as to whether these will be imported into the US.
Check out the link for details: www2.wbs.ne.jp/~tokai/loverock.htm

8/23/01
The Tokai factories homepage can now be accessed via www.tokaiguitars.com

The new backend database system for the site is coming along nicely and the new server is almost complete. Also, many of you have experienced problems with the message board so I will be replacing the software there as well. Don't worry all current threads will be imported into the new system.

7/12/01
Can't believe we've ignored the fact that Tokai has also manufactured effects. Head over to the links page to check out the reviews at Harmony Central.

Thanks to everyone who has sent in information, keep it coming!!!

If you have any questions or comments about the site or specific information please drop me an email at [email protected]

Also if anyone has any information on the history of Tokai guitars I would love to add it to the site.


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