I don't wish to alarm anyone but I've bought another guitar.

Yep - nice thick quilted maple cap, lovely carved top a la USA-made PRS models... 24 frets, compensated wrap-around bridge, and in fact, two aftermarket DiMarzios - a Super Distortion bridge and a PAF neck.

Let's zoom out.

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af347/ConnorF1995/Another green NGD - Tokai PR100/DSCF1123_zpsccc28da3.jpg

So there it is - my Japanese-made Tokai PR100, probably made in around 2000 (making it the oldest guitar I own). It's beautifully made and finished, and it plays and sounds fantastic. My guess at the weight would be around 9 lb, making it a little heavier than I was expecting - it's approaching the same thickness as a Les Paul, and has a genuine quilted maple cap, which is quite a hefty slab of wood in itself. It sounds relatively dark plugged in, as well. It sounds a lot like a Les Paul, but it plays a hell of a lot better than most I've tried, and access to all 24 frets is fantastic.

I did some digging on this, which wasn't easy given that they were never sold in the UK, there are probably only a few in the country and no-one seems to really know anything about it, not even on the Tokai forums. I did work out that the model number corresponds to the price it sold for new, in Yen. This is a PR100, so it sold for 100,000 Yen new in Japan - taking inflation into account, that's equivalent to about a grand now. I didn't pay anywhere near that much for it...

I am so fucking chuffed, seriously, you have no idea.

TTony · August 2013

Enjoy, young Bucket, enjoy.

DulcetJones · August 2013

Well, I like it, and I don't usually take to green guitars. Besides looking great, I've always been a fan of the two humbucker type LP kind if sound, and this one just plain looks it delivers that(and you said so already).

mike_l · August 2013

Nice young'un, good GASsage that man.

stonevibe · August 2013

Looks sweet & very green.

Jalapeno · August 2013

Enjoy ! Not enamoured of the headstock myself. But all GAS is good.

Bucket · August 2013

Jalapeno said:

Enjoy ! Not enamoured of the headstock myself. But all GAS is good.

The headstock is pretty weird, yeah... I don't mind it though. They only used this design on the MIJ models.

Lixarto · August 2013

Unsure of that headstock (!) but I'd like a blast on that nontheless

mcsdan · August 2013

Very nice

bntylr · August 2013

I've always loved green custom 22s. For some reason I had an inclination it would be that shape from the first picture of the back of the headstock. It's a stunner!

Now I want one of these, and at the price you paid! It'd be interesting to hear how it would sound with PRS pickups in it.

Bucket · August 2013

bntylr said:

I've always loved green custom 22s. For some reason I had an inclination it would be that shape from the first picture of the back of the headstock. It's a stunner!

Now I want one of these, and at the price you paid! It'd be interesting to hear how it would sound with PRS pickups in it.

Not sure I'll go for PRS pickups, but I think I may change the bridge pickup at some point.

The PAF in the neck sounds great, but I think I may get a lower-output (!) bridge pickup that matches it a little better. The Super Distortion would probably sound good in my Flying V, so my plan would be to put it there and maybe get another PAF for the Tokai.

Van_Hayden · August 2013

I remember Bob Murdoch showing them at the NEC show in about 2003 - they were really good, not cheap either. That's a bargain you got there!

Adam_MD · August 2013

Looks excellent, the colours fabulous

DiscoStu · August 2013

Bargain YAY!

Headstock NAY!

ICBM · August 2013

There's only one thing that could make it tolerable.

It comes in gold plated aluminium.

monquixote · August 2013

Nice one Bucket.

How come I'm twice your age, but own half the number of guitars?

Chuffola · August 2013

Enjoy. Looks like a bona fide rock machine.

Niallmo · August 2013

Lovely. I like the top on that.

blueskunk · August 2013

Ohh very nice.

WezV · August 2013

Bucket said:

Yep - nice thick quilted maple cap, lovely carved top a la USA-made PRS models...

does the quilt extend to the binding and the scoop in the cutaway. doesn't look like it does in the pics so it would be a nice thick maple cap with quilted maple veneer.

not that it matters really

thumpingrug · August 2013

Hi Conner

Im not sure about the headstock either but that aside, bye eck lad thats a nice one.

One question though, have you got the end of a rainbow permanently tied to your house as I cant figure out how you can afford all this gear.

:-&

(i still cant tell which icon is which, so hoping this is envy)

Bucket · August 2013

thumpingrug said:

Hi Conner

Im not sure about the headstock either but that aside, bye eck lad thats a nice one.

One question though, have you got the end of a rainbow permanently tied to your house as I cant figure out how you can afford all this gear.

My job is treating me reasonably well, and as yet I don't have any bills to pay. Trying to save up, but that doesn't always work

And @Wez - I have a better photo of the top where it meets the binding.

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af347/ConnorF1995/Another green NGD - Tokai PR100/DSCF1134_zps6df6d9e9.jpg

I think I can see some quilting there, may be kidding myself though.

dindude · August 2013

Looks like a lot of geet for the money, nice.

grungebob · August 2013

I was watching that one,good buy!

UnclePsychosis · August 2013

Its really not my kind of thing at all but I bet its a great guitar. Enjoy.

ChrisMusic · August 2013

Wow, what a stunning guitar, and Tokai have great quality control too, so it will be just as beautifully made as it is beautiful to look at, and I bet its beautiful to play too.

MIJ guitars are fantastic, period.

Value for money is always good, but at that price, wow, well done my friend.

A "green goddess" for true inspiration.

Bucket · August 2013

Cheers guys - I've been noodling unplugged for the last half-hour and oh my god, it's great.

Really, really comfortable neck as well.

Dave_Mc · August 2013

wow awesome

Jalapeno · August 2013

thumpingrug said:

:-&

(i still cant tell which icon is which, so hoping this is envy)

That's "I feel sick !" hahahaha !

stickyfiddle · August 2013

If that was a) not flamey green and b) not PRS shaped it'd be lovely

Good GAS though. GAS is always good

WezV · August 2013

Bucket said:

I think I can see some quilting there, may be kidding myself though.

possibly, but clearly not the same quilting and you can see where the veneer ends and plain maple starts in that picture. i suspect what you see in the cutaway is just a little curl in otherwise fairly plain maple - you can also see it makes an appearance on the edge binding at a similar point

but a full thickness quilted maple top like that would cost similar to what you paid for this guitar, and that upgrade would sound 99.99999999% the same as the veneer over plain maple so i am certainly not criticising... just being pedantic

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

I don't wish to alarm anyone but I've bought another guitar.

Comments