These are great guitars. I have the exact same issue with my label being long gone. Did you post the file you made for your label on a forum somewhere?
I haven't posted the label design, no. If I'm honest, I didn't want anybody to use my artwork and start selling them. I also have to add the serial number individually, and artwork it so that it looks like it's been stamped onto the label.
They really are gorgeous, Martin. I think that the seasoned timbers that Tokai had stockpiled over the years were, by '78-'81, much better than Gibson's, who had used their best timbers and started to 'economise'.
There's also the short period of time that Holmes was at Gibson, after Shaw and Lawrence. It sounds great to my ear, but I still think it's a 490R (neck) with those big bobbin screws. That shouldn't matter... there are PAFs that are 'crappy' (apparently). :)
ES 150 had higher grade, higher figured wood. They had Cashew finish. A Finish only used on their highest end guitars. They also had dark Ebony fretboards. The R's had Dimarzios like the ones that came in the LS-200, the Holy grail of Tokais. ES 150's Do not come with only Gold hardware. I have never seen one. Mine came with regular hardware like yours. If you can find some original pickups for your guitar, I heard they are highly praised. What a shame somebody didn't know what they had and did the Gibson crap on a guitar that is better than modern gibsons. The Custom Shop ones with Custom Buckers are your best bet. But I would play it before you buy it. Gibsons are a crap shoot otherwise. Old Tokais are almost all good. Very rarely does an owner have anything but high praise for them. I paid a lot for mine. I wish I could have started playing back when you can get these things cheap.
Yeah, I’m not sure why my head was telling me they had gold hardware?? Silly me. I knew about the ebony and ‘cashew’ finish - it’s meant to be a very unique finish, but I’ve not seen one either. It’s good that old Tokais are now recognised for their build quality and great timbers, but I agree that I also miss the days of being able to find them cheap.
And I had a Gibson Custom Shop ‘59 ES335… it was nothing compared to this guitar. I don’t miss it, after selling it years ago - but this Tokai is a keeper.
@@2oomus The modern CS are much better. But the prices are ridiculous. I know someone that just bought a new one a few months ago for 8k. Their new Custombucker pickups are supposed to be pretty close to the holy grail PAF's from the golden era. Can't wait to go over with my guitar and compare the two.
@@chuckyz2 They are getting better, yes, although I'm not sure if the Murphy Lab lacquer recipe is as convincing as they claim (I've seen a few where lacquer is completely flaking off, as if they're flood damaged). I have a CS R8 Les Paul from 2013, which I'm really happy with, but should probably have kept my '79 and '81 LS100s and '84 LS80 for less (combined) than the Gibson. You live and learn!! I tend to buy my pickups from a company called Brandonwound now, as they've always been great. I used to rate Bareknuckles in the early days too. Obviously Wizz, etc are meant to be amazing, but I can only comment on what I have played.
@@2oomus Mine came with OX4 Low Winds. The original DiMarzio's were in the case. OX4's got great reviews so they are still in it. And they sound really good. They are almost identical in character to the stock pickups in my 81 LS-60. The Cashew finish is beautiful. It resembles an old Nitro finish that has ambered, yet it will never check. They even put it on the headstock as the Logo has an amber color instead of the white. I believe they come with chrome plated aluminum stop bars. The plating is not good and starts to flake off. I sanded down the plating on top middle and polished the aluminum. I put an aged nickel plated one on the LS-60 and it looks better, but I prefer to keep the original one on the ES because it is a highly collectable guitar. The bridge was replaced because the stock one collapsed like they all do. The new one has brass saddles and I do have the original one in the case. There is not a lot of info on these guitars because there are not very many of them in the States. But the Jazz versions seem to be preferred, tone wise, with the lower output pickups. The DiMarzios get mixed reviews. Some people claim they are great, but a lot of people swap them out for boutique or Gibson humbuckers. So I am hesitant to go through the nightmare of putting them in the ES as the entire wire loom and pots, switch and jack have to be removed. Which I plan on doing. To swap it all out for better stuff wired 50's style. All of that stuff is not good in these guitars. I did that to my LS-60 and it made a noticeable difference. It doesn't hurt the value of the guitar because it is known that Tokais pots, switches and jacks are junk. It really brought out the mojo on my LS-60. Trust me, get yours replaced. You won't regret it. And a proper setup from a pro that knows how to make a guitar ring out is also highly recommended. I was able to improve the tone and sustain on both of my Tokais that came to me claiming they have been setup by pros. They were not setup by pros. Not competent pros anyways. I have made dud guitars come alive and a lot better feeling just by giving them proper setups. My 2019 CS Fenders are the only guitars that had proper setups when they arrived. I invested in all the best tools and took a few years learning and am so glad I did. I still need to level and polish the frets on the ES and change out the electronics. I just need to buy the components and find the time to do it. It takes me awhile because I am so meticulous. And it is tedious work. I have to be in the mood to it. But the guitar sounds great as is and is not in desperate need so I am procrastinating. lol I am good at it but do not enjoy doing it.
These are great guitars. I have the exact same issue with my label being long gone. Did you post the file you made for your label on a forum somewhere?
I haven't posted the label design, no. If I'm honest, I didn't want anybody to use my artwork and start selling them. I also have to add the serial number individually, and artwork it so that it looks like it's been stamped onto the label.
What a gorgeous guitar. I'd buy one of those, if I could find one.
They really are gorgeous, Martin. I think that the seasoned timbers that Tokai had stockpiled over the years were, by '78-'81, much better than Gibson's, who had used their best timbers and started to 'economise'.
You made a good choice!
I really did! Some people can afford to buy whatever they want, and I just need to be that little bit more careful or wise. 😉
Nice find. Congrats on that ebay crapshoot.
Thank you!!
gibson pat stamp PU is eeeeeasy. Is it dull and default? 490t. Is it bright and awesome? T top. Is it dark but awesome? SHAW.
There's also the short period of time that Holmes was at Gibson, after Shaw and Lawrence. It sounds great to my ear, but I still think it's a 490R (neck) with those big bobbin screws. That shouldn't matter... there are PAFs that are 'crappy' (apparently). :)
ES 150 had higher grade, higher figured wood. They had Cashew finish. A Finish only used on their highest end guitars. They also had dark Ebony fretboards.
The R's had Dimarzios like the ones that came in the LS-200, the Holy grail of Tokais.
ES 150's Do not come with only Gold hardware. I have never seen one. Mine came with regular hardware like yours.
If you can find some original pickups for your guitar, I heard they are highly praised.
What a shame somebody didn't know what they had and did the Gibson crap on a guitar that is better than modern gibsons.
The Custom Shop ones with Custom Buckers are your best bet. But I would play it before you buy it. Gibsons are a crap shoot otherwise.
Old Tokais are almost all good. Very rarely does an owner have anything but high praise for them.
I paid a lot for mine. I wish I could have started playing back when you can get these things cheap.
Yeah, I’m not sure why my head was telling me they had gold hardware?? Silly me. I knew about the ebony and ‘cashew’ finish - it’s meant to be a very unique finish, but I’ve not seen one either.
It’s good that old Tokais are now recognised for their build quality and great timbers, but I agree that I also miss the days of being able to find them cheap.
And I had a Gibson Custom Shop ‘59 ES335… it was nothing compared to this guitar. I don’t miss it, after selling it years ago - but this Tokai is a keeper.
@@2oomus The modern CS are much better. But the prices are ridiculous. I know someone that just bought a new one a few months ago for 8k. Their new Custombucker pickups are supposed to be pretty close to the holy grail PAF's from the golden era. Can't wait to go over with my guitar and compare the two.
@@chuckyz2 They are getting better, yes, although I'm not sure if the Murphy Lab lacquer recipe is as convincing as they claim (I've seen a few where lacquer is completely flaking off, as if they're flood damaged). I have a CS R8 Les Paul from 2013, which I'm really happy with, but should probably have kept my '79 and '81 LS100s and '84 LS80 for less (combined) than the Gibson. You live and learn!!
I tend to buy my pickups from a company called Brandonwound now, as they've always been great. I used to rate Bareknuckles in the early days too. Obviously Wizz, etc are meant to be amazing, but I can only comment on what I have played.
@@2oomus Mine came with OX4 Low Winds. The original DiMarzio's were in the case. OX4's got great reviews so they are still in it. And they sound really good. They are almost identical in character to the stock pickups in my 81 LS-60. The Cashew finish is beautiful. It resembles an old Nitro finish that has ambered, yet it will never check. They even put it on the headstock as the Logo has an amber color instead of the white. I believe they come with chrome plated aluminum stop bars. The plating is not good and starts to flake off. I sanded down the plating on top middle and polished the aluminum. I put an aged nickel plated one on the LS-60 and it looks better, but I prefer to keep the original one on the ES because it is a highly collectable guitar. The bridge was replaced because the stock one collapsed like they all do. The new one has brass saddles and I do have the original one in the case. There is not a lot of info on these guitars because there are not very many of them in the States. But the Jazz versions seem to be preferred, tone wise, with the lower output pickups. The DiMarzios get mixed reviews. Some people claim they are great, but a lot of people swap them out for boutique or Gibson humbuckers. So I am hesitant to go through the nightmare of putting them in the ES as the entire wire loom and pots, switch and jack have to be removed. Which I plan on doing. To swap it all out for better stuff wired 50's style. All of that stuff is not good in these guitars. I did that to my LS-60 and it made a noticeable difference. It doesn't hurt the value of the guitar because it is known that Tokais pots, switches and jacks are junk. It really brought out the mojo on my LS-60. Trust me, get yours replaced. You won't regret it. And a proper setup from a pro that knows how to make a guitar ring out is also highly recommended. I was able to improve the tone and sustain on both of my Tokais that came to me claiming they have been setup by pros. They were not setup by pros. Not competent pros anyways. I have made dud guitars come alive and a lot better feeling just by giving them proper setups. My 2019 CS Fenders are the only guitars that had proper setups when they arrived. I invested in all the best tools and took a few years learning and am so glad I did. I still need to level and polish the frets on the ES and change out the electronics. I just need to buy the components and find the time to do it. It takes me awhile because I am so meticulous. And it is tedious work. I have to be in the mood to it. But the guitar sounds great as is and is not in desperate need so I am procrastinating. lol I am good at it but do not enjoy doing it.