#1988 TOKAI SPRINGY SOUND SERIAL#

But they started to gain notoriety in the 1970s and ‘80s with their production of high-quality Fender and Gibson replicas that captured the old school vibes of the original instruments at a fraction of the cost.īy the early 1980s, Tokai’s Stratocaster replicas-known as Springy Sound, Goldstar Sound, and Silverstar Sound-were surpassing Fender’s American-made Strats in popularity. Cosmetic wear on the gloss Black finish is limited to a few minor marks and light finish scratches on the body as a whole, while the gloss on the neck profile is flawless.Founded in 1947, Tokai Gakki Company, Ltd., or Tokai Guitars, began as an obscure Japanese musical instrument manufacturer. The vibrato is currently setup with five springs for a smooth yet deliberate response. The hardware has bright chrome plating, and the original vibrato shows light surface patina on the Tokai-branded saddles. All of the plastic parts are modern including the pickguard, pickup covers, and trio of knobs. The electronics work as they should, with the ceramic magnet single coil pickup complement wired to a brand new five-way pickup selector switch and USA-made CTS 250K pots.

#1988 TOKAI SPRINGY SOUND SERIAL#

The '50' model tier sticker is present on the neck above the four-bolt neck plate which is embossed with the serial number, dating to 1981.

The stock set of tuners are intact, extremely faithful to Kluson's single line gears. On the headstock, the Tokai waterslide decal is extremely clean with spaghetti-style “Tokai” script and text which reads “This is the Exact Replica of the Good Old Strat” where one would typically expect to see the small patent numbers under the model name, stating Tokai's intent of producing a vital, soulful iteration of this classic Fender platform. The instrument matches traditional Fender spec with a 25 1/2“ scale length, 7 1/4” fretboard radius, and a 1 5/8” wide nut.

The fretboard retains the original slender fretwire which plays cleanly in every register up the straight neck. The maple neck has a substantial, chunky C-shaped profile carve with generous shoulder and faintly rolled fretboard edges, measuring. We've had this Springy Sound professionally setup here at Mike and Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, accurate intonation, and low action. Weighing 7lbs 10oz, this Tokai has a clear, defined acoustic voice that translates well through a trio of modern ceramic magnet single coil pickups that deliver plenty of cut and authority. Produced from 1978-83, this Springy Sound has a 1960's aesthetic with a small Pre-CBS style headstock shape, slab rosewood fretboard, three-ply pickguard, and gloss Black finish. One of the more storied vintage Japanese Strat-style guitars, the Springy Sound models were celebrated upon their introduction for being a faithful, high-quality spin on the classic Fender platform, even finding their way into the hands of players like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Billy Gibbons. Up for sale, a 1981 Tokai Springy Sound model ST50 in excellent condition and in perfect working order.

1988 tokai springy sound