Tokai or Gibson!?

[milkman]

Hi,

I have seen some very nice Tokai Les Pauls (now called "LS2").

LS 80- 3 Piece Body / LS 2 - 2 Piece Body
LS 80 - Normal Set Neck / LS 2- Long Tenon Set Neck
LS 80 - cheap tailpiece / LS 2- Faber Germany Alutailpiece
LS 80 - Standard ABR Style Bridge / LS 2 - Faber Germany ABR Style Bridge
LS 80 - Tokai PAF Pickups ( Made by Gotoh ) / LS 2 - Faber PAFs

What do you think - are they compareable to a good Gibson 59 RI's?
(I know that Gibson costs a lot more ... but leave that beside for a while)

Cheers
Wolfgang

 

[aftec]

I have an LS90Q.
It's simply built right, as it should. Not like the new Gibsons.
PS. Tokai is manufacturing the Fender guitars for Fender Japan.

 

[CaseyCor]

I've played two Tokai's, and preferred them to Gibson's worth much more. I actually feel that way about my Agile right now as well. Have to find the right one, but some of the Agile stuff will outplay a Gibby easy. Not all of them...gotta play it before you buy. I got rid of my Black Beauty for my Agile actually. That's how much I like that guitar.

 

[SFW]

Both companies make good guitars. Play as many as you can, and buy the one that speaks to you.

 

[robb]

How about Edwards LPs?

 

[Phrygian]

There are some killer Tokai's out there. I have a Tokai Bullseye (Wylde copy) that I just love. But, there are also some killer Gibsons out there. You really need to play them to find the right one though. The Traditional's seem to be a little more consistent than the rest of the line. I've played many bad Gibsons lately, but if you find the right one you're set!

 

[electronpirate]

Both. With one of the knockoffs, you have a great playing guitar that you feel less worried about when you're jumping around onstage. I just played a buddy's Gibby Lester Black Beauty (3 pups), and it just SANG.

I have an Edwards. Best PLAYING guitar I've owned. Nice woody (heh) classic tone to it...not really a metal monster, but that's not my thing.

 

[tallcoolone]

One problem--how do you try out a few Tokais here in the states? I think we have all played way too many dead LPs to risk rolling the dice on a $1500 instrument...

 

[AmpliFIRE]

I had a MIJ Tokai a few years back and it was a huge let down. Felt like a toy compared to the R8 I owned at the time...

 

[Ventura]

Gibson Custom Shop all the way... Know your wood, know your necks, and have faith in the better designs coming through the LPC end rather than the assembly line side.

I love my Lesters...Gibson Lesters.

And for the record, my triple pup '57 Black Beauty is a beast

Mo

 

[thefyn]

Gibson.

5 years ago I would have said Tokai. Now for a nice condition 80's LR the prices are so inflated, you could get a used LP custom that would be better for the same $$$.

Avoid new Tokais like the plague. But the 80's Tokais are amazing. I still use one as my main superstrat. Tokai VC 75 (Vivian Campbell)

My LP is a 90's Studio. I got it for $600. That wont even get you a lower model beat to shit 80's Love Rock anymore.

here she is when I bought her:

Still going strong! The video I posted on here today was recorded with it (ryth, see sig). Solo was the LP. I shot the video with the LP, and had to cut away where I dive bomb on the ryth, haha.

 

[SofaKing]

Tokais rock big time! ...older ones better yet!