Chinese Tokai guitars

[adorduan]

Anyone have any experience with them? Good? Bad? Reviews?

 

[o0Ampy0o]

Only have Japanese Tokai experience but if I was going to go Chinese anything it would be a Tokai. I suspect Tokai, of all brands, would extend their standards and require quality on the better side of cheap.

 

[Ohzoso]

ALC50 (white custom) & ALS48 (red flamed maple, 1/4" sycamore top)

I`ve shaved both guitars` sharp neck binding and fitted them with CTS pots (50s wiring).
After lots of experimenting i settled on the ALC50 with PRS SE245 pickups and on the ALS48 with Epi Alnico2 set.
Neckprofiles: ALC50 `59 rounded LP; ALS48 a fat slim taper profile. Both neckwidths are like PRS.
Both guitars weight 8 lbs.
I dig these guitars

 

[Average Joe]

Tried some in the store when I bought my MIJ. imho the MIC Tokais are like any other MIC guitar. Solid but unremarkable

 

[The Interceptor]

I had a Les Paul one for a bit. Solid build, good attention to detail. It was heavy, which I dug. But the tone seemed pretty mediocre, and I think it would have benefited from a fret level. Like most Chinese guitars, to be honest.

 

[adorduan]

Anyone else? Their Les Paul Jr model looks like it's worth taking a flyer on.

 

[adorduan]

Well, I ordered on of these in cherry red. Hope its a decent guitar that can be upgraded if necessary.

https://reverb.com/item/2447010-tokai-love-rock-jr-lp-56-yellow-left-handed-electric-guitar-new

 

[Kmaz]

Well, I ordered on of these in cherry red. Hope its a decent guitar that can be upgraded if necessary.

https://reverb.com/item/2447010-tokai-love-rock-jr-lp-56-yellow-left-handed-electric-guitar-new

That looks like it could be a fun guitar! Let us know how you like it? I'm a Lefty too, btw.

 

[adorduan]

That looks like it could be a fun guitar! Let us know how you like it? I'm a Lefty too, btw.

Will do! Lefty Jr type guitars are kind of hard to find.

 

[mdrake34]

I saw those $325 (+$65 shipping) Tokai jr.'s and was intrigued. Do report back.

 

[Dave2512]

I had whatever their 335 copy is for a few months. Had to do a bunch of work to it and never could get it to what I consider good guitar playability standards. Felt plasticized and I got into the neck binding trying to fix the sharp fret ends. Get what you pay for but if it was me I'd spend up for a used MIJ Epi, maybe an Edwards. Honestly I had one of those MIC fakes, traded for it, and it was a better guitar.

 

[guitarnut_1]

the chinese Epis are not made from mahogany, but maple or some other wood, suppose the tokai LPs would be the same case. An LP not made of mahogany is a no go for me. They made them look sort of like the real deal... from a 100 feet distance, but once you get closer you see it's like a plastic fake IPhone which is not for real use, but only for the display in the window.

 

[Alan Dunn]

I have a black Tokai ALC50S [ LP Custom].
It looks good, build / binding quality is good.
The electronics is Japanese. Pots and switches all work well
Oh, and it comes with a 5 year warranty.
However, it sits in it's case and doesn't get played because the pick ups are garbage [muddy sounding], and the bridge is garbage [ rattles / pings].

In a nutshell, they are garbage in stock form and I cannot even bring myself to sell the one I have because it is so bad.

When I get around to it I will replace it with with a Gibson LP Standard or Traditional.

In the price range of the Tokai LP's my suggestion would be to get a Classic Vibe Strat or Tele - much better guitars and available for a lot less money as well.