The Watering Hole

Lance, can you add your US models, pictures, and pricing?  I bet we'll have buyers here. I am even interested, and I've already got way too many guitars.  

Amen +1! I WILL own one of the strats when available!  I love the other guitars as well, but I'll never forget that old Tokai strat I played in the 70s and could have afforded to buy, but didn't want a "knockoff Fedner."  LOL  It was still the best feeling and playing strat I've ever had in my hands. In hindsight, the funniest thing is that the salesman (someone I knew and trusted) told me over and over "these are better than the Fenders and I'd take this over any new Strat."  And I thought he was just trying to sell me the guitar.  I should have trusted what my hands, and he, told me!

The feedback I've seen at TGP from guys who bought the other Tokai's is extremely positive. One guy said he'd had 10 Les Pauls over the years, and had the "good ones."  He said his Tokai was the best he'd ever had and overall only one of the Les Pauls he'd had was even close.  

I'll try give an idea of how things will work.

First of all, because I had to limit the quantities of the first order, I only chose 2 colours in the Teles, two tone sunburst, maple and rosewood necks, and Blonde with maple necks.
My research and sales in SA indicate these are by far the two most popular colour choices.

The Strats are all two tone sunbursts, with maple or rosewood necks.

All guitars will have the modified headstock you see in the photos.

My plan is to keep profits small and sell the AST and ATE70 models for $695.00, and $95 for the hardcase (optional).

The ATE82 ASH "Blonde" Tele will have to sell for a few $$$ more, around $740.00
The Pink Paisley Teles around $770.00.

Here's a pic of some Strats and Teles in a music store down here.


ATE82 ASH "Blonde".


This is an example of an AST70 two tone sunburst.




The Pink Paisley Tele.

Please fix the link on the paisely tele.  I'm curious.

I see mine already!  Far right, front row in a stand.  White, white, white, maple.  Sign me up!

How about strats in Olympic White (or Alpine White)?  I see the Olympic white on the stand.  2-tone bursts are cool (I prefer 3-tone myself) but Olympic White, in a Japanese strat, is one of my all-time faves.  What other colors are there?  Does Tokai do Lake Placid Blue?

Tokai does all the colours, I can't order them all because I have to take a minimum of 3 per colour, next thing my order will be 30 or 40 guitars.
That's the difference between being a buyer of one guitar and a distributor, I've got to spend a ton of money, all you got to do is choose one and spend $700.00.  :)

Vintage White, my favourite colour in a Strat, is by far my worst selling colour in SAfrica...so there you go, you see my dilemma.

Howie, you chose the colour I haven't ordered.  ;D

Maybe I'll add 3 Vintage White maple neck Strats to my order.

Two things ruined me as a young boy.  Hendrix at Woodstock, and Robin Trower on Robin Trower live.  Vintage white, white pick guard, white pickups, maple fingerboard.  Yep, that's what I've always wanted!

Hendrix at Woodstock-- exactly, that's why I love Olympic white.  

Here's what a well-used Olympic White Strat looks like after many long years in smokey bars: Walter's 1973 Strat

Hey Lance, see if you can get someone here and one other person to go for the color you like then you can order three.  :)

I had the white Jimmy Vaughn guitar with maple neck. Sold it to my cousin. Best sounding Strat, for me, I've ever owned. If I ever get another Strat, it will be that one.

Those are sharp though. I would want the white in it also. I just like white with maple necks.

How would these qualify? Same quality as a Standard American Start?

I don't know. I'd have to see, feel, and hear them to give you an opinion. It would be interesting to take the guts out of the strat I mentioned and put them in your guitar though. Same woods and switch the electronics back and forth.

I love the way the Japanese make Strat and Tele necks...that's why I liked the CIJ Strats...ask Howie, he had mine for a few days.
Tokai made the CIJ Fenders for Fender from 1997 to 2011.

It's interesting.
Fender USA dont allow Fender Japan to export their guitars to the USA.
However, there's a particular Tele model that Fender supply music stores here in SAfrica, the Tele with the double binding on the body, rosewood neck, two tone sunburst. (see my previous photo)
It's not made in the USA, and it's not made in Mexico, it's made in Japan, with the serial number and "Made in Japan" on the base of the neck.
I have the same Tokai Tele model, so I compared it to the Fender ones in the music stores.
IDENTICAL guitar, serial number and made in Japan in the same place, identicalwoods, paint, colour, everything...it's was made by Tokai for Fender, the price difference?...R4,000.00 ($500.00) :)

(struggling)Must.... have....burst........tele!!!

I don't want to go too far, but from the limited number of them I've had my hands on, they are better than any "regular" American strat.  Maybe the custom shop stuff can compete.  

I am willing to pay more for guitars like PRS because they DO feel superior.  Just immediately more comfortable and playable.  That is the quality the Tokai's have over the USA strats.  

The ol' man got one of these recently:



Interesting guitar.  Not for everyone, I'm sho, but lotza different sounds and fun to play.  Lil neck heavy with a wide board (though not as wide/fat as the original.)  Had a blast running it through some paces over the weekend, gotta get back over there fer another round soon.

Sorry fer going off topic.

DreamTheaterRules — Jan 10, 2012I don't want to go too far, but from the limited number of them I've had my hands on, they are better than any "regular" American strat.  Maybe the custom shop stuff can compete.  

I am willing to pay more for guitars like PRS because they DO feel superior.  Just immediately more comfortable and playable.  That is the quality the Tokai's have over the USA strats.  

Howie, that's a tough comparison.

I think the USA Strats are very cool guitars.
Thing is the basic American Standard, or even the Deluxe, is a modern version of a Strat, too many modern features, IMO.

Like I said before, for me it's the made in Japan necks that are 'special'.
They just seem "old", like you've had a Strat/Tele for 20 years and the neck has kind of moulded to your hands...even though the neck is brand new and shiny, it just seems to have a better 'profile' than US Strats....fuck, I used the word "profile"...Kemper, Profile, get it?  ;D

Also, the Tokais, both Teles and Strats, DEFINITELY have a much more vintage tone to them, especially the pickups.
Thing is, some guys don't like that, they don't like that old Buddy Holly bright vintage Strat tone, they prefer a Strat with a modern duller tone, or a Tele that does the "Les Paul" job for them...then don't buy a Tokai, it's bright and vintage sounding.

So I wouldn't say the MIJ Fender/Tokais are better quality than USA made ones, I'd say the quality is excellent, and the feel is more vintage.

It was the "feel" I was addressing. When I made the PRS reference, I wasn't comparing them to PRS, per say.  Just saying that when I pick up a PRS, it ALWAYS feels fantastic and comfortable, plays like butter, and is SMOOOOOOTH.  The quality  Quality-wise, I can't say yet.  I'm SURE they're good, but no I can't say better than USA.  Feel, so far, yes, they are better,  FROM MY LIMITED EXPERIENCE.  

I'm not just pimping Lance's guitars.  The Jap strats I've played that were Tokai made FEEL better. (Remember, I also own one now, but will probably sell it back to my buddy when he gets custody of his child).

BINGEWOOD — Jan 11, 2012The ol' man got one of these recently:



Interesting guitar.  Not for everyone, I'm sho, but lotza different sounds and fun to play.  Lil neck heavy with a wide board (though not as wide/fat as the original.)  Had a blast running it through some paces over the weekend, gotta get back over there fer another round soon.

Sorry fer going off topic.

Ooo!  That looks neat!