00:00 Intro and playing 4:58 Reminding myself of the Japanese Tokai 5:52 Thoughts on the differences 11:00 Competition at £500 12:35 Solo on AST52 13:52 Solo on TST95 15:12 Solo on Sire S7 16:30 Closing thoughts
Thanks for doing this video , it's so hard to find any accurate videos of Chinese tokai stratocasters at all , I'm definitely looking forward to more if your reviews Jonathan
recently i considered buying a sire S7 (having bought a H7)...but i really think the extra money for a japanese Tokai strat is worth it...looks and sounds like a very good instrument.....
Very interesting comparison. I noticed the Sire is the only one of the three with 22 frets - helpful if you ever have to bend up to a high E! Whatever the shortcomings of the Chinese Tokai, they didn't seem to hinder you from sounding/playing like John Cordy.
For tone, I prefer the Japanese Tokai over the other two guitars. Does the Chinese Tokai have Gotoh pickups? They weren't as clear or bright as the other Tokai. Truss rod (and electronics) accessibility is an important feature for me. I find taking off the neck to adjust it unacceptable. I had the same problem on my Strat and a bass guitar. I notched the pickguard on both so I can adjust their truss rods using a a paint can lid opener. It is the right size, and the short hook on the end fits perfectly into the X-head screw on the end of the neck.
great playing ive got 2 tokais hss and sss , 22 frets , both have the skunk stripe back of neck, mij the hss has an unusual block and is two pt us standard style bridge, the sss is like a 62 in a sense , i put fat 50s in bridge and middle and a ledden in the neck , they balance out perfect , i am knocked out by the quality , to get a us strat of the same workmanship , your gonna pay over 2300.00 cad tax in maybe , people are getting tired of paying outrageous prices for US built guitars , when you can get a tokai for well under 1500 cad and that's way on the hi side , anyways I'm loving them
I have found that the main difference with the Chinese Tokai’s is cosmetic/finishing. They are a lot cheaper than some of the competition, including Pacifica’s, over here, and still a solid instrument. That said, it’s better to save up and buy the Japanese models.
Best quality guitars are nowadays made in Japan. There's no point trying standard USA Fender Strats (non-custom shop ones), because they are inconsistent in quality and even the best ones of them do not come even close to Japanese made Tokai. When it comes to super-strats, the highest quality ones are made in Japan too; namely Ibanez and models like JEM and PIA. Sadly JEM is no longer made in Japan, but PIA is - and while it's quite expensive - it's also so incredibly good, that It cannot be compared to anything else - It lives alone in it's own highest level of existence. One needs to try it. It looks, feels and plays like it's made in Rivendell by the best Elvish luthiers. And I'm not even joking - I have one (alongside couple of JEMs, Tokai, some cheaper strats etc - and acoustic guitars from various companies, which I have collected during my 35 years of playing).
Just bought a Chinese made Breezysound and love it. I'm fussy too. Great sounding pups and a real rosewood neck. Frets nicely finished. Super playable. Blew a Squier 60's Vibe Tele away and Tokai a more trustworthy brand imo
00:00 Intro and playing
4:58 Reminding myself of the Japanese Tokai
5:52 Thoughts on the differences
11:00 Competition at £500
12:35 Solo on AST52
13:52 Solo on TST95
15:12 Solo on Sire S7
16:30 Closing thoughts
compare the hardwares used... those are where where cost effectivity comes in assuming woods used are the same... why china made is cheaper
Thanks for doing this video , it's so hard to find any accurate videos of Chinese tokai stratocasters at all , I'm definitely looking forward to more if your reviews Jonathan
came here twice for the intro XD
damn! nice and neat playing mannn!
You made the Chinese tokai sound like the EJ signature model ,fantastic playing and sound .
recently i considered buying a sire S7 (having bought a H7)...but i really think the extra money for a japanese Tokai strat is worth it...looks and sounds like a very good instrument.....
Very interesting comparison. I noticed the Sire is the only one of the three with 22 frets - helpful if you ever have to bend up to a high E! Whatever the shortcomings of the Chinese Tokai, they didn't seem to hinder you from sounding/playing like John Cordy.
Yeh I sort of think it's less that the Chinese model had shortcomings, more that the Japanese one is really impressive?
@@johnnathancordy it is....it is.....i REALLY like it.....
i have a chinese tokai les special .....i love it ! Maybe i just have not been spoilt by a japanese one...
.but try one -they are great
For tone, I prefer the Japanese Tokai over the other two guitars. Does the Chinese Tokai have Gotoh pickups? They weren't as clear or bright as the other Tokai.
Truss rod (and electronics) accessibility is an important feature for me. I find taking off the neck to adjust it unacceptable. I had the same problem on my Strat and a bass guitar. I notched the pickguard on both so I can adjust their truss rods using a a paint can lid opener. It is the right size, and the short hook on the end fits perfectly into the X-head screw on the end of the neck.
great playing ive got 2 tokais hss and sss , 22 frets , both have the skunk stripe back of neck, mij the hss has an unusual block and is two pt us standard style bridge, the sss is like a 62 in a sense , i put fat 50s in bridge and middle and a ledden in the neck , they balance out perfect , i am knocked out by the quality , to get a us strat of the same workmanship , your gonna pay over 2300.00 cad tax in maybe , people are getting tired of paying outrageous prices for US built guitars , when you can get a tokai for well under 1500 cad and that's way on the hi side , anyways I'm loving them
I have found that the main difference with the Chinese Tokai’s is cosmetic/finishing. They are a lot cheaper than some of the competition, including Pacifica’s, over here, and still a solid instrument. That said, it’s better to save up and buy the Japanese models.
The intro playing was so damn great I had to watch it twice. Stop it
I have a Japanese Tokai sg on the way new from Japan. Together with import taxes is just under 1100 pounds. Hasn’t arrived yet.
Best quality guitars are nowadays made in Japan. There's no point trying standard USA Fender Strats (non-custom shop ones), because they are inconsistent in quality and even the best ones of them do not come even close to Japanese made Tokai. When it comes to super-strats, the highest quality ones are made in Japan too; namely Ibanez and models like JEM and PIA. Sadly JEM is no longer made in Japan, but PIA is - and while it's quite expensive - it's also so incredibly good, that It cannot be compared to anything else - It lives alone in it's own highest level of existence. One needs to try it. It looks, feels and plays like it's made in Rivendell by the best Elvish luthiers. And I'm not even joking - I have one (alongside couple of JEMs, Tokai, some cheaper strats etc - and acoustic guitars from various companies, which I have collected during my 35 years of playing).
Ibanez Prestige are top notch
@@tonyhoodlass1846
They are. I used to have one prestige RG couple of years ago. Wonderful thing. I gave it to my friend, since he sort of needed one.
ESP is just as good if not better than Ibanez IMO but again, japanese brand. Most of my electric guitars are japanese for a reason.
I tend to agree about Tokai great guitars i had a tele style breezy sound thinline and my mate had a strat syle both where great
@@osemarvin2847 Im looking for another missed that one
Just bought a Chinese made Breezysound and love it. I'm fussy too. Great sounding pups and a real rosewood neck. Frets nicely finished. Super playable. Blew a Squier 60's Vibe Tele away and Tokai a more trustworthy brand imo
Got a Chinese Tokai Breezy sound Thinline its Great even the Gig bag is Good
There's so many nice ones nowadays..lol fr."old school Joe..
Sire in oz is $1000. The tokai legacy is $400
今日は Cordy-san
You want a Japanese Tokai not chinese or FGN recently made.
Definitely
I just ate six packs of crisps and six kinder chocolate hippos. So now I feel sick so it must be covid?
Best to do an LFT
@@johnnathancordy Probably better off taking an A1C Test.
Japanese
Why the stupid background music while you're talking? It's annoying, distracting and totally unnecessary. Makes it unwatchable for me.
Was just trying a thing - most of my videos don't have it