Dude that was a really great review/vid. My local guitar shop has some Chinese tokai lp's and I've been watching heaps of reviews trying to decide whether or not to buy 1. Yours was the best by far. Cheers.
Thanks so much for saying and I'm glad these helped you. If I was doing this again, I would probably buy the Chinese and just put in some different pickups. It's great! Cheers
@JeromeWade-lm8jh yes!! I had one before I hit my 2002 LP standard and a couple of my students have had them. If you're looking at one, my advice is play it first if possible. Most of them are pretty decent nowadays. Mynsom has an Epi 335 as well as one of my other students. They all seem like nice guitars and not cheap, cheap like they used to be!
thanks for taking the time to do this. here in the states these are really rare (Japan) and now with the Chinese ones should become more abundant. Chinese guitars are getting way better especially Epiphone which has a dedicated facility. Nice lead chops!
I agree - That would be nice....!! I only have the one though.. I sold my Les Paul Standard a couple of years back now (hence buying the Tokai) and the Chinese one now belongs to my son... but if I had more money.... the GAS would kick in for sure lol
Brian Rocks cheers! Thanks for watching and your comment... They're quite close aren't they and a lot depends on what tone you're after I guess... Anyway, thanks again!
The japanese guitar has a warm full sound . Ive got a very old MIJ emperador LP copy with the bolt on neck thats sounds similar .Its the old gotohs and availability of wood in those days for construction even in cheap copies.
Nice series! I today got the chance to play the Chinese one compared to an Epiphone Les Paul standard... I was astonished by the difference in the sound, the Tokay sounded like a Gibson Les paul standard .. A thought immidiatly came up to my mind: "It seems incredible to have that sound at that price!" I wish I could try playing the Japanese one but the shop that's got few ones in stock is quite far from my place, so was thinking to go for the Chinese one, and upgrade it with the Shur Dough Aldrich signature pick ups. For not even 900euros I guess I can get a better sounding instrument then a Gibson Les Paul standard, which costs 2200euros.. more then double!! I'm quite thinking in the last few years Gibson guitars are overpriced.. sure well builded instruments and sure keeping the value through the years... but mainly worth it if you really want to see that fancy brand logo on the headstock...
What model is your Japanese Tokai, is it an LS136? Another reviewer who owned a few of these said there are 2 types of “MK2” pickups fitted to these, a PAF style and a Hot set that is more like a Jazz/JB combo! If yours has the hotter set it’s no wonder it’s getting more “breakup” than the Chinese model! Have you checked the pickup output of each model? Would be interesting to see what each is! I have 3 “Les Paul” type guitars, one with Hot Bullbucker pickups, a 3 pickup Black Beauty with more vintage PAF sounding pickups and a P90 Goldtop. Each sounds different but each has its place and one is not better or worse than the others, just different!
Hi Cecil, it's a vintage model - can't remember the exact model, as I was told Tokai change the model numbers depending on the market sold into and the price. I'm pretty sure it's fitted with PAF pickups as they aren't particularly high output - they just sound better than the Chinese probably due to the price difference. The Chinese model is a superb guitar and tbh, if I was going to do this transaction again, I'd buy the cheaper Chinese model and spend a bit on some proper Gibson Burtsbuckers or similar!
Nice :) btw what do you think? I have a japanese love rock from 2001. I always enjoyed the dry sound more than when it was plugged in and so I was thinking of improving the pickups. maybe some bareknuckle PAF?
Branislav Boda Hi, thanks for the comment! Yeah the Bareknuckle have an interesting array of options - very punchy tone.... maybe also consider the Gibson Burstbuckers, which I loved on my 2001 LP Standard and also look into Nicos USA stuff. Cheers! Mark
Mark, I've got to say that the Japanese Tokai sounds much better to me than the Chinese version. The Chinese guitar sounds too thin to me. I know you say it's a cleaner tone, but for my money it lacks the punch the Japanese one has. I also like the knob configuration better. That's just my opinion. Rock on brother. Love the way you play.
Thanks, yeah, I do agree, the Japanese model has a fuller tone and as you say, more punchy. There are minor quality details on the Japanese which make it feel nicer but the Chinese model is hard to fault for the price. Stick some Burstbuckers in the Chinese one and you're set! Thanks for watching and the comments - cheers!
I have a Chinese and a Japanese Tokai. Put decent pick-ups in the Chinese ones and they absolute kill. My Chinese is completely customised with upgraded pots and capacitors and pick-ups. Sustain on both is roughly the same. What you get consistently on Tokais is quality of manufacturer, from either country of origin. With the same pick-ups there is little to choose between them. I love both of mine and don't think one is superior to the other.
I'd leave the Burstbuckers in the shop and stick in a set of Montys PAFs or Seymour's Seths. Gibson's pickups have come on leaps and bounds from what they were in the '80s, but there are still much better out there for similar money.
Excellent comparison. Thanks for posting. I have a Chinese Tokai ALC-50S which is a Les Paul custom design. The pickups are very muddy and the bridge on it is terrible because it rattles. I'm going to get a bridge for it without that stupid metal retainer on it and if that gets rid of the rattle I'll think more about upgrading the electronics. Overall though, I think the Japanese versions area lot better and well worth the extra coin. And compared to my Squier Classic Vibe 50's Strat the Chinese Tokai is a long way off the pace as well.
tdunster2011 Upgrading the pickups is probably a good mive if you keep the guitar. I think that the general quality of the instrument is such that a few minor parts, like bridges and controls etc, which are cheap to upgrade, are a decent compromise...? The Chinese model I have certainly feels solid and plays well - and I have some American Stratocasters which had issues too, so iissues like these are not limited to guitars under a certain value! If the basic guitar is sound I guess you just have to decide if you want to invest in the upgrades.... Thanks for the comment and good luck!
Cheers. I'm going to get a Gotoh bridge for it this weekend. If that works ok then I'll be rewiring it 50's style, and changing the ceramic caps in it to modern ones for a bit more longevity and to avoid any EMF.
Hey there - you need to speak with Isra at Musisol in Estepona... He will look after you :-) 952 79 42 91 www.musisol.com/ good luck - tell them I sent you !
Nice comparison and some slick playing. The Tokai Registry Forum is a great place to ask about anything Tokai, there's people on there really do know there stuff about them as a brand. The two screws on the trussrod cover is Tokai's way of saying MIJ , against their Korean and Chinese guitars which always have 3. Funny you should mention Thin Lizzy as, the classic Brian Downey. Scott Gorham line up, Brian used a P90 loaded LP and Scott a LP Deluxe with mini humbuckers. The Japanese Love Rock Standard is based wholly on a 58 Les Paul hence the frets and neck profile, the Chinese is more of a mixture of the various LPs rather than , a specific model. I have a Tokai 92 Standard and an 81 Custom and they are totally different guitars, the neck profiles are completely different. and the 81 has what are often referred to as "ghost frets". tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/tokai-info.html
I have made up my mind to go all out and get the Japan model, it will be a lifetime committment. Can you tell me the best source (UK) for the mij Tokai ??
HI again, I'm not sure who is your best bet for a MIJ Tokai in the UK, as I'm based in Spain. I'm sure a Google search for UK Tokai dealers will give you some options though?
Canny videos marra.Ive got a tokai ls136f lemon drop.I would match it against any gibson standard and blow it away.The workmanship is 1st class and it sounds awesome.Japan all the way for me much richer beefer sound.
Hi. Not sure if I looked at the tone range in the other video where I'm playing. (No 3 with the Fender amp). It was a while back! All the controls work well on these though.
Yep, I'd be inclined to do that in fact - spend less on the Chinese model, which is to be honest, just as good to play when it comes down to it, then upgrade a couple of hundred quid on some tasty pickups!
Nice one my brother from Warren 😎
Thank You Warren!
Your Japanese Tokai sounds amazing! Thank you for a wonderful comparison :)
Thank you for your comment! I love this guitar... I can't stop playing it :-)
Dude that was a really great review/vid. My local guitar shop has some Chinese tokai lp's and I've been watching heaps of reviews trying to decide whether or not to buy 1. Yours was the best by far. Cheers.
Thanks so much for saying and I'm glad these helped you. If I was doing this again, I would probably buy the Chinese and just put in some different pickups. It's great! Cheers
@@MarkFeaGuitarHave you tried out any Epiphone Les Paul guitars,Mark?
@JeromeWade-lm8jh yes!! I had one before I hit my 2002 LP standard and a couple of my students have had them. If you're looking at one, my advice is play it first if possible. Most of them are pretty decent nowadays. Mynsom has an Epi 335 as well as one of my other students. They all seem like nice guitars and not cheap, cheap like they used to be!
thanks for taking the time to do this. here in the states these are really rare (Japan) and now with the Chinese ones should become more abundant. Chinese guitars are getting way better especially Epiphone which has a dedicated facility. Nice lead chops!
Its good to have 2 Les Pauls that sound different to each other. But still sound like a LP should. And its even better if you have 3 !
I agree - That would be nice....!! I only have the one though.. I sold my Les Paul Standard a couple of years back now (hence buying the Tokai) and the Chinese one now belongs to my son... but if I had more money.... the GAS would kick in for sure lol
Very nice series. I think many will benefit from hearing the two and be able to make an educated decision as to which one they want.
Super comparison, on my limited device, it was only really on full gain that the MAIN model stood out. Good work sir!!
Brian Rocks cheers! Thanks for watching and your comment... They're quite close aren't they and a lot depends on what tone you're after I guess... Anyway, thanks again!
Nice one Mark... fantastic playing as always.... Additional word, you will know!! See you soon.
Alright Sas! ;-)
it's all about the tone and skills. You nailed both on those guitars.
The japanese guitar has a warm full sound . Ive got a very old MIJ emperador LP copy with the bolt on neck thats sounds similar .Its the old gotohs and availability of wood in those days for construction even in cheap copies.
Nice series! I today got the chance to play the Chinese one compared to an Epiphone Les Paul standard... I was astonished by the difference in the sound, the Tokay sounded like a Gibson Les paul standard .. A thought immidiatly came up to my mind: "It seems incredible to have that sound at that price!" I wish I could try playing the Japanese one but the shop that's got few ones in stock is quite far from my place, so was thinking to go for the Chinese one, and upgrade it with the Shur Dough Aldrich signature pick ups. For not even 900euros I guess I can get a better sounding instrument then a Gibson Les Paul standard, which costs 2200euros.. more then double!! I'm quite thinking in the last few years Gibson guitars are overpriced.. sure well builded instruments and sure keeping the value through the years... but mainly worth it if you really want to see that fancy brand logo on the headstock...
Yes, it's all about that logo. The other manufacturers have caught up !! Great idea to get the Chinese model and upgrade the pickups!
great comparison and playing thank you very much.
Colin Murray thank you Colin, and thanks for subbing - appreciated!
Tokai ALS55 real specs, Tokai Cat# 29, 2016:
Body: Flamed Maple + Maple Top, Mahogany back
Neck: Maple Set-Neck
F-board: Rosewood
Bridge: LS-VBC Bridge, LS-VTC Tailpiece
Pickups: LSC-F x 2
Colors: CS, VF, BS, STB, SBL, SR
What model is your Japanese Tokai, is it an LS136?
Another reviewer who owned a few of these said there are 2 types of “MK2” pickups fitted to these, a PAF style and a Hot set that is more like a Jazz/JB combo!
If yours has the hotter set it’s no wonder it’s getting more “breakup” than the Chinese model!
Have you checked the pickup output of each model?
Would be interesting to see what each is!
I have 3 “Les Paul” type guitars, one with Hot Bullbucker pickups, a 3 pickup Black Beauty with more vintage PAF sounding pickups and a P90 Goldtop. Each sounds different but each has its place and one is not better or worse than the others, just different!
Hi Cecil, it's a vintage model - can't remember the exact model, as I was told Tokai change the model numbers depending on the market sold into and the price. I'm pretty sure it's fitted with PAF pickups as they aren't particularly high output - they just sound better than the Chinese probably due to the price difference. The Chinese model is a superb guitar and tbh, if I was going to do this transaction again, I'd buy the cheaper Chinese model and spend a bit on some proper Gibson Burtsbuckers or similar!
Nice :) btw what do you think? I have a japanese love rock from 2001. I always enjoyed the dry sound more than when it was plugged in and so I was thinking of improving the pickups. maybe some bareknuckle PAF?
Branislav Boda Hi, thanks for the comment! Yeah the Bareknuckle have an interesting array of options - very punchy tone.... maybe also consider the Gibson Burstbuckers, which I loved on my 2001 LP Standard and also look into Nicos USA stuff. Cheers! Mark
Mark, I've got to say that the Japanese Tokai sounds much better to me than the Chinese version. The Chinese guitar sounds too thin to me. I know you say it's a cleaner tone, but for my money it lacks the punch the Japanese one has. I also like the knob configuration better. That's just my opinion. Rock on brother. Love the way you play.
Thanks, yeah, I do agree, the Japanese model has a fuller tone and as you say, more punchy. There are minor quality details on the Japanese which make it feel nicer but the Chinese model is hard to fault for the price. Stick some Burstbuckers in the Chinese one and you're set! Thanks for watching and the comments - cheers!
I have a Chinese and a Japanese Tokai. Put decent pick-ups in the Chinese ones and they absolute kill. My Chinese is completely customised with upgraded pots and capacitors and pick-ups. Sustain on both is roughly the same. What you get consistently on Tokais is quality of manufacturer, from either country of origin. With the same pick-ups there is little to choose between them. I love both of mine and don't think one is superior to the other.
I'd leave the Burstbuckers in the shop and stick in a set of Montys PAFs or Seymour's Seths. Gibson's pickups have come on leaps and bounds from what they were in the '80s, but there are still much better out there for similar money.
Excellent comparison. Thanks for posting.
I have a Chinese Tokai ALC-50S which is a Les Paul custom design. The pickups are very muddy and the bridge on it is terrible because it rattles. I'm going to get a bridge for it without that stupid metal retainer on it and if that gets rid of the rattle I'll think more about upgrading the electronics. Overall though, I think the Japanese versions area lot better and well worth the extra coin.
And compared to my Squier Classic Vibe 50's Strat the Chinese Tokai is a long way off the pace as well.
tdunster2011 Upgrading the pickups is probably a good mive if you keep the guitar. I think that the general quality of the instrument is such that a few minor parts, like bridges and controls etc, which are cheap to upgrade, are a decent compromise...? The Chinese model I have certainly feels solid and plays well - and I have some American Stratocasters which had issues too, so iissues like these are not limited to guitars under a certain value! If the basic guitar is sound I guess you just have to decide if you want to invest in the upgrades.... Thanks for the comment and good luck!
Cheers. I'm going to get a Gotoh bridge for it this weekend. If that works ok then I'll be rewiring it 50's style, and changing the ceramic caps in it to modern ones for a bit more longevity and to avoid any EMF.
hello sir Mark, do you have any idea why does my Tokai Gold Top doesnt have any serial number on it?
Sick hedgehog blanket! NEEERD
Hi Mark,nice review.
I also live in Spain(Màlaga) could you tell me where you bought them from.Thanks
Hey there - you need to speak with Isra at Musisol in Estepona... He will look after you :-) 952 79 42 91 www.musisol.com/ good luck - tell them I sent you !
Nice comparison and some slick playing. The Tokai Registry Forum is a great place to ask about anything Tokai, there's people on there really do know there stuff about them as a brand. The two screws on the trussrod cover is Tokai's way of saying MIJ , against their Korean and Chinese guitars which always have 3. Funny you should mention Thin Lizzy as, the classic Brian Downey. Scott Gorham line up, Brian used a P90 loaded LP and Scott a LP Deluxe with mini humbuckers. The Japanese Love Rock Standard is based wholly on a 58 Les Paul hence the frets and neck profile, the Chinese is more of a mixture of the various LPs rather than , a specific model. I have a Tokai 92 Standard and an 81 Custom and they are totally different guitars, the neck profiles are completely different. and the 81 has what are often referred to as "ghost frets". tokairegistry.com/tokai-info/tokai-info.html
Hey!! Thanks for the compliment and also for the ton of info on the Tokai Guitars - I'll check it out. Thanks again and all the best for now!
Brian Robertson. Brian Downey was the drummer ;)
I have made up my mind to go all out and get the Japan model, it will be a lifetime committment. Can you tell me the best source (UK) for the mij Tokai ??
HI again, I'm not sure who is your best bet for a MIJ Tokai in the UK, as I'm based in Spain. I'm sure a Google search for UK Tokai dealers will give you some options though?
Mark did you keep the Chinese Tokai les Paul
Kind of - my son has it now!
@@MarkFeaGuitar yeah I think the tokais blow the fenders Epiphones away even the Chinese ones
Canny videos marra.Ive got a tokai ls136f lemon drop.I would match it against any gibson standard and blow it away.The workmanship is 1st class and it sounds awesome.Japan all the way for me much richer beefer sound.
might've been nice to show us the useablilty of the Tone knobs on each guitar...
Hi. Not sure if I looked at the tone range in the other video where I'm playing. (No 3 with the Fender amp). It was a while back! All the controls work well on these though.
I prefer the modern sound of the Japanese model. More mids through my headphones.
Yeah, more punchy and clearer tone for sure. Thanks for watching and your comment, cheers, Mark!
For not a Huge Difference in Tone you can have TWO Chinese ones for the price of a Japanese one ?
Yep, I'd be inclined to do that in fact - spend less on the Chinese model, which is to be honest, just as good to play when it comes down to it, then upgrade a couple of hundred quid on some tasty pickups!
Quantum Music Services are a Tokai main dealer
Where?
Keighley UK
Chinese is more Gibson's sound to me.
The Japanese model takes the proper win, mate.
Yeah, superior tone. If I did that again, I'd buy the Chinese one and put some Burstbuckers in for a couple of hundred quid...