Tokais at Andy's

Chris-Mason · 2010-04-21T13:10:21+00:00

Went into Andy Mc Gibbons this morning, What impressed me was the large range of Tokai's in stock. They have a full range. Check out the Tokai Teles, awesome and really good instruments.

singemonkey

Late at night for me, but always enjoy the cat among the pigeons scenario. Point is that you cannot buy a custom shop Gibson new for the price of a Tokai. Let's take that Custom:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Custom-Les-Paul-Custom-Electric-Guitar?sku=517110

$3,899 at Musician's Friend prices - about as low as it goes brand new in the USA. And it would cost a lot more here. A second hand price is not comparable.

Vic. I do own Gibsons. And I say often that I love my Gibson LP. I'm saying that for the money the Tokais win every time. Were the custom shop Gibsons cheaper, why would I not save for them? They have everything and the name. Problem is, they want tens of thousands for that name.

The negativity is with the corporate policy. Not the guitars. You... me... we love the guitars. I loathe the company, and I love the Japanese replica makers for setting them straight (although they don't go straight). They're saying: "This is what it's about." Not maximising profits at any cost. But making guitars that you can create your own legend with.

Banditman

I guess I'm just going to agree with and add to PJH and singemonkey's comments above.

kp247 - welcome to the forum. The truth is I am a big Gibson fan, probably always have been, and own one which is the main guitar I go to most of the time. I wouldn't part with mine, which is going to be getting a set of Bare Knuckle Mules & and RS rewire upgrade sometime hopefuly soon (if my bikes stop sucking money out of my wallet). It's a tool as well as a source of great enjoyment, not an investment.

And Tokai's guitars blow me away. The ES185 Andy has in stock looks, fits, plays and sounds in every way equal to my friend's '91 ES-335. I'm not remotely suggesting anyone consign Gibsons to the scrapheap, nor that we stop buying them. The fact is for most of us money talks. Without getting snotty over pay packet size most musos can't afford to buy Les Pauls, and can't afford to try to replace them seeing as they pulled out of SA for arrogant reasons.

Replica or not, 9-11 grand for a non weight-relieved equivalent out the box of a 30k priced guitar is not to be sniffed at. Playing is believing. Held in the hands & without looking at the headstock, the only immediate difference is the lack of fret end plastic nibs on the Love Rock. Incidentally we lose those once your Les is refretted.

The biggest thing Tokai calls into question is the price we're paying for a Gibson considering that not all Les Pauls are created equal. I've mentioned some time back (in a similar thread) that I spent a few days in London playing my way through a variety of new & used LPs while searching for mine. Some were everything you'd expect, a lot were quite disappointing. Now if Tokai can do it, Gibson can ( and so can Fender for that matter). As I say to my rider trainees if you can do it right once, you can do it right every time. I wish Gibson would sort their issues and attitude out. Their instruments I love, their corporate policy I detest.

Go back to your working (or part-timer) muso who can't afford to wait for 5-6 years to buy a 30 grand guitar, but who can get the same quality construction & sound for 9-11. That's better than a Studio. It gives them a far better option than upgrading an Epi which is nowhere near the same playing field (unless you're talking Epiphone Elitists, and for that money you can almost buy a new Gibson - so why buy the Epi at all?).

There are a few Gibsons I'd love to add to the stable. There are also a couple of Tokais I'd add as well - and wouldn't feel the slightest bit of shame.

A good guitar is a good guitar irrespective of the headstock name. Give a few LS95 / 160s an honest try out. It won't make you reject Gibsons any more than it has done me, but it will challenge what we regard as acceptable pricing for the instruments we love.

Bob-Dubery

vic wrote But what is of concern to me is the perceived fact that often when Gibson is mentioned on this forum, it is met by (sometimes) undiplomatic comments and negativity wrapped in eloquent phrases, with the result that we have a crop of members here (Gibson owners) who prefer to remain silent. ☹ and seldom, if ever, post anything re. their brand.
I am, as you know, not one of those. ?

So are we all supposed to take a vow in which we promise not to diss Gibson guitars so that these members may feel that it is safe to put a toe in the water? What about all those silent Ovation owners? Do we take a vow to respect their kit as well? Then while we're at it we'll pass a rule that says that nobody may say "who is THAT?" when somebody comes along and says "my favourite player is...." and mentions some obscure figure. What about the disparaging remarks about crocs that we get on this forum? Shouldn't something be done about that so that any croc wearers would feel able to post here?

Vic, there is always going to be some piece of kit or some player that people have strong feelings about or feel ambivalent about. That doesn't reflect on the owners of that kit or the fans of that player and they should not feel that they personally are being attacked. Unless their concept of themselves is so heavily invested in their guitar or their preferred brand of guitar that any criticism of that brand is perceived as a direct attack. In which case their relationship with their guitar is very unhealthy and they should seek the sort of help that this forum cannot provide.

Wizard

New angle:

Stuff can be stolen.
I just don't want to buy precious things that will cause me to worry anymore.
If I come home to a blank space where a guitar used to be, I don't want it to be the end of the world.

As a result, I'm delighted with the "copiers" - they give me access to amazing instruments that I can feasibly own; without worry and which are insurance replaceable.
I'll probably end up owning both Cort & Tokai guitars.

P.S.
Confession: I wear crocs

PJH

Wizard wrote New angle:

Stuff can be stolen.
I just don't want to buy precious things that will cause me to worry anymore.
If I come home to a blank space where a guitar used to be, I don't want it to be the end of the world.

As a result, I'm delighted with the "copiers" - they give me access to amazing instruments that I can feasibly own; without worry and which are insurance replaceable.
I'll probably end up owning both Cort & Tokai guitars.

P.S.
Confession: I wear crocs

Great point Wizard,

Since we fly a lot for gigs, I no longer have to worry if my Gibson is gonna be in one piece when I get to the other side. In fact since getting the two Love Rocks, I haven't touched my Gibsons at all.

Peter.

Bob-Dubery

Wizard wrote P.S.
Confession: I wear crocs

I'm not alone!

Oh frabjuous day.

Keira-WitherKay

? no worries re the 'crocs" i own 3 pairs too

Bob-Dubery

Keira WitherKay wrote ? no worries re the 'crocs" i own 3 pairs too

And Steve Newman has been seen wearing this unjustly maligned footwear.

Say it out loud: "I wear crocs, and I'm proud!"

AlanRatcliffe

Do I have to make a board for you croc-wearers? Looks like it could double as an acoustic board.

[deleted]

Wizard wrote Confession: I wear crocs

Keira WitherKay wrote ? no worries re the 'crocs" i own 3 pairs too

X-rated Bob wrote "I wear crocs, and I'm proud!"

Shame... Shame... and Shame ?

Anyway, back on topic...

kp247 wrote No my friend, I don't need to compare it to anything! A copy is just that - a Copy! Never mind what you want to compared it to. ?

Your comments are also not clearly thought through. ??? Are you saying that you'll have to save for 5 to 6 years to buy a real good guitar like a Gibson whereas you're able to buy a Tokai copy right now for what - 30K? Why save then? Why not just buy the Gibson now?

My 2cents....

I think the Gibsons of today are nothing but copies of those that where made in the late 50 and 60s... Gibson still trying to copy what they themselves did. So whats the difference...

Money is not the issue, its value for money! and I do see the difference!

I say you all must just buy strats and teles anyway... ? ?

racman

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Do I have to make a board for you croc-wearers? Looks like it could double as an acoustic board.

Hey, what a great idea!!

Although it's pure coincidence I assure you; I've also started wearing crocs now since going the acoustic route ......(Believe it, 'cause it's true!!!!) ??? :? ? ?

singemonkey

racman wrote
Alan Ratcliffe wrote Do I have to make a board for you croc-wearers? Looks like it could double as an acoustic board.
Hey, what a great idea!!

Although it's pure coincidence I assure you; I've also started wearing crocs now since going the acoustic route ......(Believe it, 'cause it's true!!!!) ??? :? ? ?

This is the most crushing indictment of going acoustic I've ever had the displeasure to read ?

I'm going to go out and buy myself some boots made of a material that was taken from a cow without its consent. Then I'm going to give my classical and my banjo to a relative ?

Bob-Dubery

Be sure to tell that well known folkie Steven Tyler the news

singemonkey

Steve Tyler's so high and calory deprived, the poor fella just doesn't know what he's doing... ?

Now show me Keef in Crocs, and I'll admit you have a point.

racman

Wow, this thread has gone from "Hey everyone there are Tokai's at Andy's" to an extreme defence of all things Gibson and denigration of Tokai, to the debate on the validity of the implication that all copies are cr@p, to crocs and then finally an aging pensioner rocker posing with crocs!!!!

Definitely a steady downward spiral
? ? ?

singemonkey

X-rated Bob wrote

_______________^________
(I CAN HAZ CHEEZEBURGER?)

Squonk

What about the Fake Croc's you can buy all over the place ?

singemonkey

Squonk wrote What about the Fake Croc's you can buy all over the place ?

You'd have to be really gullible to buy them ?

6x9base13

singemonkey wrote Steve Tyler's so high and calory deprived, the poor fella just doesn't know what he's doing... ?

According to his book, he hasn't been high in 20 years and he has a fast metabolism. He's wearing this of his own free will ☹ ☹ ? ? ? ?

Bob-Dubery

Of course he's wearing them of his own free will. So do I.

Society is SO intolerant. What's it coming to when a man gets shunned just for wearing colourful footwear?

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