could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

tall guy · Dec 6, 2004

ever see a LS320 Love Rock.....eh ?

Friggin hell , no wonder Gibson were shittin bricks when they saw it . Read its spec, just like an old 59 burst and the craftmanship is outstanding to say the very least.

some folks say the LS320 by Tokai is just about as close to the real deal as say a Max replica, ive never tried one so I cant ofer any opinion.

If an R9 was set beside a LS320 , do you think you could take the Tokai ?

Be honest with yourself, the LS320 may just be the better guitar , again , i dont know, ive never tried one. Would the Tokai name on a possibly superior guitar be the deciding factor, is that Gibson logo the deciding factor ?

For me, yeah, having that Gibson logo on a devestating R9 = all I want, and thats it . The tokai aint got a fraction of the history, mojo or a lengthy list of legendary users like the historic gibson............case closed.

So ,whats your thoughts, could you pass the historic for a potentially superior non-USA but Japanese guitar that just might take to you closer to owning real burst Les Paul, those things are specced alarmingly close to a real deal burst.

think about it and be honest, could you close your eyes to the name on the headstock ?

jaxbeachrick · Dec 6, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

I am not going to compare the two,but I want a 320 if anyone has one to sell.

villager · Dec 6, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

just got a n orville by gibson for my m8 and had a few greco high speck and a burny and tokai...they are all very nice sounding guitars, change the electrics set em up nice and they sing...

just not quite as sweetly as me r8 or r9..thats the way is is ...if money is a limiting factor i wouldnt hesitate to recommend a high speck lawsuit model ...but they dont (in my opinion) beat the real deal ..

tall G did you sort yer squeely pickup/pot prob?

Just-An-Epi · Dec 6, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

tall guy said:
For me, yeah, having that Gibson logo on a devestating R9 = all I want, and thats it . The tokai aint got a fraction of the history, mojo or a lengthy list of legendary users like the historic gibson............case closed.

QUOTE]

Tall guy I'd say you answered your own question...

I sure wouldn't take a Jap copy over a real Gibson historic. No way in hell

Mark Kane · Dec 6, 2004

An individual LS320 could be as good or better or worse than an individual Gibson R9. They have their little niggles just like the historics. In the end it dont' have gibson on the headstock though. If it was heads and shoulders better that would be one thing, but it isn't.

standardguy · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

I really wouldn't... But then again I would play a good LP built by a custom luthier.

WineRedCustom · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

standardguy said:
I really wouldn't... But then again I would play a good LP built by a custom luthier.

same here.

dont forget that a lot of known musicians do that.
for instance slash.
he has this 1 custom made les paul by a late luthier which is his no 1:
Max 59' Replica with SD Alnico Pro II PU (on the left, the right one, his no 2, is a '87 gibson which he uses on stage and in clips like sweet child of mine):

looks like the one of gary moore btw but was made much earlier than moore's production model and hes used it for all the albums of guns n roses, snakepit, velver revolver.
90% of the stuff you hear on all those albums was recorded with that guitar...its not a gibson but it sounds awesome and looks EXACTLY like a '59 (except pickguard, which to me is unnecessary too)
see also interview here:
http://www.vintageguitar.com/artists/details.asp?ID=135

cheerz

soldano16 · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

If it won the blindfold test I would. My #1 for the last 10 years is a replica. Only because it sounded the best of the 20 LP's I'd owned up until now.

If I was spending the same money for identicals I'd prefer the real Gibson but I would never buy the Gibson, knowing that for the same money I could have a sweeter sounding LP made by someone else. No way.

Count me in.

DaveTV · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

It depends. Are we talking brand new?

If so, I'll take the Tokai over any Gibson guitar.

I don't buy new Gibson guitars, period.

bryvincent · Dec 7, 2004

WineRedCustom said:
...its not a gibson but it sounds awesome and looks EXACTLY like a '59 (except pickguard, which to me is unnecessary too)

and knobs , and not so accurate body shape

p.s. its not a max

Fenderaddict · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

I had a mid-level MIJ Tokai Love Rock that took a '03 R9 to replace it (Only one Gibson Standard ever came close in tone or feel in 4 years of looking), so I'd love to get my hands on a LS320. And I think "Tokai" has a cache as cool as Gibson, being the original bad boy copies. Mind you, the Love Rock wouldn't see my R9 out the door no matter what.

lefty lespaul · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

Some of those Tokai copies are as expensive as an R9. I did'nt think you could get that model in Export. Is it not a custom order Japan only model.
My R7 does me just fine and I have no reason to betray her and get another LP.

jetlag · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

Tokai's have their place. I've been using an early or mid 80's '59 burst tokai love rock in place of my old goldtop for while. It's nice not having to worry about my lester when I'm headin' to the john at a gig. The tokai was cool because (1) nice woods/flame/dished top (2) nice neck (3) decent weight (4) real playable and low dollar. Plus it sounds great and was pretty accurate in most details, especially for the 80's. It's a great gigging guitar. People have to get up real close before they realize it's not a lester. It's kind of fun watching the expression on their face when I tell them it's a japanese les paul copy - you can tell they had no idea, and had just listened to me play it for a set. In the tone department, this guitar (with fralin nickel covered P90's) has just killed every R6 I've picked up.

bjewell · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

After having lived in Tokyo for 15 years and having been married to a Japanese woman for 12 of them, I sure as hell don't like the word "Jap." It is a racial slur, pure and simple and has no place on a board with people from all over the world including Japanese... aqnd yes, the old Tokai guitars were pretty darn great.

no YMMV on this one...

Tom Quinn
Tokyo

Cogswell · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

What bjewell said. This is an international forum & that term is considered offensive.
Thank you for your cooperation

PixelBurst · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

WineRedCustom said:
same here.

dont forget that a lot of known musicians do that.
for instance slash.
he has this 1 custom made les paul by a late luthier which is his no 1:
Max 59' Replica with SD Alnico Pro II PU (on the left, the right one, his no 2, is a '87 gibson which he uses on stage and in clips like sweet child of mine):

looks like the one of gary moore btw but was made much earlier than moore's production model and hes used it for all the albums of guns n roses, snakepit, velver revolver.
90% of the stuff you hear on all those albums was recorded with that guitar...its not a gibson but it sounds awesome and looks EXACTLY like a '59 (except pickguard, which to me is unnecessary too)
see also interview here:
http://www.vintageguitar.com/artists/details.asp?ID=135

cheerz

The replica on the left is made by Chris Derrig who is deceased, not by Max who is among the living. Just clearing that up.

Slim Taper · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

"Hi - my name is Slim and I am a Tokai owner! "

(The crowd responds) "Hi Slim!"

Yes, I do indeed own one, an '84 mid-level Love Rock flametop, because at the time, there was nothing that Gibson made that came close. When the Historic series was issued, I thought, "At last!", and now I own an '03 R9 also. I really love the Gibby, but I gotta tell ya, the Tokai not only gives it a run for it's money, but blows it away on a couple of levels. I wish my Historic's neck pickup sounded like my Love Rock, and, quality-controlwise, the Historic would not have left the Tokai factory. But, being the Gibson snob that I am, I play the R9 a lot more - if only to justify the fact that it was almost six times the price of the Tokai!

JoeP · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

DaveTV said:
I don't buy new Gibson guitars, period.

Or knobs, or pickups, or strings or picks, or tailpieces, or parts, or nothing..

period....

I'd much rather have a Tokai than a new Gibson.....

:dude

WineRedCustom · Dec 7, 2004

bryvincent said:
and knobs , and not so accurate body shape

p.s. its not a max

well slash says the body shape is immaculate and he ordered it so

read the interview.
and the site were its on says its a max but indeed it was built by someone else.

cheerz

rsterren · Dec 7, 2004

Re: could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

I own a Burny, i take that to openpodia and other buissy stages.
Its damn near a '59, put the burstbuckers from my standard in it and it sounds like its the real deal.. but then again, it isnt.. it says burny on the headstock...

could YOU ever consider choosing a Tokai Love Rock LS320 in preference to a Historic

New member

Banned

In the Zone

New member

All Access/Backstage Pass

New member

Banned

New member

Active member

bryvincent

Guest

New member

New member

New member

Banned

The Duke of Dumbassery

Active member

Member

New member

Banned

New member