Tokai love rock range - Guitars101

Goport · 03-26-2006, 01:13 PM

how do these compare to epiphones? I know they are Korean made but Tokai have always been a brand I like and they do quite a nice left handed Les Paul.

Also (to save double posting) I really fancy a playable Left handed Tele (I LOVE these guitars) and have always wanted an maple fretboard, black bodied left handed Tele. if anyone knows of a reasonable priced version can you post a link.

Thanks in advance

**stingx** · 03-26-2006, 02:20 PM

Porty, you'll get mixed answers on this. To me, all guitars out of Korea are of the same build. How can they not be? They all use CNC technology. The differences being in the wood and electronics they use. I played a Love Rock, MIK not Japan, and it felt just like the Agile I played in Rondo music. That is to say both felt and played quite well. I even came close to buying a ESP LTD EC-400AT, also MIK by ESP. I have found the Chinese imports to be a mixed bag though and I believe most Epis come out of China now. I assume they will only get better.

CNC has really stopped me from paying over 2k for an LP. I have a Schecter that costs 3x less and covers all the LP-like tone I need. It plays amazingly well and has tone to kill for. I make a lot of money but I just cannot see spending MORE than I have to for what I use these instruments for. I am not a rock star and the chances of me playing Madison Square Garden are slim to none

Along the same lines, I find the build quality of my Made in Mexico Jimmie Vaughan Stratocaster to be as good if not better than my '97 American Standard. The neck beckons you to play it and the fit and finish are amazing for a guitar I spent a little over $500 USD on. Throw in the fact that it uses American made Tex Mex pups and wiring AND had the same hardware used on the Custom Shop Vintage models and you have a no brainer.

I had the chance to play an Epi Elitist LP Custom and it was mind blowing. I donut think those come out of Korea or China, though. I believe they are made in Japan.

Goport · 03-27-2006, 01:00 PM

thanks for your reply sting. if I am honest, most of the left handed guitars I have bought have been so badly set up compared to the right handers it is untrue. Right down to a locking nut being woefully misaligned on my RG. I am quite happy to buy one of these MIK guitars but I refuse to pay over the odds. so although I really like this little fella the usa asking price is only $209 the uk asking price for the same guitar (on ebay) was $522. that makes them slightly less appealing

A fender Mex Tele will also set me back around $600 - not good.

So if you see a nice cheap lefty hanging around at any music shops in the usa, let me know mate

El_jalepeno · 03-27-2006, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goport

thanks for your reply sting. if I am honest, most of the left handed guitars I have bought have been so badly set up compared to the right handers it is untrue. Right down to a locking nut being woefully misaligned on my RG. I am quite happy to buy one of these MIK guitars but I refuse to pay over the odds. so although I really like this little fella the usa asking price is only $209 the uk asking price for the same guitar (on ebay) was $522. that makes them slightly less appealing

A fender Mex Tele will also set me back around $600 - not good.

So if you see a nice cheap lefty hanging around at any music shops in the usa, let me know mate

Check your PM

**stingx** · 03-27-2006, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goport

So if you see a nice cheap lefty hanging around at any music shops in the usa, let me know mate

Porty, funny you should mention that. I had to go to Princeton today. On the way back I detoured to Rondo Music...home of Agile

I saw SEVERAL beautiful left-handed Agile LPs. One was a sweet, bookmatched, cherry flame. That one was in the scratch and dent section and was only $159 USD. I couldn't find neither a scratch nor a dent on it. Another looker was a goldtop, actually two of them...one had P90s in it, the other humbuckers (with covers). They looked amazing. I am not lefty so I didn't play it but I did feel the fingerboard and the fret ends were nicely polished.

I am a southpaw who does EVERYTHING right-handed except write.

Goport · 03-28-2006, 02:45 AM

thanks again sting and also thank you very much to EJ who may have just found a perfect solution for me

Goport · 03-29-2006, 06:39 AM

well all purchases are off for a while. I bought a new toy today

A Variax 500LH sunburst. it seems to be pretty good and I am having a lot of fun with it today. Typical me - nothing like what I have been looking for but it was a very good price and I had a choice of THREE colours!! that is like heaven for a left handed guitarist

El_jalepeno · 03-29-2006, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goport

well all purchases are off for a while. I bought a new toy today

A Variax 500LH sunburst. it seems to be pretty good and I am having a lot of fun with it today. Typical me - nothing like what I have been looking for but it was a very good price and I had a choice of THREE colours!! that is like heaven for a left handed guitarist

Very nice! I feel bad for you guys that play guitar backwards

Goport · 03-29-2006, 08:12 AM

me tkae ofefcne at taht!

irongolem85 · 03-29-2006, 07:59 PM

you should feel sorry for us EJ!

its painfully difficult to find a good lefty ANYWHERE
i was damn lucky to find my BC Rich... practically fell in my lap!

the guitar shop i frequent called me and said they had a nice lefty in used, and i came and i bought it...pretty damn easy...
but yea...being left handed is a blessing cause we're better than your righties

then its a curse cause we cant find shit for guitars and baseball gloves..

**stingx** · 03-30-2006, 03:27 AM

Being left handed myself, I decided starting out to play righty. The choice of guitars for southpaws SUCKED when I was a kid.

What is comes down to really is a left handed person is really just a lazy right hander

Oh, I should mention the fact that as a small child I was taught by Catholic nuns who used to crack the chalk pointer stick on my left hand every time I tried to use it. I have them to thank for playing guitar righty and also for becoming an atheist

Goport · 03-31-2006, 07:55 AM

there are varying degrees of lefthandedness. I suffer from absolute extreme lefthandedness. which sucks

but then I have 5 left handed guitars (4 of which are good) and 1 bass which is a real bargain and decent player to boot. It never held me back being left handed. but the 1st year that I spend trying to play right handed was a complete waste of time.