New Tokai Gibson copies

[Basvarken]

I walked into the local music store today and to my surpise they had several Tokai Gibson clones hanging on the wall.

A Firebird, a Flying V (fifties style), an Explorer and a Thunderbird.

Now I know that Tokai has an excellent reputation. Their Les Pauls, Strats, P and J basses have always been excellent stuff.

Any opinions about the current Tokai instruments? They were all priced 435 euro. Which somehow seemed pretty cheap to me...

[Dave W]

I read a discussion elsewhere a two or three years ago where it was stated that the cheaper ones are made in Korea and not up to the standard of the originals. But I haven't seen them for sale in the US, so I can't say from first hand experience.

[pamlicojack]

My very first bass was a mid-80's Tokai P-Bass, gold with a brass pickguard.  I loved it but would up trading it for a 73 Ripper.  It was VERY good quality and could hold it's own with any other I had at the time...

[exiledarchangel]

A friend of mine bought recently a Tokai Les Paul geetard, with two P-90s and wraparound bridge in TV yellow, and he's pretty enthousiastic about it. I like it alot.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

My lefty Tokai T-bird is made in Korea & it's pretty damn good quality.
Not sure when it was made...I got it just a year ago. I'd like to know...
Has a minor issue--not being quite as s-m-o-o-t-h playing as some of my other basses.
Actually it's very similar to my Epi V made lefty. Paid 7 hun for the Tokai & 5 hun for the Epi.
Got both of 'em from a gentleman who was thinning his herd.
Paid 7 hun for my lefty Greco SG EB3 & it's better quality than the Tokai.
I love 'em both equally tho!! T-birds are so fokken coool
Probly will never own a lefty Gibson T-bird so it'll have to do.