bryn Posted April 9, 2006 Report Share Posted April 9, 2006 If you do go Fender, don't get a Mex when ya have the cash to get better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted April 9, 2006 Report Share Posted April 9, 2006 If you do go Fender' date=' don't get a Mex when ya have the cash to get better.[/quote']I don't see why not. I've got a Mex, installed new pickups. Had a man compare it to his 1200 USA Deluxe Strat... and he asked, "how much did you pay for this?"... He was slightly upset when I told him 300 plus an additional 80 for the pickups.Just because it says USA on it, doesn't make it a better guitar. Japanese and Mexican Fender's are catching up with the USA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Savant Posted April 9, 2006 Report Share Posted April 9, 2006 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ex-Demo-Gibson-SG-Faded-Worn-Series-Mahogany_W0QQitemZ7397806923QQcategoryZ33040QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemThat'll be a nice guitar.That is pretty sweet!! I've got a black SG special (you can get brand new Specials for 500) but I'm wishing I got a wood finish one now!! I also like the SG Standard natural finish - gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gold Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 I don't see why not. I've got a Mex' date=' installed new pickups. Had a man compare it to his 1200 USA Deluxe Strat... and he asked, "how much did you pay for this?"... He was slightly upset when I told him 300 plus an additional 80 for the pickups.Just because it says USA on it, doesn't make it a better guitar. Japanese and Mexican Fender's are catching up with the USA.[/quote']The Truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DustyDeviada Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 OK, you can get a real Gibson brand new with your budget. Nothing against Tokai's, but a Gibson has a nitro finish which is important in my view and will hold its value better than a Tokai if you ever come to sell it.How about this, just down the road in Glasgow, 549:http://www.guitarstrings.co.uk//cart/product.asp?key=51813Or mail order from www.petercooks.co.uk (I have bought from them many times and they are extremely reliable):649:489A bit different, 559If you are willing to go for a "faded" finish Gibson you have other options, but personally I think they are horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britheguy Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 I've 3 les pauls and 1 strat....that tells a story for me.You can turn the vol down on the Les Paul and get a nice clean tone. I think people tend to have the vol on their guitars full up too much of the time, which does not help.Regarding the action on a LP, I've no problem at all. Strats are great guitars but you should buy what you feel good with, and for me that's a Les Paul.SG's are ace and very much in at the minute, so expect to pay top dollar for one.For 500 quid you would be better going for a nice Tokia LP.Of course you could get away from the household names and go for something different.Robin or Moon both are great guitars for that money if you can find them, plus you won't see every other band at the gig with one.cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryn Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 I don't see why not. I've got a Mex' date=' installed new pickups. Had a man compare it to his 1200 USA Deluxe Strat... and he asked, "how much did you pay for this?"... He was slightly upset when I told him 300 plus an additional 80 for the pickups.Just because it says USA on it, doesn't make it a better guitar. Japanese and Mexican Fender's are catching up with the USA.[/quote']The guitar I put up was almost dead-on his price range and a MUCH higher quality guitar. Of course there is an element of paying for a label, but a second hand Strat Plus is far beyond the level of a standard mex (plus you have get re-sale value; its more of an 'investment' than the dead-money situation you're suggesting.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 The guitar I put up was almost dead-on his price range and a MUCH higher quality guitar. Of course there is an element of paying for a label' date=' but a second hand Strat Plus is far beyond the level of a standard mex (plus you have get re-sale value; its more of an 'investment' than the dead-money situation you're suggesting.)[/quote']Much higher quality? And what foundations for this comment do you actually have?Paying for a label doesn't always mean its the best. Opinions are like assholes man, but having compared a Standard USA Strat(&Tele) with a Standard Mexican Strat(&Tele), I doubt anyone here could tell the difference in playability.But then... asking what guitar to buy on a message board isn't the best way to find the guitar of your dreams.USA Isn't always an Investment either to be honest. Only the vintage stuff sells for a decent price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry the Larynx Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 Ive just got my self an indie tribal and I have to say it was worth every penny, theres one in Bruce M's. If the others in the Indie guitar range are as good as this one then I might be tempted to spend my bob a job money on another. Definately the smoothest playing bat Ive had for a long time www.indieguitars.com/guitarshop/index.htmlAlso worth shopping around got mine at Abbey Music in Arbroath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paime Posted April 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 ... asking what guitar to buy on a message board isn't the best way to find the guitar of your dreams.I know but i need a place to start looking!! This Tokia LP job, how good is it? Im not really caring about a label or whatever, for me its all about the playability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Any Tokai Love Rock (LP copy) I've played - which come in at about £700-£800 - have easily been on par with any Gibson Les Paul Standard that I've played. I've played quite alot of LP Standard's for what it's worth.Would highly recommend at least trying a Tokai - they're excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 I owned a Tokai Tele... was damn fine. You can pick up a Tokai LP Standard from eBay for around the £400-£500 mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DustyDeviada Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Bear in mind there are two types of Tokai, Korean and Japanese, the Japanese ones are more expensive.Here are some:http://www.coda-music.com/tokai.htmlYou can say what you want, but ultimately you get what you pay for. The reason Gibsons are more expensive is because they use solid woods, a mahoganhy body and a maple cap on a Les Paul Studio, and have a nitro finish. The Tokais will have mystery wood, likely to be chipboard, a with a paper thin laminite of maple on the top and a poly finish.The Gibson will also hold its value better. If you care about any of this, buy a Gibson, if not, just go for the Tokai. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Tokai's ain't made from Chipboard! Christ, its people like you that give companies like that a bad name. Tokai's are pretty good guitars. Not omgz awesome, but you get what you pay for. Its not like a crappy Shine guitar that you see on eBay!If we went by your very high standards(nice guitars btw ) then we'd never buy anything.The Tokai's come highly rated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gasss Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Tokai's ain't made from Chipboard! Christ' date=' its people like you that give companies like that a bad name. Tokai's are pretty good guitars. Not omgz awesome, but you get what you pay for. Its not like a crappy Shine guitar that you see on eBay!If we went by your very high standards(nice guitars btw ) then we'd never buy anything.The Tokai's come highly rated[/quote']I agree, check out http://www.tokai-guitars.co.uk/main.htmWith different company owners, manufacturing processes, materials and specifications, Gibson and Fender are producing copies no more valid (IMHO) than anyone else. The lower resale value of non "premium" brands applies to buying as well as selling.If I wanted a "real" brand new Gibson, I'd buy a Heritage. If I wanted a new Fender, I'd buy a G&L. These companies have more in common with the historic guitars than their namesakes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 True sir... true.I dunno about anyone else here, but I never go into a guitar shop, or look at a guitar and think... "thats nice, not gonna buy it though cos it won't hold its value if I sell it"Thats the last thing on my mind.As for the finish, some people don't really care if its nitro or poly. Poly is tough and durable while nitro ages remarkably well and lets the wood resonate properly.I like both. I have guitars finished with both. I like the idea of my guitar getting old and worn down. Some people also don't care.I like guitar threads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gasss Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Nitro is nicer but I'd rather have a guitar with a well applied poly finish than a poorly applied nitro. [cough - Gibson - cough]. A 1500 Les Paul Custom with orange peel on the neck? No thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 The reason Gibsons are more expensive is because they use solid woods, a mahoganhy body and a maple cap on a Les Paul Studio, and have a nitro finish. The Tokais will have mystery wood, likely to be chipboard, a with a paper thin laminite of maple on the top and a poly finish.The Tokai LPs I've played are mahogany bodied with a maple cap, not veneer.They play just as well as any LP Standard I've played (countless LPs that is too...).I've yet to touch a LP Studio that beats my old Epi Zakk Wylde in terms of playability and sound to be honest.Never mind the fact that Gibson's quality control over the last few years has been nothing short of laughable - I'd take an ESP over one any day (from my experiences with them too...).FAO Threadstarter : Try various guitars and decide for yourself. That's the best way. DOn't buy it for what it says on the headstock though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 The Tokai LPs I've played are mahogany bodied with a maple cap' date=' not veneer.They play just as well as any LP Standard I've played (countless LPs that is too...).I've yet to touch a LP Studio that beats my old Epi Zakk Wylde in terms of playability and sound to be honest.Never mind the fact that Gibson's quality control over the last few years has been nothing short of laughable - I'd take an ESP over one any day (from my experiences with them too...).FAO Threadstarter : Try various guitars and decide for yourself. That's the best way. DOn't buy it for what it says on the headstock though.[/quote']I've not picked up a Gibson in a while, but I've read lots of very similar things about Gibson lately. For the price that they charge, you'd think they'd put a lot more effort into quality control Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MKII Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 True sir... true.I dunno about anyone else here' date=' but I never go into a guitar shop, or look at a guitar and think... "thats nice, not gonna buy it though cos it won't hold its value if I sell it"Thats the last thing on my mind.[/quote']I think that should be a consideration if you're buying something for a good chunk of money. The thread where the guy is trying to sell his expensive amp without much luck would be a good example. My own Gibson Les Paul is great, has served me well for 10 years now, but I'm very tempted to buy the Japanese Tokai Les Paul Custom as a self indulgent 'back up' guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 I think that should be a consideration if you're buying something for a good chunk of money. The thread where the guy is trying to sell his expensive amp without much luck would be a good example.Would that be my Mesa by chance? I assumed it may have been slightly more desireable than it appears to be. Clearly not for the local market it seems. My own Gibson Les Paul is great' date=' has served me well for 10 years now, but I'm very tempted to buy the Japanese Tokai Les Paul Custom as a self indulgent [i']'back up' guitar.Good luck with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougfast Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 i use a tokia fly-v and it is just a fun to play as my charvel in fact i think i use it more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DustyDeviada Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 Tokai's ain't made from Chipboard! Yes they are' date=' well laminate, ie lots of other bits of wood stuck together like chipboard or MDF. Not all of them, but a lot of them. Check out the Tokai forum if you don't believe me, lots of discussion there about laminate construction. Nothing necesseraily wrong with that, lots of high end Gibson and Gretsch archtops ie 335s are made from laminates, but the OP should no exactly what he is getting. I would be willing to bet anything that a Korean made Tokai at 299 does not have a solid one or two piece mahogany body and proper maple cap as claimed by Angel of Death. Very easy to find out, just remove one of the pickups or the control cavity cover.The Tokai's come highly ratedI agree, I fancy that Rickenbacker (Rockinbetter!) copy at 299 myself, all I'm trying to say is that, in terms of materials at least, there is a reason why Gibsons are more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DustyDeviada Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 Here's the actual Korean Tokai catalogue from the Tokai Forum website, as you will see for the ALS37M, ALS48BB and ALS48M it says "Body: Plywood".Which to me is the same as chipboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 The Tokai LPs I've played are mahogany bodied with a maple cap' date=' not veneer.[/quote']I would be willing to bet anything that a Korean made Tokai at 299 does not have a solid one or two piece mahogany body and proper maple cap as claimed by Angel of Death.Just quoting myself there to show what I actually said, rather than being told that I claimed to know about these 300 guitars.I also stated in the post before that that the examples of Tokai LP copys were in the 600 range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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