This video does a lot of justice for Takai guitars.....of course thanks to your excellent playing. I have a LS50, upgraded with Manlius Fat Dianes...and it is an incredible guitar. Would love to get my hands on an LS150, but they have gotten somewhat expensive for the vintage lawsuit period.
@josephkallifffraude I'm sorry but I have no idea what the scales are. Maybe another viewer can help. The run you mention just comes out without thinking too much it utilises parts of things I would do in that key from different positions on the neck. My advice is to not get too hung up on scales they are great starting point I guess but if you know the neck you can go in any direction from anywhere in any key. If you only think scales you'll end up only playing scales! Hope this helps!
@josephkallifffraude It's a nice phrase. He starts with an F# minor triad then into a B blues scale (adds a high C# note for flavor-not part of the scale) then back to B Blues ending on a lower C# again for flavor/color. Message me if you want it transcribed.
tokais really are great playing and sounding axes..i cheated and bought a neck made a 1 piece mahogany back with a bookmatched maple top body with a gibson burstbucker pro at the bridge and a semour duncan p90 in the neck...and it sounds excellent..as for your playing ..well done
Where is the model number on a Tokai. I have one for about 5 years now and haven't found any numbers yet. It's a loverock with flame. Check out my video and you'll hear it. Plays like a dream and has a nice dark sound like my 87 Standard did. And I mean it's identical!! Where's the numbers?
@grindinglicks usually the model number is stamped or handwitten written inside the bridge pickup cavity. This will be the model number at the time since they have a bizzare scheme of using the Yen price as the model number which means that an LS60 from 6 years ago is probably equivalent to an LS100 now. You need the age from the serial number and the model to work out current equivalent. Check out the Tokai Forum from more info.
@TheDavke hmmmm.... The 150 has different p/ups, a long tenon neck joint into body, lightweight bridge and I think lemon drop capacitors.... it's also a lot more money.... get a model in the 80-110 range and you have a great guitar.
@TheDavke an LS90 has a solid Mahogany back with a traditional maple cap which is then topped by a veneer of flame maple timber for aesthetic purposes. (I have one). It also does not have a nitro finish. An LS150 has the same Mahogany back and and neck but has a maple cap which is usually flamed and therefore does not have the need for a layer of veneer. However, do not worry about the LS90 being an inferior guitar, it is superb in its own right, the 150 is the next step up. Both are great.
Even without the awesome playing, these guitars just feel so much more satisfying to play compared to Epiphones etc. I love my Gibson but god the Tokai gives it a good run for it's money :D
I can't wait, I ordered my LS150 in Violin Finish yesterday.
Judging by the reviews I've read I'm hoping it'll be much better than the Gibson LP Trad Pro & Standard which I've briefly owned - those were real disappointments.
@MegaAvenger2010 thats not copy my friend. they do some innovation from the originals. sometimes, innovations better than the originals. have a good day buddy.
i have been playing guitar for over 20 years and cant fault tokai for making cheaper priced quality guitars, my epiphones play and sound as good as my gibsons. i was on the hunt for a new gibson les paul for some time, tried loads of them, some not bad, some really crap and could not find anything that could justify the overpriced cost of these guitars then one day i spotted a tokai in the local guitar shop and as soon as i picked it up i was hooked, tokai is the way forward.
@dansam73 That's absolutely right ! It's easy to find a Gibson that plays like crap but of the Made In Japan Tokais I've never found one that plays badly. It's hard to tell people this but when they pick one up and realise for themselves, they are then preaching the word !.
@AnthonyYaff ha! I've got a Gibson thanks! See my other videos. By the way the Gibson is also a clone of something Gibson used to make ie. the 1959 Les Paul out of the Kalamzoo factory. Tokai seem to be making a better clone of this than Gibson at Nashville do these days.
@spudmaster77 Thanks! I'm sorry but I don't understand the musical technicalities of that, listening back, to me, it's just some incidental colouration before coming back on the beat for the next kind of 'line of the song' !
@Mattukgtr It's a series of maj6 arpeggios starting and ending on the sixth scale note.For example; F#-A-F#-E-F#. They descend up the positions. Go as far as you like then combine descending notes as the riff continues.
"That run you play..." It is based out of a "Dorian" mode sound. Most of what he plays in that section is all Dorian Mode. To help you better understand it first check out a video by "Wallimann" Called: How to play very fast: Extended Minor Pentatonic scales. It will come in handy (and has nothing to do with actually playing fast in relation to the above run). That vid will give you parameters.
Then...after you get that...go and look at the Dorian mode. As long as the....cont.
....root, 3rd and 7th are addressed (when first starting out) you can actually use any minor scale over this (in the appropriate key).
So when I look at this progression with this kind of feel...personally these are the notes I know are in play: (From low E to high E in his particular position) (Low E): B, C#, D, E /// (A string). C#, D, E,F,F#,Ab, A /// (D string): F#, Ab, A, Bb, B,C#, D /// (G string). B, C#, D, E, F, F# /// (B string) F#, Ab, A, B /// (E string) SAME as low.
So once you have those parameters and notes down...work out emphasis. In that run he is emphasizing the "2" of Dorian in the key of B..which would be C#. He is not "landing" on roots. Try this in practice. Work out using only "2's".."3's"..."6's" and "7's" for notes to land on. Work with only one at a time to get their sound. In no time you will be "hearing" that great sound in your head...the one that the video poster uses flawlessly.
Now you hear and see why these are not sold in the U.S., cause Gibson would have to lower their prices. That thing sounds right on the same if not higher level than most Gibbys.
@ckaGypsy the LS150 spec I have, has long tenon neck joint, aluminium tailpiece, aluminium bridge with brass saddles, western electric style wiring, CTS pots, oil based capacitors, nitro finish, better tuners. The LS80 is like a standard Gibson LP except it has poly finish though it has a bone nut and medium tenon neck joint.
@sweetguitars as matt says below second hand in the states only ..or import you could try Rich Tone music in the UK they are Tokai specialists and have lots of models more so than many other retailers... they are also very helpful im sure they will be happy to help ......
@youngstardj123 ...mine also arent black mate they came as standard with chrome same as Matt s above ...but hey either way long as they sound good i dont care what colour they are lol ..
@sweetguitars I don't think you can buy them in the USA unless you can find one second hand. Gibson have legally prevented sales to the US because they want your money instead! You can import them from Japan or Europe.
@Mattukgtr Matt great playing mate ive viewed all your vids n there great ..just bought the LS85F Tokai and yep i prefer it to some Les Paul Gibsons ive played in the past lovely tone ..thanks for uploads ..
@ibek1200 The 150F has a Flamed maple top. The LS150 was normally an 'R8' model which only had a plain maple cap but Tokai made a special run which had a flamed maple top.
@F20Btran - on this video it's exactly as it came. Two years on it has a DiMarzio Dp100 in the bridge and I have put an Alnico 5 magnet in the bridge pickup. This is more personal taste than necessity. Newer ones come with Mk2 pickups which sound pretty much the same but are a little bit hotter.
you are an idiot, you don't know any history past 50 years. without chinese ideas/inventions in the begining, farming/industrialisation would not be as advanced as now.
go play your minor and major scales aye, cause thats what you guys are good at.
you are an idiot, you don't know any history past 50 years. without chinese ideas/inventions in the begining, farming/industrialisation would not be as advanced as now.
go play your minor and major scales aye, cause thats what you guys are good at.
Yes agreed, but then we would only have Gibson's copy of the 1959 Les Paul ? Lets face it their latest version ie VOS and custom shop specials are overpriced and not that great. The Gibson Les Paul Standard of today is so far removed from the original 1959 spec that itself has become just another copy. I can't speak for other makes but Japanese Tokai make some of the best Les Pauls that I have played at half the price of a Gibson Standard (which I also own).
@Mattukgtr Could not have said it better! people want theGibson name so bad, but truth is I've played Les Pauls that will blow Gibsons out of the water, and usually at a fraction of the cost. Maybe they just got lazy, making so many guitars. I personally find the quality of my Orville to be of my liking more than a Gibson from the same era.
@Mattukgtr I played this guitar a few days ago, and there are alot of differences bewteen a Gibson Lp and this guitar. I would say its only a very cheap Les Paul copy ;-) Thats my opinion ;-)
@vbexpress15 - You played any old Love Rock ? or did you play this exact model ? Was it a Made in Japan Tokai you played ? I'm thinking you must have played a made In China model if that was your conclussion ? I have a Gibson Les Paul and two Made In Japan Tokais. The LS150F is a far better than the Gib LP std.
@vbexpress15 maybe you actually played a chinese tokai without knowing what you had in your hands. If you had played a Japanese LS150 you would have known for sure it would blow a Gibson off its stand.
i bought my 2010 tokai LS 135 from richtone, they are great to deal with but i found out that it is actually an LS 160 and that there is no such guitar as a 2010 LS 135.
it has the R8 spec i,e- long neck tenon, jap mk 2 p,a,f pick ups, one peice neck, one peice mahogany body, aluminium tailpeice etc etc do you know anything about why they have trouble with the serial numbers?
that aside, its the best guitar i have ever seen, played or heard, its amazing!
@SCAMPISOCKS Hey, I won an ebay-auction over a tobacco ls135 (originally from Richtone) . The seller had the mkII removed so I decided to get some replacement PUs (alnico II and dimarzio 36th. ann.) before putting the stock pus in. It's beautiful instrument, but the higher strings have some aggressive attack. Do you have simmilar experiences?
@SCAMPISOCKS It's because Tokai labels their models based on the price in Japan when they're made. A 2005 135 would have cost around 135.000 yen back then. But due to inflation and rising costs, the prices/model names get updated regularly. Thus a not too old LS135 would be an LS150. Even the LS150 aren't 'made' anymore and they're the LS160s now.
@LedZeppelin1275 It was from Richtone Music in Sheffield - see ebay shop - then I changed the pickups - Gibson burstbucker#3 in the neck DiMarzio SDHB dp100 at the bridge. The original Tokai are on it in this video.
Hey that's a nice guitar and some nice playing :) Does anyone know where I can find the more high end Tokais in the UK? I've played one of the new £270 Made in China ones and honestly thought it was as good as the £650 Epiphone '59 reissue, but I can't find anywhere to try the higher end ones... oh well...
Gibson makes some guitars I would like to own.. but for Les Pauls under $3000 Id take a Tokai over the Gibson.Even the cheaper Tokais have way more of the Mojo than most Gibsons.
Gibson is the Chrysler of guitar companies.. they have the name which is legendary but the brand is at a serious low point right now.
In my opinion the quality and playability of Tokai guitars are better than any standard productions that Gibson has put out. They (Tokai) are on par with historic in craftmanship except the different wood used . I believe Tokai majority of Tokai LP are made from African Mahogany (Gibson claims to have used Honduran and South America variations) and the top is not US Eastern Maple or probably diferrent species of Maple).
@AnthonyYaff They sure are as good. In fact I prefer them. I have a 1990 Les Paul Standard which I thought was the best guitar I ever played until I got the Tokai. I changed the Tokai pickups very soon but I'd also changed them in my Gibson too! The biggest difference is playability and performance when soloing - the feel of the frets and the neck profile and how easily it can be played and how the notes ring out and sustain. The Tokai has the mojo !
The pickups used in the video are the stock pickups which I believe are Tokai Mk1's. I have since changed the pickups and have an 1980's DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge and a Gibson Burstbucker #3 in the neck
It seems to me that Tokai and Gibson both try to make a replica of the original 59 Les Pauls. It's just that Tokai Japan seem to do it consistently better and for far less money ! I own both makes of Les Paul.
I understand from what I have read that they make some great guitars but I have never had chance to play or purchase these brands. The only for sale new Burny I have seen in the UK have not been the Japan models. This thread is about Tokai.
sis you ever experiment with bare knuckle pickups ?, one of theirs 'Stormy Monday was recommended to me as a replacement on my Gibson Les Psul , ant Tokai ES135
This video does a lot of justice for Takai guitars.....of course thanks to your excellent playing. I have a LS50, upgraded with Manlius Fat Dianes...and it is an incredible guitar. Would love to get my hands on an LS150, but they have gotten somewhat expensive for the vintage lawsuit period.
elpelao2011 1 month ago
@elpelao2011 you can buy an LS150 new from Richtone Music in Sheffield, great guitars and will knock any Gibson Les Paul off the wall.
mark22160 1 month ago
Turn that sucker up, come on !?
wisesatyr72 1 month ago
Really nice, i love improvised stuff. I wish i had your ability ;0)
vainparasite 2 months ago
That is some fantastic tone, and playing!!!
Sold07 2 months ago
What you played on 1:54 to 2:00 ? What scale is that?
josephkallifffraude 3 months ago
@josephkallifffraude I'm sorry but I have no idea what the scales are. Maybe another viewer can help. The run you mention just comes out without thinking too much it utilises parts of things I would do in that key from different positions on the neck. My advice is to not get too hung up on scales they are great starting point I guess but if you know the neck you can go in any direction from anywhere in any key. If you only think scales you'll end up only playing scales! Hope this helps!
Mattukgtr 3 months ago 2
@Mattukgtr Hey, thanks =D I know it ain't a good thing, but the one you played there is nice, maybe i can try figure out by ear~ xD Thanks =D
josephkallifffraude 3 months ago
@josephkallifffraude It's a nice phrase. He starts with an F# minor triad then into a B blues scale (adds a high C# note for flavor-not part of the scale) then back to B Blues ending on a lower C# again for flavor/color. Message me if you want it transcribed.
darthfocus 1 month ago
@darthfocus Hey thanks =D! I think i want it transcribed! It will help a lot!! Thanks ~
josephkallifffraude 1 month ago
amazing....can you give the tabs for that blues song?...im learning how to play guitar ...
tixmax01 3 months ago
@tixmax01 sorry there are no tabs it's all just improvised.
Mattukgtr 3 months ago
Damn...lovely tone. I wish I could play like you.
Comp3630 4 months ago
tokai les pauls are better than many gibsons
manirous 4 months ago
tokais really are great playing and sounding axes..i cheated and bought a neck made a 1 piece mahogany back with a bookmatched maple top body with a gibson burstbucker pro at the bridge and a semour duncan p90 in the neck...and it sounds excellent..as for your playing ..well done
egotripband 5 months ago
Where is the model number on a Tokai. I have one for about 5 years now and haven't found any numbers yet. It's a loverock with flame. Check out my video and you'll hear it. Plays like a dream and has a nice dark sound like my 87 Standard did. And I mean it's identical!! Where's the numbers?
grindinglicks 5 months ago
@grindinglicks usually the model number is stamped or handwitten written inside the bridge pickup cavity. This will be the model number at the time since they have a bizzare scheme of using the Yen price as the model number which means that an LS60 from 6 years ago is probably equivalent to an LS100 now. You need the age from the serial number and the model to work out current equivalent. Check out the Tokai Forum from more info.
Mattukgtr 5 months ago
Hi,what amp model etc are you using on your POD X3 please? Great tone btw
kitmac50 6 months ago
I HEAR A LOT OF PAGEY IN YOUR PLAYING..
yorkshireman62 6 months ago
Nice touch, nice tone!
vazon69 7 months ago
Some tone you get there. How is the one piece back and neck? Do you find is sustains better?
Mahavishnu80 7 months ago
can anyone tell me what is the difference between ls-90 and ls150 ?
TheDavke 8 months ago
@TheDavke hmmmm.... The 150 has different p/ups, a long tenon neck joint into body, lightweight bridge and I think lemon drop capacitors.... it's also a lot more money.... get a model in the 80-110 range and you have a great guitar.
Nickofaballooni 6 months ago
@Nickofaballooni thanks man. Great guitar by the way :)
TheDavke 6 months ago
@TheDavke an LS90 has a solid Mahogany back with a traditional maple cap which is then topped by a veneer of flame maple timber for aesthetic purposes. (I have one). It also does not have a nitro finish. An LS150 has the same Mahogany back and and neck but has a maple cap which is usually flamed and therefore does not have the need for a layer of veneer. However, do not worry about the LS90 being an inferior guitar, it is superb in its own right, the 150 is the next step up. Both are great.
mark22160 1 month ago
@mark22160 thanks for the info....but i bought fgn lc20...great guitar
TheDavke 1 month ago
Even without the awesome playing, these guitars just feel so much more satisfying to play compared to Epiphones etc. I love my Gibson but god the Tokai gives it a good run for it's money :D
Awesome sound man :)
MasterIsh91 8 months ago
GREAT DEMO, MANY THX...
TheBSR1 8 months ago
I can't wait, I ordered my LS150 in Violin Finish yesterday.
Judging by the reviews I've read I'm hoping it'll be much better than the Gibson LP Trad Pro & Standard which I've briefly owned - those were real disappointments.
Usercool 8 months ago
@MegaAvenger2010 thats not copy my friend. they do some innovation from the originals. sometimes, innovations better than the originals. have a good day buddy.
link200able 9 months ago
Holy shit, are those the stock pickups?!
ShortFingeredShreder 10 months ago
I R converted, awsome instruments such tone it's incredible
caloss2 10 months ago
the body actually looks like a genuine gibson
RockGuitarDave 10 months ago
and a Burny is nice too...right? i have one...=)
poichai 10 months ago
to the sceptic you could say that billy gibbons himself already used tokais live ...
i know it's probably not a reference for most of you : but amen of lordi even used one at their "victory' concert in helsinki
amaurythewarrior 11 months ago
Загружай ещё музло! Нормальный блюзман!
zhatm 11 months ago
What a nice sound.
cantstandyahoey 11 months ago
i love my gibsons ,i use em as back up, my 1981 ls60 love rock rules.dont care what you think of them as im always on the lookout for another
lordxerak 11 months ago
wow, this is beautiful man
partyhardybill 11 months ago
I hate people who dis tokais althought they have never played one
ROO2294 11 months ago
i got this guitar today
blitzistephens 1 year ago
Slash said that the best guitar he had ever had was a Gibson Les Paul copy.
mrtzjam 1 year ago 3
2 people did not feel the blues
genvils 1 year ago
1:20 the finger :O
tangypasta 1 year ago
Классные фразы.
Ariel23rus 1 year ago
So good :)))
MrBigrover 1 year ago
i have been playing guitar for over 20 years and cant fault tokai for making cheaper priced quality guitars, my epiphones play and sound as good as my gibsons. i was on the hunt for a new gibson les paul for some time, tried loads of them, some not bad, some really crap and could not find anything that could justify the overpriced cost of these guitars then one day i spotted a tokai in the local guitar shop and as soon as i picked it up i was hooked, tokai is the way forward.
dansam73 1 year ago 2
@dansam73 That's absolutely right ! It's easy to find a Gibson that plays like crap but of the Made In Japan Tokais I've never found one that plays badly. It's hard to tell people this but when they pick one up and realise for themselves, they are then preaching the word !.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago 7
@Mattukgtr ....I did the same thing as you two guys.... looked at Gibson and then bought Tokai 100.
Nickofaballooni 7 months ago
@Nickofaballooni Good choice....
mark22160 1 month ago
great soun and great playing.....pure blues.....
maxtoon68 1 year ago
Wow tone cant get better then that! Great Playing too!
zmanlive 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Throw that clone away and get a real Gibson!
AnthonyYaff 1 year ago
@AnthonyYaff ha! I've got a Gibson thanks! See my other videos. By the way the Gibson is also a clone of something Gibson used to make ie. the 1959 Les Paul out of the Kalamzoo factory. Tokai seem to be making a better clone of this than Gibson at Nashville do these days.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago 17
Can you please tell me how i can purchase this model les paul that your playing here. I really like the sound.
7361freeport 1 year ago
@Mattukgtr Can you please tell me where i can find one of these models? I love the sound and really want one?
7361freeport 1 year ago
@Mattukgtr nice put him in his place i have the tokai ls75 and wouldnt change it for a gibson
ROO2294 1 year ago
Nice tone, great blues!
16YearsInHell 1 year ago
Beautiful playing my friend, Great sound too.I loved it. Thumbs up. G.
guruofpiano 1 year ago
That run you play at 1:54 is absolutely killer! What are you playing there if you don't mind me asking?
spudmaster77 1 year ago
@spudmaster77 Thanks! I'm sorry but I don't understand the musical technicalities of that, listening back, to me, it's just some incidental colouration before coming back on the beat for the next kind of 'line of the song' !
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@Mattukgtr It's a series of maj6 arpeggios starting and ending on the sixth scale note.For example; F#-A-F#-E-F#. They descend up the positions. Go as far as you like then combine descending notes as the riff continues.
Hey, I worked something out!!! LOL!!!!
CTuxford 1 year ago
@spudmaster77
"That run you play..." It is based out of a "Dorian" mode sound. Most of what he plays in that section is all Dorian Mode. To help you better understand it first check out a video by "Wallimann" Called: How to play very fast: Extended Minor Pentatonic scales. It will come in handy (and has nothing to do with actually playing fast in relation to the above run). That vid will give you parameters.
Then...after you get that...go and look at the Dorian mode. As long as the....cont.
Sn4pDr4gon 1 year ago
@spudmaster77
....root, 3rd and 7th are addressed (when first starting out) you can actually use any minor scale over this (in the appropriate key).
So when I look at this progression with this kind of feel...personally these are the notes I know are in play: (From low E to high E in his particular position) (Low E): B, C#, D, E /// (A string). C#, D, E,F,F#,Ab, A /// (D string): F#, Ab, A, Bb, B,C#, D /// (G string). B, C#, D, E, F, F# /// (B string) F#, Ab, A, B /// (E string) SAME as low.
Sn4pDr4gon 1 year ago
@spudmaster77
So once you have those parameters and notes down...work out emphasis. In that run he is emphasizing the "2" of Dorian in the key of B..which would be C#. He is not "landing" on roots. Try this in practice. Work out using only "2's".."3's"..."6's" and "7's" for notes to land on. Work with only one at a time to get their sound. In no time you will be "hearing" that great sound in your head...the one that the video poster uses flawlessly.
Sn4pDr4gon 1 year ago
@spudmaster77 sounds like a diminished run of the a penta
Pussynator123 7 months ago
One of the best sounding tones on youtube.
wittyag 1 year ago
The Yamaha Studio Lord has similar quality
Donegaldan 1 year ago
Now you hear and see why these are not sold in the U.S., cause Gibson would have to lower their prices. That thing sounds right on the same if not higher level than most Gibbys.
TheZepmeister 1 year ago
Would you recommend an LS-150 or an LS-80? And what are the differences between the two? Thanks! Great playing!
ckaGypsy 1 year ago
@ckaGypsy the LS150 spec I have, has long tenon neck joint, aluminium tailpiece, aluminium bridge with brass saddles, western electric style wiring, CTS pots, oil based capacitors, nitro finish, better tuners. The LS80 is like a standard Gibson LP except it has poly finish though it has a bone nut and medium tenon neck joint.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@ckaGypsy they both have the same MK2 pickups these days - if you can afford the LS150/160 then go for that
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
Can you suggest any good tokai dealers in the UK?
ady0211 1 year ago
@ady0211 - Richtone Music in Sheffield - checkout their eBay shop
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@ady0211 Richtone music, Sheffield
mark22160 1 month ago
what amps and effects (if any) are you using>
LP4ever94 1 year ago
@LP4ever94 the video is recorded direct using a Line 6 PODxt
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@sweetguitars as matt says below second hand in the states only ..or import you could try Rich Tone music in the UK they are Tokai specialists and have lots of models more so than many other retailers... they are also very helpful im sure they will be happy to help ......
richtonemusic.co.uk
wedgie0 1 year ago
@youngstardj123 ...mine also arent black mate they came as standard with chrome same as Matt s above ...but hey either way long as they sound good i dont care what colour they are lol ..
wedgie0 1 year ago
@sweetguitars I don't think you can buy them in the USA unless you can find one second hand. Gibson have legally prevented sales to the US because they want your money instead! You can import them from Japan or Europe.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
This really sounds equivalent to the Gibson les pauls but it is Made in Japan but it's affordable than Gibson.
bon086 1 year ago
Can you tell what is the difference between LS 150 an LS150F ? I can't find any information.
ibek1200 1 year ago
@ibek1200 The F denotes the flame maple top whereas without the F is a plain maple top.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@Mattukgtr Matt great playing mate ive viewed all your vids n there great ..just bought the LS85F Tokai and yep i prefer it to some Les Paul Gibsons ive played in the past lovely tone ..thanks for uploads ..
wedgie0 1 year ago
@ibek1200 The 150F has a Flamed maple top. The LS150 was normally an 'R8' model which only had a plain maple cap but Tokai made a special run which had a flamed maple top.
Usercool 8 months ago
@youngstardj123 -this vid is with the original Tokai pickups as came with the Tokai model LS150F. They are nickel plated.
Which original Tokai Les Paul do you mean ?
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
did you have to change any of the hardware? i'm thinking of making a purchase.
F20Btran 1 year ago
@F20Btran - on this video it's exactly as it came. Two years on it has a DiMarzio Dp100 in the bridge and I have put an Alnico 5 magnet in the bridge pickup. This is more personal taste than necessity. Newer ones come with Mk2 pickups which sound pretty much the same but are a little bit hotter.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@MegaAvenger2010
you are an idiot, you don't know any history past 50 years. without chinese ideas/inventions in the begining, farming/industrialisation would not be as advanced as now.
go play your minor and major scales aye, cause thats what you guys are good at.
dumb fuck.
F20Btran 1 year ago
@MegaAvenger2010
you are an idiot, you don't know any history past 50 years. without chinese ideas/inventions in the begining, farming/industrialisation would not be as advanced as now.
go play your minor and major scales aye, cause thats what you guys are good at.
dumb fuck.
F20Btran 1 year ago
don't listen the snob, great playin' and very very nice les paul with big sound
rhum66 1 year ago
un punteo hermoso, esto demuestra que el gusto lo es todo en la guitarra, por encima de la velocidad, palancas, etc.
1984leandro1984 1 year ago
@bjoern232 - so I'm an idiot for buying a Tokai ?
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@MegaAvenger2010 - Haha!
Yes agreed, but then we would only have Gibson's copy of the 1959 Les Paul ? Lets face it their latest version ie VOS and custom shop specials are overpriced and not that great. The Gibson Les Paul Standard of today is so far removed from the original 1959 spec that itself has become just another copy. I can't speak for other makes but Japanese Tokai make some of the best Les Pauls that I have played at half the price of a Gibson Standard (which I also own).
Mattukgtr 1 year ago 9
@Mattukgtr Could not have said it better! people want theGibson name so bad, but truth is I've played Les Pauls that will blow Gibsons out of the water, and usually at a fraction of the cost. Maybe they just got lazy, making so many guitars. I personally find the quality of my Orville to be of my liking more than a Gibson from the same era.
PilotDoofy 1 year ago
Great playing! ;)
But this guitar sucks!
vbexpress15 1 year ago
@vbexpress15 - why does it suck ?
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@Mattukgtr I played this guitar a few days ago, and there are alot of differences bewteen a Gibson Lp and this guitar. I would say its only a very cheap Les Paul copy ;-) Thats my opinion ;-)
vbexpress15 1 year ago
@vbexpress15 - You played any old Love Rock ? or did you play this exact model ? Was it a Made in Japan Tokai you played ? I'm thinking you must have played a made In China model if that was your conclussion ? I have a Gibson Les Paul and two Made In Japan Tokais. The LS150F is a far better than the Gib LP std.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@vbexpress15 maybe you actually played a chinese tokai without knowing what you had in your hands. If you had played a Japanese LS150 you would have known for sure it would blow a Gibson off its stand.
mark22160 1 month ago
i bought my 2010 tokai LS 135 from richtone, they are great to deal with but i found out that it is actually an LS 160 and that there is no such guitar as a 2010 LS 135.
it has the R8 spec i,e- long neck tenon, jap mk 2 p,a,f pick ups, one peice neck, one peice mahogany body, aluminium tailpeice etc etc do you know anything about why they have trouble with the serial numbers?
that aside, its the best guitar i have ever seen, played or heard, its amazing!
as soon as i plugged it in i was WOW'ED!
SCAMPISOCKS 1 year ago
@SCAMPISOCKS Hey, I won an ebay-auction over a tobacco ls135 (originally from Richtone) . The seller had the mkII removed so I decided to get some replacement PUs (alnico II and dimarzio 36th. ann.) before putting the stock pus in. It's beautiful instrument, but the higher strings have some aggressive attack. Do you have simmilar experiences?
fronthorse 1 year ago
@SCAMPISOCKS It's because Tokai labels their models based on the price in Japan when they're made. A 2005 135 would have cost around 135.000 yen back then. But due to inflation and rising costs, the prices/model names get updated regularly. Thus a not too old LS135 would be an LS150. Even the LS150 aren't 'made' anymore and they're the LS160s now.
I hope that explains it a bit.
Usercool 8 months ago
fantastic playing!
pleic 1 year ago
someone with a real eric clapton / peter green bluestone. All those les paul blues players on youtube are shredding with gay ass tones. T
TimBirkenholz 1 year ago
I got a 1984 gold top one of these :P
TickleTheMonster 1 year ago
woowww amazing tone man, what amp was used?
raqugo123 1 year ago
just great,great guitar and great playing....congratulatons dude
dimitrislp 1 year ago
If i may ask where did you get this amazing sounding guitar
LedZeppelin1275 1 year ago
@LedZeppelin1275 It was from Richtone Music in Sheffield - see ebay shop - then I changed the pickups - Gibson burstbucker#3 in the neck DiMarzio SDHB dp100 at the bridge. The original Tokai are on it in this video.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
Nice playing mate, I have the same guitar.
numnumnum4wow 1 year ago
Hey that's a nice guitar and some nice playing :) Does anyone know where I can find the more high end Tokais in the UK? I've played one of the new £270 Made in China ones and honestly thought it was as good as the £650 Epiphone '59 reissue, but I can't find anywhere to try the higher end ones... oh well...
lordieuan777 1 year ago
@lordieuan777 - Rich Tone have the best selection. Google 'em.
chamozolano 1 year ago
@lordieuan777 Yep Richtone ebay shop ! Got both mine from them.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
Nice man Saludos desde Venezuela !!
jeferson6666 1 year ago
Whats a nitro finish?
picajoool 1 year ago
Gibson makes some guitars I would like to own.. but for Les Pauls under $3000 Id take a Tokai over the Gibson.Even the cheaper Tokais have way more of the Mojo than most Gibsons.
Gibson is the Chrysler of guitar companies.. they have the name which is legendary but the brand is at a serious low point right now.
germancarluv 1 year ago
In my opinion the quality and playability of Tokai guitars are better than any standard productions that Gibson has put out. They (Tokai) are on par with historic in craftmanship except the different wood used . I believe Tokai majority of Tokai LP are made from African Mahogany (Gibson claims to have used Honduran and South America variations) and the top is not US Eastern Maple or probably diferrent species of Maple).
daddyofanimals 1 year ago
I wonder who the moron is that gave this a thumbs down..:)
Excellent Clip and awesome guitar!
What did you pay for the guitar..? did you buy it direct from Japan?
Your playing is great.. 5 stars and a subscription.
Keep on Rockin..!
christrealized 1 year ago
Are these really as good as Gibson? I have a Gibson and I haven't played any guitars that even come close to the quality of my Gibson
AnthonyYaff 1 year ago
@AnthonyYaff They sure are as good. In fact I prefer them. I have a 1990 Les Paul Standard which I thought was the best guitar I ever played until I got the Tokai. I changed the Tokai pickups very soon but I'd also changed them in my Gibson too! The biggest difference is playability and performance when soloing - the feel of the frets and the neck profile and how easily it can be played and how the notes ring out and sustain. The Tokai has the mojo !
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
sweet!
Kdoza 1 year ago
Wonderful tone! Is there a difference between the LS150 and the LS150F?
woodyamsterdam 1 year ago
@woodyamsterdam - the difference is that LS150F has a Flame top whereas the LS150 is a plain top.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
@Mattukgtr
OK, thanks for answering:)
woodyamsterdam 1 year ago
Bm....after???
dagodue 1 year ago
Great playing!
Great guitar!
Great tone!
localhero635 1 year ago
backing track?
idunno9 1 year ago
You sound just like Jimmy Page. So very talented Matt amazing video!
illkillurface 1 year ago
what pickups do you use?
I've a Tokai LS 150 VF 2008, too (:
lek7rik 2 years ago
The pickups used in the video are the stock pickups which I believe are Tokai Mk1's. I have since changed the pickups and have an 1980's DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge and a Gibson Burstbucker #3 in the neck
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
sounds great!
would you recommend tokai?
would you say these are better than epiphone?
Thanks
guitarshredda2 2 years ago
this tokai is like more than a gibson lol its like £1800
idunno9 1 year ago
Epiphones are nowhere near as good as the Japan Tokai - some would say that Gibson aren't as good as these !
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
ah sorry my bad, where did u get the backing track?
idunno9 1 year ago
It's the backing track that I recorded for one of my CD's.
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
what song is this? can i have the tabs??
genvils 1 year ago
@genvils - The song is basically a 12 bar blues in Bm - it's a track from one of my albums. There are no tabs. - Thanks
Mattukgtr 1 year ago
Amazing man
omermishan 2 years ago
Hi Matt. Great!
1954surya 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
There are TOO MANY japanese replicas.
Don't know already. seems like everything is shit besides Gibson
SSDDG 2 years ago
It seems to me that Tokai and Gibson both try to make a replica of the original 59 Les Pauls. It's just that Tokai Japan seem to do it consistently better and for far less money ! I own both makes of Les Paul.
Mattukgtr 2 years ago
And what would you say about Greco, Orville, Edwards, Burny...?
SSDDG 2 years ago
I understand from what I have read that they make some great guitars but I have never had chance to play or purchase these brands. The only for sale new Burny I have seen in the UK have not been the Japan models. This thread is about Tokai.
Mattukgtr 2 years ago
Great playing!
localhero635 2 years ago
That was absolutely ace. You totally worked the same area of the fret board and made it sound like you were all over it. Very good playing my friend.
dallass118 2 years ago
sweet
webwillie1 2 years ago
Durribarri25 shut up ! This is awesome !
RockMailou 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
u suck
Durribarri25 2 years ago
thanks for your comment - are you going to offer any explanation of your opinion ?
Mattukgtr 2 years ago
@Durribarri25
Jealous possibly???
webwillie1 2 years ago
Man you rock! Can you make a video with your Gibson?
nightn00b 2 years ago
muy muy muy bueno!!!
danslash100 2 years ago
what amp do you play?
superiansuper 2 years ago
Great playing!!!
ibeiser1 2 years ago
Tokai's Lespaul model is best copy one ever!!
tomohiko315 2 years ago
Great playing and great sounding tokai LP :-)
GuitarEd48 2 years ago
im only 16 and your my favorite guitar player. I think more people need to know about matt thorpe. Your the best
WeedIsDank420 2 years ago
this is epic! i love the sound ;D
Lakase2 2 years ago
what amp are you using?
Kastralis 2 years ago
'''HAve ...you ever , see below
Howardsend88 2 years ago
sorry - no I haven't tried them - they seem overpriced to me.
Mattukgtr 2 years ago
they are on the top end of the scale all right
Howardsend88 2 years ago
you chaged the tokai pickups '
and upgraded the pickups to Gibson BB#3 and DiMarzioSDHB which one is in the bridge
Howardsend88 2 years ago
The DiMarzio is in the bridge.
Mattukgtr 2 years ago
these guitars are high quality and u pay less than what u pay for a gibson
2346 2 years ago
sis you ever experiment with bare knuckle pickups ?, one of theirs 'Stormy Monday was recommended to me as a replacement on my Gibson Les Psul , ant Tokai ES135
Howardsend88 2 years ago
Superb Tone and great playing
NCokkie 2 years ago
Tokai pickups are the best. I swear I have never heard a better sounding pickup in my life. No need to change those babies.
tothatextent 2 years ago
sick dude sick ;D luv it
Pussynator123 2 years ago
really nice playing mate
davthor 2 years ago
Once again, Tokai proves that they are a great guitar company. Never mind as good as Gibson, actually better.
tothatextent 2 years ago 19