Tokai TLS50 Love Rock, cherry sunburst, made in Japan 1984. Tokai launched in 1947 and are certainly some of the most renowned instrument builders in Japan. The Love Rock models from the eighties enjoy a reputation for being some of the most accurate replicas of fifties Gibson ever made, so this is an absolute dessert of a guitar. First up, and probably most importantly, it's made from some superb pieces of wood. The body is a two piece, centre joined, non-pancake, tightly grained piece of proper lux mahogany, capped with around 10mm of gorgeous book-matched, concentrically grained solid plain maple. The neck is a chunky '58 style shape, carved from another lush piece of arrow-straight mahogany and capped with a proper dark choc open-pore rosewood board. Yum. The pickups are a pair of Tokai's '57 PAF humbuckers, usually reserved for the TLS80 models and above, but they seem to be original to the guitar. It sounds excellent: the attack is immediate and responsive, the lows and rounded and assured, the high end is sweet and clear and the midrange is explosive, wide and harmonically complex. This is an extremely classy offering, and I'm sure it'd make a lot of way more expensive USA made guitars blush. But yeah, Love Rock is a pretty cheesey name, I'll give you that.

Model: Tokai TLS50 Love Rock
Made: Japan, 1984 (serial 4019685)
Finish: cherry sunburst, gloss poly
Body: mahogany, 2-piece non-pancake centre join, 2-piece plain maple cap, lightly chambered
Weight: 4.070kg
Neck: mahogany, rosewood board, 24.75" scale, 12" radius
Mods: guard removed (not included)
Pickups: Tokai '57 PAF  humbucker x2
Case: basic gig bag

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has some minor marks on the end and some light scuffs around the tuners and near the logo. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples on the back only. The back has some widespread light scuffs around the middle of the body and some dimples around the edges, no major marks. The sides have no major marks, just some dimples in the elbow area, near the jack and a little chip on the bottom horn. The front has some minor dimples on the elbow area, the back edge and near the knobs, as well as some standard play wear on the horns. Note the guard is missing. Overall: very good condition (8/10)

Playing condition notes: Neck is straight, action is low, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. Frets have a bit of normal wear, but they look recently dressed and polished, 7/10 for fret life left. No headstock breaks. Wearing fresh 10/52 Moonshiners strings.