Tokai Love Rocks

[davidl]

Any body have one? Any body have any thoughts about them versus Gibsons or places where to em cheap? Thanks!

[Colo Springs E]

...if you're talking about the recent ones, they're made in Korea. They're actually pretty well made and sound decent to my ears. Probably Epi quality, maybe just a touch better.

But the "real" Love Rocks were from the 70s/80s, made in Japan, and so dang pricey now, I don't know why you wouldn't just buy the real thing. Some say Love Rocks are better than Gibsons, and I think that's a bunch of bull, but that's my opinion.

Want a GREAT LP copy for not too much duckets? Look into a Burny. Made in Japan (I've heard under license from Fernandes), these things are AWESOME. Can usually be picked up in the $500s range; if purchased from someone in Japan (that's where you'll usually find them), add another $100 or so to the price for shipping. How close to the real thing? Even the binding covers the edges of the frets, just like a real Gibby.

They apparently still make them; I'm not sure if the recent ones are as good, have as much attention to detail. I'd recommend looking for one from the 80s.

here's a purty goldtop recently from eBay, a dealer in Japan...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2524986596&category=38086

Take care,
-Eric

[Colo Springs E]

...these are pretty cool:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2529783982&category=2384

Hohner "Professional" series. Slap some Classic 57s in there, you got a smokin' axe for far less than 4 or 5 bills!!

-Eric

[TexGoneNW]

I think it was a Guitar Center in Tukwila (close to the Seattle-Tacoma airport) that had a few of these, and for all I had heard, I was unimpressed. The finish of the frets on the edge of the fingerboard was downright dangerous.

Not at all like the Strat copies I'd seen by Tokai. I'm not a Strat fiend at all, but I've seen Tokai Strat copies I'd pick up before a Fender. Maybe some Love Rocks are out there like that, but I haven't seen 'em.