Are Tokai Making Better Guitars than Gibson?

[@Johnherold121]

Ever since I bought my first Tokai, I fell in love with Japanese craftsmanship. I feel Greco, Tokai, Burny, etc. make more consistent products than similarly factory made guitars over in US.

[@muzerino]

That’s what happened to me. Bought an FGN on a whim, within a year I’d sold all my other guitars except one and replaced them with Japanese ones.

[@robertwilliams1770]

I love my made in japan gear

[@poopydonkey]

Yeah, totally I agree. Even if you're looking at expensive vintage American guitars a lot of them are dogs. To be completely honest, I think the best sounding guitars ever made were vintage American guitars. But, the QC consistency just isn't there. You're really rolling the dice when you buy an American guitar. Not so much with the Japanese guitars much more consistent..... Especially with people buying so many guitars online sight unseen nowadays

[@valleywoodstudio7345]

Long time Tokai user here professionally since 80s. Have the 1985 Love Rock, 1987 Goldstar and recently a 2008 LS160 Goldtop with P90. All great instruments. Worth pointing out that Billy Gibbons, Joe Walsh and even Robert Fripp are well known users in the past.

[@Joe-mz6dc]

Excellent stuff bro.

[@robinbailey3052]

You forgot Stevie Ray Vaughn the guitar on the cover of Texas flood is a painting of a Tokai.

[@FuzzWoof]

From my experience with both Tokais and Gibsons over the past 30 years of playing, I'd say the biggest strength with Tokai is sheer consistency - Sure, I've played Gibsons which were nicer than Tokais, but I've had to wade through a huge amount of average or just plain poor Gibsons to find them, whereas I'd happily order an MIJ Tokai without ever having played it and feel confident I'd be receiving a great guitar.

[@j.schaefer5622]

Totally agree. You really have to search for a good and flawless Gibson and expect to pay a lot of money. Most Gibsons are not well made, but Tokais are.

[@geoffthomas8584]

Hi John, I've been a Tokai fan since I bought a Breezysound (Tele) in Wellington, N.Z. in 1985... I still have it! Incredible value for money, together with superb specs and playability. I currently also own a Tokai LS220S GT, a Tokai LS156S-WA GT, a Tokai LS196EF Vintage Lemon Drop Reborn Old, a Tokai USG-90 (Rare white SG Special... very Pete Townshend!) and a fabulous LS120 in Ebony which my mate Wes Venables converted into an "Old Black" replica! Love 'em all!

[@tbluesboye]

Recently acquired a Blonde 335 style Tokai that was built in 80's with nitro finish, Grover tuners, and Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickup upgrade. What a sweet instrument and a true value for my hard earned dollar! Love this guitar and I'm so old I've owned vintage Gibsons when they were affordable.

[@guitar91esp]

Your intros make me want to pick up my guitar and practice more. You are such a huge inspiration ❤. Hopefully some day I’ll sound as good as you do.

[@southwestshooters]

John. Your playing in the intro here is utterly fantastic.

[@LordBransty]

SRV played a Tokai Strat for a lot of years. He was a real tone snob, so must have been bloody good.

[@karmadave]

Hi John. Great playing as usual. I’ve owned 2 Tokai guitars. Both imports from Japan. Quality wise, I’d say there were somewhere in between Gibson USA and Custom Shop. Never played the other brands mentioned, but I do regret selling the Tokai’s. Thanks again for the great videos 😃

[@garyjohnson627]

These guitars are stunning in every respect. I have a sizeable collection of Tokai guitars including St types, les Paul types and 335 style guitars. One of my 335 guitars in see through red with a Varitone switch sounds fantastic. In addition I have a fantastic Tokai Talbo in red aluminium. I do have a few Gibson guitars but to be honest, they don’t come close to my Tokai instruments. My local supplier in Birmingham is a main dealer for Tokai.

[@KenWoodsGuitar]

Tokais have always been very good. In that same niche, Eastman are also a very good option. On something like the SB59v you get Lollar pickups, hand applied violin varnish and top shelf aged hardware.

[@shakesquire84]

I think my cat could make a better guitar than a USA Gibson.

[@Joe-mz6dc]

I like these alternative guitars very much especially the Tokai but I laugh at these kinds of comments. It's just fashionable to shit all over Gibson. Meanwhile these guitars are copying Gibson. My 82 ES-335 is one of the best guitars I've ever played in my life and I've played guitars that are +$45,000. So what the fuck is that all about? So my bottom line is, there are some extremely good Gibson guitars and there are some pieces of shit, but the same logic applies to every single guitar maker on this planet.

[@boboutelama5748]

Eastman are not good options. They are chinese.

[@bucknasty69]

@@Joe-mz6dc Yes, it is fashionable to shit on Gibson because they make expensive, overpriced guitars with crappy quality control. If the Japanese can make good or better guitars for less, why can’t Gibson?

[@Coolbeans1492]

@@Joe-mz6dcbut that’s kind of the point man. Gibson doesn’t make bad guitars they’re inconsistent. Sometimes they’re terrible and brilliant meanwhile for half the price and sometimes less you can something that is just as good consistently or better from japan. Personally if i were to shell out the cash for the big g I’d save up for a custom shop because the quality there is generally better but I’d also know I’d have to play everyone of them till i find the right one. For standard stuff I’d buy a tokai for a few reasons. First is consistency of build second is i wouldn’t be afraid of using it on stage because it’s not the big g and it’s not as expensive and it’s even replaceable although not cheap. Third on the used market you can get a deal on a very high spec used tokai which doesn’t exist in the gibson world because they hold their value. But tokai isn’t replicating normal lps. They replicate a specific 58 lp which means that in comparison to standard gibson you’re actually getting something with specs that are closer to an r8. All of these things make it a more attractive purchase to me. Billy gibbons as well because he could protect his precious 59 and still get the look, sound, and feel on stage. I think where gibsons are worth it these days is in the custom shop because at that point I’m spending the extra cash to make sure I’m getting the ideal big g guitar not just on a quality level but because id be going for my Dream guitar (white lp custom with gold speed knobs). But that guitar would never leave the house or even be shown to anyone strictly for me.

[@Swinglehurst-Guitars]

Absolutely on par with Gibson, if not better. The only thing that lets them down is the quality of the inlay material.

[@jonblake7871]

Yep, they’re great guitars. I have a fiesta red Strat from a very early batch (when Fender were getting antsy with Tokai). Also have a blonde 335, because the quality was way better than Gibson. That one now has Bare Knuckles Stormy Mondays in it - great job by Mansons - and it’s brilliant. Would thoroughly recommend.

[@allanmakela3011]

Nice stuff,Set up an EPI,guy was selling cheap$300,and it was a beaut,and I passed,later got a Tokai Paul instead,added a Peter Green setup,no parting with this one

[@hankyvanbedmond]

I own a LS 75 from '97 and a LS 128 HB from 2018. I also own a 1990 Gibson LP HCS. 99 times out of a 100 I pick one of the Tokai's to play. Build extremely well and flawless which you cannot say of the USA versions.

[@WayneT3]

I have owned a 1998 (from the Japanese factory) TOKAI Love Rock LS70-F 'burst for the past five years; I changed the pickups out for a set of Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers, and it is absolutely untouchable in its own (or even slightly above) price range. According to all indications online, it was originally modeled after a particularly nice example of a 1959 Les Paul (although the neck feels like a compromise between a '59 and a '60 - perfect for me.) It is just outstanding, regardless of the amp or signal processing it is played through. A testament to Japanese craftsmanship, without question.

[@garyhart4646]

Tokais are fantastic guitars.. I have a 62 model custom edition strat with Dave Gilmour emgs And a lemon drop 70th anniversary LP style would buy a tokai all day long..

[@DevRSVR]

How much should I pay for an 1981 Gold top LP? It looks good but not sure if the price is accurate. The guy is asking 1700 euros

[@UnknownGuyFromSomewhere]

Of course they are!

[@Alex-B-Media]

Dammit that jam in the beginning felt a little like a good headscratch. Wonderful. Picking up my love rock LP tomorrow...thank you for this

[@blueskyguitar772]

I have a Tokai sg. It’s the best sg I’ve ever played and I have owned 4 or 5 Gibson sgs in the past. No complaints about the Tokai.

[@basti-fantasti]

I love my Tokai LS2 Reborn Old. Upgraded with Amber 59 Pickups, VIP Pots, Luxe Bumblebees.

[@SteveKuhMusic]

Agreed. The made in Japan Tokais are beautifully made. The strat I bought is better than Fenders I’ve played and costs far less. One question about the G style guitars-do they stay in tune? Tuning issues with Gibson are a major problem.

[@onlyguitars]

My Tokai LP does. Also my Eastman SB59/v stays in tune very well. Its because the Nut is very well done, and this LP style are much more sensitive for a not well cut nut.

[@mattfergusson8234]

@@onlyguitars how do you like the Eastman LP vs the Tokai LP?

[@onlyguitars]

@@mattfergusson8234 Quality an fit and finish, I put both at the same level, both are fantastic and very very well made, on par with the best brands out there, like prs and suhr, that I've had. Now, the eastman has better materials you could say and has more desired consturction details, like long neck tenon, 1 piece body, has mop inlays, cts pots, orange drops capacitors, has also lollar pickups, so in that aspect the eastman has an advantage. and the antique varnish finish is just awesome (although they seem to have change it currently, is not as thin as before I think, seems it took too long to do it as they did before) however, the tokai still is awesome and I do like more the neck profile of the tokai, is chunkier and just fits so nice. and plays fantastic, just as the eastman. you cant go wrong with either, for me the eastman is at the gibson custom shop level for sure, and the tokai maybe the premium model, that is the same as mine but is nitro finish, long neck tenon, cooler inlays, aluminium stop tail and bridge with brass I think, electronics seems that one has cts and orange drop. I love both, each one gives me something on its own, and between the 2 gibson les paul traditional ive had before and the tokai I choose the tokai for sure. the tokai was a very good suprise for me...I expected it to be good, but didnt expect to have that fit and finish as the eastman.

[@Dreyno]

That opening solo was tasty. So melodic.

[@viniciuseduardobomfim]

Made In Japan guitars = great craftsmanship even at the lower prices. Gibson = Messed up QC even for 8 - 10K Murphy Labs 😂 With that said, I'd take a Made In Japan Yamaha Pacifica over a Custom Shop Fender any day of the week. One of my friends spent more than five thousand dollars + insane import fees and taxes on one... the guitar needed to see a luthier right of the box, it was borderline unplayable, the volume knob died in less than 6 months. Unacceptable for something so expensive.

[@idontgrillonwed]

MIJ guitars are, the truly MIJ, across the board, the best guitars I’ve played. They are almost surgical. Devisor, Navigator, ESP, caparison, etc., I’ve never had anything but impeccable fretwork. Even the 80s MiJ Fenders are pretty great.

[@idontgrillonwed]

I also sold my Gibson J45 after buying an Eastman acoustic…

[@idontgrillonwed]

@@Asshat237 Yep. Eastman, in the small sample size of 10 guitars I’ve handled (owned 2 long-term), have all been wonderful. Very high quality.

[@saddestchord7622]

There are some nice looking Tokais on Reverb for what seem like pretty good prices. I've never seen one for sale in person, though. I have a Japanese Charvel strat that is one of the best guitars I've ever played. I think it was made by Fujigen or maybe Terada. I'm not really sure which, but either way I feel fortunate to have it.

[@hkvhia155]

Yes, they make very good guitars! I own a MIJ version and its impeccably built. And no, for the money I saved by buying a Tokai instead of a Gibson, I definitely don't worry about playing authentic.

[@the_hippykiller22]

I've owned a 2005 lefty Love Rock LC90 Les Paul Custom Tokai for several years now and it is a great guitar. I bought it for 800e with a crappy hardcase and a Seymour Duncan Hot Rod set and at that price it's unbeatable. Mine has a poly finish and rosewood fretboard but the open book headstock so it was probably imported from Japan. I'm a huge fan of japanese guitars myself, most of my guitars are MIJ and I gig ESPs with my metal bands. This Tokai is so much better than most Gibsons before 2019, perfect fretwork, perfect QC, great tuning stability, great sound. It is so much better than my now sold Gibson LP Traditional. One thing it isn't though is a Gibson and the truth is most people will end up wanting to own at least one good real Les Paul. That was the case for me, and recently when I decided I wanted to add to the stable a Les Paul Standard shaped object again, I contemplated getting a Maybach, an Eastman or another Tokai but eventually I realised that I really wanted at least one good Gibson Les Paul. Not a copy, not a replica, just the real deal. And a good LP at a decent price has been hard to find for a long time but I'll say the post 2019 Gibsons can be really nice, I tried a Classic I really liked and almost bought one but eventually went for a used Slash November Burst model. And honestly so far I'm happy. It has some visual QC flaws but nowhere near what it used to be, sure it's a shame and not as good as the Tokai but I play guitar, I'm not a collector so I can live with some small defects as long as the guitar plays great and this one sure does! It holds tuning pretty much as well as my Tokai, is just as resonant but a bit brighter, feels nice, sounds great but has really surprisingly nice fretwork, pretty much as good as my Tokai and MIJ ESPs which is saying something as I like my action really low being again primarily a superstrat metal enthusiast who needs to be able to shred. Don't discard recent Gibsons, especially the Classic which used can be had for a really decent price and is just as good if not a better player than the standards with its extra options.

[@monty7252]

Great playing man, kudos. 🤘 I have 4 Tokais from 1981. An LS80, LC100, LS70GT with P90s & a blonde TE80. All great guitars but I'll be buried with my LS80.

[@middle_pickup]

"Play authentic" simply means "don't make us compete with better guitars at lower prices."

[@Panic42000]

No it means quit stealing our designs. Maybe come out with your own. The guitar industry is the only industry where you can get away with that.

[@middle_pickup]

@@Panic42000 the idea that one corporation has indefinite rights to one design (or anything that comes close to looking like it) in perpetuity is silly. The Les Paul is generations old, and Gibson themselves have even taken liberty with the design over the years. Other builders should have the right to do the same. The only thing you're protecting is one company's right to milk you for more dollars than they otherwise could in a fair market.

[@thebubster0312]

Got one Tokai which I bought second hand in the early nineties. 1986 Breezysound Tele . Swapped out pickups for Seymour Duncan alnicos and never looked back. Wouldn't swap this one for a custom shop, great stable guitar. Just wish I'd looked after it better. Bought for £100.00 plus pair of Seymour Duncan's £110.00 equals great instrument.

[@Asshat237]

I have three awesome Tokais, two SGs and the same gold top seen above. Other modern Japanese brands to grab if you see them are Momose, Crews Maniac Sound, Edwards, Navigator, FGN.

[@thecaveofthedead]

You have to look through a lot of Gibson 335s to find one as good as the _average_ MIJ Tokai 335. For one thing, Gibson 335s (and 345s and 355s) are often curiously heavy. While Tokai 335s are usually super light. And the Tokai Mk II pickups, which I didn't love in my Les Paul and swapped them out for some Bareknuckles, sound amazing in their 335s. Just sweet as honey. I think you'll find the P90 model has a 2 piece back. People are often confused about this because Tokai match them up beautifully. The surest way to tell is to look by the strap button on the bridge end where it's usually more visible than on the back itself. MIJ Tokais have been among the best Les Pauls (along with the other Japanese makers) since 1978. They're still absolutely killer, pro quality guitars and definitely preferable if you're over not having the high-status brand on the headstock. And as a bonus they're also cheaper. That plaintop premium is one of the best bang-for-buck Les Pauls in the world. Very close to Custom Shop '50s reissues in specs, as good and usually better made, and much less costly. A '50s reissue you don't mind taking to pub gigs.

[@Joe-mz6dc]

I call bullshit on that. I have an 82 335 and it would probably blow away 90% of the Tokais. And I've played much older 335s in the 70s when I was a teenager and my sister's musician friends would come over to jam. I've played plenty of them and they were all MORE than very good. You guys are aware that Gibson invented these guitars right? LOL man I can tell the age range of the people posting by the comments they make about Gibson. The younger you are the more likely you are to shit all over Gibson. 😆 it's like all of that angst you have about Boomers comes out when we discuss Gibson guitars.

[@thecaveofthedead]

I have an... well. If you've played great Gibson 335s where n=1 and no Tokais, you've certainly put me in my place.@@Joe-mz6dc

[@robertwilliams1770]

Gibson fell off the boat when they left the Original factory. I wouldn't buy another Gibson if you gave me the money. I've had 4 not impressed. My japanese guitars slam all over gibson

[@soundofwinter]

@@Joe-mz6dcactually man, I find more of the older guys, that were around when Tokai first came on the scene, praising them over Gibson and Fender. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@marcodado7473]

I have got recently a Tokai gold top with p90 like the one you've got. I have a problem of intonation on the first 3 frets on the string . Do you have a similar problem ?

[@JoeWalsh-pm4zf]

9 out of 10 MIJ Tokai Love Rocks have the nut cut too high. That is your problem. A simple job for a luthier to sort out.

[@tonygreensmith7203]

Be nice to hear your thoughts on the respective merits or otherwise of the Tokai with p90's compared to the Eastman sb56

[@francoislouw181]

I have 2 Tokai Love Rocks. One Japanese and one Chinese. Apart from needing to replace the toggle switch on the Chinese one they both play better than the Gibson Les Paul Standard and Custom I had. I gig them 2 to 3 times a week. Also owned a Chinese ES model, a Japanese Stratocaster copy and a Korean Love Rock. All as good as their USA counterparts.

[@staggs5034]

Tokai’s are my favorite guitars. I absolutely love mine. I own 4 of them. The build quality is on par with guitars 3-4 times the price.

[@josepharmstrong4639]

They’ve always made great guitars. Some of the high end with fret nibs and nitro are not far of Gibson prices.

[@CarloArrigoni-r7t]

I have heard many reviews always linked to the price of the guitar, but if we forget the price, what evaluation would we give between a Tokai Love Rock and a Gibson Les Paul Standard? Some friends of mine who have both say that Tokai is comparable to a Gibson Custom Shop... what do you think?

[@bobbyarthur-yf3yf]

I agree owning both les Paul’s as well as 2 higher end tokai LP models … the higher end Japanese tokai are custom shop level … and my ls 200 5A HB is 8 and half pounds and stunning

[@NotBCT]

Using Tokai's latest nomenclature, the Japanese Vintage Series LS-101 is about (current year) Les Paul Classic tier for around 1/2 the cost, even less used, but they're thin poly and medium tenon. Premium LS-201 and above are Custom Shop tier (nitro, one-piece hog back, long tenon, etc., etc., etc.. Higher numbers usually indicate higher tier materials, such as Honduras Mahogany and Brazilian Rosewood (plantation grown in Fiji)) for about the price of a Les Paul Standard. Only thing Gibson has maybe an edge over Tokai is the pickups. The MK2 in the 101 is a one-size-fits-all hot pickup philosophy that ends up sounding muddy and flat under a lot of applications. The "Vintage MK2" in the Premiums also leave a little to be desired. All my Tokai Love Rocks have aftermarket pickups (SD APH-1s, Gibson Custom Shop P90s, and Gibson Custombuckers). I say this having 3 Gibby LP Standards and 3 Japanese Tokai Love Rocks.

[@IamMusicNerd]

A lot of companies are making better guitars than Gibson now. Iconic makes a killer LP style guitar, and the PRS 594 LP style guitar has FAR better build quality than my Gibson has too. It’s just re-sell value and wanting to play the same guitar as your heroes that keeps Gibson on top.

[@bottomkitchen250]

Nice to see another Tokai video. I have a Tokai and i love it. Gotta admit that i played a gibson for a week and it felt cheap compared to my Tokai.

[@gabrielwareing]

I picked up a LC136 Les Paul custom copy recently, it's a great guitar but is quite a heavy Les Paul. Would love to see a comparison with Edwards, they seem to occupy a similar price range but typically come with Seymour Duncan pickups.

[@timelwell7002]

I've just been discussing this very topic (the heavy weight of many current guitars) with Dave Walsh from Eternal Guitars, Tangmere (near Chichester). It seems that the price of lighter weight mahogany was doubled just recently, and so the mass manufacturers are just using the heavy stuff to keep their costs down. Needless to say, none of Dave's guitars are heavy in weight, but they are hand-made (and very beautiful) custom instruments, and he chooses wood which is lightweight from which to build all his guitars. Maybe that's why they're in the £2,500 - £3,000 price range, and above. And maybe that's what we have to pay nowadays in order to have a lighter guitar. Last week I went to GAK and tried out a Yamaha Revstar - great guitar, but that felt pretty heavy, despite (famously) having a chambered body. And every other solid body electric I picked up felt pretty heavy. It seems to be a modern phenomenon - and not a good one. Perhaps the only solid-body electric guitars in an affordable range might be the Duo-Sonic or Mustangs, which are lighter by virtue of having a smaller body using less wood.

[@josephpickard3108]

Have you seen how good the Epiphones are now though? The leap in quality in the past five years has been enormous. I think Squier are the arbiters for the jump because their Classic Vibe range has been a major step up in finish, spec and marketing.

[@donaldrowe8460]

I've had a Japanese Tokai and it was great. The "import" Tokais I don't have as much experience with .

[@hermanodejesus7264]

AMAZING playing dude!!!

[@djendralbaks]

imo i have 3 of made in japan guitars those are 90's Epiphone Made in Japan, and the quality of it was beyond Gibson in the same era it has the same parts as gibson did. the Les Paul that i made already came with an PAF pickup Longtenon neck and a Rosewood FB. these prices are getting up in Reverb

[@ianbarnes1406]

My first guitar, back in 1983 when I started playing, was a tobacco burst Strat with a maple neck (I think I was influenced by Laurie Wisefield of Wishbone Ash - shows my age!). My guitar teacher said it didn't have the natural 'warmth' of his Fender Strat, but I didn't know any better! I wonder what happened to that guitar. I remember at the time that ghey upset Fender, because they were made to look exactly like Fenders, even down to how the logo looked

[@rainshadowband3161]

Tokai makes amazing instruments and have been for decades. So many other guitar makers have caught up to the big three (Fender, Gibson, PRS). Very nice

[@renmad0078]

I have also some tokai Japan les paul and 335 too and really they are excellent. There are a really wonderful guitar. 😉👍

[@forestmusicforanimals]

I own 2 Gibson Les Pauls and 2 Tokai Les Pauls. Without a doubt the Tokai match and in some cases exceed the Gibsons.

[@Mdougherty8054]

Just curious - how’s the tuning stability?

[@petersmith143]

Tuning stability is spot on. Much better than the 2 Gibson LP' s I've owned...

[@Molnboman]

Balanced review. I have a few MIJ Strats & Teles including the lacquer series LS198GT with P90's same as the one you played but with Nitro. Can be heavy but beautifully built. I swapped the pick ups in mine but stock P90's are ok. New Tokai owners have knocked the Chinese production on the head for now. Buy a used MIJ Love Rock LP would be a very smart move imho. Although the Rose Morris, Denmark St lads are a very good bunch. 👍

[@Eddw5493]

I have an 80s tokai lp and I love it never had a gibson les paul but have a few gibsons and don't think there built as well my gibson custom shop les paul special dc (also a lovely guitar) has some plywood in it to get the p90 pickup height right for example 😅 wouldn't hesitate getting another tokai the one I have is great !

[@notoriousdhb]

You may have said it and I apologize if I missed it, but what model exactly is the love rock around 9:01?

[@John-pp8qv]

Would love for you to do a review of a Duesenberg Starplayer TV

[@MARKLINMAN1]

What is the Model for the last one? ES what? Looks AMAZING, where can we get one here in the US? Thank you.

[@elmolewis9123]

Bought one new, much like the one in your video, from Japan 10+ years ago. I owned a 68 Gibson LP new and the Tokai is at least as good as that was, from memory.

[@bengordon2330]

Tokai fanboy since the eighties. Buy them, love them, but if you live in North America just know that they have no brand recognition and awful re-sale value. It does mean however, that you can find / haggle a decent price when they do come up for sale.

[@Shiznitt_]

Another example of how we are living in the golden age of gear 👌

[@MoreMeRecording]

I've wanted a Tokai since the 80s but alas, LH Love Rocks are rare as hens teeth and save for a couple of unattractive models, they don't do LH anymore so I had to "settle" for my Eastman SB59-GB. Based on the closeups of this beauty you're featuring here, I can't see, or hear, anything that leads me to believe that its 'better' and my guitar with more or less equal specs comes in 1.5lbs lighter. But, if I catch a deal on one down the road, I hope to be able to snag one.

[@daveduffy2823]

Why didn’t they fix the headstock angle? These would be a lot better if they did.

[@KapnKregg]

How would you compare the neck on these to, say, a Yamaha Revstar? I have the Revstar and I love it, but wouldn't mind picking up one of these in the future as well.

[@aliengrey6052]

People don’t play em on the big stage due to sponsorship from Gibson and fender.

[@boboutelama5748]

Quick answer here. Yes. They are. But Tokai also have a very distinctive neck profile and some quirks (like grinding little hole in the corners of inlays), ... that I honestly don't find problematic, but some are finding this absolutely disgusting. So, some peoples will be better off with Gibsons, and there is absolutely nothing problematic with that. It's just more expensive.

[@fernsandmosses]

What s the tokai 1:10 model name and finish?

[@cmonsterz]

I don’t have any experience with Tokai, but this video is increasing my curiosity about that brand. I do, though, have a lot of experience with Gibson, PRS and ESP. Obviously, both PRS and ESP have a different approach to making guitars than Gibson. Both produce much more consistent quality than Gibson. But. Part of the “thing” with a Gibson Les Paul is that they aren’t that consistent. This sounds kind of counterintuitive, but it’s my experience that with Gibson, overall, the quality actually is “quite good”, but not excellent. However, Gibson will make some truly exceptional instruments and when I run across these, my initial reaction is to ask, “Why can’t they make the majority like this?” As an owner of several Les Paul guitars, I have some that are average and a couple that are “exceptional” and when I compare them, I get a perspective adjustment and realize that it’s not so much that the average Les Paul has bad quality as that the great ones are surprisingly better.

[@ferexx]

all the other "consistent build quality" brands do have certain units that go above and beyond even their default fantastic build quality. so it's not really something all that unique to Gibson. just that Gibson has more duds which make those better quality ones seem like they are much better. case in point I got a Revstar Standard in sunset fade and by the factory spec it's supposed to be a plain maple cap. mine is very well built and I have absolutely no complaints. but I saw someone who struck the grain lottery with a flamed maple cap (not veneer) on the same model. I can't say much about the rest of the build quality, but in terms of wood alone that is miles above the average Revstar. I picked up a full solid Yamaha parlour guitar for my wife and it is extremely well built with a top that has the most amazing silking throughout. sounds amazing too. I got a Cordoba classical guitar and they are known for their consistent build quality. I suspect the retailer picked up the most beautiful example as their showroom model and it was amazing. the new ones in the storeroom were great too, but this is just a little better. I am using Yamaha and Cordoba as examples because these are mass market brand with consistent build quality and you can still find some gems if you are lucky. issue with Gibson is for the price they charge, having the quality issue is really not excusable. I would expect every Gibson that leaves the factory be of good quality with an exceptional one once in a while. rather than having a number of guitars with bad quality and that couple of gems

[@Takianagi]

You're convincing me more everyday to buy a Tokai. 🤣 Thanks for the vid John! 🙌🎸🔥🎶

[@markde9904]

Having had several Gibson's and several Tokai's the anwer is NO they are not building better guitars than Gibson. Period. Having said this , it is true Tokai guitars are for the most part very good quality and play and sound good. I had a Tokai LS260 which is near the top of the line, a R8 copy. I was unimpressed. Finish was great, it sounded okay, but was just underwhelming. Comparing it to my Gibson historic VOS, well there is no comparison. The Gibson sounds worlds better through my JCM800 or Slo 30 than the Tokai. It feels so much better in my hands and just is a superior insturment.

[@tog2842]

They have been for around 50 years. Quality guitars.

[@KenithCopeland]

i think one of the things with tokai is they make (all under the same name) cheap guitars and some very high end wonder creations. imagine if fender just made fender guitars (no squire) and someone said they had a fender and it wasn't that great (cause it was a bullet series) and someone else said theirs was amazing (custom shop) people would easily get confused wouldn't they i have a 80's tokai strat that i acquired from an old work place, thing is amazing

[@joaquin8637]

if we compare the 198 models to the gibson USA line, then yeah

[@markdoolan3424]

Put some Gotoh Alnico 2's I found cheap in my SE Santana and it's great for cleaner tones very warm!

[@markfahey3921]

I've owned four Gibsons, two of them Les Paul's. I own a tokai Love Rock, and I can confirm that their QC is better than Gibson and more consistent. I cannot buy Chinese, it goes against everything I believe in, but Japanese guitars are the best in the world. If I was starting again, my guitars would be a mix of Tokai and Yamaha.

[@eddiejr540]

John…I agree with everything you said 👍

[@RyanMcQuen]

They aren't the only ones!

[@johnchurchill755]

Can you compare Tokai and FGN guitars

[@frankoconnor8141]

Ps, That Tokai sounds brilliant by the way. 😎🎸

[@erickmo1188]

Damnit JNC!! Please check out a heritage. You’ll be blown away

[@ericskinner7355]

Gibson is notorious for their inconsistent quality control, and there are plenty of people who spent the money and are more interested in having that name on the headstock. That being said, they also make some fine instruments as well.

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

TBH anyone can make a better guitar than Gibson. Their quality control does not exist. I returned two Gibson Flying V's as they were not fit for anything other than a bonfire. Love your playing though dude, excellent chops.

[@Guitarooster52]

They’ve gotten pretty pricey and PRS SE has gotten sooo good that they represent a better value at this point.

[@mde9395]

I'm not willing to call one better yet, but seriously for Gibson and Fender: They are AS good in most cases, and some are VERY good in comparison - for a lot cheaper. You better have a better long term strategy than brand equity.

[@ksharpe10]

The Question is will JOHN gig one of these???

[@MascisMan1]

I wish Tokai made an SG Jr.

[@Panic42000]

Gibson USA is not what I would call real Gibsons. You have to buy custom shop to get a real Gibson. Also these other brands aren’t producing anywhere close to the numbers Gibson is. Gibson USA is making 500 guitars a day. Thats just too many to not have QC issues.

[@MrMfalzone]

Can you send me that guitar please? Hey, figured I’d ask. Im not cheap, I just don’t know how safe it is to buy one on ebay from Japan. I’ll buy it.

[@cliverkay]

Just spoke to Rose Morris and they say that Tokai is only in a Poly Finish ..No Nitro ...Boooo he said buy a Maybach for a NItro ...

[@MickyWalnuts]

Buy an Eastman

[@rosemorris1092]

Hi Clive, I beleive you spoke to my colleague jake. The model in the video that John is playing has a nitro finish along with the models above.

[@kingfisher7960]

MOST guitar manufacturers are building better guitars than Fender and Gibson. Less not forget they dropped the ball and left a hole in the market for 3 decades carving the way for brands we play today like PRS, Ibanez, Kramer, Charvel, etc. Now we have Keisel, Friedman, Suhr, Shabat...etc building smaller batches and much better quality guitars. This is a fact. So much so that both Fender and Gibson to counter this opened brand new Custom Shops to deal with this issue. They tend to cost 3 times as much also....

[@Audioslayer]

Better question is who ISN'T making better guitars than Chibson

[@adhaskym.a9536]

Anything from Japan = excellent

[@there_is_nothing_here]

Are they still made in Japan or have they moved to China?

[@Shadowcruise99]

I haven't been able to find a U.S. Distributor for Tokai. Anyone??

[@johnnathancordy]

I'm not sure if they are that active in the US - perhaps that's part of why they get away with the obvious Gibson copies?

[@Jimmy4Thumbs]

@@johnnathancordy Well, that kinda sucks! I was getting excited about the burst "Les Paul" you started with. Guess I'll look on the used market.

[@jimmcdougall9973]

Yeah, you will not find Tokai’s for sale in the states. Gibson keeps them out. In my country Gibson has gone so far as not to permit stores to stock Tokai, if they want to be a Gibson dealership. It’s going to backfire. The Gibson’s aren’t moving.

[@fabronaut7478]

you can buy Tokai models through Japanese dealers online fairly easily. I don't just mean "eBay used or new" -- many of the sellers and independent Japanese auction sites specifically welcome customers to contact them directly for rare or catalogue only models.

[@Takianagi]

I've seen them on reverb. That's where I'm planning on buying mine.

[@TheWaveFiles]

Do we have to ask the question ?😅,😄

[@bryantwalley]

Tokai has made better guitars than Gibson my entire life.

[@Coolbeans1492]

Tokai is basically gibson japan

[@stuartmiller7419]

My Japanese Tokai Les Paul is way superior to my Gibson Les Paul. Build quality, set up, finishing, QC... the lot! As you allude to, their consistency and attention to detail is better than Gibson's, and they are clearly capable of, and commited to, making flawless guitars - something that Gibson struggles to achieve at 2,3,4,5 + times the price.

[@funkknuckle]

Tokai make amazing guitar. They've made better (or at least more consistently good) guitars than Gibson for a long time.

[@dananthony6258]

I love a heavy les paul.

[@bustalick335]

Tokai teles please 🙏🏼