Tokai Electric Guitars

Tokai Electric Guitars

Japanese guitar maker Tokai has made a name for its high-quality electric guitars with a range of both right-handed and left-handed models. The family-owned company was founded in 1947 by Tadayouki Adachi and began making harmonicas and pianos, before starting to make classical guitars in 1965. The first Tokai electric guitars were replica models of some of the biggest American guitar brands, which earned them the name "lawsuit guitars." While this legacy has stuck with them, their Japanese- and Korean-made guitars are today recognised for their outstanding workmanship, quality materials, and diverse models to suit a range of abilities and budgets.

One of the first models to be created by Tokai started out as the "Les Paul Reborn," based on its original design. It later became known as the "Love Rock" and remains one of the company’s most iconic guitars. Its LP-styled solid body features a flamed sycamore laminate top coupled with maple and rosewood for the neck and fingerboard.

Modelled by guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan on the cover of his 1983 album "Texas Flood," Tokai’s Springy Sound model has become somewhat of a collector's item today. It was designed as a replica of vintage Stratocasters and attributed to kicking off reissue guitar-making, which transformed the industry.

Tokai’s aluminium-body guitars, known as Talbo, are designed with a greater stability than their traditional wooden-bodied guitars. They are renowned for their responsiveness, power, and clear sound and were once favoured by the band Devo and Tim Farriss from INXS.

In addition to the range of Tokai right-handed electric guitars, lefty setups are also available to order. Tokai left-handed electric guitars include both traditional and vintage models, together with a special ST Style model, which is a left-handed guitar that has been strung as a right-handed instrument.