A very good guitar playing friend of mine has in his collection an american vintage 62 stratocaster reissue and a Tokai Goldstar 'Strat' from the early 1980s. There is really nothing in the sound / playing quality to indicate the Tokai is inferior - only the price suggests it. I guess this is why even Tokai has troubles these days with fakes being sold that are badged as Tokai but aren't - 'Fakais' as they are known on the Tokai forum - you could say that the biter is being bit. Also note that Tokai guitars are, like Fender, built in different countries - only their higher quality range is built in Japan.
the only snag there is that the tokai registry refuses to acknowledge the canadian fakai. it was made in the matsumoko factory just like the others, alongside fender, dillion, prs, and roxbury, just to name a few. where the difference comes in is the quality.
the "canadian" fakai is a much better quality guitar, made to higher standards and better specs.
it's quite a heated issue over at the tokai registry, but i don't entirely know why they refuse, even after people have posted pics and specs, that canadian fakai is the cream of the crop, who's quality stands toe-to-toe with any guitar made in the world. i know this to be fact, because i have seen and played them myself. gibson on their best day, produces few guitars of this quality, fit and finish.
best yet, they can be easily had for $500 or less all day long in south west ontario.
