Noob alert!

So it's been a while since I wanted a strat. I've played LP for quite some time now. Some local dude offered me a swap for my 2008 TOKAI LS100Q Les Paul with a Fender CIJ 2005 ST62 US Vintage along with an SKB case.

So guys what are your thoughts? I don't want to start a LPvsStrat battle or something. I just want to know if it's a fair trade. I've searched as much as I could on my own but there's just waaay to much info out there. In fact I got more confused after doing a little bit of research!

I'd say "SCORE"! Those Japanese Fenders are ridiculously awesome! I have a '62 reissue Jazzmaster from Japan, and have no problems with it. BIG PLUS ONE!

Really? That good?

I think I will pull the trigger. I got no cash right now to afford a good Strat so maybe this is it!

Only thing that's keeping me is the 7.25 radius. I don't like my strings "Ibanez" low but I do like to set my guitar's action somewhat low. Is bending really that much of an issue or is it that lots of peeps don't know how to bend? lol

K

Japanese fenders are actually considered some of the best i ve played a few and their quality and craftmanship rivals that of american fenders

I have a 50's tele with a 7.25 radius. Full step bends are no problem, but it takes getting used to in order to prevent overbending (past a whole step).


Trade a LP knock-off for a genuine Fender, Vintage series ta boot? I'd say definately a go.
But then, You are asking this on a Fender forum.....keep that in mind...bound to be biased opinions.

hi , it sound like a great deal to me i've got 2 mij strats , one is a 50's reissue with the 7.25 neck , i have no problems bending strings at all , it also gets played more than my USA std nuff said , cheers
Alan

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I think the MIJ guitar are some of the best guitars made and I would do that deal in a heart beat

Ok I talked to the guy and arranged the trade. I hope all goes well.

I do like to keep my action low but not lower the photos this guy sent me. I'll just have to see. After all I've got a friend who is a pro luthier so maybe he could help me do a compound radius up on the higher frets. I know I could just look for something else but I saw this guitar in person and it's got way too much mojo!

Keep the info coming guys!

Let us know when you get it!

So stupid question here....

How does this compare to Mexican strats? Standards, Classic player, Black Top?

I told you I was a noob!

There is no comparison Mex strats are not on the same playing field.......That is a 60's re issue MIJ it's easily as good as a lot of US strats....That is a beautiful guitar and you should take the offer straight away...I have thousands of dollars of US strats but i always go back to my 80's MIJ....They are solid gold guitars....Do it!!

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"Trade a LP knock-off for a genuine Fender, Vintage series ta boot?"

A Tokai LS100 isn't just a knock-off. Tokai started building replicas of '58/'59 LP Standards long before Gibson(Norlin) did. In the '70s and '80s Norlin gave us pancake body LP's with 3-piece necks with volutes, fat binding in the cutaway, shallow top carves, short tenons, and other non-vintage features. They thought that since the original spec LPs were sales failures, what people really wanted were "improved" specs. On their higher-end models, Tokai gave us 1-piece bodies and 1-piece necks, deep dish top carves, proper cutaway binding, modified long tenons, etc. When Norlin saw the clamor for the vintage spec replicas from Tokai, Greco, Burny, et al, their response was to threaten to sue importers in order to eliminate the competition. They didn't start to make serious reissues until the late '80s.

As far as I'm concerned, Gibson's Historic Reissues are knock-offs of my '80 Tokai LS-120, not the other way around. (The Historics are great guitars and since 2000 or so they've been more accurate replicas than Tokais, but it took 20+ years for them to catch up to what Tokai started doing in the late '70s.)

And while that Strat is a "genuine Fender" insofar as Fender Japan contracted a company to build it and authorized them to put a Fender decal on it, the "CIJ" designation means it was built by Tokai or Dyna. ("MIJ" indicates Fujigen production.) AFAIK Dyna was a secondary supplier doing mostly the low-end range. So most likely the trade was a Tokai LP for a Tokai Strat. Of course, Tokai started building replicas of vintage Strats back in the late '70s too, when Fender/CBS was only building 3-bolt Strats with shallow contours and cast zinc bridges, so the pedigrees are about equal. And all of the MIJ Tokais have excellent wood and great build quality.

I can't find any exact comparisons on completed eBay auctions. In general it looks to me like a '08 LS100Q is worth a couple hundred more than a '05 ST62, but given the variables of auctions sometimes a particular ST62 will outsell a particular LS100Q. So you didn't do bad on the trade, especially if you're in more of a Strat mood currently.

I'm with you on this one

My tokai is a fantastic LP and has beaten hands down many Gibsons, soundwise and feature-wise. It's true to vintage specs. It's just that as much as I looove Les Pauls, both how they look and sound, the upper fret access can be frustrating at times...plus the fact that I grew my style on a strat makes me feel a surtain mojo about Strats.

I really don't think it's a better guitar. More like different I'd say

Anyways. I think this St62 is a wonderfull instrument. I can't wait to spend some hours with her!

Thank's for the info. I'm well aware of Gibson's history, I've lived a stone's throw from Kalamazoo for over 40 years. Perhaps the word Knock-off was found too offensive. It was meant with the intent of replica or copy, and had no bearing on quality.