Tokai Thunderbird

[yorick]

I've seen Tokai Thunderbirds on fleabat for £290 inc next day delivery, new. This is is a set set neck jobbie. Are they any good/build play wise?

[tombboy]

I had one a few years ago.
Lovely punchy tone which (IMO) is far superior to the Epi's. They look so cool when hung low, ala Nikki Sixx & Pete Waye!! A little neck dive but it is a T-bird. My advice would be to watch out here and on e-bay for a second hand one first if you're in no hurry.

[Tee]

I don't buy the 'far superior to the Epi' talk. The Tokai body is ridiculously thick, in comparison to both the Gibson and Epiphone versions, which are a lot thinner. All imo of course.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

When I was after a T-bird I tried Tokais, Epiphones and Gibsons. I bought an Epiphone one (Alpine white). I preferred the weight, the neck feel and that you can shim it. Mine doesn't neck dive as I relocated the front strap button. I didn't do a side by side comparison of the tokai & Epiphone as shops that had the tokai didn't have the epi & vice-versa.

The tokai is still a very nice bass, but the epi suited my requirements better.

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='351605' date='Dec 11 2008, 11:13 AM']When I was after a T-bird I tried Tokais, Epiphones and Gibsons. I bought an Epiphone one (Alpine white). I preferred the weight, the neck feel and that you can shim it.[/quote]


You love a shim.

[yorick]

Ah, i'm blessed with the wit and wistdom of tBBC on my thread.... Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!!!

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='yorick' post='351638' date='Dec 11 2008, 11:37 AM']Ah, i'm blessed with the wit and wistdom of tBBC on my thread.... Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!!![/quote]
It must indeed be a great honour to have someone with the wit & wisdom of Finbarr Saunders on your thread.

[yorick]

And there was no hint of irony...........

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='351675' date='Dec 11 2008, 12:13 PM']It must indeed be a great honour to have someone with the wit & wisdom of Finbarr Saunders on your thread.[/quote]


You overestimate me.

[mathewsanchez]

I played one the other day and I hated it. The body was uncomfortable, the action was pretty bad, it had an awful case of neck dive and tonally it was nothing special. Hate to sound like a grumpy rump but I really couldn't get on with it.

[redzombie]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='351605' date='Dec 11 2008, 11:13 AM']When I was after a T-bird I tried Tokais, Epiphones and Gibsons. I bought an Epiphone one (Alpine white). I preferred the weight, the neck feel and that you can shim it. Mine doesn't neck dive as I relocated the front strap button. I didn't do a side by side comparison of the tokai & Epiphone as shops that had the tokai didn't have the epi & vice-versa.

The tokai is still a very nice bass, but the epi suited my requirements better.[/quote]

Similar to yourself, I tried regular Gibson back when I brought my Epi T-bird. There was no way in my mind, that the Gibson was worth nearly £700 more than the Epi. If the Gibson was a 10 then the Epi was an 8.5 IMO. Maybe I just got a crap Gibson and a really good Epi, I dunno, but that's how they sounded and played to me.

Anyway, this thread's about Tokais, what I'm getting at is I want to find a shop with one I can go try.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='redzombie' post='353468' date='Dec 13 2008, 11:57 AM']Anyway, this thread's about Tokais, what I'm getting at is I want to find a shop with one I can go try.[/quote]
I've seen & tried Tokai T-birds in Regent Sounds & Rokas in Denmark Street, but as they tend to rotate stock around the MusicGround-owned shops they might be in one of the other shops.

[redzombie]

Cool thanks for the heads up, I'll have to try and pop down there next time I'm up town during the day.

[hatori]

I have one that I use as my main gigging bass. Cant fault the build quality and can find no flaws in the finish. I can get a nice John Entwistle sound out of it and it looks dead cool. I find myself just sitting looking at it and dribbling slightly...lots of comments from the fans and admiring looks from the ladies...works for me! Yeh a Gibson would be nice but at £1600 (Vintage and rare) you must be bleedin jokin mate!! Go on you know you wanna!

[Rayman]

Just sticking my opinion in, I used an Alpine White Epi TB for a year in a rock band, and it was faultless. Brilliant bass, well put together, awesome sound, VERY big tone, and a very playable neck indeed. Having tried a few Gibsons over the years, I [i]honestly[/i] believe the Epi beat them all for sound and playability, and of course price. Never tried a Tokai, so I can't comment, but I'd definately recommend the Epiphone.

[tombboy]

[quote name='Tee' post='351483' date='Dec 11 2008, 09:35 AM']I don't buy the 'far superior to the Epi' talk. The Tokai body is ridiculously thick, in comparison to both the Gibson and Epiphone versions, which are a lot thinner. All imo of course.[/quote]
Erm... my opinion on comparative superiority was limited to the sound as my post states, not the finish or build.