Tokai TPB97 - wow....

[Jackopie1]

Last year I came into a little bit of money, and so naturally my mind turned to basses. I'd played and gigged almost solely, for 15 years, with a Godin PJ that I picked up from a charity shop as a teenager, but I'd always loved the idea of a real Fender P Bass. I've always loved the precision sound. 

 

I walked out of PMT not soon after with a spanking new Pro ii P Bass, which I think sounds lovely, and plays well. 

 

After a year of gigging though, I like it, but can't say I absolutely love it. I just don't feel like it's 'the one' if that makes sense? And for the money it costs, it really needs to be my main bass for many years to come. 

 

Well, today I had a play on this lovely thing, and was absolutely smitten. I know it's just a p bass copy, but it played so beautifully, sounded warm and rich, and had a lovely low action. It's a 2021 made in Japan version of the Hard Puncher. £1,100. It was light, too. 

 

Am I mad for wanting to sell the Pro ii, take the depreciation loss and get the Tokai? Has anyone got any experience with these? Is this just the start of the endless GAS that, so far, I've largely avoided? 

 

Opinions welcome! 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Jackopie1

[Lozz196]

Not mad at all, it’s part of the fun, finding the right instrument. It might set you down the GAS path but it also might not, it sounds like you never really gelled with the Pro ii, whereas it really looks like you love that Tokai. I think that if any musician finds an instrument that they love they should snap it up, if in a position to do so of course.

[Paolo85]

I don't know the bass so I cannot give any practical feedback. On the question of whether you are mad or is it gas, it sounds to me that you are in a situation where you can sell your bass and get one you like more maybe even at no cost if you sell your Fender well.

So I guess it is pretty straightforward, not crazy at all. Just maybe doublecheck your first impressions on the Tokai are correct (try again, read about it). I assume you have given the Fender its best chance through a professional-level setup and by carefully choosing strings that suit you.

Is that how GAS starts? I don't know but it looks like you just have one bass, maybe a backup. If that's the case I would not worry much yet

 

 

[Doctor J]

"I know it's just a p bass copy"

Wrong perspective. In my experience, there is no "just" as many of the copies are better than the real thing.  To be honest, I don't think there is a real thing anymore, just some brands which have changed ownership enough, over the years, to have lost all real connection to the original other than owning some copyrights. Everything is a copy, these days. I've got three superb Jazz basses, not one Fender, though. I've a 335 and it's a Japanese Tokai. Stop worrying about the logo on the headstock and focus on the instrument in your hands. If that bass is telling you it's the right bass for you, well, discard your prejudices and listen to it.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Doctor J

[gjones]

I know the feeling.

 

I bought a Fender Elite PJ that cost just shy of two grand. I'd seen so many great reviews of the Elites and it was supposed to be 'The One' but although it is a very well put together bass and is very versatile for a P bass, I just haven't bonded with it.

 

On the other hand, I had some parts hanging around.....a Squier VM jazz bass maple body, the maple neck from my ever first P bass(which I'd played a thousand gigs on over the years) and a set of USA 70s vintage pickups. When I put them all together everything felt 'right' and I fell in love with that bass immediately.

 

I say go for the Tokai if you feel the same about it.

Edited August 12, 2022 by gjones

[Franticsmurf]

Given that you say you were absolutely smitten on playing it, you'll always think about the Tokai, either with a warm "this is the one" as you play it, or "I wonder if that was the one" if you let it pass by. 

[ezbass]

If it speaks to you and makes you have ‘that feeling’ it doesn’t matter if it’s a Squier Affinity or a Fodera. Tokai are highly regarded and aren’t just a copy (would you call a Sadowsky a J bass copy?) they’re great instruments in their own right, it’s not it’s a dirt cheap bass either. That one’s a great colour too. Ignore any gear snobs and go for it, you might never feel the same about another bass.

Edited August 12, 2022 by ezbass

[Jackopie1]

Thanks for the advice everybody- the Fender is going up for sale, and a deposit is going down on the Tokai. 

 

I thinl the hesitation comes primarily from not often dealing in these amounts of money! 

 

 

[S.F.Sorrow]

These are wonderful basses. I just got a brand new one in sunburst.

 

One thing to be aware of though:

 

The neck on mine has just barely enough relief even with the truss rod loosened completely. I'ven seen this on other Tokai basses (and guitars) too.

 

These basses come with 45-105 Boomers which are fairly high tension for 45-105 roundwounds. If you intend to use this bass with lighter gauges/lower tension strings I would make sure the neck can handle it before buying. If the bass has just barely enough relief with the stock 45-105 Boomers and the truss rod can't be loosened much further you might experience severe fret buzz (particularly in lower frets) with lower tension string. There is no dual action truss rod in these basses.

 

I have very limited experience with Tokai but I've seen this on all three Tokai I've had in my possession: two Hard Punchers (one recent, one 80s) + one Springy Sound (80s Strat clone).

 

The neck will have to be removed to access the truss rod so you might have to convince the store to check this for you.

 

If you're gonna use if with 45-105 this probably won't be an issue. Of course I have no idea if ALL Tokai basses/guitars are like this but three in a row with the same issue has made me slighty wary about buying Tokai without inspecting the neck/truss rod.

 

 

 

[Paolo85]

Interesting. I personally could not live with that at that price level. Or even quite below

[Jackopie1]

Yeah, that is a bit worrying about the relief. Unfortunately, the shop I found it in is in London, and I'm in Cornwall, but I'll give them a ring. Thanks for the heads up! 

[atsampson]

Quote

Of course I have no idea if ALL Tokai basses/guitars are like this

Certainly not the case with my late 90s Jazz Sound - I've had several sets of very light strings on it and there's plenty of truss rod adjustment in both directions.

[Japhet]

I used to play with a guitarist who was on a search for the Holy Grail Strat sound. After an exhaustive search he was in a music shop for the umpteenth time trying all the Strats out when the owner asked if he wanted the name or the sound. He said he wanted the sound at which point he was handed a 1980s Tokai Strat. He bought it 30 minutes later. That story served me well when I fancied a Precision and I've been the owner of a lovely 1980s HardPuncher for probably 8 years now. Lovely, lovely thing.

[carlitos71]

Trust the force Luke…

[Franticsmurf]

1 hour ago, Japhet said:

the owner asked if he wanted the name or the sound.

Nothing wrong with wanting the name, but for me it's the sound. I wonder if sometimes the name affects how we actually hear the instrument, too? And, of course, it's an approach that is slowly being lost with the demise of the 'live' music shop in favour of the virtual showroom. That's why forums like this are valuable - to tap into the practical knowledge of a large sample of real people.

 

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, Japhet said:

I used to play with a guitarist who was on a search for the Holy Grail Strat sound. After an exhaustive search he was in a music shop for the umpteenth time trying all the Strats out when the owner asked if he wanted the name or the sound. He said he wanted the sound at which point he was handed a 1980s Tokai Strat. He bought it 30 minutes later. That story served me well when I fancied a Precision and I've been the owner of a lovely 1980s HardPuncher for probably 8 years now. Lovely, lovely thing.

Very interesting as a few Les Paul players I know bought Tokai Love Rocks as backups to their Gibsons then moved on the Gibsons keeping the Tokais as their main, and then buying an Epiphone as their backup.

[Jackopie1]

6 hours ago, Japhet said:

I used to play with a guitarist who was on a search for the Holy Grail Strat sound. After an exhaustive search he was in a music shop for the umpteenth time trying all the Strats out when the owner asked if he wanted the name or the sound. He said he wanted the sound at which point he was handed a 1980s Tokai Strat. He bought it 30 minutes later. That story served me well when I fancied a Precision and I've been the owner of a lovely 1980s HardPuncher for probably 8 years now. Lovely, lovely thing.

Lovely story! It’s very easy to reach for things that are more familiar, too.

 

Do you mind if I ask whether you’ve ever had any issues with getting enough neck relief, as another user reported?

[wintoid]

5 hours ago, Franticsmurf said:

I wonder if sometimes the name affects how we actually hear the instrument, too? 

 

 

Made me think of this:

 

https://www.science.org/content/article/million-dollar-strads-fall-modern-violins-blind-sound-check

[Japhet]

39 minutes ago, Jackopie1 said:

Lovely story! It’s very easy to reach for things that are more familiar, too.

 

Do you mind if I ask whether you’ve ever had any issues with getting enough neck relief, as another user reported?

 

No neck problems at all with mine. In fact it's a lovely neck by any standard.

[Doctor J]

Same with mine, the neck is fantastic and very stable. I don't think Tokai have widespread neck issues. This thread is the first I've ever heard of it.

[thedontcarebear]

Yeah, I've owned many Tokai's over the years - and no issues with the necks whatsoever, guitars and basses.