1980 Tokai LS-200 — The Flagship “Japanese Burst”

I acquired this 1980 Tokai LS-200 at the end of 2009.
Before saying anything else, just take a look at it — the photos speak for themselves.
This guitar exudes a quiet dignity, the kind of gravitas that truly earns it the title “Japanese Burst.”

The gold script logo and the “200” decal on the back of the headstock mark it unmistakably as the flagship model of Tokai Gakki.

The maple top is breathtakingly beautiful, yet it carries itself with restraint —
as if refusing to boast, as if smiling wryly at those who measure worth solely by the flamboyance of their flame.
Its elegance belongs to the very world celebrated in The Beauty of the ’Burst.

The pickups are the engraved Numbered PAFs.
At first, I assumed they’d been swapped out, but there’s no sign of replacement work anywhere.
The pickup stamps date to February 15, 1979, which makes perfect sense —
new-old-stock units mounted on a guitar completed in 1980.

The seller mentioned that the tailpiece was gold,
and indeed, the bridge, pole pieces, and even the tuners share the same finish —
aged but unmistakably gold throughout.
It’s clear this LS-200 was factory-ordered with full gold hardware.

A truly magnificent instrument — understated, refined, and profoundly Tokai.

Weight: 4.20 kg (including strings)
(Updated August 26, 2016)