Tokai Talbo A-140S -Red Skeleton

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With Hallowe'en just around the corner, who would be without a skeleton guitar to usher in the creatures of the night?

What you haven't got one! Well, luckily for you, I've been checking out eBay on your behalf. This beauty in a deep devilish red could be just what you need. Fortunately for us the seller has posted a bunch of great photos so it's well worth nipping over to eBay to check it out. Unfortunately he doesn't say very much about the guitar so I'm not sure if it's an aluminium body. It's from the 90s so it probably is. A wicked looking guitar, whatever it's made of.

I tried a little Googling on this beastie but haven't come up with another with the Skeleton moniker. So I can't see where the connection is. Maybe the seller is trying for a festive sale.

David in Barcelona

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Vintage Tokai Japan 60s Pre Talbo Weird Cool Teisco!

Another case of an eBayer who, not knowing the manufacturers name, lists a couple of fairly smart guesses including the all embracing "Cool" and the inevitable Teisco! - The exclamation mark did not go unnoticed.

Whatever it is, one thing's for sure. It's a corker. And, after a little research - it's a Guyatone Victoria.

The beauty at the bottom is from a Japanese site and there is yet another on Craigs List. The CL pictures are very poor and it's hard to tell anything except that it's bright blue. I think it's a fairly rare item as Google throws up very few examples and fewer still with decent pictures.

David in Barcelona

guitarz.blogspot.com:Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Tokai Blazing Fire

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Hey Gavin, I don't know if you guys are still on vacation but this Tokai caught my eye, copy of a Talbo.

http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f93274195

Description says, "The body isn't aluminum, it's Basswood"

Ken Shima

Hi Ken

The irony of having a wooden-bodied Talbo is not lost on me, since the name Talbo is derived from Tokai ALuminium BOdy. I am aware of the Tokai Talbo Woody series (surely a prize example of an oxymoron), but this Blazing Fire edition would seem to be yet another wooden-bodied variation.

It's still quite a cool original design from a company largely known for their replicas, but for myself it doesn't have the appeal of the original metal-bodied Talbo.

G L Wilson

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

Upside-down Tokai Gakki Hummingbird

guitarz.blogspot.com:

There are two beautiful ultra-rare Tokai Gakki Hummingbirds for sale on US eBay these days, but one of them (the one on the top) is somehow a monstrosity since it's an upside-down lefty model turned into a righty.

The characteristic of this genius and totally psychedelic guitar (produced around 1967) is its longer pointy lower horn, as you can see on the right - that makes it a kind of hysterical Mosrite (that also inspired the inclined neck pickup).

Hard to tell how this lefty was reversed but I can imagine that an uninformed musician could think it's all normal since thus it goes back to what Leo Fender set as the electric guitar common design.

As a player, I wouldn't like to play on such a genuine and expensive vintage guitar that would feel better in a museum or (unfortunately) a safe. Happily this one as been recreated by Eastwood (I know, I know, it's not the same, the original is better, etc), and that is one of the guitars on my middle-term GAS list (oups, I made another free ad for Eastwood! You know how to find me, guys!)

Bertram

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Sorry, but what's it got to do with Tony Zemaitis?

Now, don't get me wrong, I think this aluminium-bodied Tokai 'Zemaitis" Talbo is a really tasty looking guitar, but why tag on the totally spurious Zemaitis connection?

The late Tony Zemaitis created some amazing high quality "boutique" guitars, and was quite an innovator with distinctive designs such as his engraved metal fronts and pearl mozaic tops. (See the Official Zemaitis Guitar Owners Club website).

I was alarmed a couple of years ago when the Japanese appropriated his name and began making faithful replicas (see www.zemaitis.net). They are high-quality replicas, but personally I find the idea of putting them out under the "Zemaitis" banner a little bit tasteless.

Now this Tokai Talbo is one step further away again. It's a Tokai Talbo (which always was a metal-bodied guitar) but with a Zemaitis-shaped headstock. As far as I am aware there is no genuine Tokai/Zemaitis connection so, again, this seems improper.

A fine guitar, but why cash in unnecessarily on the late Tony Zemaitis' name?