Review: Tokai TST-50-FS Modern
The guitar maker Tokai is known worldwide for its high-quality versions of classic vintage guitars, and the instruments are loved and played by many.
But now there’s an interesting new model, devised by Tokai Guitars Nordic, called the Tokai TST-50-FS Modern (current price in Finland: 1,650 €; hard case included). This is an S-type guitar for the player who wants classic looks combined with modern features.
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Tokai’s brand-new TST-50-FS Modern is available in three different versions, which share the same basic build and features, but which differ in terms of finish and pickup choice.
The Modern is available in a traditional Three-Tone Sunburst …
… a beautiful Sienna Sunburst …
… and in a cool, dark Ebony Transparent.
The TST-50-FS’ body is made from two pieces of beautiful swamp ash, with a – near invisible – centre glue line.
The new model makes it a jiffy to adjust the truss rod by moving the adjustment to the headstock side of the neck.
The TST-50-FS Modern sports a high-quality set of Gotoh Magnum Lock locking machine heads, resulting in lightning-fast string changes and rock steady tuning stability.
The neck comes with a thin satin finish.
We find a rosewood fretboard with a modern radius (9.5″), as well as 22 gleaming medium jumbo-sized frets (Dunlop 6105), making string bending much easier than on a vintage guitar.
The bridge on the Tokai TST-50-FS Modern represents Gotoh’s view of the perfect updated Strat-style vibrato.
Gotoh’s 510T-SF bridge is a two-post affair made of steel. The height-adjustable posts can be locked inside the threaded ferrules to increase vibrational transfer into the body.
In terms of its pickups, the Three-Tone Sunburst version is the most traditional of the new trio:
The neck and middle pickups are genuine single coils (Seymour Duncan SSL-1), while the bridge humbucker is Duncan’s vintage-voiced Model ’59 (SH-1B Zebra).
The Sienna Sunburst-variant is completely noise-free thanks to its stacked-coil neck and middle pickups (Seymour Duncan STK-S4; aka Classic Stack Plus). The bridge unit is a hotter-than vintage, covered JB (SH-4).
The hottest guitar in our trio is the TST-50-FS in Ebony Transparent, which comes with a pair of Hot Stack Plus pickups (STK-S7) and the sheer force of nature that is Seymour Duncan’s SH-14 Custom 5 humbucker.
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The Tokai TST-50-FS Modern is part of the brand’s Made-in-Japan Premium Series, and all three instruments are perfect examples of the excellent workmanship Tokai has to offer.
The new model comes with a rounded neck profile (Tokai call it ”Thin U”) that feels and plays like a dream. The modern fingerboard radius and excellent fretwork make string choking a thing of the past.
The vibrato feels very precise and stays in tune far better than any vintage-style vibrato bridge ever could.
The ash body, locking tuners and steel bridge give the TST-50-FS Modern a sparkling unplugged voice with a long and clear sustain.
Played with an amp the differences between the three versions become very clear:
The Three-Tone Sunburst version gives you the tones you’d expect from a factory-modded vintage S-type.
Thanks to the vintage-style single coils – as well as the PAF-inspired bridge humbucker – you get a lot of clarity, dynamics and spank.
I’d call the FS Modern’s Sienna Sunburst variant the ”LA Studio model”, which will deal with any musical situation by giving you a first-rate West Coast sound.
The stacked coil pickups are free from hum and buzz, and they give you a fine, slightly ”pre-compressed” sound that sits well in any mix. The JB-humbucker offers just the right amount of ”push” to complement the neck and middle pickups perfectly.
If you look for an S-style electric that will take to high gain settings like the proverbial duck to water, you need look no further. The TST-50-FS Modern in Ebony Transparent simply loves gain and distortion, while still making a great figure when it comes to clean tones.
This is noise-free high gain heaven with a healthy dose of bottom end punch and a chunky mid-range.
The demo track features the trio in the following order: Sienna Sunburst –> Ebony Transparent –> Three-Tone Sunburst. Each guitar plays both the rhythm as well as the lead parts of its section:
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The new Tokai TST-50-FS Modern really made a big impression on me.
This is a fantastic alternative to the traditional, vintage-flavoured Tokai models. Both the playability and sounds this trio has to offer are top-notch, and I’m sure you will find your favourite modern S-type guitar from one of the three alternatives.
Tokai’s TST-50-FS Modern offers you custom shop quality at a very fair price.
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Tokai TST-50-FS Modern
1,650 € (hard case included)
Distributor: Musamaailma
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Pros:
+ value-for-money
+ workmanship
+ three different pickup configurations
+ playability
+ sound
Testipenkissä: Tokai TST-50-FS Modern
Kitaravalmistaja Tokai tunnetaan laadukkaista klassikkokitaroiden uusintapainoksista, ja soittimet ovat löytäneet tiensä monen vintage-fanin käsiin.
Tokai Guitars Nordicin kehittämä uutuusmalli Tokai TST-50-FS Modern (1.650 €, sis. kova laukku) on sen sijaan suunnattu kitaristeille, jotka haluavat tuttua Tokai-laatua nykyaikaisilla ominaisuuksilla.
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Tokai TST-50-FS Modern on saatavilla kolmessa eri versiossa, joiden rakenteelliset ominaisuudet ovat samat, mutta jotka eroavat toisistaan värityksen ja mikrofonien suhteen.
Kitaran värivaihtoehtoina on Three-Tone Sunburst …
… vaalea Sienna Sunburst …
… ja tumma Ebony Transparent.
Kaikissa versioissa runko on veistetty kuvankauniista suosaarnista. Rungot on koottu kahdesta saarnipalasta, joiden (käytännössä näkymätön) liimasauma kulkee siististi keskeltä runkoa.
Kaularaudan säätäminen on TST-50-FS-mallissa todella helppoa, koska säätöruuvi on sijoitettu viritinlavan puolelle.
Tässä mallissa on erittäin laadukkaat Gotoh Magnum Lock -lukkovirittimet – kieltenvaihto sujuu nopeasti ja vire pysyy.
Kaulassa on ohut mattapintainen viimeistely.
Otelaudan radius on selvästi vintagea loivempi, ja ruusupuuhun on siististi asennettu 22 medium jumbo -kokoista nauhaa (Dunlop 6105), minkä ansiosta venytykset vaativat vähemmän voimaa.
Tokai TST-50-FS Modernin talla on huippulaadukas, Gotohin valmistama modernisoitu versio Strato-vibratallasta.
Gotoh 510T-SF -talla on valmistettu teräksestä ja se on veitsenterälaakeroitu. Vibraton tapit lukitaan kierreholkkeihinsa, mikä parantaa tallan sustainia.
Three-Tone Sunburst -version mikrofonitarjonta on tästä kolmikosta se perinteisin:
Kaula- ja keskimikki ovat aitoja yksikelaisia (Seymour Duncan SSL-1) ja talla-asemasta löytyy Duncanin ’59-humbucker (SH-1B Zebra).
Sienna Sunburstin mikrofonivarustus on täysin hurinaton, sillä kaula- ja keskimikrofonit ovat kahdella päällekkäisellä kelalla varustettuja Seymour Duncan STK-S4 -mikrofoneja (Classic Stack Plus), kun taas tallahumbuckerina toimii vintagea kuumempi JB-malli (SH-4 JB).
Malleista lähtöteholtaan kuumin on Ebony Transparent -versio, joka yhdistää tehokkaat Hot Stack Plus -mikrofonit (STK-S7) Seymour Duncan SH-14 Custom 5 -humbuckerin tarjoamaan täyslaidalliseen.
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Tokai TST-50-FS Modern kuuluu valmistajan japanilaiseen Premium-sarjaan, ja testissä käynyt kolmikko on – jälleen kerran – täydellinen esimerkki japanilaisesta, erinomaisesta soitinrakennusosaamisesta.
Uutuusmallin pyöreä, mutta suhteellisen ohut kaulaprofiili tuntuu erittäin nopealta, ja nykyaikainen nauhoitus ja otelautaradius luovat kevyen soittotuntuman.
Vibratalla toimii sulavasti ja erittäin tarkasti.
Saarnirungon, lukkovirittimien ja teräsvibran ansiosta TST-50-FS Modernin akustinen ääni on hyvin raikas ja pitkällä sustainilla höystetty.
Versioiden väliset erot tulevat esiin vahvistimen kautta soitettaessa:
Three-Tone Sunburst -versio antaa soittajalle aimon annoksen kustomoidun vintage-kitaran hehkua.
Aitojen yksikelaisten mikkien, sekä PAF-tyylisen tallahumbuckerin ansiosta vahvistettu ääni on tuore ja erittäin dynaaminen. Pletraniskujen naksahteleva luonne tuo väkisinkin mieleen vintage-Straton.
Kutsuisin 50-FS Modernin Sienna Sunburst -kitaraa LA Studio -malliksi, jolla hoituu sessio kuin sessio aidolla länsirannikon soundilla.
Stacked coil -mikrofonit eivät hurise, ja niillä on oikein mainio, hieman ”esikompressoitu” soundi, jonka saa mukavasti istutettua miksaukseen. JB-humbucker on sekä teholtaan että soundiltaan oiva valinta näiden ”yksikelaisten” rinnalle.
Jos etsit S-tyylistä kitaraa, joka tarjoaa loistavia high gain -särösoundeja, mutta joka samalla kuulostaa myös mehevältä puhtaasti soitettuna, Ebony Transparent on sinulle oikea valinta.
Tämä kitara tarjoaa hurinatonta high gain -meinikiä tuhdilla alakerralla ja herkullisella keskialueella.
Demobiisissä testikitarat kuullaan järjestyksessä Sienna Sunburst –> Ebony Transparent –> Three-Tone Sunburst. Samalla kitaralla soitetaan aina sekä komppiosuudet että soolo:
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Minun mielestäni Tokai TST-50-FS Modern lunastaa lupauksensa täydellisesti ja avokätisesti.
Uutuusmalli on huippulaadukas, nykyaikainen vaihtoehto vintage-tyylisille Tokai-kitaroille. Soittotuntuma ja soundi ovat enemmän kuin kohdillaan, ja jokainen meistä löytää varmasti kolmesta vaihtoehdoista sen itselleen sopivan.
TST-50-FS Modern tarjoaa custom shop -tasoista laatua reiluun hintaan.
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Tokai TST-50-FS Modern
1.650 € (kova laukku kuuluu hintaan)
Maahantuoja: Musamaailma
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Plussat:
+ hinta-laatu-suhde
+ työnjälki
+ kolme mikrofonivaihtoehtoa
+ soitettavuus
+ soundi
Now on Soundcloud: Tokai TST-50-FS Modern
Tokai TST-50-FS Modern
• Premium Series model
• Made in Japan
• Premium swamp ash body (two-piece, centre-joined)
• Rosewood fingerboard with 9.5″ radius
• 22 Dunlop 6105 frets
• Locking Gotoh tuners
• Two-post Gotoh vibrato
• Sienna Sunburst version: 2 x Seymour Duncan STK-S4 + TB-4
• Ebony Transparent version: 2 x STK-S7 + TB-14
• Three-Tone Sunburst version: 2 x SSL-1 + ’59
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The demo track has the three guitars in the order Sienna Sunburst –> Ebony Transparent –> Three-Tone Sunburst.
Tiistai on fuzzia täynnä! Guitar face galore!
Playing my Kasuga semi through an EH Nano Big Muff Pi, and making a few ”guitar faces” for good measure. 🙂
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Kasuga –> Nano Big Muff Pi –> Blackstar HT-1R –> Focusrite Saffire 6 USB –> Garageband
Tokai TST-50-FS – the Kitarablogi-video
Uusi Tokai TST-50-FS on tällä hetkellä saatavilla kolmella eri mikrofonivarustuksilla:
• Three-Tone Sunburst -versiossa on kaksi yksikelaista SSL-1-mikrofonia, sekä Seymour Duncan ’59 -humbucker.
• Sienna Sunburst -mallissa on kaksi SD Classic Stack Plus -mikrofonia (hurinattomia, stacked-coil mikrofonia), sekä JB-humbucker metallikuorella.
• Ebony Transparent -kitarassa taas on kaksi Duncanin Vintage Hot Stack -mikrofonia (hurinattomia) ja tallamikrofonina toimii saman firman Custom 5 -humbucker.
Kitarablogin testi on tulossa lähiaikoina!
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The new Tokai TST-50-FS is currently available with three different pickup configurations:
• The Three-Tone Sunburst version has a pair of SSL-1 single-coils and a Seymour Duncan ’59 humbucker.
• The Sienna Sunburst model comes with two noiseless SD Classic Stack Plus pickups, as well as a covered JB model.
• The Ebony Transparent guitar sports two noiseless Duncan Vintage Hot Stacks and a Custom 5 in the bridge position.
Watch this space for a full review in the very near future!
Review: Viitasaari Guitars OM
Olli Viitasaari is a young luthier from Järvenpää in the south of Finland.
After completing his training at IKATA, Olli has been working on his own electric guitar model (in addition to doing repairs and customising jobs), which he since displayed at Fuzz Guitar Show (Gothenburg, Sweden) and Turenki Tonefest (Finland).
Olli’s guitar model is called the Viitasaari OM (OM = Offset Model, prices starting from 2,500 €; a Hiscox case is included), and it represents Olli’s vision of the perfect Jazzmaster-style guitar. Guitarists have reacted very positively to the Viitasaari OM, and there are already a few guitars in active use by Finnish and Swedish guitarists.
Kitarablogi.com would like to thank Mr. Juha Pöysä for the loan of his personal guitar!
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The basic building blocks of the Viitasaari OM use the tried and trusted recipe of its 1950s forefather:
The OM’s body is made from alder, while the bolt-on neck has been carved from hard rock maple. The fretboard is rosewood.
The first indication that this isn’t your run-in-the-mill Fender-clone lies in the scale length. Olli has chosen 25 inches for his model, which places this guitar’s scale length in the same territory as a PRS – right in the middle between traditional Fender and traditional Gibson.
As Viitasaari Guitars is a true boutique builder there’s plenty of options for the customer to choose from, both in terms of pickups and electronics, as well as the guitar’s finish.
Juha Pöysä’s OM comes in a very fetching blue satin finish for the body, and a natural satin finish for the neck. The customer can also specify gloss finishes or oil-based finishes for his (or her) own guitar.
This guitar sports a set of Gotoh HAP-tuners, which combine vintage looks with height-adjustable tuner posts.
Leo Fender’s original Jazzmaster/Jaguar-vibrato is both loved and loathed among guitarists. Players tend to love the soft and slightly spongy action, but often tend to find the original design’s many quirks and idiosyncrasies extremely annoying.
Fender’s original design features tiny grub screws for the height-adjustment of the bridge’s separate bridge saddles. These screws often tend to work loose during playing, causing rattles and involuntary changes in string action. Additionally, there’s only a relatively shallow string angle over the bridge, exacerbating the string rattling, and sometimes even causing a string to jump out of position, especially with modern light gauge strings. In extreme cases, a bridge saddle may even turn upside down in the middle of a solo.
US-based hardware company Mastery has put a stop to all these problems by redesigning the Offset Bridge from the ground up. Naturally, this fantastic system has been chosen for the Viitasaari OM.
The OM’s 9.5-inch radius and fatter-than-vintage frets give the Viitasaari a modern playing feel.
The two P-90-type pickups have been developed especially for the Viitasaari OM by Olli and Finnish pickup maker Jarno Salo.
The special feature of these Viitasaari/Salo-pickups are their dual coil taps, giving you three different basic sounds (and output levels) per pickup. A slide switch above each pickup lets you select between the full coil and the two coil tapped variations.
You can choose between a three-way blade switch (as on the reviewed instrument) or a three-way rotary for the pickup selector.
The controls are master volume and master tone. You can also specify a built-in fuzz effect as an option, which is then activated by a push/pull-switch inside the tone control.
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The Viitasaari OM is a top-drawer boutique guitar; it is lightweight and easy to play.
Comparing a Viitasaari to a mass-produced guitar makes the differences blatantly obvious – even though the Jazzmaster/Jaguar-shape is already a very ergonomic design, Olli Viitasaari’s craftsmanship takes the smoothness to new levels. The OM feels like a natural extension of the player’s body.
The workmanship and finish on this guitar couldn’t possibly be any neater – you could call t exemplary. The playing feel with the 0105 [sic!] set of strings is precise and bendy at the same time.
Mastery’s Offset vibrato system really is the best that has happened to the offset-vibrato since its inception in 1958. This is how the bridge and vibrato should have been designed right from the start! The Mastery Offset takes all the whammy abuse you can throw at it without any untoward side effects – no tuning problems, no strings jumping about. No wonder so many Jazzmaster and Jaguar-players have already updated to the Mastery Offset-system.
The clean sound of the Viitasaari OM is Fender-ish in its fresh brightness and clean midrange, even though these P-90s are slightly more powerful than Fender Jazzmaster pickups. We get a high quality version of the Jazzmaster-tone with clearly less hum and buzz, thanks to the fine Viitasaari/Salo-pickups.
Using the coil taps will give you two quieter and slightly more rounded versions of the full pickup tone.
Here are the neck pickup’s three variations:
And the same for the bridge pickup:
As we all know, P-90s love chunky overdrive sounds, which opens the Viitasaari OM up to all sorts of tasty crunch tones:
I feel the coil taps are especially useful in distorted Rock/Blues-settings, making it possible to go from rhythm to lead playing without having to step onto an effects pedal. The shorter coil variations cool things down nicely, while the full coil gives you a ”boost” in volume and bite for lead guitar parts.
Here are the neck pickup’s three variations:
And the same for the bridge pickup:
In recorded the demo track’s guitar parts using a T-Rex Replicator analogue tape delay:
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What a gorgeous guitar! To me the Viitasaari OM is simply the best Jazzmaster-type guitar I have ever played.
The workmanship is boutique grade and the OM plays like a dream. The Master vibrato is the icing on the cake, taking this design to new levels.
In my view the best thing about the OM, though, is the way Olli has incorporated double coil taps in his design. The OM takes the lead/rhythm idea of the original Jazzmaster, but transforms it into something that actually works much better in a modern context.
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Viitasaari Guitars OM
from 2,500 €
Contact: Viitasaari Guitars
Pros:
+ handmade in Finland
+ workmanship
+ finish
+ Finnish pickups
+ Mastery-vibrato
+ sound
Kitarablogi.com – Finland's premier Guitar and Bass blog 