Tokais basic Japanese model has medium length tenon joint that will always be tightly fitted, no shims. The neck tenon is usually a short one, and often is wedged in with extra shims due to poor quality control. A Standard Gibson Les Paul has a different body contour around the Pup selector switch, it's been 'simplified' ie, it's cheaper to make. Oh and Tokais are not 'copies' they are replicas, a contemporary Tokai Les Paul shaped guitar is far closer to being a replica of a 58 standard than a Standard Gibson Les Paul. Strats are a little different however removing the scratchplate will let you know if it was made in Japan as it will be marked as such and there's usually a mark on the body end of the neck They are actually, very good guitars however, they are not legally Tokais and were withdrawn from sale.ДЄl Japanese Les Pauls have only 2 screws on the truss rod cover, all their other non Japanese guitars have 3.

Part of the problem with what are termed 'Fakais' is that, a decade ago a Canadian distributor did a deal with the factories in Korea that made models for Tokais where they built and shipped several hundred guitars branded as Tokais that were not Tokais. Rosewood is now covered by the CITES controls, that means even a second hand guitar if shipped from one country to another has to be logged.

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