1975 Gallan (Tokai) Custom

Let's get the obvious out of the way first: this is not a mahogany Tokai LC100, it is an entry level Les Paul copy distributed by Kyowa-Shokai and sold alongside Camel, Fresher and a few other brands exclusive to various music stores around the world. Gallan were the premium offering and exported to, we believe, Herb George's music store on 48th Street, Manhattan. They are plywood (but good plywood!) construction and chambered - like the Moridaira versions (which were expensive). It is a set neck - NOT a bolt-on. It has very decent sounding pick-ups; and it's been a busy guitar. Why do we say Tokai? Kyowa had guitars built in virtually all of the plants in Matsumoto - Camel were Chushin, Fresher were un-named plants, and Gallan was Tokai. Everyone built for everyone in the heady days of Japanese guitar production in the 1970s. If you're still reading, plywood doesn't put you off, so let's explore further:

The first impression made by this guitar when picked up and strummed is of a high end Epiphone. It has a 'proper' neck - a nice handful without being too much. It is balanced, nicely worn high or low, and feels like a more expensive guitar. The binding is cracked and nicotine stained, but not falling off, or showing signs of falling off. There is a small crack on the rear of the headstock, but this has not been decapitated and sewn back together again. It feels solid, and that ply gives it a nice acoustic snap before you plug it in.

The only non-original parts on this Gallan are the electrics. The pots had been replaced a long while ago with terrible Alpha minis, and I decided to rip it all out and give it a new loom and controls. The switch is original and is missing its tip - why do we like it like that? I don't know, but if this is a dealbreaker, give us a day's notice and I'll pop a Switchcraft in there. We now have 3 CTS 500k pots and a CTS push pull to throw the bridge pick-up out of phase. Great for that Jimmy Page / Peter Green number. New Witch's Hat knobs and a set of strings complete the refurbishment of this guitar.

You don't have one of these instead of a Gibson, you have one on the way up to one, or next to one in the rack. It is a damn fine alternative to a drop-shipped Epiphone though. Gig it without worrying, no need to worry at all about it - it was made to be played - all the issues that plague vintage guitars for reliability are fixed and this will serve you well.

Epiphones may be new, freshly built in China, click-bought and delivered the next day, but they won't feel like this - all of the luthiers here have had this on their benches and it is now what you'd call stage-ready.