Knuckled the Tokai

[choucas09]

 Got my Apaches today. Aged, flat pole, zinc plate. Also got some 280k pots, but was too lazy to put them in yet. Usual BK big step up in sound. All I need is a brass block and claw and a trem arm and my work on earth is done.




 Tried a recording, but my rubbish mic and ailing interface mangled the clean track horribly, the lead track though not unscathed managed better.         Requiem.mp3

[FernandoDuarte]

I like this one a lot!!

[Andrew W]

This just keeps getting better. :)

[38thBeatle]

Cool- I enjoyed the track. They just get better with time.

[horsehead]

sweet googley moogley that's good looking & sounding

[shobet]

Does a brass claw make that much difference?

[AndyR]

Looking good :D

+1 to this though:

Does a brass claw make that much difference?

Last time was looking (less than 6 months ago!) cold-rolled steel was all the rage :lol: - I'm talking tremblocks here - in what way is brass going to be different to the steel?

The steel blocks installed on my strats made a little difference, not much, and it was more noticable in one than in the other two. Just a little more life to the tone, bit more zing and boing as it were...

EDIT: Ah! just seen the other thread - more mids/warmth from the brass... not for me then! :lol:

[choucas09]

Well I'm expecting the brass block to make a small difference, as for the claw not really though they claim it will. I just thought I'd go the whole hog plus as the back is left open it'll look pretty cool with the block.

[PhilKing]

You'll get more difference from a set of vintage springs to the claw.  http://www.rawvintage.com/eng/item_springs.php

[choucas09]

 Very interesting about the springs and makes total sense when you think about it. Springs for a Springy Sound, it's got to be done.
 
Incidentally whilst considering whether to buy this guitar I did a thorough research job on Tokai and found that SRV used a 1981 Springy Sound and recorded the Texas Flood album with it. That's it on the cover and he appeared on the cover of the 1984 Tokai catalogue.

[Philly Q]

Does a brass claw make that much difference?

Last time was looking (less than 6 months ago!) cold-rolled steel was all the rage :lol: - I'm talking tremblocks here - in what way is brass going to be different to the steel?

The steel blocks installed on my strats made a little difference, not much, and it was more noticable in one than in the other two. Just a little more life to the tone, bit more zing and boing as it were...

EDIT: Ah! just seen the other thread - more mids/warmth from the brass... not for me then! :lol:

I find it interesting that brass hardware is making a comeback, what with Floyd upgrades, these trem blocks and some of the recent PRS parts using unplated brass.

Takes me back to the '70s/'80s, when the prevailing "tone theory" was "the heavier the better" and everyone was building boat-anchor guitars with massive chunky brass bridges.  Then they had a rethink and switched to light weight wood for resonance, and metal parts made of steel, aluminium, even titanium.  Suddenly brass was a "tone sucker". 

Looks like now we're coming full circle!

[AndyR]

You'll get more difference from a set of vintage springs to the claw.  http://www.rawvintage.com/eng/item_springs.php

+1 I use these.

I love them for feel, but I do get the impression that they do something for the tone as well.

Funnily enough, though, I think we (me and Philly Q, I think) reached the conclusion that it's quite possible the steel block and the raw vintage springs might actually be, er, "interacting"... possibly even cancelling each other out tone-wise! (Steel block gives brightness, raw vintage springs warms it up again :roll:... still, I'm happy, who cares?! :lol:)

[shobet]

Will you do a clean passage? Id bet it sounds awesome

I hope to $%&# afghan answers this!

[Ian Price]

I think he'd rather experience a dirty passage.