Cat's Eyes TCM-50 – Natural, Lawsuit era, approx. 1980

Cat's Eyes TCM-50 is a Japanese acoustic guitar, manufactured around 1980 at the Tokai Gakki factory. The instrument is based on a Dreadnought body shape. The guitar features a solid spruce top plate and rosewood back and sides. After our service work, which included refretting, bridge repair, fingerboard leveling, and the installation of an active Fishman system, the instrument is ready to play.

Technical specification

• Manufacturer: Cat's Eyes (Tokai)
• Model: TCM-50
• Year of production: Approx. 1980
• Body: Solid Spruce (Top) / Rosewood (Back & Sides)
• Neck: Mahogany
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Frets: Medium (Condition: 100% – new)
• Pickups: Fishman
• Electronics: Active
• Visual condition: Visible signs of use (details in description)
• Finish: Natural
• Weight: 2.38 kg / 5.25 lbs

Body and construction The Dreadnought-shaped soundbox features a top plate made of solid spruce, with the back and sides made of rosewood. The instrument is finished with a clear lacquer (Natural). Inside the soundbox, a traditional X-bracing system is used. A standard glued neck construction (Set-Neck) is applied. In our workshop, the lacquer coating went through a cleaning and waxing process.

Neck and ergonomics The mahogany neck features a profile similar to a "C" shape. The neck is paired with a rosewood fingerboard. As part of the service work, the old frets were removed, the fingerboard was leveled, and brand new Medium size frets (Blacksmith 2.1 mm) were installed. A new nut made of natural bone with a width of 43.3 mm was also fitted. The fingerboard surface was cleaned and conditioned.

Sound The instrument is enriched with an active Fishman amplification system, with the pickup installed under the bridge saddle.

• Characteristics: The use of a solid spruce top and a rosewood body in a Dreadnought shape generates a frequency response with a distinct bottom end and clear highs.
• Dynamics: The guitar responds appropriately to varied articulation strength, maintaining frequency clarity. The active system allows for the direct transfer of the shaped signal to sound equipment.

Additional information

The Cat's Eyes brand was created as a result of an official collaboration between the Japanese Tokai Gakki factory and the American company C.F. Martin & Co. (Tokai was a distributor and licensee).

Models from the TCM series feature a construction and bracing layout strongly inspired by traditional American acoustic instruments from that period.

Based on the hardware specification and construction details of the body, the production of this unit is dated to the turn of the 70s and 80s.

The service work we performed included: fingerboard leveling, complete refretting, crafting a bone nut, bridge repair, Fishman electronics installation, and setting the string action.

Hardware

• Bridge: Rosewood – the original component re-seated after professional repair work in our workshop.
• Tuners: Closed-gear Gotoh mechanisms. The chrome hardware went through a cleaning process and retains its mechanical efficiency.

Instrument condition

• Technical condition: The instrument is mechanically and electronically functional after a luthier verification. The truss rod works properly, and the frets are brand new.
• Visual condition: The guitar shows signs of use appropriate for its age. Scratches and dings are visible on the lacquer coating. The instrument has no structural wood cracks.
• Setup and Modifications: An active Fishman system was installed. Refretting, crafting a bone nut, bridge repair, fingerboard leveling, and a setup of the string action for a new set of strings (12-53) were performed.

Why choose this instrument

• Solid top: The use of solid spruce on the top plate contributes to a richer acoustic resonance compared to fully laminated designs.
• New frets and leveling: The complete fret replacement and fingerboard leveling eliminate the wear resulting from use and ensure proper intonation.
• Fishman system: The installed active electronics allow for the direct connection of the guitar to an amplifier or a console.
• Ready to play: After our repairs and service work, the guitar is fully prepared for regular playing without the need for additional luthier visits.