Rare Tokai SS70 "The Strat" Limited, Made in Japan 1980-1982 - Walnut

Epic Axes is a musician-driven showroom in Los Angeles. Each guitar is personally selected, inspected, and tested to ensure top performance - only instruments we would play ourselves become part of our collection

Up for sale Tokai SS70 “The Strat” Limited, circa 1982, in a beautiful deep walnut finish – a rich, dark brown with a glossy look that gives it a very classy, almost furniture-grade vibe. A unique take on a vintage-style Strat that stands out visually and sonically.

This guitar is in good overall condition for its age, showing natural signs of use throughout. All cosmetic wear is honest and consistent with a well-played vintage instrument, please refer to the photos for details.

It’s equipped with Select by EMG pickups (Made in Korea), delivering a noticeably thicker and fuller tone compared to a traditional Strat. Great output, solid clarity, and a bit more punch in the low end.

The frets are in good shape for their age, with even wear across the board – no dead spots or deep grooves. The guitar is set up with a medium action, plays comfortably, and there’s no buzzing in normal playing conditions.

Hardware-wise, it features a full brass bridge and brass block, which adds sustain and contributes to the overall heavier, more solid tone.

Please note:
– Missing tone knob
– Missing switch tip
– Missing back plate

Despite these minor cosmetic omissions, the guitar is fully functional and ready to go.

This Tokai is a great option if you’re looking for something vintage-inspired but with a bit more character, both in tone and appearance. A rare and visually striking piece that doesn’t feel like just another Strat!

The following work has been done: full fretboard conditioning with lemon oil, fret polish, pickup height adjustment for balance and clarity, and a fresh set of D’Addario 10-46s installed. String height at the 12th fret on the low E is right at 2.2 mm - set for comfortable playability. 

Body

• Construction: Solid body, double-cutaway Strat-style
• Wood: Alder
• Finish: Gloss walnut (deep dark brown)
• Contours: Classic Stratocaster body contours
• Pickguard: 3-ply Strat-style pickguard
• Cosmetic Condition: Honest vintage wear with dings, scratches, and finish marks consistent with age

Neck

• Material: Maple
• Joint: Bolt-on
• Profile: Comfortable vintage C
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Inlays: Dot markers
• Radius: 7.25" vintage-spec
• Frets: 21 vintage-style frets
• Fret Condition: Good condition with light, even wear; no dead spots
• Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
• Nut: Bone (approx. 42 mm)
• Neck Finish: Gloss
• Fingerboard Condition: Light natural play wear consistent with age

Hardware

• Bridge: Brass vintage-style tremolo bridge
• Block: Solid brass block
• Tuners: Original
• Strap Buttons: Standard
• Hardware Finish: Brass

Electronics

• Pickups: Select by EMG (Made in Korea)
• Controls:
  • 1 Volume
  • 1 Tone (tone knob missing)
• Switching: 5-way blade switch
• Output Jack: 1/4" mono
• Configuration: SSS

Other

• Model: Tokai SS70 “The Strat” Limited
• Year: 1982 (based on serial number)
• Original Tier: “70” model (¥70,000 domestic price tier)
• Made in: Japan
• Condition: Good vintage condition with honest wear; no relicing, all natural aging
• Missing Parts: Tone knob, switch tip, back plate
• Case: Not included
• Setup: Professionally inspected, cleaned, and set up; medium action, comfortable playability without buzzing