Bass / Tokai
Tokai Jazz Sound JB45 - Black, Lawsuit era, 1981
Listed on Reverb
975.00 EUR
Original Reverb prices in EUR. Check the listing for shipping and the final total.
- Model
- Jazz Sound JB45
- Year
- 1981
- Finish
- BLK
About this instrument
Instrument description in English.
Tokai Jazz Sound JB45 is a Japanese replica of a JB-style bass, manufactured in 1981 at the Tokai Gakki factory. This unit features a "Spaghetti" style logo, characteristic of the initial production period of this series. The instrument is equipped with an alder body in a Black finish. Some hardware parts were modified, including the installation of a Tortoiseshell pickguard and a bridge with threaded saddles. After our service work, which included fret dressing and copper foil shielding of the electronics, the bass is ready to play.
Technical specification
Manufacturer: Tokai
Model: Jazz Sound JB45
Year of production: 1981
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Frets: Vintage (Condition: 80% – after dressing)
Pickups: 2x Tokai Japan JB-Single Coil
Electronics: Passive (2x Volume, 1x Tone)
Visual condition: Visible signs of use (details in description)
Finish: Black
Weight: 4.00 kg / 8.82 lbs
Body and construction The solid body is made of alder. The instrument features a Black lacquer finish. The front of the body was modified by installing a Tortoiseshell color pickguard. A traditional Bolt-on construction is used, with a very tightly fitted neck pocket ensuring optimal resonance transfer from the neck to the body. In our workshop, the electronics cavities were completely shielded with copper foil. The lacquer coating went through a polishing and waxing process.
Neck and ergonomics The maple neck features a narrower profile at the nut (width is 38 mm), specific to JB-style models. The neck is paired with a rosewood fingerboard glued in accordance with the neck's radius, known as "veneer board" technology. The Vintage size frets retain about 80% of their original height (0.9 mm) and underwent a dressing process (leveling and polishing) during our service work. The fingerboard surface was cleaned and conditioned with lemon oil.
Sound The instrument is equipped with two Single Coil pickups in a passive circuit.
Characteristics: The combination of an alder body and two single-coil pickups generates a frequency response with a clear attack and a balanced, distinct bottom end.
Dynamics: The passive electronics, controlled by two independent Volume potentiometers and one Tone potentiometer, respond to articulation strength. The applied copper shielding significantly lowers the level of external electromagnetic interference reaching the circuit.
Additional information
Tokai Jazz Sound models from the early 1980s are characterized by a very accurate reproduction of the dimensions and specifications of American instruments from the 1960s.
The "veneer board" fingerboard construction involves gluing a thin layer of rosewood to an already radiused maple neck, maintaining a constant thickness across its entire width (as opposed to flat "slab board" fingerboards).
The "Spaghetti" style logo visible on the headstock was used on early instruments from this series, providing a detail that facilitates precise dating of the production.
The service work we performed included: fret dressing, full copper electronics shielding, finish polishing, fingerboard conditioning, hardware renewal, and scale length setup.
Hardware
Bridge: A non-factory Vintage-style bridge with steel, threaded (spiral) saddles that allow for free adjustment of the distance between individual strings.
Tuners: Vintage Style Open Gear – open-back mechanisms with classic buttons. The chrome hardware went through a renewal 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 leveled.
Visual condition: The guitar shows visible signs of use appropriate for its age. Scratches and localized dings are present on the black body lacquer. The instrument has no structural wood damage.
Setup and Modifications: A non-factory Tortoiseshell pickguard and a bridge with threaded saddles were installed. Copper foil shielding of the electronics cavities, full fret dressing, metal hardware renewal, and scale length setup were performed.
Why choose this instrument
Spaghetti Logo: The early logo variant serves as physical confirmation of the instrument's vintage and historical production specification.
Veneer board fingerboard: The use of a historically accurate, thin layer of rosewood is a detail reflecting fidelity to the replicated early 1960s originals.
Threaded saddles: The modified bridge with spiral saddles allows for the exact alignment of strings directly over the pickup pole pieces.
Ready to play: After our service work, the bass is fully prepared for playing without the need for additional luthier visits.
Technical specification
Manufacturer: Tokai
Model: Jazz Sound JB45
Year of production: 1981
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Frets: Vintage (Condition: 80% – after dressing)
Pickups: 2x Tokai Japan JB-Single Coil
Electronics: Passive (2x Volume, 1x Tone)
Visual condition: Visible signs of use (details in description)
Finish: Black
Weight: 4.00 kg / 8.82 lbs
Body and construction The solid body is made of alder. The instrument features a Black lacquer finish. The front of the body was modified by installing a Tortoiseshell color pickguard. A traditional Bolt-on construction is used, with a very tightly fitted neck pocket ensuring optimal resonance transfer from the neck to the body. In our workshop, the electronics cavities were completely shielded with copper foil. The lacquer coating went through a polishing and waxing process.
Neck and ergonomics The maple neck features a narrower profile at the nut (width is 38 mm), specific to JB-style models. The neck is paired with a rosewood fingerboard glued in accordance with the neck's radius, known as "veneer board" technology. The Vintage size frets retain about 80% of their original height (0.9 mm) and underwent a dressing process (leveling and polishing) during our service work. The fingerboard surface was cleaned and conditioned with lemon oil.
Sound The instrument is equipped with two Single Coil pickups in a passive circuit.
Characteristics: The combination of an alder body and two single-coil pickups generates a frequency response with a clear attack and a balanced, distinct bottom end.
Dynamics: The passive electronics, controlled by two independent Volume potentiometers and one Tone potentiometer, respond to articulation strength. The applied copper shielding significantly lowers the level of external electromagnetic interference reaching the circuit.
Additional information
Tokai Jazz Sound models from the early 1980s are characterized by a very accurate reproduction of the dimensions and specifications of American instruments from the 1960s.
The "veneer board" fingerboard construction involves gluing a thin layer of rosewood to an already radiused maple neck, maintaining a constant thickness across its entire width (as opposed to flat "slab board" fingerboards).
The "Spaghetti" style logo visible on the headstock was used on early instruments from this series, providing a detail that facilitates precise dating of the production.
The service work we performed included: fret dressing, full copper electronics shielding, finish polishing, fingerboard conditioning, hardware renewal, and scale length setup.
Hardware
Bridge: A non-factory Vintage-style bridge with steel, threaded (spiral) saddles that allow for free adjustment of the distance between individual strings.
Tuners: Vintage Style Open Gear – open-back mechanisms with classic buttons. The chrome hardware went through a renewal 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 leveled.
Visual condition: The guitar shows visible signs of use appropriate for its age. Scratches and localized dings are present on the black body lacquer. The instrument has no structural wood damage.
Setup and Modifications: A non-factory Tortoiseshell pickguard and a bridge with threaded saddles were installed. Copper foil shielding of the electronics cavities, full fret dressing, metal hardware renewal, and scale length setup were performed.
Why choose this instrument
Spaghetti Logo: The early logo variant serves as physical confirmation of the instrument's vintage and historical production specification.
Veneer board fingerboard: The use of a historically accurate, thin layer of rosewood is a detail reflecting fidelity to the replicated early 1960s originals.
Threaded saddles: The modified bridge with spiral saddles allows for the exact alignment of strings directly over the pickup pole pieces.
Ready to play: After our service work, the bass is fully prepared for playing without the need for additional luthier visits.