1978 Tokai LS-60 CS "Les Paul Reborn" - The Original Lawsuit-Era Tokai
A genuine Reborn-period Tokai from the legendary 1978 introduction year.
The "Les Paul Reborn" name was only used from 1978 through early 1980,
before Tokai was pressured to rename the line to "Reborn Old" and
ultimately "Love Rock." Among collectors of MIJ vintage Les Pauls, the
short-lived Reborn examples are widely regarded as the most desirable
of the entire LS lineage, valued for their faithful Gibson-style
appointments and the historical weight of the lawsuit-era moment.
Built entirely in-house at the Tokai Gakki factory in Hamamatsu, this
1978 LS-60 represents the very beginning of Tokai's Les Paul project,
when the company set out to challenge Gibson on its own ground. The
Reborn-era LS-60 features a maple cap over a mahogany back, a set
mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, period-correct Tokai-branded
Kluson-style tuners, and the "Les Paul" script on the headstock that
defines this short window of production.
This particular example is a remarkable time capsule. It comes with the
original Tokai hard case, the original musician's card stamped
"Showa 54.12.15" (December 15, 1979) at Aikyoku Gakki Niimitsu Branch,
and the original price tag showing the LS-60 CS specification - the
kind of paperwork that almost never survives 47+ years.
== SPECIFICATIONS ==
- Model: LS-60 CS "Les Paul Reborn"
- Year: 1978 (Serial 8001610)
- Country of Origin: Japan (Tokai Gakki, Hamamatsu)
- Color: Cherry Sunburst
- Body: Maple top, mahogany back
- Neck: Mahogany, set neck
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, 22 frets
- Scale: 24.75" (Gibson scale)
- Pickups: Two humbuckers (factory original)
- Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone
- Switch: 3-way toggle
- Bridge: Tune-O-Matic with stop tailpiece
- Tuners: Tokai-branded Kluson-style with pearloid buttons
- Headstock: Open-book shape, Bell-type truss rod cover
- Weight: 4.55 kg
== CONDITION ==
Overall: Very Good - light wear consistent with age, exceptionally
preserved for a 47-year-old instrument.
- Body: Light scratches and minor playwear only
- Neck: Straight
- Frets: Approximately 70-80% remaining
- Hardware: Light tarnish only (vintage patina)
All electronics function correctly.
== INCLUDED ==
- Original Tokai hard case
- Original price tag from the era
- Original Tokai musician's card / guarantee card
(stamped December 15, 1979 - Aikyoku Gakki Niimitsu Branch)
== WHY THIS GUITAR ==
The 1978 LS-60 Reborn occupies a unique place in vintage Japanese
guitar history. Combined with the original case and complete original
documentation - paperwork that connects this instrument directly to
its first owner and its day-one Japanese music shop - this is a
collector-grade time capsule rather than just another vintage Tokai.
For the LS Reborn collector, originals like this with full provenance
are increasingly rare on the international market.
Please review all photos carefully. Feel free to message with any
questions before purchasing.
