Up for sale, a 1980s Tokai Talbo A-125SH in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order. Introduced in 1982, the Talbo (an acronym for Tokai aluminum body) is one of the more unique guitars to come out of ‘80s Japan. It features a double teardrop design with a solid AC-4B aluminum body; the same alloy commonly used in race car engines.

The Talbo has an expressive, shimmering sound with a distinctive and immediate treble response, faithfully captured by the SSH pickup complement. The bridge humbucker is lively and aggressive, taking gain notably well, and the two single coil pickups deliver Fender-esque sparkle and percussive cut. This Talbo weighs 9lbs, benefitting from a professional setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Slender C, measuring .830” 1st fret, .890” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood slab, 12“ radius
-Frets: Medium jumbo, no wear
-Scale Length: 25 1/2"
-Nut: 1 11/16”, bone
-Tuners: Gotoh, Kluson-style

Body Specs:

-Material: AC-4B aluminum
-Pickups: P1-26BB humbucker x1, P2-71B single coil x2
-Controls: Volume, Tone, Five-way pickup selector
-Hardware: Six-point vibrato, ridge grip knobs
-Plastics: Three-ply black pickguard

The back of the body sports a distinctive German carve, highlighting the fluid lines of the double teardrop design, and the treble-side body horn has a clean “Talbo” decal. Cosmetic wear on the gloss Black Sparkle finish is limited to a concentrated area of buckle rash central to the waist on the back, a small chip on the lower bout perimeter adjacent to the rear strap button, and a handful of faint scratches. The smooth gloss finish on the neck profile is flawless.

A faux leather padded gigbag is included.