Tokai Silver Star SS-48

About the Tokai Silver Star SS-48

The SS-48 is a mid-grade Silver Star of 1979 to 1983, Tokai's seventies big-headstock Strat, with a sen ash body under a yellow sunburst (YSR) on a 1979, the better tuners shared with the SS-50 (the SS-40 below got cheaper tuners and bridge), and unmarked black-bottom, slightly staggered pickups on a 1982-83; the 48 and 38 grades did not get the metallic colour codes offered on the 40 and 50, and the grade is the yen price. The Silver Stars are held to be no lower in quality than the Springy Sounds or Goldstars, since Tokai priced an SS-60, ST-60 and TST-60 alike. Owners date theirs from 1979 to 1983.

What owners have said elsewhere

Paraphrased from 7 discussion threads among 7 owners, 2021-2024. No names, nothing quoted.

An SS-48 owner rates it top build quality, the equal of the Springy Sounds and Goldstars alongside it, a 1979 rescued without pickups, with a wrecked guard and worn-out frets, that became the punchiest-sounding Strat in that collection after a refret, E-stamped pickups and a steel-block vibrato; one player let a 1980 go, the usual great Tokai build, but Strats were simply not that player's thing.