2022 Limited Production Tokai ES202G-CM Snow White w/ Hard Case 335-style MIJ Made in Japan

Tokai ES202G-CM Snow White

Professor’s Notes

A stunning example of a hard to find Tokai limited production shop order custom model. Exceptional craftsmanship, resonant and lively playing experience, dreamy 335-style tone.

Specifications

Weight: 7lbs 14 oz

Case: Tokai Hard Case

Neck Width: Nut: 1.65”

Neck Width: 12th fret: 2.04”

Neck Depth: 1st fret: 0.84”

Neck Depth: 12th fret: 1.01”

Body: Maple top with a two-piece mahogany back, Cream binding

Body Finish: Snow White, thin nitro clearcoat

Neck: One-piece mahogany neck with a set-neck construction, Cream binding

Neck Profile: C

Nut: Bone

Fingerboard: Rosewood with white dot position markers

Fingerboard Radius: 12 in

Scale: 24.75 in (62.8 cm)

Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo

Hardware: Gold LS-VB Bridge, LS-VT Tailpiece

Tuners: Gold Vintage Kluson-style

Pickups: Tokai PAF-Vintage MK2 humbuckers

Controls: Neck pickup volume and tone, bridge pickup volume and tone

Case/Gig Bag: Tokai Hard Case

Year of manufacture: 2022

Country of manufacture: Japan

Serial Number: 2246275

Condition

This guitar is in Excellent condition with very minor signs of prior use such as fine pick marks. One volume knob shows a crack but is not loose or deteriorating. There is a light patina on the bridge and pickups. The protective plastic film is still on the pickguard.

The original, excellent condition Tokai hard case is included. This guitar has been thoroughly inspected to ensure proper function and set up with D'Addario EXL110 (010-046) strings, medium low action, optimal relief, pickup height, and dialed in intonation. Additional pictures available upon request.

Overview

Tokai Gakki’s made in Japan ES series guitars (Gibson 335-style) are outstanding instruments, exceptionally well made using excellent materials and traditional construction methods. The ES202G-CM is a limited-production model made to custom specifications for Rockin’ Music in Japan.

Carefully selected and cured maple is used for the top, paired with mahogany for the sides, and back of the body to create a balanced, slightly mid forward tone with outstanding definition. Flawless Snow White paint has been applied to the body and back of the neck with thin nitro lacquer coating to preserve resonance. The vintage crème binding lining the body and neck is the final sublime tour de force of skillful craftsmanship, with beautifully smooth seams and no gaps or areas pulling away. High quality gold Tune-O-Matic bridge, pickup covers and vintage Kluson-style tuners round out the options, making for a premium and impactful aesthetic package.

The masterfully shaped C-profile one-piece mahogany set neck feels amazing in hand and creates the fullness essential to the ES sound. The width, depth and profile of this neck are best described as “medium” (measurements below), with just enough depth and shoulder to feel substantial without feeling overly thick or cumbersome. In practice, it feels fast, fluid and comfortable. Smooth grained, cinnamon hued rosewood is used for the fingerboard, which sports 22 immaculately finished medium jumbo frets, real bone nut, and white pearloid dot inlays.

Tokai Gakki is dedicated to traditional craftsmanship methods employed by knowledgeable veteran luthiers as well as selecting wood properly dried and cured over many years (even decades for premium models). A great deal of time is spent on ensuring precise fitment of the neck pocket, repeatedly fine tuning the joint to ensure best possible transmission of string vibration between the neck and body. The neck and body are carefully adjusted and joined by hand using natural hide glue. There are many example of Tokai’s dedication to detailed and time consuming work not completed by other companies that ensure the finest possible product.  This instrument is one of the crown jewels of that experience and dedication.

Electronics and Tone

The Tokai ES202G-CM is equipped with Tokai’s proprietary PAF-Vintage MK2 humbuckers, expertly crafted to capture the classic warmth and clarity of vintage PAF pickups while offering a slightly refined modern edge. These pickups deliver a balanced tonal palette characterized by rich, creamy mids, smooth highs, and a round, full-bodied low end. Compared to traditional Gibson PAF pickups, the MK2 humbuckers maintain that coveted open and articulate sound but with enhanced clarity and note definition, making them versatile across genres from blues and jazz to rock and beyond.

In the neck position, the PAF-Vintage MK2 offers a warm, singing tone with pronounced sustain and smooth harmonic overtones, perfect for soulful leads and lush chordal textures. The bridge pickup provides a biting yet rounded attack, delivering clear articulation with a touch of vintage grit that cuts through the mix without harshness.

Together, these pickups respond dynamically to playing nuances and interact seamlessly with the guitar’s semi-hollow maple and mahogany body, producing a resonant, harmonically rich tone. The controls—individual volume and tone knobs for each pickup plus a three-way toggle switch—allow for precise tonal shaping, from warm, mellow cleans to punchy, driven sounds with a vintage character.