Stevie Ray Vaughan’s legendary status as a blues guitar icon is inextricably linked to his Fender Stratocaster. However, a lesser-known chapter in his guitar history involves a potential endorsement deal with Japanese guitar manufacturer Tokai, adding a layer of intrigue for fans and guitar aficionados alike, especially those interested in the nuances of the “Stevie Ray Vaughan Guitar” sound and gear.
The Forged Contract and Promotional Guitars
According to Craig Hopkins, a deal was possibly in the works that would have seen Stevie Ray Vaughan endorse Tokai guitars. As a gesture of goodwill, Tokai purportedly provided Vaughan with several guitars, including five Tokai guitars and a couple of basses. Supporting this claim is a contract, seemingly for a Tokai endorsement, dated December 30th, 1984. However, this contract is suspected to be a forgery. The signature and details on the document appear inauthentic, with Vaughan’s wife at the time, Lenora “Lenny” Vaughan, listed as a witness, further casting doubt on its legitimacy.
This potentially fake contract likely served as the basis for Tokai’s marketing push in 1985-86. A catalog and poster emerged featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan and Tommy Shannon, his bassist, playing Tokai instruments. This marketing effort reportedly infuriated Stevie Ray Vaughan. On one occasion, when presented with the Tokai poster by a fan, Vaughan famously defaced it, writing “I PLAY FENDER” directly over the prominent Tokai logo, making his allegiance unequivocally clear.
The Headstock Controversy and Auctioned Tokai AST
Further complicating the Tokai endorsement theory is the timeline. The proposed 1984-85 period of this deal coincided with Tokai’s transition in headstock designs for guitars distributed in America. Interestingly, a Tokai guitar owned by Stevie Ray Vaughan, which was authenticated and sold at auction for over $20,000, was identified as a Tokai AST model. Crucially, the AST model featured a modified, non-vintage accurate Stratocaster-style headstock, deviating from the earlier “Springy Sound” models that were closer copies of vintage Fenders.
This auctioned Tokai AST guitar appears to be one of the very instruments Stevie Ray Vaughan is seen playing in the controversial Tokai poster. This evidence suggests that the promotional guitars given to Vaughan were likely the newer AST models introduced in 1984, rather than the vintage-inspired “Springy Sound” models, adding another layer to the “stevie ray vaughan guitar” and Tokai narrative.
Tokai on the Live at Carnegie Hall Cover?
Adding another twist to this already unusual situation, Craig Hopkins has also suggested that Stevie Ray Vaughan might be playing a Tokai guitar on the cover of his iconic “Live at Carnegie Hall” album. Photographic evidence from Chuck Pulin’s photoshoot from that night does lend some credence to this claim. However, the headstock decal visible in the available photographs remains ambiguous, making it impossible to definitively identify it as either a Tokai or a Fender. This lingering uncertainty continues to fuel speculation and debate amongst “stevie ray vaughan guitar” enthusiasts about the full story behind his brief, and contentious, association with Tokai.
* (info provided by reverb.com)
