Stevie Ray Vaughan, a name synonymous with electrifying blues guitar, is famously associated with his beloved Fender Stratocasters. However, a lesser-known chapter in his guitar history involves Tokai guitars, a Japanese brand that briefly intersected with the Texan bluesman’s career, shrouded in mystery and speculation. Was Stevie Ray Vaughan ever truly a Tokai player? The story involves a potentially forged contract, a promotional poster that infuriated him, and questions about what guitar he actually played during a pivotal concert.
The Dubious Endorsement Deal and the Infamous Tokai Poster
According to Craig Hopkins, discussions about a potential endorsement deal between Stevie Ray Vaughan and Tokai Guitars were underway in the mid-1980s. As a gesture of goodwill, Tokai reportedly offered several guitars and basses to Stevie. A contract surfaced, dated December 30th, 1984, seemingly confirming the endorsement. However, this contract is widely suspected to be a forgery, with Stevie’s wife, Lenora “Lenny” Vaughan, listed as a witness with a signature that also appears inauthentic.
Despite the questionable contract, Tokai proceeded to create an ’85-’86 catalog and promotional poster featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan and his bassist, Tommy Shannon, playing Tokai instruments. This marketing move reportedly enraged Stevie. Anecdotes recount instances where Stevie, upon encountering the poster, vehemently declared “I PLAY FENDER” directly over the Tokai logo, making his true guitar allegiance unequivocally clear.
Headstock Hues and the AST Model Question
Adding another layer of complexity to the Tokai narrative is the timing of this alleged endorsement. In 1984-85, Tokai was in the midst of altering the headstock design of their guitars distributed in America, moving away from the vintage Stratocaster style. Interestingly, a Tokai guitar once owned by Stevie Ray Vaughan, verified with a Certificate of Authenticity and photographic evidence, was auctioned for over $20,000. This guitar was identified as a Tokai AST, a model that featured the altered, non-vintage Strat-style headstock.
This auctioned AST model appears to be one of the guitars Stevie is seen playing in the controversial Tokai poster. This suggests that the guitars provided to Stevie for promotional purposes were likely the newly introduced AST models from 1984, rather than the earlier, more vintage-accurate “Springy Sound” Tokai guitars.
Carnegie Hall and the Unclear Decal
Further fueling the Tokai speculation, Craig Hopkins suggests that Stevie Ray Vaughan might even be playing a Tokai guitar on the cover of his iconic “Live at Carnegie Hall” album. Photographic evidence from Chuck Pulin’s photoshoot during that legendary night does offer some support to this claim. However, the guitar’s headstock decal in the available photographs is ambiguous, making it impossible to definitively identify it as either a Tokai or a Fender.
Conclusion: Fender Forever
While the historical record reveals a brief and somewhat contentious connection between Stevie Ray Vaughan and Tokai guitars, the evidence strongly indicates it was a promotional episode rather than a genuine endorsement. Stevie’s own actions and known preferences, along with the specifications of the Tokai guitars in question, solidify his unwavering loyalty to Fender. The “Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar” will forever be synonymous with the Fender Stratocaster, the instrument that truly shaped his legendary sound and career.
