Tokai UES-158 Natural with Lollar Imperial Pickups, (Used, Comm)

The Tokai UES-158 Natural is a high-quality Japanese-made ES-style semi-hollow electric guitar built for players who want classic 335-style warmth, sustain and versatility. This example has been modified with Lollar Imperial humbuckers, giving it a premium pickup upgrade known for clear PAF-style response, musical dynamics and a balanced clean-to-drive voice.

This pre-owned guitar is listed in Very Good condition, meaning it shows light signs of previous use while remaining fully functional and ready to play.

Supplied with a hardcase, this Tokai UES-158 is a superb choice for blues, jazz, rock, soul, indie, worship, studio recording and live performance. It is especially appealing for players who want Japanese craftsmanship, classic semi-hollow feel and upgraded boutique pickup tone.

At A Glance

Key Detail	Information
Brand	Tokai
Model	UES-158
Finish	Natural
Country of Manufacture	Japan
Type	Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar
Body Style	ES / 335-Style Double Cutaway
Body Construction	Semi-Hollow with Centre Block
Pickup Configuration	HH
Pickup Upgrade	Lollar Imperial Humbuckers
Electronics	Passive
Controls	2 Volume, 2 Tone
Switching	3-Way Selector
Condition	Pre-Owned, Very Good Condition
Included	Hardcase
Main Appeal	Japanese ES-style semi-hollow with boutique Lollar Imperial pickup upgrade
Best For	Blues, jazz, rock, soul, indie, worship, studio and live performance

Condition Overview

Very Good Condition

This Tokai UES-158 is in Very Good condition. This means it shows some cosmetic wear consistent with careful previous ownership, but remains fully functional and ready to play.

Very Good condition is ideal for players who want a dependable pre-owned Japanese semi-hollow guitar with light signs of use, strong overall presentation and excellent everyday usability.

What’s Included?

✔ Tokai UES-158 Natural Electric Guitar
✔ Lollar Imperial Pickups Installed
✔ Hardcase

✘ No Additional Accessories Included

Condition Notes

This guitar shows light signs of previous use such as small marks, light surface scratches, minor handling wear or light hardware ageing consistent with Very Good condition.

This example has been modified with Lollar Imperial humbuckers. The pickup upgrade is a desirable tonal modification, but it means the guitar should not be described as fully original factory specification.

No faults or repairs have been supplied for this listing. The guitar has been checked for playability and functionality before sale.

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

This pre-owned Tokai UES-158 has been inspected and assessed by the Fair Deal Music team before being offered for sale.

Our checks include:

• Electronics tested
• Lollar Imperial humbuckers checked
• 3-way pickup selector tested
• Volume and tone controls checked
• Output jack tested
• Frets inspected
• Fingerboard checked
• Neck condition assessed
• Tuners checked
• Bridge checked
• Tailpiece checked
• Hardware inspected
• Semi-hollow body checked for visible structural concerns
• General playability assessed
• Hardcase checked for basic usability

Service / Setup Work

All pre-owned guitars at Fair Deal Music are set up and checked before leaving the shop.

This Tokai UES-158 has been assessed for playability, with the following checked:

• Action checked
• Neck relief checked
• Frets inspected
• Tuning stability checked
• Electronics tested
• Lollar pickup output checked
• Hardware checked
• Bridge setup checked
• Intonation checked

Please note that guitar setup can sometimes shift slightly during delivery due to changes in temperature and humidity. We take this into account during our checks, but wood can naturally move in transit.

Why Choose The Tokai UES-158 Natural?

Japanese Tokai Build Quality

Tokai’s Japanese-made guitars are widely respected for their craftsmanship, vintage-inspired design and excellent value against more expensive USA-made semi-hollow guitars. The UES-158 gives players a premium ES-style platform with strong build quality and classic looks.

Classic 335-Style Semi-Hollow Tone

The UES-158 follows the familiar ES-style formula: a double-cut semi-hollow body with centre block, dual humbuckers and traditional controls. This gives the guitar warmth, sustain, depth and enough feedback control for practical live use.

Lollar Imperial Pickup Upgrade

The installed Lollar Imperial humbuckers are a major tonal upgrade. Lollar designed the Imperial range to deliver a balanced PAF-style humbucker voice with clarity, warmth and dynamic response. In a semi-hollow guitar, they are especially useful for articulate clean tones, expressive blues leads and open, musical overdrive.

Natural Finish

The Natural finish gives this UES-158 a refined look that highlights the guitar’s ES-style body shape. It is understated, classy and ideal for players who prefer a premium look without a heavy burst or solid colour finish.

Excellent Clean-To-Drive Range

This guitar is highly versatile. It can deliver warm neck pickup jazz tones, open blues leads, bright bridge pickup articulation, soul rhythm parts, indie textures and classic rock drive.

Traditional Control Layout

With independent volume and tone controls for each pickup and a 3-way selector, the UES-158 gives players familiar semi-hollow control and plenty of room for subtle tone shaping.

Hardcase Included

The included hardcase provides proper protection for storage, transport, rehearsals and gigs.

Comparison Against Popular Alternatives

Tokai UES-158 vs Gibson ES-335

A Gibson ES-335 is the original benchmark semi-hollow electric guitar and carries premium USA pricing. The Tokai UES-158 offers a high-quality Japanese-made alternative with classic ES-style construction and, in this example, boutique Lollar pickups already installed.

Tokai UES-158 vs Tokai ES-210

The ES-210 sits higher in Tokai’s range and may include more premium specification depending on production year. This UES-158 remains a serious Japanese semi-hollow and becomes especially appealing thanks to the Lollar Imperial pickup upgrade.

Tokai UES-158 vs Epiphone ES-335

An Epiphone ES-335 offers excellent value and accessible semi-hollow tone. The Tokai UES-158 sits higher in the used market, offering Japanese-made build quality and a more premium playing experience.

Tokai UES-158 vs Eastman T386

An Eastman T386 is a respected semi-hollow alternative with strong value. The Tokai UES-158 is ideal for players who specifically want Japanese construction, Tokai styling and the familiar ES-inspired feel.

Who Is It For?

Semi-Hollow Players

This is ideal for guitarists who want the warmth, openness and sustain of a classic 335-style semi-hollow guitar.

Blues Guitarists

The Lollar Imperial pickups give this guitar excellent touch sensitivity, making it well suited to expressive blues playing.

Jazz And Soul Players

The neck pickup warmth, semi-hollow body response and traditional controls make it excellent for clean chords, soul rhythm and smooth lead lines.

Rock And Indie Players

The bridge pickup clarity and centre-block construction make this guitar very effective with overdrive, delay, reverb and full pedalboard setups.

Studio Musicians

Semi-hollow guitars record beautifully because they add warmth and depth without becoming overly compressed or muddy. The Lollar pickup upgrade makes this example especially useful in the studio.

Players Wanting Upgraded Japanese Craftsmanship

This is a great choice for players who want a quality Japanese-made ES-style guitar with a boutique pickup upgrade already installed.

Why Choose A Semi-Hollow Guitar With Lollar Imperials?

A semi-hollow guitar gives you warmth, air and acoustic depth, while the centre block adds sustain and helps control feedback. That makes it one of the most useful electric guitar designs for blues, jazz, rock, soul, worship and recording.

The Lollar Imperial pickups add another layer of quality. They are designed to capture the clarity and musical response associated with classic PAF-style humbuckers, with enough warmth for smooth neck tones and enough definition for articulate bridge sounds.

Together, the Tokai UES-158 and Lollar Imperial upgrade create a highly practical, expressive and inspiring guitar for players who want boutique tone from a Japanese semi-hollow platform.

Looking for advice on choosing the right semi-hollow electric, Tokai guitar or pickup-upgraded pre-owned instrument? Our experienced team of musicians can help by phone, online or in-store.

Story & Context: Tokai UES-158

Tokai has built a strong reputation among guitar players for producing high-quality Japanese instruments inspired by classic electric guitar designs. The brand’s ES-style models are especially respected by players who want vintage semi-hollow feel, traditional appointments and dependable build quality.

The UES-158 sits within Tokai’s Japanese ES-style family and offers the familiar combination of semi-hollow body construction, centre-block sustain, set-neck feel and dual-humbucker tone.

This Natural example has been further enhanced with Lollar Imperial pickups, giving it an upgraded boutique voice while retaining the core Tokai semi-hollow feel. In Very Good condition with a hardcase included, it is a compelling option for players who want a premium-feeling used semi-hollow with real musical versatility.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Product Type	Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar
Brand	Tokai
Model	UES-158
Finish	Natural
Country of Manufacture	Japan
Body Shape	ES / 335-Style Double Cutaway
Body Construction	Semi-Hollow with Centre Block
Neck Construction	Set Neck
Pickup Configuration	HH
Pickups	Lollar Imperial Humbuckers
Electronics	Passive
Controls	2 Volume, 2 Tone
Switching	3-Way Selector
Bridge	Tune-O-Matic Style Bridge
Tailpiece	Stopbar-Style Tailpiece
String Configuration	6-String
Included	Hardcase
Condition	Pre-Owned, Very Good Condition

Specification Note

This listing is based on the supplied product details and available Tokai ES / UES-series reference information. A used Tokai ES-158 Natural reference with Lollar Imperials supports the model context and pickup-upgraded configuration, while Tokai ES-style models from this range are commonly associated with Japanese semi-hollow construction and traditional 335-style hardware and controls.

The installed Lollar Imperial pickups are a modification from standard factory specification. Exact year, serial number, body wood, neck profile, fingerboard material, pickup wind type, pickup readings, pot values, weight, case originality, factory paperwork and any retained original pickups have not been supplied for this listing, so those details should be confirmed directly from the guitar before making collector-level claims.

Power Requirements

No power supply or battery is required. This is a passive electric guitar and only needs a standard 1/4" instrument cable and a suitable guitar amplifier, pedalboard or audio interface.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The Tokai UES-158 Natural with Lollar Imperial pickups is a superb choice for players who want Japanese semi-hollow craftsmanship with a boutique tonal upgrade already installed. The guitar offers the warmth, sustain and versatility expected from a classic ES-style instrument, while the Lollar pickups add clarity, articulation and a highly musical PAF-inspired response.

This Very Good condition example, supplied with a hardcase, is ideal for blues, jazz, rock, soul, worship, studio and live players who want a premium-feeling semi-hollow with upgraded tone and strong value.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

Choosing Fair Deal Music means buying from a passionate team of musicians who genuinely understand the products we sell. Whether you're purchasing your first instrument, upgrading your current setup or searching for something special, we're here to help you make the right choice with friendly advice and expert support.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to:

Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians
Carefully checked new, used, pre-owned and ex-display equipment
Competitive prices on leading music brands
Secure UK-wide delivery
Flexible finance options available (subject to status)
Friendly support before and after your purchase
A trusted independent UK music retailer with decades of experience

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next piece of gear could cost less than you think.

We're always happy to consider part exchanges and trade-ins on a wide range of musical instruments and equipment. Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar, keyboard, amplifier, drum kit or studio gear, your existing equipment could help reduce the cost of your next purchase.

Simply get in touch with our team for a no-obligation valuation, and we'll be happy to discuss the options available.

It's an easy way to unlock the value of the gear you no longer use while making your next instrument even more affordable.

FAQ

What condition is this Tokai UES-158 in?

This guitar is listed in Very Good condition, meaning it shows light signs of previous use while remaining fully functional.

Does this guitar come with a case?

Yes. This Tokai UES-158 comes with a hardcase.

What finish is this guitar?

This guitar has a Natural finish.

Has this guitar been modified?

Yes. This example has been modified with Lollar Imperial humbuckers.

Are Lollar Imperial pickups active or passive?

Lollar Imperial humbuckers are passive pickups and do not require a battery.

What styles does this Tokai UES-158 suit?

It suits blues, jazz, rock, soul, funk, indie, worship music, recording and live performance.

Is this a semi-hollow guitar?

Yes. This is an ES-style semi-hollow electric guitar.

How does it compare with a Gibson ES-335?

The Gibson ES-335 is the original benchmark, while the Tokai UES-158 offers a high-quality Japanese-made alternative with strong value and, in this case, upgraded boutique pickups.

Does this guitar require a battery?

No. This is a passive electric guitar and does not require a battery.

Can I try this guitar in-store?

Fair Deal Music has a large Birmingham showroom, and our team can offer advice on Tokai guitars, semi-hollow electrics and pre-owned pickup-upgraded instruments.