Guitar shopping in Tokyo (now NGD)

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Kiwiaxe
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Guitar shopping in Tokyo (now NGD)

Post by Kiwiaxe »

Ok I've read Ed's write up (thanks Ed, very useful).

Any other pointers?

In particular:

1. How is pricing over there? Are guitars well priced (e.g.: Suhr)? Will I find a nice AT100CL Ibanez there for a decent price?
2. What's their attitudes to negotiating from ticket price? (or is it not the acceptable thing to do there?)
Last edited by Kiwiaxe on Fri Apr 21, 2017 12:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by sunburster »

Pricing is very cheap for Japanese-made instruments, for American and other imports it's average to expensive.

Based on my years of living there, there is no negotiating on the price.

Check out Ishibashi, Ikebe-Gakki and Musicland KEY. Any of those chains will have tons of great stuff to choose from.

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by Molly »

sunburster wrote:Pricing is very cheap for Japanese-made instruments, for American and other imports it's average to expensive.

Based on my years of living there, there is no negotiating on the price.

Check out Ishibashi, Ikebe-Gakki and Musicland KEY. Any of those chains will have tons of great stuff to choose from.
The few times I've looked at niconico-guitars.com I've thought they worked out pretty expensive by the time you get them back to NZ. I guess the good thing is, as you say, the sheer selection of nice stuff.

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by StrummersOfThunder »

Used to be good with the yen up rouund 80-90 to the nzd. Not really any bargins to be had.
Best thing I found was to just have fun checking out the crazy legit vintage dealers . Some amazing stuff there. Best places weren't in the 'guitar town' area .

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by slash-ed »

Yeah, for high end USA stuff, you will get amazing selection but don't expect cheap pricing. Go to the Ishibashi store in Shibuya, it's the flagship store and you might just bump into some guitar gods browsing there if you're lucky! If you're after something specific chuck me a message and I'll give you the contacts of the guys that I usually use there and they'll take care of you.
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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by Kiwiaxe »

I think all I'd be looking for is a nice Suhr Standard with a maple neck, and an Ibanez AT100CL. From what you say, I suspect I'm better off buying the former when I'm in Seattle in August. But maybe there'll be a good deal to be had on the Ibanez in Tokyo if I could find the right place to try.

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by bogan »

Take your passport with you, not sure about second hand stuff but with new gear if it's over a certain amount you can get the tax off. They staple the receipt into your passport it all happens in the shop not like Oz where you have to claim it back at the airport.

This is the one thing I wish I had known when I went guitar shopping over there, also they did drop the price a little on the sticker price but I'm not sure how the negotiations went as I had a friend who lived there and did all the talking.

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by slash-ed »

It's the same for second hand gear. The shop guys should inform you if they're doing their job right.
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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by hamo »

There's a guy on Facebook wants to swap one of those Ibbys for a tele.
Aquila Rosso wrote:I don't a mind an iced tea rimjob one little bit :congrats:
Molly wrote:Trousers are no substitute for talent
druz wrote:I present to you, the whogivesafuckocaster

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by Kiwiaxe »

Which page/group?

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by hamo »

Kiwiaxe wrote:Which page/group?
Here: https://m.facebook.com/groups/292901187 ... 9957068865
Aquila Rosso wrote:I don't a mind an iced tea rimjob one little bit :congrats:
Molly wrote:Trousers are no substitute for talent
druz wrote:I present to you, the whogivesafuckocaster

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by Kiwiaxe »

Wrong guitar! But thanks

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo

Post by hamo »

Kiwiaxe wrote:Wrong guitar! But thanks
Ah whoops, so it is. :(
Aquila Rosso wrote:I don't a mind an iced tea rimjob one little bit :congrats:
Molly wrote:Trousers are no substitute for talent
druz wrote:I present to you, the whogivesafuckocaster

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Re: Guitar shopping in Tokyo (now NGD)

Post by Kiwiaxe »

Well it's been an interesting experience. More Gibsons, ESPs, Fenders and PRSes than I thought could exist in one location. None of which floated my boat because I'm good for Gibsons, Fenders and PRSes and don't need an ESP.

Great range of Suhrs. Eye watering prices. About NZ$6-7k even tax free.

Tried a couple of Strandberg Boden guitars. Interesting but not my cup of tea.

Bought an Ibanez AT100CL - still expensive but cheaper than I've seen anywhere else. Awesome guitar that I've been lusting over for a couple of years (I am an Andy Timmons fanboi even to the extent that I pretty much blackmailed my band so that they'd learn - and let me fit into our set lists - Electric Gypsy). Photos to follow once I'm home again.

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