Guitar/Amp shopping in Japan

[skyn]

So I'm headed to Japan in a week and was wondering the following:

- Are purchased items tax refundable?
- Where can I find Collings, Two-Rock and Divided by 13
- Are list prices final or is it negotiable? And if negotiable - how many % less?
- Are there any guitar/amp items that are particularly cheap or especially worth buying in Tokyo?
- I only know of the major shops such as Ikebe and Ishibashi. Are there any other shops worth checking out?

Thanks a ton!

 

[Munak]

Hi there,
As far as i know

1. I have asked almost every shop i went to before, and they never offered tax refund or know anything about it.
2. In Japan the distributor does not sell directly, you will need to check the shop that carries the brand online. But generally the long stretch at Ocha no Mizu carries almost everything.
3. Yes you can negotiate but the price will not differ by much (they'll offer freebies instead sometimes), the staff at ESP shop can speak basic english.
4. 2nd hand guitars are sometimes cheaper if you can find a good deal, MIJ guitars like ESP, Edwards, Tokai, Burny, Fernandes etc generally will be slightly cheaper. As for foreign guitars it will be much more expensive due to the import tax in Japan.
5. Checkout Guitar Planet in Ocha no Mizu too, 5 storey of awesome gears. There's one junction at Shinjuku station's face statue exit, they have around 5-6 stores near to each other. If you happen to be an otaku and you are visiting AKIHABARA, there is one 2nd hand guitar shop with decent selection behind "MANDARAKE"

good luck and have fun! It's getting cold there too, try to warm up your finger before trying guitar... so you will look less awkward haha.

 

[Rohai]

Im heading there in 2 weeks! Hope to find something good to buy back!

 

[skyn]

Thanks for the great help Munak! I'll try to check out where the ESP shop is.

@Rohai - I'm headed there on the 10th and will be travelling alone for a bit. When will you be there?

 

[LadyInTears]

i just came back but i bought nothing.

i went 2 years ago too and if memory serves me correct there were more shops in the shibuya area, now its mainly ochanomizu for gear shopping.

id avoid big boss in ochanomizu though, upon hearing im a caparison owner the guy kept following me around and tried hard selling guitars to me, not a good experience

 

[Damo]

Before I go over, I usually look on digimart
http://www.digimart.net

 

[Godsmen]

Sorry for this question but should you buy 1 bk to sg, do you all guys hand carry ( with soft or hc) or u all chk in and does most airlines from jap to sg allow hand carrying it bk sg?

 

[LadyInTears]

Sorry for this question but should you buy 1 bk to sg, do you all guys hand carry ( with soft or hc) or u all chk in and does most airlines from jap to sg allow hand carrying it bk sg?

see whether your airline let you handcarry in lor.. 8/10 of the time they allow so softcase is ok

 

[Rohai]

Thanks for the great help Munak! I'll try to check out where the ESP shop is.

@Rohai - I'm headed there on the 10th and will be travelling alone for a bit. When will you be there?

Im going on the 14th. You going to tokyo only bro? How long will u be there for?

 

[Munak]

Thanks for the great help Munak! I'll try to check out where the ESP shop is.

@Rohai - I'm headed there on the 10th and will be travelling alone for a bit. When will you be there?

Hey, my apologize, the junction that i mentioned is not at Shinjuku, it's around Shibuya actually haha, check out the Crew's Maniac shop if you are around there, they have great strats.
And i will recommend you to ship it back if it is an expensive guitar.
Whether you can hand carry it back to SG or not, that really depends on luck.
If i'm bringing a guitar in hardcase, or any set-neck, angled-headstock guitar, i won't try to push my luck with hand carrying into plane in softcase.

I heard people checked in their guitar in SIA, and i have had friend carry in a guitar in gigbag into Delta before. But if you are doing the check-in late and they tell you that you can't carry in your guitar, you are going to have trouble going to find a way to ship it back. (try checking whether the airport have post office)

Whether you are buying a guitar or not, if this is your first time i think you will like the visit, you will see some guitar that you never get to see in Singapore. Btw they don't really allow photography in the shop.

 

[zesn]

Be early for check in.

Took United Airlines for a group trip to US recently.

Flight there: Me and my friend's mono case allowed to hand carry. Stowed in a really small jacket compartment.

Return flight: 10+ hardcases, 2 monobags, and many softcases. And the lady allowed the Fender softcase carry-on for guitars cause it looked slim. The rest of us had to check in cause there's too much gear to be on board. Generally they are nice people. But don't take my word for the hand carry , YMMV.

Unless it's a US flight (new laws), it's not your priority for instruments to be hand carried on board. It's a privilege.

 

[skyn]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Been a ton of help.

@Damo: What do you exactly search for, and how do you actually use Digimart.net? Do you search for items, then head down to shops which stock the items you're looking for?

@Rohai: I'll actually be there from the 11th. I'll be alone the first 5 days as my girlfriend is working, and I'll only meet up with her late on Friday night (15th). Do let me know if you wanna go guitar shopping together. Can text me at 9423 9509 if you're up for it

 

[LadyInTears]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Been a ton of help.

@Damo: What do you exactly search for, and how do you actually use Digimart.net? Do you search for items, then head down to shops which stock the items you're looking for?

@Rohai: I'll actually be there from the 11th. I'll be alone the first 5 days as my girlfriend is working, and I'll only meet up with her late on Friday night (15th). Do let me know if you wanna go guitar shopping together. Can text me at 9423 9509 if you're up for it

see what you are interested in on digimart, look out the merchant name and then go visit their shop. have fun in ochanomizu! you will have a fun time looking at the meiji university schoolgirls while you're at it too

 

[Rohai]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Been a ton of help.

@Rohai: I'll actually be there from the 11th. I'll be alone the first 5 days as my girlfriend is working, and I'll only meet up with her late on Friday night (15th). Do let me know if you wanna go guitar shopping together. Can text me at 9423 9509 if you're up for it

wait this sounds wayyy to familiar..is your GF working for EL? Cos mine's gonna be there too and she's working from monday to friday for some conference.. But im only fying in on Thursday night and land in japan on Friday morning. I just text u bro. u can hit me @ 92723391 also. Cheers!

 

[Rohai]

Small world... 2 blokes from SOFT going to Japan to join their other halves who's working for the same company going for the same event haha!