Members soundcreation Posted November 30, 2016 Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 So I just got back from a week in what has to be the greatest city on earth for guitar shopping. It's absolutely ridiculous. I'm of course talking about Tokyo. Now......I could "bore" you with things like.... ....the rack of Gibson Custom shops at Ishibashi. That's not even the full wall. This was behind me.... And that's not even showing you the fender custom shop section, the PRS section, the standard gibson and fender USA model section, all the "other" brands like ibanez etc, and the used section. Hang on....don't respond just yet.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted November 30, 2016 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 Here's Ikebe...(with friendly photo bombing staff!) But this stuff has been covered many times by others on youtube and the web. Here are a few interesting reads with descriptions and great photos if you want the usual stuff. http://sixstringsamurai.co.nz/2014/07/08/guitar-shopping-in-tokyo-5-things-you-should-know/ http://www.guitaraficionado.com/tokyo-offers-possibly-the-greatest-selection-of-guitars-on-earth.html http://guitarsjapan.com/Japanese_Guitar_Shops.html (wait...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted November 30, 2016 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 It's impressive to say the least. Honestly though I walk right past all the Fenders and Gibsons. My search is for the Japanese manufactures or interesting and unique guitars. Ikebe was great for that.... Here's a wall and floor stacked four or five rows deep with Momose (Bacchus' premium line) guitars and affiliated brands. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n31868355[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n31868356[/ATTACH] Keep in mind these are almost all 2K plus guitars. Stunningly built. Check out the Momose Sakura edition Les Pauls... [ATTACH=CONFIG]n31868357[/ATTACH] Flamed Japanese Sakura tops, and pick guard, with a matching headstock...amazing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted November 30, 2016 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 Plus some other unique guitars I found.... Check out the paint job on this thing.... [ATTACH=CONFIG]n31868360[/ATTACH] even more cool in person... Some Zemantis... [ATTACH=CONFIG]n31868361[/ATTACH] And these Teisco guitars were brand new made specially for the shop. No terrible 70's action here...a new modern version with great fit and finish....(plus a strangely cool tele of some kind) [ATTACH=CONFIG]n31868362[/ATTACH] But.....IN SPITE of all this....guitar nirvana.....keep in mind this is just TWO shops....EVERY shop in Tokyo is like this and there must be 30 to 50 of them at least....... It STILL didn't prepare me for what I was about to find...... Strap yourselves in..... We've only just begun.... Part II to come..... a little later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted November 30, 2016 Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 I'm impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted November 30, 2016 Moderators Share Posted November 30, 2016 Thanks SC......I'll keep that for when I get home this evening and close the door. I found a smaller scale version of that in Nagoya, and lost hours in there, although they lacked on the MIJ boutique stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Wein Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 * subscribed * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted November 30, 2016 Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 Wow. I love those teisco remakes. Looks like mostly spectrum V types? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thatsbunk Posted November 30, 2016 Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 Crazy how it's all stacked up with hardly any room to walk. I'd be worried that i'd accidentally knock something over & owe them like 10 grand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted November 30, 2016 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 Wow. I love those teisco remakes. Looks like mostly spectrum V types? Yep. Tags say Spectrum 5. Of the tags I can see, the sunburst is alder and the rest are mahogany. All maple necks with rosewood fingerboards. Says pickups are "Teisco original". I probably should have played one for the hell of it, but didn't have time. Did wrap my hand around it though and the neck and action felt great. Just over a grand in US dollars. That kind of stuff is pretty easy to order out of Japan from the stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted November 30, 2016 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 Crazy how it's all stacked up with hardly any room to walk. I'd be worried that i'd accidentally knock something over & owe them like 10 grand... lol....believe me I was constantly aware of that. Passing other customers was a pain in the butt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 * subscribed * Yeah, I wish I would have caught this before submitting the cool threads for the next newsletter. I think I'll set a link to it aside for the next edition. Great stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted November 30, 2016 Members Share Posted November 30, 2016 Cool thread. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted December 1, 2016 Members Share Posted December 1, 2016 hmmm i cannot spot any lefties, must be a very lousy shop.... just kiddin thx for sharing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 hmmm i cannot spot any lefties, must be a very lousy shop.... just kiddin thx for sharing Somewhere in some tiny corner of a back alley in Tokyo there's got to be a little shop that specializes in lefty guitars that has every guitar you've ever dreamed of in stock. At least I choose to believe there is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted December 2, 2016 Members Share Posted December 2, 2016 maybe lefties are forbidden in Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Karma1 Posted December 2, 2016 Members Share Posted December 2, 2016 This reminds me a bit of how some of the shops on the famed 48th St. in NYC used to be - with so many guitars packed in like sardines that you barely see them all. Although Tokyo takes it to a whole other level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted December 3, 2016 Members Share Posted December 3, 2016 Somewhere in some tiny corner of a back alley in Tokyo there's got to be a little shop that specializes in lefty guitars that has every guitar you've ever dreamed of in stock. At least I choose to believe there is. not tokyo, but florida http://www.jerrysleftyguitars.com/ and not every guitar i ever dreamed of, but almost everything what is currently available. and this guy (altough not lefty, but a righty who can only play lefty after some accident) is very passionate, and contacts manufacturers directly and makes special deals if he take x numbers in his shop (x around 10) if they will make a special run of lefties in special colors etc and he is quite sueccessful, also gretsch made specials for him.... but would this shop justify a trip florida? and if i go there, what will happen if i can test so many different guitars at once? and what would customs office say if i fly back with 5+ guitars? and my significant other?..... questions lots of questions... let us not open this pandora's box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 not tokyo, but florida http://www.jerrysleftyguitars.com/ Holy cow! What a great idea! I bet they do brisk business. If I played left-handed, I'd definitely be interested in checking them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesmann Posted December 4, 2016 Members Share Posted December 4, 2016 It sounds nice to be in a guitar store full of great instruments. You also need room to check out the instruments. A store that to packed can be more of a hindrance in some ways. I've been in some small stores that every move you make has to be a careful one less you bump into something or someone or fall. no good! Some good old boy comes is and sits down on a stool and falls back taking out a row of guitars.Love the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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