Tokyo guitar shopping update

[villager]

for the superreals, an EGF-850, for the mint collection an EG59-85

both these have laquer finish, lower models do not...

 

[ilovemystrat]

In this city most of the MIJs I see are Fenders and Epiphones. Some of the Greco Zemaitis [sp?] models too but the local Rock Inn shop proudly displayes their Gold and Silver dealer awards from F/USA and Gibson...lots of PRS too, a few Rics...but tons of Epiphones...they had a few Tokais, sold em and told me they have some on order and waiting for them. Lots of Edwards too...but always the same ones, don`t think they sell many.
Another shop has the History line of guitars while the Big Boss carries the ESP stuff, Burny, and Gibson. This is not a big city and shops seem to try to not all carry the same guitars...the Rock Inn has mostly Edwards Les Paul types while Big Boss has the Fender clones.
As for the perfectionist Japanese customer I think thats true up to a certain age group, the younger folks here anyways, are less picky that way. and evidently they are happy paying outrageaus amounts for MIAs.

yea, here in tokyo its the same way

i found 1 mij tokai (i was only looking for les pauls)

and if i remember correctly there is an explorer tokai as well

 

[ScottA]

Wow, this thread has a long life, eh?

It's funny that you guys aren't seeing too many MIJ guitars. I saw quite a few MIJ Tokai's in one shop in particular. I forget the name now, but it was on street level and it was kind of "L-shaped" around a corner and I think there was another little shop in the crook of the "L". They had quite a few Tokai's near the side street entrance. Also many, many Grassroots-Edwards-Navigators on the whole street.

Just played the JV Strat at practice yesterday. The LS100 hasn't seen the light of day in a few months, but it's had its fair share of time, too.

 

[MiG-19]

I just took the Chuo Line from Tachikawa to Ohachanomizu. Lots of nice shops, lots of nice Fenders and Gibsons, very few Tokais, and so far, I've found only new Tokais, no used ones. Taking a break at The Golden Arches to fortify me for more exploration.

 

[MiG-19]

Returned empty-handed, but thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[MiG-19]

I just took the Chuo Line from Tachikawa to Ohachanomizu. Lots of nice shops, lots of nice Fenders and Gibsons, very few Tokais, and so far, I've found only new Tokais, no used ones. Taking a break at The Golden Arches to fortify me for more exploration.

 

[ampmaker]

I just took the Chuo Line from Tachikawa to Ohachanomizu. Lots of nice shops, lots of nice Fenders and Gibsons, very few Tokais, and so far, I've found only new Tokais, no used ones. Taking a break at The Golden Arches to fortify me for more exploration.

I was there last year and saw lots of new Tokais (including the >?1000 models) and Grassroots and similar were everywhere. A few shops had a mish-mash of used MIJ guitars of the 80s and 90s. So Yamaha SG1000s, SF500s, Ibanez, Greco, etc. But what I was hoping to find were some used and good value LS-320 or so, and there were none at all.

I did find an old Tokai (MSV-70), but way out west in Tachikawa, an Ishibashi shop on the top floor of a fairly unlikely department store.