Oh no - not again

Hi

Guess who just jumped aboard the Tokai bandwagon? Why, it's none other than Guitargai! $1,100 for a Springy? $1,850 for an LS-150? I guess the lovely photos make them worth them his staggeringly low prices! Personally, I'm hoping he charges much, much more - what a gai! :lol:

Apparently he has "discovered" several additional brands to promote (shamelessly tout and overprice to would-be boutique levels - whoa - did I really write that? Shame on me! :wink: )

one example:

http://www.guitargai.com/html_folder/gai_otherCA3.html#

at least he picked a decent guitar :roll:

Hi Geezer!

Actually, Guitargai has had Tokai guitars for awhile....along with Fender Japan, Burny, Greco and Orville. I check out his site periodically and I will admit that he gets his hands on some fine axes. But I also notice that he doesn't move alot of them quickly. Hmmm..sticker shock anyone?

he does have some nice guitars. I questioned one of his Fender Japans at one time and didn`t believe his description... until I found and bought one like he said he had. I sent him a mail to apologize.
BUT... his prices are much higher than Japan. There are folks who post on other sites who say they`ve bought from him. He has quality instruments and I guess some don`t mind paying more for them. Hey... if people are willing to pay his prices, good for him. I am not.
Being in Japan does have it`s advantages.

Well, I?ve seen his offers, and to me it is just a total joke. Tokai is a great brand because it is what it is. Cheap quality guitars. That does not mean Fender or Gibson are bad huh ? If the prices on japanes copies surpasses original reissues I will stick with the original brands !

However, If we all refuse to buy at these prices, we will prevent other dealers to ask such prices. Please deal with the "good guys" and keep prices on an affordable level !

Toka? guitars for real people !!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! Lets keep prices down !

Stian

I've talked with him before. Very knowledgable fellow. Always has guitars in fantastic condition. Prices high? Yes. But you can be sure you are getting some of the best available guitars.

My wallet says its way out of my league for something i can get locally for mind blowingly less.

Dana

OK, what do you think of this one then ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2369234871&category=2384&rd=1

Where did he get his dating info & price from ? Beats me !

I do believe that is a completety different seller. GuitarGai sells on eBay under the user i.d. GuitarGai. Looks like the seller you are mentioning is from San Jose while GuitarGai is in Rhode Island. Hope this helps.

Yes, I know that, but I thought the high price and strange dating was relevant to this thread.

post rant* musings ...:evil: yesterday! today! (Love those Emoticons!)

I agree that Guitargai knows his stuff and that his stock is as clean as a reporter's wallet, and that his photos are awesome. Plus he seems to be a gentleman and to be honest. Plus he knows more than I ever will re: Japanese guitars. And he's probably a nice guy and is kind to animals.

But dealers such as Mr. Gai will, nonetheless, blow up the Tokai market until Fenders and Gibsons cost just as much (and then of course they will raise their prices) and then we may have to find something else to yearn for. like Harmonies or Egmonds!

I mean, at this rate, for less money you could get a nice used Fender American Deluxe and they are pretty decent instruments. As someone wrote, this escalation madness kind of defeats the whole purpose.

And I know a rant won't change a thing, but other than buying a few Toks I am not involved in hypeing them to the stars above and jacking up the prices. Of course just being interested in Tokais or buying one may serve to increase demand ... etc etc and so on ...

But Happy New Year to all!

Growing more curmudgeonly every single day,

Steve

* maybe I should change my handle to Guitarmudgeon

Hi Tokaigeezer,

this gai has got an Am '57 RI listed at a 'buy it now' price which is less than the Goldstar price whats going on :-?

Anyway have a Happy and Prosperous New Year (looks like we're all going to need all the prosperity we can get!) :roll:

null

Hi Loverocker !
Did you notice that the Greco FV were just relisted ? in the beginning of the week he asked $5000 :lol:

But prices are going up for shure. This morning "Seikosuru" sold no less than three Silver stars. All between $305 -$345. Not that much at all, but if you check the earlier deals on the usual japanese Ebay sellers, you wont have to go any further back than the end of november to find Silver stars well under $200...

It could very well be the time of the year though. There has been far less Tokais listed the last three weeks than usual. That goes for most brands though, I made a search for "gibson les paul standard" a few days ago and found myself very surprised... Last summer there were plenty listed, but not now.

When ebay prices surpasses local deals there is no longer a point. At least for a common item as a Les Paul Standard...

Stian

Re. Greco Fv-obviously if it was owned by 'THE' Fred Renz, and if Fred can get his name squeezed on the Wishbone Ash homepage it may be worth at least a fraction of the asking price!!

pb

I`ll get my MIJs here in Japan, not from Guitargai. In fact, e-bay in general is a place I visit to look at pictures... have never bid on anything and seriously doubt I ever will. I`ve bought pleny of guitars off the Japanese web but from shops. Get some translator software and bypass the Guitargais all together...

Sneaky-
Do the dealers in Japan (Japanese web) have the same shipping charges as the sellers on eBay? I think the reason I've never bought a guitar from the Japanese sellers on eBay is because the $120 shipping cost kind of kills the *deal* on the guitar if ya know what I mean.

shipping charges fluctuate with the yen I think. I have often asked buyers for $100 and I pay the balance of shipping.

sneakyjapan said:

I`ll get my MIJs here in Japan, not from Guitargai. In fact, e-bay in general is a place I visit to look at pictures... have never bid on anything and seriously doubt I ever will. I`ve bought pleny of guitars off the Japanese web but from shops. Get some translator software and bypass the Guitargais all together...

Click to expand...

Exactly! Little secret. I picked up a 1981 Love Rock LS-50 Goldtop in excellent condition for $200. That same guitar *could* fetch anywhere from $500 and up on ebay.

If there was one guitar I would buy, it would be that used LS-200 for $1,200.

Even the guitars I've sold, I put them at about $50 more than what I paid for (new strings, setup, good cleaning, etc) as the starting price and let the bidders do the price setting.

And the people that do pay a boat-load are the uneducated ones. If they did a little more research, they may have saved a bundle.

Dana

An 81 Love Rock for $200, Jeepers ! Obviously things are different in Japan. But here in the UK many shops charge just as much as Guitargai, except they generally know ?zilch? about the guitars & all they have are battered examples with non-original parts :evil: . Buying ?sight unseen? on eBay is always a risk, & for me that has to be cash I?m prepared to loose, although so far I?ve been lucky. But in that respect, maybe Guitargai doesn?t seem so bad, eg if you?re just looking for one prime example & willing to pay over the odds for some peace of mind :-? .

Ian.