The crazy low Yen plays a role here too. If you look at the top bidders on these types of auctions, it's often agent accounts at the end, or one determined local against an agent account. Another factor to take into perspective is how much Fender and Gibson prices have gone up. A Fender...
Yes indeed, quite a lot of them. Anything specific you're looking for? Only Tokai? Only higher end or can be lower series too? Color? I live in Japan and have most of my guitars there, but I am Belgian and go there again late January for at least a month. I have 2 Tokai ST-80 there I want...
Will upload some more recent pics soon, but I'm releasing this one into the wild again:
https://www.tokaiforum.com/threads/fs-tokai-st80-81-metallic-red-with-hard-case.18934/
It's a really great guitar, but I never liked the V-shaped neck. I was always torn between finding the guitar too good...
https://share.icloud.com/photos/06dkSynaCgJGyhK1p8LUUOBeg
Excellent Strat that rings out with the best of them. Guitar will ship from Belgium. I bought it about 3 years ago at Ishibashi Japan and brought it to Belgium (I live in Japan) as I do with all my long-term keepers. Now I'm in a...
It has some scuffs and blemishes as you'd expect from a vintage guitar. It's a really good one (this is my third and the one I kept), but we're emptying my mother's apartment (where I had stored many of my long-term keepers). I'm in Belgium only this week (I live in Japan) and will take down...
If you keep the originals it shouldn't hurt the value much. And I'd do the same with the wiring harness if you plan on changing the pot values. As for your second question, if you want more clarity, I'd have a look at single-coils like humbucker-sized P90s (e.g., Bare Knuckle has some) or foil...
Top quality guitars, I have 2 myself. I bet the serial number is in the neck pocket and on the back of the neck there. IIRC, it starts with the year and then the month of production, followed by the unit number.
That's why I rarely reply to WTB ads any more. So common for people not even to have the manners to write back "thanks but no thanks" after you've spent 10 minutes uploading photos and writing a bit of a description.