Guitars in Japan and China

guitarboy2828

So, looks like I'll be flying out to Japan for 3 weeks and then China for 2 weeks in September-October.. So, this has got me thinking, are guitars cheaper there? Should I be saving up to try get some gear while i'm over there? Do they have different kinds of guitars (brand wise)?

StephenG

try China for really cheap Gibsons. ? ?

Chris-Mason

Look at eastman Guitars, Chinese manufacture American owner. I have played some of the Eastman's and am impressed. Pricing will be cheaper that side of the world. have a look at the Eastman website.
Saddle and Nut

G-Man

StephenG wrote: try China for really cheap Gibsons. ? ?

ROFL

That thread was FAIL hehe

guitarboy2828

StephenG wrote: try China for really cheap Gibsons. ? ?

Check the classifiends when I get back, you may find a few LP's for sale! ?

StephenG

Paul E wrote:
StephenG wrote: try China for really cheap Gibsons. ? ?

Check the classifiends when I get back, you may find a few LP's for sale! ?

sorry Dude - i will only ever buy Gibsons off Gumtree.

Jack-Flash-Jr

PM Singe... he's got a lot of Japan info...

6x9base13

I lived in China for 2 years and brought back an epi Les Paul. (Edit: Just dug out my notes,I picked up the epi with fender branded cable and soft case for around R1800. Not sure if the fender cable is genuine or not, but it's turned out to be one of the best I own.)

Fakes abound, R & D is an abbreviation for receive and duplicate in China ?

Firstly, don't try buy something online, go and get your hands on it. Not sure where you're going, but in Shanghai and Beijing where I was based, the music stores are all grouped together in the same area. It's easy to walk around and pop into 15 or 20 stores and check out who's got what.

Even legit stores are likely to have fakes in there somewhere. Sticker prices will be lower than here in SA, but remember to bargain, it's expected and will usually get a major price drop!

The "Made in China" when done on behalf a company for international distribution is not supposed to be cheaper there. It's supposed to get taxed as if it was exported and re-imported to protect the price. In practice there are usually , how shall we say, "gray" goods ? which bypass that process. Unless you are fluent in Mandarin (and even then if you are a westener), you're not likely to get your hand on those without a knowledgeable local's help.

guitarboy2828

6x9base13 wrote: I lived in China for 2 years and brought back an epi Les Paul. (Edit: Just dug out my notes,I picked up the epi with fender branded cable and soft case for around R1800. Not sure if the fender cable is genuine or not, but it's turned out to be one of the best I own.)

Fakes abound, R & D is an abbreviation for receive and duplicate in China ?

Firstly, don't try buy something online, go and get your hands on it. Not sure where you're going, but in Shanghai and Beijing where I was based, the music stores are all grouped together in the same area. It's easy to walk around and pop into 15 or 20 stores and check out who's got what.

Even legit stores are likely to have fakes in there somewhere. Sticker prices will be lower than here in SA, but remember to bargain, it's expected and will usually get a major price drop!

The "Made in China" when done on behalf a company for international distribution is not supposed to be cheaper there. It's supposed to get taxed as if it was exported and re-imported to protect the price. In practice there are usually , how shall we say, "gray" goods ? which bypass that process. Unless you are fluent in Mandarin (and even then if you are a westener), you're not likely to get your hand on those without a knowledgeable local's help.

I will be in Beijing for a week and hongkong for a week. Appreciate the info, sounds like I'll be having a lot of fun! ? I'm not sure if I will actually buy anything, i don't NEED anything and if prices are ridiculously cheap as they are in the USA, I may not go to the trouble of buying ? If i find a larrivee for a good price, consider it sold! ? Although, it may be a larricee, knowing them Chinese.. ?

guitarboy2828

Jack Flash Jr wrote: PM Singe... he's got a lot of Japan info...

Sweet, will do! Thanks ?

djpauw

What 6x9 said for the most part.

But what you want to do, especially if you want to make sure you get the real deal, is go to the Tom Lee music shop in Hong Kong or they also have a branch in mainland China... Think it was in Guangzhou or Shenzhen, not sure. Google Tom Lee Music. They have most of the big brands for REAL.

They'll be seeing me before end of the year...

6x9base13

djpauw wrote: What 6x9 said for the most part.

But what you want to do, especially if you want to make sure you get the real deal, is go to the Tom Lee music shop in Hong Kong or they also have a branch in mainland China... Think it was in Guangzhou or Shenzhen, not sure. Google Tom Lee Music. They have most of the big brands for REAL.

They'll be seeing me before end of the year...

+1 Forgot about Tom Lee's ! Only been to the one in Hong Kong. Great store, can't recall the pricing so it probably wasn't "wow" great, but they had an awesome selection.

Gearhead

When in China I looked at Gibsons and decided to forget about buying guitar gear altogether. Instead i took home one tube hifi amp (yarland) and one tube cd player (shanling). Super quality, design and for almost free. Still enjoy the stuff tremendously, absolutely fantastic deals.

On that note: there is no such thing as a good deal in China. Just as you think you negotiated well to wind up at 15% of the asking price, someone around the corner asks for half what you paid... Ouch.

Ps get a suit tailor made. Pays for half the flight ticket already, honestly.

Jack-Flash-Jr

Off-topic1: thanks for the heads up on the rc20xl!
Off-topic2: where exactly are you going in Nihon and China? Nostalgic for Japan and HK (there's an AWESOME teahouse mid-city)...

guitarboy2828

Jack Flash Jr wrote: Off-topic1: thanks for the heads up on the rc20xl!
Off-topic2: where exactly are you going in Nihon and China? Nostalgic for Japan and HK (there's an AWESOME teahouse mid-city)...

No prob, glad you were able to get it!

I'm going to Beijing and Hongkong and in Japan I'm staying with my brother around Osaka area. ?

That's all I know, more specifics, I can't give, coz I don't know em ?

Jack-Flash-Jr

Paul E wrote:
Jack Flash Jr wrote: Off-topic1: thanks for the heads up on the rc20xl!
Off-topic2: where exactly are you going in Nihon and China? Nostalgic for Japan and HK (there's an AWESOME teahouse mid-city)...
No prob, glad you were able to get it!

I'm going to Beijing and Hongkong and in Japan I'm staying with my brother around Osaka area. ?

That's all I know, more specifics, I can't give, coz I don't know em ?

OSAKA!!! My favourite city in Japan... be sure to check out the dodgy Bon Jovi hair gangsters in downtown, and the castle (it's too cool!). Colour me jealous.
Hong Kong is just one of my favourite cities in the whole world.

Check out the tea museum:

guitarboy2828

Jack Flash Jr wrote:
Paul E wrote:
Jack Flash Jr wrote: Off-topic1: thanks for the heads up on the rc20xl!
Off-topic2: where exactly are you going in Nihon and China? Nostalgic for Japan and HK (there's an AWESOME teahouse mid-city)...
No prob, glad you were able to get it!

I'm going to Beijing and Hongkong and in Japan I'm staying with my brother around Osaka area. ?

That's all I know, more specifics, I can't give, coz I don't know em ?
OSAKA!!! My favourite city in Japan... be sure to check out the dodgy Bon Jovi hair gangsters in downtown, and the castle (it's too cool!). Colour me jealous.
Hong Kong is just one of my favourite cities in the whole world.

Check out the tea museum:

Awesome, will do! I'm super stoked, pictures look amazing, and I'm sure the real deal is going to be incredible! ?

Vintage-Vibe

www.espguitars.co.jp/edwards

If you want to see what ESP is really capable of ...

Don't know the translation in price, but should be best in that end of the world ...
eg E-MA-100SD

Don't know what axes you like/need ...

singemonkey

What I said to Paul was (in a nutshell): forget about Chinese guitars. The man's going to Japan FFS. If you're stopping in the Ivory Coast on your way to Italy, don't buy your suit in the Ivory Coast. :?

That's harsh, there are some good guitars being made in China. But there is an unbelievable treasure trove of amazing guitars in Japan - many of which are practically or totally unavailable elsewhere.