Anyone Ever Order A Guitar From Ishibashi?

Progdude · #1 02-20-2006, 09:53 PM

Im looking to buy an Ibanez RGA321 and the only color sold in the states is a blue flame top which is Killer! But in Japan there is a Black flame top that really gets me off! I assume shipping could get costly, but I have to ask if anyones had any experiance with them?

guitardevil2005 · #2 02-20-2006, 09:56 PM

i havent , but let me know what happens if you decide to go threw with it.

Progdude · #3 02-20-2006, 10:03 PM

Im not going to go thru with it if no one thats done it before replys!!!!

Actually I forgot to mention that I emailed them so well see what the final cost is...............

nightfiend14 · #4 02-20-2006, 10:10 PM

I know several people from here have ordered J-Customs and I believe have had no problems with them.

jkahrs · #5 02-20-2006, 10:33 PM

I've bought from them before. Very pleasant and helpful. They used EMS for shipping, but I can't remember for sure how much the shipping was. I think it was in the $100-$120 range. --Jason

bpd111 · #6 02-20-2006, 10:55 PM

Shipping was very reasonable considering it (my RG870TV0) came from across the world. Whatever they list for shipping is what I paid. No customs or other strange fees. (There might have been a $16 credit card fee.)

It's been discussed here before, so do a search. I had some shipping issues, but Koichi took care of me.

technomancer · #7 02-20-2006, 11:24 PM

I bought an RG8670 from them recently. No problems at all. Shipping was around $120 and if I recall import duty was 8.67% due on delivery. Only weirdness was it took a few weeks before the charge for it showed up on my credit card.

buddroyce · #8 02-21-2006, 12:13 AM

I've never had many problems, but every once in a while I do get a guitar from them that gets scratched because they forgot to tighten the locking nuts on the guitars. But since you're looking at the RGA321BX you don't need to worry about locking nuts.

Progdude · #9 02-21-2006, 01:09 AM

Ok cool! So I should expect about $100-120 for shipping and NO OTHER HIDDEN COSTS?????

buddroyce · #10 02-21-2006, 01:24 AM

Depends on where you are. Up here (in Toronto, Canada) we gotta pay 15% in taxes and 6% in duty, so it's an additional 21% of the value. Some folks have managed to get stuff from Itchi-scratchy without paying anything over and above, but I'd strongly suggest to have a small percentage handy just in case to cover any additional charges, 'cause it would REALLY suck if you bought a guitar from Japan, had it shipped and delivered to your doorstep only to be held by the courier/or even returned because you didn't have the cash for whatever extra charges were incurred.

Rich · #11 02-21-2006, 01:33 AM

I had to get "legal" when New Jersey started billing me for Use Tax on guitars I had imported a couple years before. And since I had imported about $150,000 in guitars at that point, I had to file registration for 2 years prior and pay a whole lot of sales tax I never collected, just to avoid a massive amount of use tax

bpd111 · #12 02-21-2006, 09:38 AM

Strange thing about those import duties is sometimes they show up, sometimes they don't.

**jim777** · #13 02-21-2006, 10:15 AM

I think shipping is a standard 14,000 or 16,000 yen, so just do a quick conversion the day you buy it to get the amount. And like Budd says, they may not chatrge your credit card for 6 weeks after you have the guitar (and your card may charge you a 'monetary conversion' fee). But actually dealing with them is a breeze.

Jing · #14 02-21-2006, 10:25 AM

Ok, this is what i HEARD from a person. He said and claim that ishibashi online stocks are actually 'B' stock guitars. Anyway the "person" is someone who owned a shop in my local area, and his selling fender jap too, so im not sure whether his bullshlting or something

Progdude · #15 02-21-2006, 01:15 PM

I got an email back from Ishibashi heres what it said................

Dear Nick,

Thank you for your e-mail.This is Daisuke from
Ishibashi WEB SHOP.

Here is my offer on the item you are interested in this time.
Ibanez RGA321F in Black Onyx

Now we have a stock.

Ibanez
RGA321F Black Onyx w/original gig case---156,000 Yen
Shipping Fee---14,000Yen(insurance fee included)
--------------------------------------------------
The Total---170,000Yen

For your request,here is today's currency conversion.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006
170,000 Japanese Yen = 1,438.68 US Dollar

This conversion is not actual amount you will be issued.
For more detailted information,could you please contact your credit card
company or bank.
I am very sorry for such inconvenience.

If you would like to use your credit card for your payment,
we can take VISA,Mastercard,American Express card.
When you place an order,could you please send me the following information by
e-mail.

1.Your name
2.Address
3.Phone Number
4.Holders name of your card,
5.Expiraiton date of your card,

We are going to ship your guiter off about 2or3days after when your payment is
completed.
Delivery time is approximately a week.
Therefore,it will take adout 10days to receive it from your payment is
completed.

If you have question,please let me know.
Thank you very much.

Best regards,
Daisuke Kitoh
International Sales Agent/Ishibashi WEB SHOP

So it looks as if it should go smoothly.......maybe. Im not sure if that color will be available in the states anytime soon so thats why Im considering ishi.