Importing guitars from japan.

IBNZ_RG · #1 05-25-2009, 09:30 PM

How much does it cost to import guitars from japan? Someone has to know since some of you guys get J Customs somehow.I want to know because ESP makes some awesome models in Japan (kin of like Ibanez) that they don't sell over here, check it out.

standard series
http://www.espguitars.co.jp/original/

artist series
http://www.espguitars.co.jp/artist/

Rayle · #2 05-25-2009, 10:18 PM

I imported my J-Custom with the help of Hide-san from info@sharpservice.jp. He's not the cheapest, but gives absolutely excellent service, and packs extremely well. He charges 10% on the base item rate (excluding internal shipping etc), and then another 3% on everything (including international shipping) to cover PayPal charges.

Shipping from Japan isn't too bad via EMS; I paid about 16000jpy. And it's pretty fast, too.

Riverdragon · #3 05-25-2009, 11:25 PM

I don't think dealers can import new guitars from Japan anymore so you hae to find a middle man. I have used Meestursparkle. He is on that evil auction site and is awesome. I got my Caparison from him before there were any US dealers. He was very reasonable and packed it perfectly. Made it here fine in 3 days and was cheaper than anyone else I could find. Look him up on that evil auction site and shoot him an e-mail if you are willing to pay what the guitar is worth he will go out of his way to get it for you.

corey j grieve · #4 05-26-2009, 12:55 AM

+1.....Meestursparkle!! have dealt with him 5 times no probs at all,BRILLIANT!
Rare guitars/great prices/on your doorstep fast(2-3 days).
He is busy and usually your choices are limited to his available stock only,but he has specifically got guitars for people before so try your luck,$$$ talks.
He provides a great service to all of us who love Japanese guitars and jap prices are alot cheaper than domestically(well for me anyway).
He has listings on the bay all the time,search for 'Ibanez j custom',he'll be in the list somewhere.

Goodluck mate,you wont be disappointed.

Rich · #5 05-26-2009, 01:02 AM

Anybody not buying direct from Ikebe or Ishibashi [or any of the many that export] is just throwing money away and being too lazy to make your own purchase by depending on somebody else to do it for you.

Riverdragon · #6 05-26-2009, 01:06 AM

Ikebe and Ikebashi can't import most new guitars to the US anymore. Meestursparkle actually went out and found me exactly the guitar I wanted and undercut the best price I could find by $50.

Rich · #7 05-26-2009, 01:08 AM

And who told you that?!

Satchriossi · #8 05-26-2009, 05:21 AM

how do you buy from the jap sites? do you have to download a translating thing to be able to read the webpages? And then is it a case of doing the paypal thing like normal or do you have to set up another way of paying them?

I am seriously keen to look into something like this as buying in new zealand means paying roughly twice what everyone else pays...

We could do with someone explaining step by step the process for getting a new guitar from japan to their doorstep without the use of a middle man.

Rich · #9 05-26-2009, 02:43 PM

There are buying agents like the one Rayle posted above, although there are many.

If buying from a dealer, of which there are also many, just write. They speak English very well and will send you an extremely detailed answer including all costs and how to pay. Here are 2 of the biggest,

Koichi Tanimoto/International Sales Agent
Ishibashi WEB SHOP
Ishibashi Music Corporation
E-mail---> web-shop@ishibashi.co.jp
Web Site Domestic---> http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/
Web Site Intl.---> http://www.ishibashi-music.com
USED WEB Site---> http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u-box/r-shop.cgi
Telephone number: +81-3-3291-7090
Fax: +81-3-3291-7099

RIYO-TSUJI / INTERNATIONAL SALES
IKEBE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS STORE CO.,LTD
72,KANDA SAKUMAGASHI,CHIYODAKU,TOKYO,
101-0026 JAPAN
Phone 81-3-3862-1450
Fax 81-3-3861-6190
E-mail tsuji@ikebe.co.jp

Itchi may or may not take your credit card, sometimes they won't [although they always take mine], where Ikebe requires you to send a bank transfer.

Riverdragon · #10 05-26-2009, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

And who told you that?!

That is what Ikebe Gakki will tell you if you try to order a guitar to be shipped to the US.

Rich · #11 05-26-2009, 11:30 PM

So you're trying to say they won't ship any guitar to the US now?

buddroyce · #12 05-27-2009, 02:37 AM

The answer that Rich is a yes and and a no. Ikebe won't ship Caparison guitars any more (buggers forced me to circumvent them by being the distributor now). However they will still ship most product lines as long as it's not a product that is heavily controlled by the manufacturer. They should however still be able to ship Ibanez, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Things may have changed.

Rich · #13 05-27-2009, 02:40 AM

Thanks Budd, that was what I figured would be the facts. Just as no dealer can export Dimarzio or EBMM from the US because of dealer restrictions.

buddroyce · #14 05-27-2009, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

Thanks Budd, that was what I figured would be the facts. Just as no dealer can export Dimarzio or EBMM from the US because of dealer restrictions.

No problem man. I'm starting to believe that a lot of these companies are starting to put restrictions on what can be exported. It would explain why there's such a market for it on the bay with people from Japan reselling JDM guitars (such as our friend meestursparkle).