Buying a Guitar in Japan Was Easy… Getting It Home? Not So Much!
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- Buying a guitar in Japan was easy, but flying home with it was a challenge! Watch my journey navigating shipping from the store, travel struggles, and bringing my dream guitar back safely.
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My son bought for me a Fender JP Hybrid II strat and then a Fender JP Jag on a subsequent trip. Both times, he had the shop separate the neck from the body, pack them tightly inside that thin Fender gig bag and box them up. Both survived being checked in! Freaking shops in Manila retail them for almost twice the price in Tokyo. Honestly, with prices here, you can get round trip tickets, buy the guitar and still have change for ramen and sushi!
Japan always has the EXACT guitar most of the time I’m looking for. I bought 3 custom shop Gibson guitars from Japan. They always have the perfect weight/wood/top and overall condition. The stores are always very helpful and the only stressful parts for me is the customs/forms/fees you have to fill out here in the US. Most of the time you have to be on top of things and contact them yourselves if any forms are missing etc. worth the stress for me since they are the best guitars I own
I don't think you know how long I've waited for this very topic to be featured on your channel! Glad it finally happened! I guess you really made sure you gave it justice since it is, after all, something the Japanese people are well known for and something that many people around the world always dreamt of doing, but never really had the time to do so or feared something like this would happen so thank you really. 😊🙏
Thank you brother! Actually you mentioned wanting a guitar video some time ago so here it is! Thanks for the inspiration!
Cool man. Nice work!
Glad you enjoyed the video!
I purchased a MIJ for Japan market Fender Strat last year in Osaka. Japan Airlines allowed me to place it in the overhead above my premium economy seat for travel back to California.
Wow, that’s what I like to hear.
Had a similar experience but I had a connecting flight from Nagoya to Tokyo first. So, while they did explain I could place it in the overhead for the international flight, the domestic flight had limited space and was a no go. I ended taking the guitar apart and placed each half into different suitcases. The Japan Airlines staff where horrified that I did that 🤣, they were super nice about it and mega worried I would end up ruining my instrument.
Very cool Japan pickups!
This feels nostalgic hehe, last November I got my second ever guitar from the BIG BOSS Ochanomizu branch (the one with the miku guitar) and seeing the scenery, the places I went to, and how I felt praying it would be all safe when I got my cargo is so nerve-racking haha.
I got a Grass Roots Les Paul Junior in Pelham Blue like the exact same one Kita from Bocchi the Rock uses hehe.
Yeah the staff are really nice to help you out with making sure guitars are packaged really well on the way home back to PH hehe but I didn't know about the shipping service straight to the airport! I just carried mine there all the way the whole time LOL I'll be sure to try that out on my next trip! If I ever do get another guitar again... HAHAH
Post more guitar content I love your editing and commentary! Subbed nice one dude
Another bocchi fan! I'm actually on the lookout for the Bocchi Yamaha Pacifica myself. Thanks for watching!
Congrats po sa bagong gitara!!
I've bought several guitars in Japan. Some will offer directly shipping and the cost is very reasonable. On the other occasions when the shops don't offer shipping, I have them pack it for shipping then take it to a post office and have it shipped EMS. It's never been an issue.
Interesting, I didn't know about that! I will check that out for future purchases!
I bought 3 Japanese kitchen knives from Amazon and it was shipped to my house
Weird. I just put mine in a back pack style gig bag and the airline let me take it as a carry on.
Congrats on the new guitars. I had a Marshall JCM 800 shipped from Japan so I understand the worry but will say guitars from Japan I have yet to get shipped but working on trying to find the right one. lol But I do plan next time in Japan to go to onchamizu area also the Marshall museum they have in the area. New sub!
Ochanomizu is an amazing place for guitars! Hope you find your next one!
I'm going to japan in a few months and know there is little chance that I wont buy at least one guitar, just debating whether I transport myself or ship using JapanPost/EMS to save the hassle. Some airlines will allow you to bring a guitar on the plane, but I think it varies and high risk if it gets put in the hold and you haven't packed it ready for that. Once bought an LP back from US to UK and it was allowed on but was worried until at sat in my seat with it in the wardrobe/locker. Like the idea of getting the shop to pack it - good tip.
I think you missed the chance to explain what most Filipino wants to know. That is what airlines did you go with how much was the checkin. Did you pay any tax or customs fee. Or if we can hand carry it if it has a hard case.
Walang reply about tax or customs fee 😂
Waiting if he have tax refund and if the Custom check it.
same question lol
Thanks for the video! I love Japan. We've been to Tokyo, Osaka, and Hokkaido in the last 2 years and I make it a point to check out a few guitar stores. I hesitate to buy guitars because I've heard horror stories about customs.
Did you have to clear your guitars through customs?
planning to buy guitar surplus from japan here in philippines. hmmmm
I bought one fender strat from ishibashi osaka 2 months ago. Worst decision ever to make them ship it here in Manila. Had to wait 4hrs in customs to pay an 8k pesos fee, they even opened it in front of me. Shouldve checked it in and bought a hardcase hahaha
Sad to hear that! But learning experience for next time!
Did you think . If I put it inside the hand carry luggage it will work? I’ll just remove the neck to body
@@beamesa6867 i think it will work! Im just a noob and I dont tinker with guitar parts. Better than over paying sa customs
@@aransamson for sure! Hahaha it really feels different to buy a guitar in another country. Parang may back story siya
Hi there I’m in Japan by February my xtra bayad po ba yan check in nyo sa guitar. Congrats po sa new guitar.
Bought a Fujigen strat last year. Easy fix for a bolt-on; removed neck which went in my hard side suitcase and carried well wrapped body in my backpack. LesPaul not so easy!
i did the same thing , that's why i didn't by a set neck...
Congrats on the new guitars! Quick question: did you have to declare them and pay import taxes when you got to the airport at home? How did you deal with that?
Hi, I’m planning to travel to Japan to purchase a few guitars and bring them back to my country. Could you let me know if checking in guitar packaging would incur excessive baggage fees at the airport when checked in? Also, which airline are you using?
I think this would be very airline dependent. You can check your weight allowances with your airline. I used AirAsia for my flight here and I had to pay extra for my checked-in guitars.
I just brought 3 back from Japan to Australia. It’s the third year I’ve done this. I always do bolt on necks and seperate the neck from the body. For the expensive ones I put the body in my hand luggage back pack that way I can treat it gently in transit. Neck wrapped in my check in luggage, carefully wrapped. Never had an issue.
@@hbohm1996 I did exactly the same a few times. However last time (2023) I was confused that when buying at Ishibashi they sayed the tax rebate no longer requires a paper joined to your passport, so I had no proof in case of an eventual luggage check at arrival. (I speak japanese so miscommunication was not the issue) . did not happen in the end but I'd be curious if that is normal if someone knows.
If it’s a bolt on neck guitar, you probably can put your socks on each end of the neck to protect it inside of your bag
How much did the yamato transport from guitar shop to airport cost? Were they considered 'checked bags' on your flight? I'd like to do the same thing, but to the US.
Yeah they were considered checked bags. It cost me around 3000 yen (20ish USD) to ship the guitars from the store to the airport.
Lovely video and guitars! How much did check in cost if you dont mind me asking? when I buy guitars overseas I usually opt for LBC Shipping Cart's sea cargo option. it cost me like PHP3-4k to get my Red Special shipped in 2 months with no taxes and direct to door step delivery. curious if checking it in is a more affordable option. thank you! :D
Thanks for watching! I did have to pay for extra check-in luggage as I exceeded my weight limit. But I think if you pre-purchase your check-in allowance online you can get it a lot cheaper (around PHP2k or so).
@ thats cool to know! Might consider this when i have enough to buy another guitar haha thank you!
Is it possible to hand carry a guitar on a plane or do you really have to check it in? Is it also tax free? 😅
It’s a sometimes… depending on how the staff feels and who you ask.
Bro actually i am new to electric guitars i have played acoustic for a year now , can you please suggest me what type of guitar is good for blues
for blues you want a stratocaster type. The Fender Squier is a solid pick at a good price for starting. But I just bought an Ibanez and I like it a lot. It looks like a stratocaster.
as suggested, the stratocaster would be an amazing blues guitar, players like Stevie Ray Vaughan use strats. I also would look into seeing if you would like the feel of a semi-hollow like an ES-335. BB-King uses a guitar like this.
No taxes or whatever when brought in PH?
It's a shame such great instruments Jaoanese made but hard to get.
lol space shuttle
Happy someone noticed! haha!
be nice to have a full breakdown of all the costs, but otherwise great video, scratching my itch.....
how much did u pay for the freight charges of the guitar?
A fortune.
Are you based in PH? If yes, did you pay any customs fee for the guitars upon arrival in PH?
if you make them ship it, itll be stuck in the customs. Check it in nalang sa airport bro. I had to pay 8000 sa post office after waiting for 4hrs
@@r-105-rmy question was upon arrival in ph with the checked in baggage. Youd still need to go through customs so not sure if they are strict upon entering and you need to declare it given that its a big box and they might get suspicious if you dont declare anything
@@glennpaulmodesto3411 not sure tbh but it might be better to unbox and put it in a hardshell case instead of a big box.
@@r-105-rcan I hand carry acoustic guitar with a hardshell case or need i checkin tlaga yun? May bayad pa ba tax pag dating sa atin?
I live in Japan (I'm a guitar player), I had a guitar shipped from the UK to Japan and I felt the same anxiety as you. You can see my short unboxing here (a Gibson Les Paul which I had left in storage and then later had shipped). ruclips.net/video/iauuXD_XHeA/видео.html
It sounded like you cared about the instrument then I heard the sound of scissors scraping Tolex. 😜
I’m here to see, why is it “difficult” to send a guitar home….I really am…then I realized home is probably not US…that’s why…
I came here because I’m still not confident even heading to america. I don’t want to ship it and I’m very skeptical I’ll be allowed to bring a bass far enough onto the plane to ask for closet space…
Yep, and not the UK either..... navigating customs alone is hell
I bought a Fender Japan Strat neck in America. Guitar parts from Japan are already in America
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Buying axes in Japan is too expensive. As a golden rule, Japanese products are cheaper anywhere else.