I HOPE TO GO TO JAPAN WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR

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CHANCE

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Jul 20, 2002
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FORT MADISON,IOWA
IF SO, IT WILL BE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF BUYING TOKAI GUITARS...SOUNDS STUPID...NOT REALLY....I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE AND I GUESS I AM ASKING FOR ADVICE AND OR GUIDANCE...HOPEFULLY TO BUY AROUND 40 TOKAI GUITAR AND MAYBE HAVE A COUPLE OF CUSTOM-SHOPS MADE...I'M NOT RICH...SOME WOULD BE RE-SOLD IN THE U.S. FOR PROFIT TO FINANCE THE TRIP....NO I DON'T HAVE A STORE ANYMORE....I JUST GET DISGUSTED GOING GUITAR SHOPPING AND FINDING THE SAME OLD ****...I HAVE THREE TOKAI - 2 LOVE ROCKS AND A STRAT AND HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS...HERE AND THERE...AND REALLY HAVE A JONES TO DO THIS...AND I WILL...HOW A BOUT SOME FEEDBACK, ADVICE OR CRITISM...THANK CHANCE MCFADDEN [email protected]
 
Chance,it is not easy finding guitar shops in Japan,you know...japanese alphabet...you don,t know wich is the street you are walking by....and the shops can be on 7th floor,or underground.There is a lot of shops under the train stations,some are music shops,it is worth to take a look.But finding Tokais is very difficult.I could see them in Universe shop only.And asked prices are becoming very expensive.
 
LET'S SAY I HAVE 25,000.00 AMERICAN CASH, AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE TOKAI FACTORY, WITH A GUIDE OF COURSE, AND PAY CASH...WOULDN'T I GET A BETTER DEAL, THAN LET'S SAY THE DEALER...THE DEALER PAYS HALF OF RETAIL ON NEW STUFF...ARE THEY REALLY GONNA TURN DOWN AMERICAN CASH...OR SHOULD I JUST SET UP A STORE IN CANADA.......WHAT DO YOU THINK..........BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS...I HAD A FRIEND WHO WORKED FOR GUITAR CENTER IN L.A. HE WAS BUYING THE INDONISIAN STARTS THAT YOU SEE ON MUSICIAN'S FRIEND(150.00) FOR 20.00 AND THIS WAS 5.00 OVER FENDER'S COST......ALSO MUSIC YO.COM (GIBSON) IMPORTS AN INDONESIAN KRAMER STRAT FOR 79.00 AND A FRIEND OF MINE AT GIBSON CONFIRMED, AS AN EMPLOYEE, HE CAN BUY THEM FOR 15.00...BUT CANNOT RESELL THEM FOR FEAR OF LOSING HIS JOB...AND CAN ONLY BUY FOUR PER YEAR////ERGO THE MARKUP ON IMPORTED GUITARS....CAN ONLY BLOW YOUR MINE.....I LIVE IN FORT MADISON, IOWA..HOME OF SCHAEFFER PEN COMPANY....A GOLD PEN WHICH RETAILS FOR 495.00 CAN BE PURCHASED THROUGH THE EMPLOYEE STORE....FOR UNDER 100.00, GIFT BOXED AN WRAPPED.....SO YOU CAN SEE , THE VALUE OF AN INSTRUMENT IS HELP SACRED ONLY BY IT'S OWNER.....90 PER CENT OF GROCERY ITEMS IN YOUR CUPBOARD COSTS THE STORE A FRACTION OF WHAT YOU ACTUALLY PAY...A TWO LITER OF PEPSI WHICH CAN RETAIL FOR.99 ON SALE TO 1.79 IN THE CONVIENIENCE STORE..COSTS THE RETAILER ABOUT 50 CENTS....AND AS LOW AS 40 CENTS IF A LARGER QUANITY IS PURCHASED....THE WHOLESALER BOTTLES IT FOR ABOUT A NICKEL PER TWO LITER....THE REAL COST OF THINGS CAN BE DECIEVING.........I THINK I WILL DEFINETLY CONSIDER GOING TO THE FACTORY..........
 
CHANCE said:
IF SO, IT WILL BE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF BUYING TOKAI GUITARS...SOUNDS STUPID...NOT REALLY....I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE AND I GUESS I AM ASKING FOR ADVICE AND OR GUIDANCE...HOPEFULLY TO BUY AROUND 40 TOKAI GUITAR AND MAYBE HAVE A COUPLE OF CUSTOM-SHOPS MADE...I'M NOT RICH...SOME WOULD BE RE-SOLD IN THE U.S. FOR PROFIT TO FINANCE THE TRIP....NO I DON'T HAVE A STORE ANYMORE....I JUST GET DISGUSTED GOING GUITAR SHOPPING AND FINDING THE SAME OLD ^&*(...I HAVE THREE TOKAI - 2 LOVE ROCKS AND A STRAT AND HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS...HERE AND THERE...AND REALLY HAVE A JONES TO DO THIS...AND I WILL...HOW A BOUT SOME FEEDBACK, ADVICE OR CRITISM...THANK CHANCE MCFADDEN [email protected]

Go for it dude! I'm really Jonesing for a brand spanking new, factory fresh top of the line LS-320 Violin Finish. If you can get a couple of those I'll be the first one in line to buy one from you.
 
What is sad about the whole thing is the crazy list prices on the USA made instruments. I know that I can get a basic LP Standard for around $1500 here in Ohio, but can also buy Korean Tokai, or Everest, or Dillion for 1/3 that money, and in some ways get a better built guitar. I think some of that is labor cost, but alot, I'm sure, is simple Corporate greed...
 
To add another frustration to this debate about costs; A Duncan '59 goes for about $66 in the states, right? Well, here in Norway it costs about $185!!!! :evil: Someone's making a LOT of moneyhere....
How 'bout that??
 
Hello Chance,
I haven't got the necessary for a new guitar at the moment due to having a bit of a Kid on the way, but I'm pretty interested in one of those fancy Schaeffers. How 'bout it? :wink:
 
Cornelius: Congrats on the new future guitar player! The addition of another kid raised by a Tokai fan will be a bonus for this world, I'm sure... Think of all cool the stuff to teach: long VS short tenons, 2 VS 3 pc backs, Bursts VS GTs... nitro VS urethane...
 
Hey Chance -

If you come to Japan, I'll be your guide, man. Just let me know when you're coming and I'll hook you up. :)

The only thing about coming here, though, is that you really won't find a lot of older Tokai guitars. I go to the biggest music section of Tokyo every week where there are, literally, over 50 new/used guitar shops on ONE street, but I only find maybe one Tokai per trip.

There are only 2 shops there that even sell new Tokai guitars - and they only sell the LS models from LS-200 through LS-320 at new pricing. I've been tempted, but I am hoping to get a better deal on a used one, but MAN, I've been looking to replace my '85 LS-150 for 8 months and haven't found one.

Tokais ARE disappearing at a terrible rate here, and not just because I and other eBay guys from Japan are getting them, but because nobody wants to sell them here. They are treated as Japan's pride and joy, their very own best reissues, and they are reluctant to sell them, too.

I passed up a 1982 7okai Springy Sound ST-60 last week because it was selling for a whopping 70,000 yen, or around $600 USD, without the original pink-lined case. On the price card, it stated that it was an original vintage Tokai and made it sound enticing, but just confirmed my thought that, even in Japan, those Tokais are being coveted and won't sell for cheap anymore, UNLESS you find one at a "Gomi" shop, or junk store.

I once bought a mint Fender MIJ '57 reissue from '82 at a Gomi shop for 10 dollars :D

Most LS-200 models from before the '90s are selling at ABOVE RETAIL, and we're talking used guitars here. I tried to get an LS-150 and I offered 150,000 yen for it and was turned down - the guy wanted 200,000 with no case! :cry:

I keep trying, but am getting more and more frustrated. I want a really early LS-200 with original case.

Now, Chance, if you came to Japan with $25,000 - (If I were you) I would go to the Tokai factory and try for the new ones - there you will be guaranteed to find Tokai guitars and can probably get many at a good price. I wouldn't bother trudging from shop to shop in Tokyo, though, because you will be greatly disappointed, unless you're open to other brands of guitars, too. There are plenty of great 70's and 80's guitars there to choose from.
 
I know, it really sucks - I just get to Japan and NOW they become so collectible. :x

I just wonder what the future will bring for the older Tokais - how collectible they will really become -

will they be treated with reverence like a post pre-CBS Fender collecting craze, but like a Japanese version of that Strat mania... OR...

will it just become shadowed by the next best company out there that's hot on their heels in this day and age (and trust me, in Japan here, there are plenty of unknown brands that rival the best there are)?

Basically, what do you think the older Tokais from the "lawsuit" era will go down in history as? What will their value be in 5 years - 10 years - 20 years?
 
when i was a music store owner...I HAD THREE STORES AND IN MY LIFETIME I HAVE OWNED LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF GUITARS...NOT BAD FOR A SMALL MIDWEST DEALER....A GOOD GUITAR IS A GOOD GUITAR, REGUARDLESS OF IT'S AGE.....BOTH OF MY RECENT ACQUITIONS, THE LOVE ROCKS....WERE NEWER INSTRUMENTS ,,IN THE LAST TWO YEARS....AND THEY ARE BEYOND THE QUALITY OF ANY OF THE CRAP I SEE IN THIS THREE STATE AREA....SENTIMENTALITY IS FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD IT...I WANT QUALITY UTILITY INSTRUMENTS AT A FAIR PRICE.......AND IF YOU REALLY WANT A DEAL ON A SCHAEFFER PEN....I WILL GO TO THE EMPLOYEE STORE FOR YOU AND CHECK OUT THE DEALS....NO EXTRA CHARGE.....AND THANKS FOR THE TOUR GUIDE OFFER...YOU GOT IT...I WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT....CHANCE
 

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