LeftyBassist.com

Ebay's all but done for me, and t seems like the majority of juicy lefties still being sold/auctioned on ebay now are coming out of Japan. But, the prices are usually insane. Over $4000 for a standard Rick 4003, for example.

So I guess my question is, who's gonna buy anything from Japan at these ridiculous prices? And how is any of this benefitting those sellers who likely know they're gonna sell anything either?

I was wondering the exact same thing the other day. Gorgeous high end stuff, at insane price levels. Sometimes even one of a kind stuff where you just need to get lucky and find the right lunatic who will take it off your hands at a loss. But not with Japanese eBayers! Crazy money. I was looking at this one of a kind 6-string Status Stealth the other day. VERY specific specs: Graphite neck through, body with graphite shell, phenolic fingerboard, 6-string, 32" medium scale with Bendwell, and both pickups mounted close to the bridge. Who on earth is looking for a bass like that? Most people would be happy if they sold it AT ALL. Except the buyer is some Japanese seller who relists it for double the money! Weird market.

I seriously doubt these Japanese sellers are selling much of anything. They must know that their asking prices are way above everyone else. They can't export the rosewood/exotic wood stuff, so that's greatly limited their market. So what are they doing, hoping for the odd chance that some uneducated buyer takes the plunge and way overpays?

The Japanese sites have really nice price actually. But only to sell locally.
I saw a red Aerodyne for $600 at their Japanese site but on EBay it doubled the price.

Could it be an issue with eBay's built-in currency conversion then?

This is why, when I went to Japan last year, I dragged my family to every guitar store in Tokyo, scouring for lefties to simply carry home with me. I ended up buying a 1983 Fender P JV in excellent condition and just walked it onto the plane with me. Being there in person was an opportunity I was not going to pass up.

Any lefty hotspots travelers should know about?

Just for possible future reference.

Some things are Big in Japan.

Cheap Trick.

Spinal Tap.

These prices.

I was worried this thread was gonna be about tentacle stuff.

Not too disappointed I guess.

Here's an example: http://store.ishibashi.co.jp/ec/pro/disp/1/01-325339004
It's about $600.
But on Ebay it's a different story.

I got a bass off eBay from Japan recently, I was concerned over the CITES thing. I asked and he said don't even wory about it. Sure a hell a week later it shows up no issue. They definitely have some way around it.

Thanks Paulo here is a stack of lefties from the site
http://store.ishibashi.co.jp/ec/cmHeade ... er%20lefty

Google chrome will translate it to english if you have the addon.

Wow, huge differences. That Grassroots bass someone on here was looking for earlier is in stock too at less than half of the eBay pricing. I just sent the guy a PM.

http://store.ishibashi.co.jp/ec/pro/disp/1/80-321551600

Too bad they won't sell directly from that page... I already tried.
And they also said they won't sell internationally with the same price.

Strange. I thought that was mostly a Fender Japan thing, as they were / are solely intended for the Japanese domestic market. I guess that goes for more brands and models then.

AFAIK, Taniguchi-Gakki still ships overseas and only charges the additional $ for shipping:

https://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/user_data/english.php

Which brings me back to my original question: why are the Japanese prices insane on ebay? Is there some overhead they need to meet or something, or some law I'm not aware of? Why can't they sell their instruments for the same price as their website and just tack on the overseas shipping? And what's the point of even listing them on ebay for prices nobody's gonna pay???

I just think they're looking suckers on eBay. Usually you don't have to pay a listing fee unless it sells, if I'm not mistaken. They must figure, what the hell? Bummer though.

Sorry for derailing the thread, pjmuck. Hope it's OK that I answer this question. Tokyo guitar stores are like NOTHING I've ever seen anywhere else. Wall-to-wall instruments on multiple floors, with stores side-by-side for blocks and blocks. Most are of course righty, and if I was a righty, I think I'd explode from all the selection! Luckily (???) as a lefty, at most stores I walked in, asked if they had any lefties, and left when they said no. However, that said, there was lots to see and try. I was looking mostly for basses, not surprisingly there were more lefty guitar options, and it was an amazing way to spend hours and hours. (We went on two different days to break it up...)

As far as where to go, head straight to the Ochanomizu district in Tokyo. It's *all* there. I went into Taniguchi. Went into Ishibashi. (One of them had two stores side-by-side.) It was just cool to be surrounded by so many instruments.

There was an ALL LEFTY store!!! Wait. Maybe it was a store with a whole floor of lefties?!? (It was all so cool and frankly I don't remember.) Anyhoo, all of these stores are within blocks of each other in the Ochanomizu district. It's literally store after store after store after store. And every store looked like these photos I took!

what i'd really like to know is how can I filter out items from japan on my eBay feed?