Japan trip, couldn’t help myself…

stratjacket

stratjacket

Well-known member
It’s been about 6 years since my wife and I had been back to Japan. So we planned a 2 week trip. Visited Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Shagoshima, Hiroshima, Mashima and finally the last 3 days in Yokohama/Tokyo. I had 1 free day where the wife spent with some friends so I went to Ochanomizu Guitar Street for the day. Walked away with a brand new Ibanez Pia.

I just could not pass it up. With the yen rate and tax free, it was $387,500 yen which is $2,348 brand new. With new prices at $3499 in the US, I couldn’t pass up the $1150 savings.

Always wanted one since they came out but couldn’t justify the price. It plays and feels great. Flying back tomorrow and can’t wait to plug it in.
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SpiderWars said:
So is this several music stores in a row? And is the demand for Ukeleles so high that it gets a whole section?
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Haha, yep. It’s about 1 block with mostly guitar shops. Almost all guitar shops have 2-4 floors, each floor with so many guitars everywhere you have to be careful not to bump into them.
I only took a picture of one side, the other side of the street is all guitar shops as well. There are a few wind instrument stores mixed in there.
 
Congrats! Are u gonna bring it back on the plane? If so, how do u do that? Once I checked a guitar at the gate and was allowed to put it in the little closet that the stewardesses use, just inside the door. But that was a Strat in a gig bag. Fairly small.
 
thenine said:
Congrats! Are u gonna bring it back on the plane? If so, how do u do that? Once I checked a guitar at the gate and was allowed to put it in the little closet that the stewardesses use, just inside the door. But that was a Strat in a gig bag. Fairly small.
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I’m going to try to go carry-on. But we’ll see how it goes. I’m hoping they can put it in a coat closet or something.
 
stratjacket said:
I’m going to try to go carry-on. But we’ll see how it goes. I’m hoping they can put it in a coat closet or something.
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Ok cool. Yeah the little coat closet inside the main door. The stewardesses and pilot put their stuff in there. That’s what I used. But I talked to the ladies at the gate before boarding. Let us know what happens.
 
Killer guitar.

I've always thought - and I mean this in the best possible way - any white Steve Vai guitar is the most gloriously gaudy "standard shaped" guitar ever designed. They're just so absurdly opulent looking, like Steve went to Ibanez with a bunch of pictures of televangelist church interiors and said "build me a guitar that looks like what a televangelist preacher thinks Heaven would look like. Here's some pics of what I'm thinking." lol.

I've always thought it would be great to get a white Jem with a monkey grip. It's got to be fun to shred on those things, to look down and see all that fancy decoration and just kind of let your mind wander in that direction a while.

edit: just in case it’s not clear, I promise I’m not talking shit, I genuinely think these are cool guitars and really would love to pick one up at some point.
 
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I was there with wife a few times as well but was always afraid to bring it back with the airline....
Hope you have success and that will encourage me to go for it next time
 
Damn, great post and congrats.

I haven't wanted a JEM since the 90's, and now I want to go to Japan.

Let us know how that goes on the flight and good luck!
 
UPDATE. Was able to carry it on the plane with no issue. The guitar fit in the overhead right above my seat. I’m back at Atlanta and it’s safe and sound.

I was worried, when we checked in the agent told me to try to carry on and they may need to check it at the gate. At the gate, she asked if it was a guitar and I said yes, that’s all.

The international flight has more overhead space than smaller planes so I thought it would be ok. Each row has 3 sets of 3 seats, but 2 isles to walk down and each isle has 2 rows of overhead storage. So 4 rows of overhead storage all the way down the plane. No one used our overhead but us, so my guitar fit and then my wife and I bags on top of the guitar.
 
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