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Japan owns the market?

lespaul1970

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Joined
Dec 20, 2002
Messages
195
..OK.. I know this has been mentioned before: but I find it crazy that so many (almost every) vintage Les Paul/SG you look up online is held in Japan right now. What's up with that? Curious to hear anyone's experiences with purchasing one of these? I find it hard to purchase something from Japan, but wondering what others have found that have taken the plunge? Just unreal how sooooo many great guitars seem to be in the Japan market these days....
 

T.Allen

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Sep 11, 2014
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2,662
I don't think I would go so far as saying they own the market, although there are quite a few Bursts in Japan. Maybe they just have more for sale than the U.S./E.U. market.
 

sonar

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Jan 10, 2003
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I’m sure some of us have heard (or experienced) buyers from Japan purchasing anything vintage guitar in the States, back in the 80’s and 90’s.
 

lespaul1970

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Dec 20, 2002
Messages
195
I don't think I would go so far as saying they own the market, although there are quite a few Bursts in Japan. Maybe they just have more for sale than the U.S./E.U. market.

Okay yeah I guess I should take that back! I guess saying Japan owns the market is a little bit over extreme! But it's just amazing when you search online every single Les Paul one after another just pops up from Japan! I'm just kind of amazed I guess and I'm very curious to see what luck people that have bought them have had?
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
They are overpriced. Maybe better for overseas buyers but compared to what I find here, they are way overvalued.
 

agogetr

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Jan 22, 2019
Messages
451
a ton of guitars went to japan and it seems a ton are trying to exit the country. why arent those owner/player/investors holding on to them?
i do like the idea of a bunch of cool old guitars coming back this way! wouldnt mind a moserite mark I
they will have to flex on pricing if they really want to move stuff.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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5,657
I think there are plenty of instruments to go around for everyone , both domestically and internationally .
 

EdwardR9

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Aug 25, 2015
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I’m sure some of us have heard (or experienced) buyers from Japan purchasing anything vintage guitar in the States, back in the 80’s and 90’s.

From NYC to LA you had two 95 pound Japanes guys lugging JFK size luggage rack full of Tweed and Lifton cases. They bought everything.
In the 2000's it was Sam Ash because they could not purchase from Gibson fro a while. Mike Rock was buying truckloads.

Ahh, good times getting no chance to own a fine vintage instrument because certain people were driving up the market.
 

Phatcat

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Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
9
Japanese are crazy about vintage American stuff, not just guitar, but jeans, boots, and etc. In fact Japan makes the best jeans in the world now because they bought up the vintage Levis looms so they can make jeans the way Levis used to make.
 

agogetr

Active member
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
451
From NYC to LA you had two 95 pound Japanes guys lugging JFK size luggage rack full of Tweed and Lifton cases. They bought everything.
In the 2000's it was Sam Ash because they could not purchase from Gibson fro a while. Mike Rock was buying truckloads.

Ahh, good times getting no chance to own a fine vintage instrument because certain people were driving up the market.
it happened to me a couple of times. guitars i was negotiating for suddenly 'went to japan' rare ones too. however i drive toyotas, i love the japanese!
 
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