What Is With The Outrageously Priced Guitars From Japan?!

[Malcolm Kindnes]

I think everything is expensive in Japan, it's as simple as that.

[Akamas]

Japanese-American here living in Tokyo---I'll have to agree with merlin666 as to the reasons for our high prices. Retailers and manufacturers won't ship Martins, Taylors, or Gibsons to consumers in Japan. We have to buy those three brands from sellers in Japan. And when you convert the MAP to yen, add shipping costs plus customs duties, you'll come up with our high prices that you see, although there are sales quite often.

[Stratcat77]

I think what is being asked is being misunderstood?

I believe the poster is asking about some eBay posting for guitars we may be familiar with that have crazy high prices listed by some sellers.

Here's an example.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-616-...kAAOSwEGVeMeDx

I have one exactly like this one. Great guitar but not worth $5000?

[383roller]

I find all these listings annoying, I always click the US only option when searching. Who knows, maybe that makes one well priced guitar disappear but I’ll take my chances.

I assume they’re looking for the one buyer at these prices or a start at negotiating at that price point. It’s free to list so why not?

I did buy a guitar from Japan on reverb that was a great deal and good transaction overall, it was on reverb though. Diligence is everything

[Silly Moustache]

We now see these on the UK ebay too, and they also appear here, I believe, but we never UK ebay offerings ?

[merlin666]

Originally Posted by 383roller

I find all these listings annoying, I always click the US only option when searching. Who knows, maybe that makes one well priced guitar disappear but I’ll take my chances.

I assume they’re looking for the one buyer at these prices or a start at negotiating at that price point. It’s free to list so why not?

I did buy a guitar from Japan on reverb that was a great deal and good transaction overall, it was on reverb though. Diligence is everything

Exactly. If you can find the guitar at generally cheaper prices elsewhere than just limit the geography of search parameters as there is no point to buy in Japan. But special instruments are often only available form there. For example, I was looking desperately for an Adamas 1687, and generally they are only available from Japan.

[62burst]

Originally Posted by Jacolin

That's because the listers don't own it. They wait for a bid to buy and then use that to buy the actual item from the actual owner and pocket the difference.

Jacolin had it right out of the gate. This is why you will see several listings from Japanese "sellers" with identical photos, with wildly differing prices. On one listing I enquired on, the logo of the guitar shop blocked the view of the cut of the nut. I asked the lister for a different photo, without the logo. Never heard back. Emailed the shop whose logo was in the listing's photos, & was told "we do not sell on eBay. If you see a listing there, it is not us". Or is it? Ultimately, I bought the guitar from the shop directly, eBay collected no seller fees, but if it was not for the eBay listing, I would've never found the guitar. Hmmm...

Maybe confirming the seller actually has the guitar by asking for a specific photo would be a good idea. Most will have no return policy when selling internationally- a great way to sell a guitar with issues, so approach with caution.

[Maryc-k]

There are dealers located in Japan on eBay and Reverb who are legitimate. Their buyers are located outside of the US. Not all of those sellers are scammers.

[zztush]

Same items are listed in both US and Japan. Prices in Japan are far cheaper than US but they are still very expensive in Japan. The sellers should be a same person, because the Japanese seller looks very rude in Japanese auction. This one is Ovation AA10 Voyager.