So no real bargains...question: Would you have to pay duty at the border, and how much extra for bringing a guitar home; is it like an extra bag? Did you find that prices generally were comparable to the US, as far as most goods and services?
I don't know about duty on bringing back a guitar because I sold the guitar and amp back to Hard Off for half what I spent. I kept the Hard Off guitar strap. I have heard too many horror stories about airlines damaging guitars. I am going back in October and I might buy a better guitar and leave it in Japan with one of my new friends. The prices are generally lower in Japan, but the real value is the condition of the used gear. I rarely saw a beat up guitar that wasn't vintage. Everything is cheaper in Japan than the US because the Yen is down.
So many guitars in such a tiny spot
This was the biggest store of the 3 I visited
So no real bargains...question: Would you have to pay duty at the border, and how much extra for bringing a guitar home; is it like an extra bag? Did you find that prices generally were comparable to the US, as far as most goods and services?
I don't know about duty on bringing back a guitar because I sold the guitar and amp back to Hard Off for half what I spent. I kept the Hard Off guitar strap. I have heard too many horror stories about airlines damaging guitars. I am going back in October and I might buy a better guitar and leave it in Japan with one of my new friends. The prices are generally lower in Japan, but the real value is the condition of the used gear. I rarely saw a beat up guitar that wasn't vintage. Everything is cheaper in Japan than the US because the Yen is down.