I Tested Japanese Guitar Stores
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- In this video, I visited Japanese Guitar stores, to see and experience how Japanese guitar stores are different from American guitar Stores. It was a really good experience to have and If you go Tokyo, Japan I suggest you visit these stores!
📌Guitar Planet
📌Ishibashi Music
📌Shimamura Music
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Nah the Bocchi the rock guitar riff was sick fr, also I feel like it would be a nice change of pace for there to be less people playing because i feel like it gets chaotic shopping at a guitar store sometimes. Otherwise sick video!
Thank you and yeah that's understandable.
Omgg😮😮😮
Great review! I'm going to Japan this February, so this video was perfect timing, I'm gonna check out these guitar shops while I'm there. Thanks, Jabezrtp! 🎸
Awesome to hear! Also Fender has a store in Tokyo and it looks nice. Unfortunately, I only found that out after I got back from Japan lol.
5:23 GIRLS BAND CRY MENTIONED
HELL YEAH BROTHA
WOOOOOOOOO
hell yea
TLDR: I lived in Japan for the thick end of a decade. Guitar Center cannot touch Japanese guitar chains. Maybe some of the mom & pop joints, but not many.
My experience looking for a guitar in Japan: They expect you to know exactly which guitar you want to buy just by seeing it (by asking to play a guitar, you are essentially agreeing to buy it). When I asked to play a second guitar, the employees became visibly annoyed, and in some stores would just say no. A LOT different from guitar center, where I line up twenty guitars with absolutely no desire to buy even one of them lol.
Wow yeah much different from guitar Center. I believe In Europe they are similar to Japan whereas you must ask to play it. But yeah guitar center is free game
but did you play wonderwall in them?
Nah, only in Guitar Center
@@Jabezrtppawww
It would have been funny if you played Wonderwall in those guitar stores
Get a load of this guy
Yeah bro back in the day, every music store had picks in bins like that. I gave up on Guitar Center years ago, and the new CEOs' arrogant ass attitude towards new players and cheaper guitars is insane. While I have been playing for over 30 years, Sweetwater is by far 100% the way to go if you can wait a few days instead of have it now.
I really enjoyed this video. You should make more long form video's!
I'm glad you liked it, more long form videos are on the way!
Bass? 🤔 I've heard of those. Micropterus salmoides can be found in ponds, lakes and rivers. Alternatively, you can try the bass pro shop.
Interesting, I'll check it out lol!
less goo new jabez vid!
I live in the uk and it is similar to Japan, it is just normal etiquette to ask before picking up and trying guitars, the larger stores often even have locking holders so you have to ask 😂, I don't mind it though because it does make sense otherwise anyone could pick up expensive kit and be careless with it.
Thanks for sharing, I've heard similar from a friend who lived across Europe. I think just picking up and playing if a pretty American thing
I just bought a Rickenbacker 4003 in Japan and went to more then 35 stores .None of them was rude I tried lots of pedals and basses none was frustrated at the slightest.
Bro violated bass and bassists
Awesome 🤘can't wait for future videos
Thank you!
i would love to go to any guitar center one day
Yoooo this Jabez video is fire
Hey thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it
A full video from the king
The down side to guitar center is you can’t stack coupons
cant wait to go to tokyo, really hoping to pick up a takamine
I love your videos jabez
Thank you!
@ your welcome
brooo you should have went to the fender flagship store there it’s amazing
I most definitely would have but I only found out about it only after I got back.
In Australia you normally have to ask if you wanna play
Guitar shops in my area guitar selection is literally choose between 2-3 known guitar brands with barely any variation, and then other unkown local guitar brands. Not too mention overpriced and the sale is basically the guitar's normal price outside of my country
🔥 Japanese guitar shops have their own appeal, I've always preferred them to guitar center.
Video is 🔥🔥
thank you! I'm glad you liked it
awesome!
thanks!
Freedom wins again! M'erica!!
Rating in Japan works differently a 3/5 Is good and a 5/5 is perfect usually a place won’t get a 5/5 even top restaurants sit around 3/5 to 4/5 stars.
Guitar Center is what had been in my area but after moving 2 years ago, I've been looking at small local stores a bit more. I sadly have not been to Japan however.
Small local stores can be really special and unique. But hopefully someday you can come to Japan!
How long have you been playing?
Love that vlog video form! It’s great!
Thank you and I've been playing for 5 years
What is a good acoustic guitar on a quite low budget but still good guitar?
I don't play acoustic all that much but go to Guitar Center and test out different ones and see which one you like best!
Yamaha.
go for a Taylor
@@erick.0606 He said "quite low budget" so probably not Taylor as they start at $500. Yamaha has some very solid choices at half that or less.
Really nice video! Nice Strandberg at 2:02! Did you test it out? If so what did you think? 🤘🤘🤘
Hey I did test it out. However, I'm not used to such big necks so it was a bit uncomfortable. When I get the chance I'll test one out again.
@ Nice! The Endure Neck may be uncomfortable at first but you may get used to it!
Bro, you are so underrated
love from India
Thank you!
what song were you playing at 4:20 ? is there a full version somewhere? sounds so nice.
I'm glad you asked, it's called Petal from a band named CHON(my favorite band)
I love the editing in this vid. No time to waste, straight to the point, but great personality. 5 star hahaha
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that!
Guitar center vibe and customer service is great sucks when you sit down to test a sweet Gibson and one of the guys next to you takes pitty and says "I feel ya" handing me pick
The stores pick for this comparison is rather interesting. I might say even cherry picked. Instead of Guitar Planet, why not pick ESP BigBoss store which is right around the corner from Guitar Planet. At the ESP store, you can pick woods for your custom ESP build and they likely have a bigger selection of Strandbergs than Guitar Planet. Instead of Ishibashi (not one of my favorite stores), why not pick the Ikebe Shibuya store (same neighborhood, about 15 minute walk). The Ikebe is much bigger, more modern and have a better selection of interesting guitars or G-CLub Shibuya (a few blocks from Ishibashi). Ikebe has a full repair department with actual skilled craftsman working at the store. (thirdfloor by the basses). Shimamura is an interesting choice because they operate almost exclusively out of shopping malls.
There are several key strengths in Japanese stores. The first is selection. Japanese stores have every brand that a GC or Sweetwater have but also the hundred or so Japanese domestic brands plus many European brands. Ever see a C.Gig in a US store? Good luck finding a Koca in a guitar store in the US despite Koca being based in Florida but you can find one in a retail store in Japan. Of course, this favors those with a higher budget because many of these brands are at the premium price level.
Another advantage of guitar stores in Japan in the big cities like Tokyo and Osaka is the density of stores. Many of the Japanese stores are much smaller in physical retail space but in the big cities, they are conveniently clustered in groupings. It was a bit misleading in discussing Guitar Planet because Guitar Planet is located in Ochanomizu ie. "Guitar street". There are so many stores clustered with that 4-5 block area. There are three ESP store within two blocks of each other on that street. So if you don't find it in one store go next door to another store. In Shibuya, you can find stores from the big four, Ishibashi, Ikebe, Kurosawa, shimamura all in the same neighborhood.
It is true that stores in Japan (and actually the majority of the world) do not have the GC play anything policy(assuming you can reach it). This point gets debated all the time about whether it is a good thing or not. It's obviosuly bad for tire kickers. One secondary reason why in Japan is that they like to store guitars tuned down to relieve tension. It''s uselesss to just pick up a guitar since it will need to be tuned. Most of stores in Japan have trained staff (not the random crew of pirates at GC). Sure some are not very good but there is an average level of competence that you don't find in most US chain stores. The ESP store staff have to attend ESP's Guitar Craft Academy for two years before they can even qualify to work at an ESP store.
Hey Ricky! Thanks for educating me on guitar stores in Tokyo. Unfortunately, at the time of filming I didn't know about certain stores and I would have checked them out. Especially the ESP store because that custom wood aspect is very unique.
@@Jabezrtpp
It's all good. Don't mind me. I have fallen deep into the Japanese guitar and music scene. Out of my 27 instruments, 21 are Japanese.
Guitar shopping in Tokyo can be very daunting. Last time I was there in 2019 and I spent 3/4 of a day and hit 6 stores. Finally bought the guitar at the last store, Miyaji Music south of Ochanomizu. You can find oddball stuff in Japan. There is one store in Tokyo that specializes in just Jazzmaster guitars. That's all they do.
The next time you go check out some factory stores like Combat Guitars' Arms Factory.
Bro u need to go to sweetwater next! I think it would be wayyyy better than guitar center
Hey Brook! I just searched for some photos and it looks really nice. I think I'd enjoy it also.
This video is so good
Thank you, I'm glad you like it!
Cool review 👍 Thanks for sharing.
Thank you and thanks for watching!
GIRLS BAND CRY MENTIONED
I’m all Sweetwater for everything, in fact I’m waiting on my new Bass, that would make it my 4th instrument among all kinds of others things I have bought, No ANNOYING sales people wanting to sell me warranty like GC does.
I want to visit their place in Indiana it looks fantastic
I’m not going to axe anybody about guitars. There might be strings attached. Somebody might pick a fight. It all might amplify the situation. I might not have a case.
6:14 bocchi mentioned??
the japanese guitars are very nice
Nice video bro
@@axgunner6060 thanks! I'm glad you liked it.
One regret I have is that I didn't buy an electric guitar when I went to japan last year 😂.. Alot of people I know said japan guitars are very good at quality. Well imma just buy next year
Go to Norman’s rare guitars it’s in California
And they have a bunch of vintage guitars
I've seen that online it looks amazing when I get the chance I'll check it out
Bruh i think it's right to ask before you test and play the guitar ✌️
Cool vid
thank you!
I don’t have a guitar center near me 😔
Awe that stinks. Do you have any local shops?
6:30 bit you know what else is massive?
LOOOOOOOOOW TAAAAAAPER FAAAAAAAAADE
NOOO! lol
damn he can play bocchi
First video !!!
Thanks for watching!
3:46 🥱😏
The first one that you go see what has musicians guitars and you saw the fender jaguar and that belongs to Kurt Cobain second is all the mustangs that Kurt Cobain have in the music video for smells like teen Spirit is one from the mustang it's a different mustang it's the 1969 fender blue mustang that cost 4.5 million back in 2022
Kurt Cobain mustang and his fender Jaguar 1:15
Interesting!
@@Jabezrtppalso if watch the teen Spirit music video
@@Jabezrtppand the Gibson SG I know one Gibson SG player that is Angus Young
W channel find
Welcome!
bro forgot about hard off :(
what's hard off?
St louis Bridgeton guitar center? 🤨📸📸
Haha that's the one!
the way my face lit up instantly when naoki started playing bocchi the rock is actually insane
Glad to to hear it! I wanted to try the black version but they were out of stock.
CHONN❤❤!!!!!! 4:21
Let's goo!!! I'm glad someone recognized it
ryan trahan if he was from the hood or sumthng
Why would you axe them?
Not funny
Whats the first song?
I don't know what song your talking about. Put a timestamp then I can tell you.
251 views in 8 hours on a 153k channel? Damn
This is his first full video and ppl subscribed for his shorts so they prolly just haven’t seen it on their feed lol
@ ohhhh that makes sense
doesnt play one guitar
I played during the rating. The video is just blurred a bit.
why not go to IKESHIBU
Unfortunately, I didn't know about it at the time.
Hey man if you have Amp and planning to throw it please give it to me
Sorry, I don't have any amps rn.
3:44 whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
what is something wrong???
Did I hear chon?
Sure did!
les gpooooooddeododo
I wish it was less same ol' same ol 'boring Amerian more crazy vintage Fujigen ,Matsumoku, stuff
Read between the lines, japan doesn't want kids that have no intentions of buying hanging around turning off paying customers, generally as soon as I play a guitar they never bother me because I spent enough time learning my craft and know how to respect an instrument and that reflects in my playing.
Try Longamquade, 100% better then This “Guitar Center”
When I get the chance I'll check it out!
Broooo you do have the freedom to play whatever you want in Japanese stores...consider the liability and everything, don't you want your guitar stores not to lose money????
Guitar stores are all the same with different people running, that's all.
It's totally why they run things like that in Japan.
FIRST EVER LONG ON VID THIS CHANEL
Lets goooo
Pro video
thank you!
Nice jabez pin me please 🥺
Guitar Center Sucks. It seems they are geared to people who know nothing about guitars and hirer only nose pickers and mouth breathers! I wouldn't buy DIK from Guitar Center!
Not appreciating bass slam
And I suppose you want subs
Nope
all just jokes, I respect bassist.
let's goooo,2nd comment
396 views, 11 hours, bro fell off HARD ☠🙏