Going to be visiting Tokyo and other places in Japan later in the year.
The wife doesn’t know it yet but I’ll be going there with a suitcase that’s nearly empty so I can fill it full of electronics for coming home with
It’s a Sony camera I have so some lenses may be purchased but I can also see myself going crazy if I can find any good new/used synth shops.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Used equipment is/was almost valuless in Japan (they usually just throw old stuff away) owing to the small living spaces and lack of storage availability. That said, there are shops for used goods, just very, very few.
When I was there, I was looking for vintage sci-fi toys from the 70s and 80s and having zero luck. After 10 days, on the very last night, 15 minutes before they closed for the evening, I found a comic book and used toy shop that had nearly everything I was looking for, but I had so little time to decide what to buy. Prices seemed very reasonable for things I could not buy at home for any price (this was before ebay), so IF you find the place you are looking for, you may be surprised at how reasonable the prices are compared to the rest of Japans prices.
For example, new CDs that cost $15 in NY at that time cost $40-$60 in Japan. Similar stories with lots (but not all) items. Used goods, like I say, don’t hold their value in Japan, even rare and hard to find items, so you may get very lucky.
Last thought, things are always changing, so Japan may have a thriving used goods market that didn’t exist when I was there. Let us know when you return.
Hello!
Let me smack this up with a little glitter!
I hope you are ready for a good sprinkling! There are some awesome shops here! I could easily plan your entire day. I know, I have done it frequently
First, catch a train to Harajuku and go straight to Five G Music (however you could stop at Omotesando Hills Station and walk the famous Gucci, Bvlgari etc packed fashion road to the Harajuku Station. It might help ease the synth purchase that will occur and sway your wife into a favourable mindset.)
After that you can walk to Echigoya Music and enjoy vintage and new immersion of the used variety.
The great thing about Japan like the afore poster mentioned is that people seem to throw great things out and into used shops, namely Hard-Off (makes me laugh every time I say it).
I’ve picked up half of my equipment there!
Then, the other option is to meet up with me and let me show you. It would take the stress out of not knowing where the f*ck you are etc. I don’t work weekends and I’ll happily visit those shops anytime. Maybe my wife can come along and then the women can “do coffee” or whatever it is that they mysteriously enjoy.
I’m 32 by the way and I’m really cool. Haha. Hanywayz…
Meanwhile my fellow I will leave you with this jolly thread.
Why am I speaking silly today? Maybe because I know I am excited to fire up the gear for the day and JAM! Roland System 1m included!:):):)