The EASY way to buy a Guitar from Japan
Use coupon “TheGuitarGeek” to get free service https://sendico.com/referral/TheGuitarGeek
Buying a guitar from Japan sounds cool until you hit the import paperwork and currency conversions. That’s where Sendico steps in – and where this video gets interesting.
In this review I’m not judging the guitar itself, but how it got here. Sendico is a Japanese proxy shopping service that makes importing guitars from Japan far less painful. I’ll show you how the process works, how well the guitar was packed, the costs, the quirks, and whether it all arrives in one piece. Spoiler: it did, and it’s glorious.
From unboxing to comparing listing photos with reality, plugging it in, and putting it through fuzz, this video covers the full experience. I also walk through how to buy from Sendico step-by-step, including fees, content checks, shipping tips, and the limits you need to know before you order that dream Fender Japan, Gibson, or obscure vintage oddity.
Recorded with a Lewitt 440DM through the Orange PPC212 with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers and combined with a Celestion 212 setting on a Captor X for the most accurate representation of what i heard in the room.
Other Gear used in this video
Fender Deluxe Reverb ???? :
EU (Thomann) – https://thmn.to/thoprod/132510?offid=1&affid=288
US (Sweetwater) – https://imp.i114863.net/4eXd2L
UK (Andertons) – https://bit.ly/3FthJe6
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DISCLAIMERS
Some of the links in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase gear through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
All opinions shared in this video are my own and were not reviewed or influenced by any outside parties.
My Recording Gear
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00:00 – Intro: Sendico Guitar Buying Review
01:11 – Unboxing & Packaging Quality
04:41 – Listing Photos vs Real Arrival
05:32 – Browsing Sendico: Japan-Only Deals & Auctions
08:17 – Plug-in Test, Controls, First Sounds
10:25 – Overdrive Demo with Boss SD-1
12:41 – How to Buy from Sendico Step-by-Step
15:54 – Fuzz Demo: All Pickups in Action
16:48 – Shipping, Import, and Weight Limit Tips
18:04 – Verdict: Sendico Proxy Buying Experience
19:50 – Which Japanese Guitar Next?
#TheGuitarGeek #sendico #japaneseguitars
#EASY #buy #Guitar #Japan
Originally posted by UCI5i6aBbINMIEkYW3b6olHg at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ksfUTyCTi4
Thinking of buying a guitar from Japan? I used Sendico to get mine safely from Tokyo to Austria, and it was far easier than expected. Watch the full video for the unboxing, process, and tips – and use coupon "TheGuitarGeek" to get free service https://sendico.com/referral/TheGuitarGeek
I visit Japan often (family) and have brought a Yamaha acoustic guitar back with me one time. I love Japanese guitars as well
You could play Shadows' riffs on that all day long.
Never mind Japan.. You need to tell them how frickin' expensive the import tax charges are. More expensive that the actual guitar itself!!!
I bought 2 guitars, few months apart from Ishibashi 15 years ago, their service was excellent, guitars were safely packed and arrived in UK in 5 days, picked up and paid custom tax at local post office depot.
I feel like this is the MOST 60 Cycle Hum coded guitar ever. You should let him play with it!
This is such a great video! I just found this in my Google News feed and I clicked on it right away. This is such a beautiful guitar, considering it's age. I certainly wouldn't mind owning one myself.????
I'm curious about something- have you ever owned or played a Princeton or Univox UC3 ? How does it compare to this Teisco? I've got the Princeton version of the UC3 in white finish with tri laminate black pickguard that is unplayable, unfortunately, due to a broken truss rod. I've considered replacing the neck with a Strat style with a Gibson scale length (same as on the UC3) but I'm also considering a baritone 30" scale neck as well as installing a Bigsby type vibrato bridge made by Guyker and finally completely refinish the guitar in a Fender style Lake Placid Blue type color. But I'm unsure whether to change the instrument's scale length to a baritone or keep the Gibson scale at 24.75.
What do you suggest Andy? Any advice would be much appreciated! ????
I am also subscribe to your channel! Thanks so much! ????????
What the absolute f**k? This website is an absolute GOLDMINE! I think I'm going to spend a day's worth of time browsing now (and a month's worth of money buying all kinds of musical equipment).
Oooo… It's a beauty!!!!!!
Thanks for the info. I have 2 Japanese Fenders, a pink paisley Jazzmaster and an ST 62 Strat. I play the Strat everyday. It was made for smaller Japanese hands and is perfect for me ????. I’ve been thinking about a Japanese Hybrid Strat. ????☮️????????????⭐️
ANDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY HELLO FROM MINOT
I found a lovely, yellow Ibanez gig bag sold by Rakuten on there. Am I crazy for having gig bag GAS?
How did I miss that Andy is a weeb?
That is a cool purchase. Thanks for letting us know about this site. I will be sure to check them out. BTW JPY500 = USD3.90, so your EUR amount is about right. I wound what that fee covers?
That is a sick looking guitar
I might finally pull the plug now on a Mosrite Ventures! Thanks.
The first electric guitar I ever owned was a green burst Teisco sharkfin K4L (the one with 4 pickups) that I bought new at Sears in the mid 60s (so of course it had the Silvertone badge). Unfortunately it was stolen a few years after I bought it, but about 2 years ago I finally found a green burst K4L and bought it from Japan. It's only in fair condition, but hey – it's 60 years old.
Can confirm that is a fairly accurate yen conversion.
The Yen is pretty weak at the moment.
I went there this summer and it generally felt like my number went quite far once I was there.
Since the currency is weak you might as well buy more guitars ????
Love the "zero" fret and German carve bevel. Reminds me of the Fullerton Mosrite copy I had. Very groovy.
What about import tax and VAT?
I've been searching for an Ibanez ART-300 BBC (Blackberry Caiman) for many years. If anyone every trips across one or knows of even more sites that cater to used gear, I'd love the help. Couldn't find it on Sendico, either, but still a cool site.
I'm seeing a lot of nice gibsons on ebay in Japan, but I'm terrified of the import tax. Does anyone know the damages?
Also, buying synths and keyboards from Japan can work out very well. No need for power inverter in the USA. Japan's 100V standard is a minimal change from North America's 110-120 volts. My dirt cheap japanese 100V Korg SV2 and vintage Roland JX-3P work just fine here in Nebraska.
My Credit Card company thanks you for telling me about this Sendico racket.
Gorgeous Teisco. I have been a Japanese guitar geek for 25+ years and have owned Teiscos, Silvertones, Alvarez and Yamahas. That exact model you have just purchased has been on my radar since I was about 19 years old. It is stunning. Those square pole-piece pickups are my absolute favorite sounding rock and roll pick ups. Had them on my beautiful Silvertone hollow body on which I recorded dozens of brilliant guitar parts over the years.
How is this different from buying on ebay?
That's a pretty useful thing to know, thank you for sharing it with us, Andy! ????Until now I did not know this site, but I bookmarked their page, and will follow from time to time for sure… ☺
And I fully share your feelings about Japan. besides, as a happy owner of a Limited Edition Fujigen guitar (and not only due this), I can tell to anyone, that some Japanese-made instruments have a quality not even a known Global brand's custom shop can surpass. ???? So yeah… I can suggest anyone to look around even the used japanese instrument market, cause One could find true treasures. ????
Congratulations to your new "guitar buddy" as well! Have a good health & a lot of fun playing it! ????
60 cycle hum would love this guitar he would be playing surf guitar riffs all-day lol
Would you mind removing the Rising Sun Flag image from the thumbnail background? I feel it could be seen as inappropriate — perhaps similar to using a Hakenkreuz in the background while introducing a German guitar. I love that Teisco guitar by the way.
+ Thanks for changing the background image!
Never fell for that Japanese made BS 3 luthiers told me it's a myth that got out of control..I'm a Fender and EPIPHONE Man and my Fenders 5 of them are MIM and MIA Fenders all I'll buy and play
it looks like one of the guitars james iha played
***Holy shit i think thats very similar to the one he used in the video for "Rocket"!
In your house a few weeks without opening it, how the hell did you do that? there’s no way I could have left it unopened.
Service fees of three,say goodbye to thee as I order my guitars to be. Direct from Japan to me!
Thank you for this video. What about the VAT and import tax ? Is there any difference between sendico and for example, eBay?
Looks like the international market for Japanese guitars is somewhat robust. Guitar sales in Japan are down overall. Hence this push to sell internationally…
Cheezz, thats a beaty! This might be an expensive video…
As a 1960s guitar it has a very groovy headstock!
Yep, your conversion from yen to euros was correct ……. now that is mad, in a good way!
Fantastic sounding guitar!
I bought a Fender Hybrid II Telecaster recently. I have to say I love this guitar! I am an American living in SE Asia and listings here are so bad lol 90% are absolutely fake with counterfeit guitars. So i Traveled to Tokyo and fell in love with this Tele, so much so that I bought a flight case on Amazon with an extra 125 bucks for customs 500 usd total!! I have never even considered spending that for a case but I had to, because if something happened to this Tele while I'm traveling, I would never forgive myself. The guitar culture in Japan is absolutely amazing!!! I road the rails around and was amazed at how many people were carrying guitars!!! It was my first trip to Japan but it wont be my last =)
Also love the headstock. ErnieBall / Music Man are seriously taking the P*** trademarking the 4×2 tuner pattern when this clearly pre dates anything they made.
Great guitar Andy.
And Japan is easy and amazing – we have friends there and have spent many happy weeks travelling.
Wait, what? A guitar from the 60s that has a spokewheel truss rod adjustment?!
I thought that was a more recent development.
Congrats, Andy!
Glen Campbell played the hell out of one of those in the ‘60’s
Hello, From The States (USA) I love Japanese Made Electric Guitars ???????????? That's a Sweet Looking Guitar!!! Thanks For Sharing ???????????????????????? ✌️