Going to Japan, take a Ric for fun or profit?

nick_st_hilaire · Post by **nick_st_hilaire** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 4:00 pm

Hey All, I'm going to visit Japan in November. I'm curious if my 80's 360 might be worth enough in Japan to consider parting with it in hopes of finding a 330 WB or reissue at a later date stateside.

Thinking of bringing some other fun Americana stuff to trade, like old albums, Harley memoribilia, USDM Miata stuff. It's not a business venture, more for fun. Whatcha think?

Nick

octagon · Post by **octagon** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:50 am

I used to live there but I never sold any stuff there.I think you get a lot of japanese people coming here to buy stuff cheap to sell in their shops there.You might find some cool stuff there at flea markets(in Kyoto they have 2 every month)or sometimes you can even find tag sales.I went to a tag sale in the Fall of 1991 with a friend where he bought this Bass for 1000 yen($7.00):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/fuzztone65/japaneseMonkeesbass.jpg

The funny thing is that when my friend,who had just came over to visit me, flew back to his home in Minneapolis He met Mr Hall on the flight and showed him the bass.At least I think it was Mr Hall as my friend told me that the gentleman he showed the guitar to said that he was the CEO of Rickenbacker and told my friend that the bass was made in Japan in the 60s and marketed as a Monkees bass and that it was worth around $250(the japanese guy he bought it from said it was a "Monkees guitar" also).This is story as I heard it from my friend in 1991 so if the gentleman my friend met on that flight,was not you Mr Hall,please except my appology.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:55 am

Nick, take some American T-shirts, too...it doesn't matter what's on them either, as long as it's in English. I saw a kid in Indonesia proudly wearing a shirt that said "American Baseball"...

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:22 am

http://www.engrish.com

Be prepared to raugh!

lars · Post by **lars** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:39 am

That site is hilarious!

"Let's enjoy your life!"

octagon · Post by **octagon** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:49 am

One of my favorite things that I bought in Japan was a maroon sweatshirt with a heroldic crest emboidered on the front.There was a beautiful crown on the crest emblazend in gold.Over the crow was the word "Majestic" and under was banner which proclaimed "Clogging of the pores causes pimples".

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:19 am

When I was in Ishigaki, Okinawa, I saw a dive company named after a combination of the owner's two favorite marine creatures, the great white shark and moby dick.

Yup, you can figure out for yourself what he called his school, and put in huge letters on billboards, diving gear, and his boats!

shinynewtoy · Post by **shinynewtoy** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:53 am

I thought that was what they called the tourists?

nick_st_hilaire · Post by **nick_st_hilaire** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:56 pm

I love the Engrish.com site. I'm headed to Osaka Nov. 8th and then on to Kyoto and Kobe.

To think in my previous travels to central america and Europe I assumed the American T-shirts were simply cast offs and some humorous but well intentioned church missionary's goodwill donation........

Think I ought to leave the Ric at home and simply go shopping for my favorite "Tiesco Del Ray?"

octagon · Post by **octagon** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 1:14 pm

There are 2 flea markets in Kyoto every month.One is at Toji Temple near the Kyoto train station,The in at the Kitano shrine in the north part of Kyoto.Buy the magazine Kansai Time-Out and it will give you the dates for the flea markets and other good info on what is happening in Kyoto and Osaka plus classifieds.You are really lucky to be going there.My son just came back from there last week.He bought me the new Shonen Knife CD!

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 1:42 pm

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... that site is a riot!

I lived in Japan in '83 and collected a list of funny signs and stuff. Unfortunately the list was lost a long time ago.

But consider this... the Japanese (and others) also know that us 'gaigen' (sp?) are on the lookout for funny Engrish stuff. I used to go to Taipei a couple of times a year and would find t-shirts and sweatshirts with INTENTIONALLY messed up English on them (as I was told by the local guys I was with) that were aimed at the unsuspecting tourist market. Payback is a *****, eh? But I bought some anyway.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 2:08 pm

There used to be a Korean bar in Honolulu call "My Big Dong"

polly_mathis · Post by **polly_mathis** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 3:08 pm

I'm not sure whether you'd get enough for your '80s 360 to justify the ordeal of bringing it over on the plane, but who knows...
I bought my '94 360 MG, dead mint, from one of the larger music shops in Osaka for about 100,000 yen, roughly US $1100 (?), back in January. Isn't that about what they're fetching stateside these days?
Do pick up a Kansai Time Out, they're great. For some reason I've been finding them lately for free at Tin's Hall in Tennoji (http://www.tins-hall.com). Tin's is a great place to visit when in Osaka, fabulous cheeseburgers and better-than-halfway-decent live music on Thursdays (acoustic) and Saturdays. Enjoy your stay in Kansai!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 5:32 pm

...with the Potato Farmers!

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:56 am

I think you'd do better to find some Ricks over there and sell them here! Didn't they get a special 4003 with CB binding?