I'v just ordered a jackson stars

[TheSteveMan]

hard case for me

I'm still waiting for my guitar...
I'll probably get a hard case for it. When I asked Noriko at ishibashi about it, she said it would be like 18,000 yen and they have to custom-build the case for the kelly star, which takes a couple months. I'll just sit tight and get the case later in the year though.


I have yet to see one of those seven-stringers in the shop but if I do see one, you can be sure I'm gonna pick it up and play it!
OK gotta go browse the ishibashi u-box for used amps, and tomorrow before I have to go to my class meeting/trip thing, I might drop by the yokohama shop and see if they have any practice amps I like..

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: hard case for me

Hey The Steven man, how is the weather over there?

[TheSteveMan]

Re: hard case for me

well the first couple days I was here it was pretty warm outside, and it's slightly muggy.. that was not to my advantage, as I have to do about a hundred times more walking than I'm used to.. it's a mile to the train station from here, and if I go to school it's a little under a half a mile to get to the school from the station I have to get to.. needless to say it's not hard to break a sweat!
Yesterday and today, it's been raining a little which is a nice treat for me [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
I've been hearing talk of earthquake stuff too.. I guess that's not really "weather," but they say Tokyo is overdue for a massive quake. I've heard rumors about it, which I tend to disregard, and I've read a report that suggests the chance of a quake above 7.0 magnitude within the next 50 years is 90%. I guess they said within the next 10 years it's 30% and the next 30 years it's 50% or something like that. But some of the talk you might hear around here is that a large quake is supposed to come around Tokyo every 40 to 60 years, and the last one was in 1923 so they're just sitting and waiting for it now.
I guess there are typically also small tremors once every few week, too.
Overall I'm not really worried about all that stuff, I just enjoy being in Japan, sometimes "**** happens" or whatever. It's not like anything can be done about it so the best way to go about it is to continue doing what I'm doing every day and just enjoy it.

Anyway, back to the actual weather, I hope it stays nice and cool, I like being able to wear my sweatshirt and be comfortable/not sweat too much. The fall weather is a little late I guess because it's not supposed to be so warm around this time.

Oh yeah, as for the amp! I noticed Ishibashi has that little 15 watt vox valvetronix practice amp type thing for 16,000 yen which is like 120 or 130 bucks! Musician's friend sells it in the US for 179. Didn't think I'd see something like that at a lower price in Japan than in the US! I might have to go for it if the Yokohama shop has it in stock

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: hard case for me

That sounds cool.
Not too worry about a quake.
It happens all the time there.
Some quakes of magnitude 3-5 are often and Mt.Asama has been very active lately.
So that makes people to wonder what's next.
Maybe Godzilla is on the way.
[img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Where in Tokyo do you live?
I used to live in Itabashi and work in Ichigaya.
When you have a chance, go to visit "Airs Music Video" in Nishi-Shinjuku.
Killer Bootleg store and I could stay there all day long just watching videos.

[TheSteveMan]

Re: hard case for me

Well I live in Yokohama but I can ride the train to Shibuya, Harajuku or Shinjuku any time I want because my train pass (1-month this time, but next time I'll probably get a 6-month one) is Toyokosen from Yokohama to Shibuya, then Yamanote up to Takadanobaba, then Seibu Shinjuku line to Nakai station near where I go to school.
I'll be sure to check out that place!
Back to the weather.. it's weird. Yesterday and today were thick overcast with a few clear spots and some sprinkles or drizzle now and then.. but warm. It's like in the upper 70s farenheit! I've had my room window open for a few days and it doesn't get cold overnight really. I made the mistake of throwing on jeans when I went to Ishibashi this morning but it was a bit warm for that, especially lugging the amp I got up the hill to the apartment, grrr!

[Zero Signal]

7 strings

You know it looks like they made the 7 string headstocks smaller than the US models, which looks much better. Am I seeing things or are they smaller?

There's not a lot of material around that B string but the overall headstock looks more proportional than the US versions. Looks much better.

[Newc]

Re: 7 strings

I got a JacksonStars NASL-160 from an acquaintance in Tokyo a couple of years ago - Antique Cherry Burst, rosewood, binding, special inlays, Schaller trem, gold hardware - same one that's on the Ikebe site (1st page). Got a hard case for $100 more, and shipped to the US for another $120 or so. Altogether it cost me $950.
It's definitely one of my favorite guitars.
It's surprising to see they're still selling for close to what I paid, though.
Check out the 3rd page - there's a Hot Rod Flame Dinky with Flame inlays [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

http://www.ikebe-gakki.com/shopping_...start_index=24

Newc

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: hard case for me

[ QUOTE ]
Well I live in Yokohama but I can ride the train to Shibuya, Harajuku or Shinjuku any time I want because my train pass (1-month this time, but next time I'll probably get a 6-month one) is Toyokosen from Yokohama to Shibuya, then Yamanote up to Takadanobaba, then Seibu Shinjuku line to Nakai station near where I go to school.
I'll be sure to check out that place!
Back to the weather.. it's weird. Yesterday and today were thick overcast with a few clear spots and some sprinkles or drizzle now and then.. but warm. It's like in the upper 70s farenheit! I've had my room window open for a few days and it doesn't get cold overnight really. I made the mistake of throwing on jeans when I went to Ishibashi this morning but it was a bit warm for that, especially lugging the amp I got up the hill to the apartment, grrr!

[/ QUOTE ]

Very cool!
Why you live in Yokohama when your school is in Nakai?
That's like 1hour and half one way trip.
[img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[TheSteveMan]

Re: hard case for me

I live in Yokohama because a friend lives here and has extra space in her apartment and said I could stay here, which is quite cheap for me.
The alternative was the dorm company that the school has a deal with, and they wanted like 1200 bucks deposit (and I'd only get 250 of it back at the end of the year) and a lot of money for rent... so it's cheaper this way.
Yeah the commute is a bit long. 20 minutes to Yokohama station by foot, about an hour to Nakai station (a tad longer early in the morning because the train stays at each stop a little longer to stuff people in), and then about 8 minutes to the school from Nakai station. I really don't mind it at all, and since all of my school days start at either 10:40 am or 1 pm, it's not gonna be too bad!

By the way.. on the amp, I went for a new Roland Cube 30. Pretty nice little box for the price! The prices on these things puzzle me.. I was looking at the 15 and 30 watt Vox valvetronix things, and they're actually cheaper here by a little... and the roland ones are roughly the same price as in the US. Nice!

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: hard case for me

That's cool!
Living expenses in Japan is real high so you gotta save some.
What school are you going to?
Teaching English?

[TheSteveMan]

Re: hard case for me

I'm going to Mejiro University in Nakaochiai. About 8 minutes from Nakai station, a little bit of an uphill thing but not bad.
I might teach English a little on the side to make a few bucks but I don't know yet.
Actually I really, really, REALLY want to stay here for good. It's such an awesome place I just don't want to go back to Medford.. that's how I've felt every time I've been to Japan. This is my first time in Tokyo and I REALLY love it...

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: hard case for me

You should look for a cute Japanese girl and get married with her.
That will even make it much easier for you to stay there and live.
Plus you will get to learn Japanese too.
You will also never have problem getting U.S. products there.
It's a great country.
[img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[TheSteveMan]

Re: hard case for me

LOL good idea! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
But I guess I'm a little young to be getting married, or something... Also since I don't have a stable job (or ANY job at the moment for that matter), don't have any professional skills, don't have much of a future, and am starting to really not give a crap about school, I'm not exactly the guy women are lining up to marry [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[VanOsbourne]

Re: hard case for me

I just want to go to Japan so I can be tall for once.

[TheSteveMan]

Re: hard case for me

Ah that's kind of just a stereotype...
yeah the ratios here are different, there are a lot of pretty short people here but there are tall people too haha.