NGD - Returned from my Japan trip

stratjacket

Well-known member
Got home late last night from Japan, what an exhausting trip...26 hours from our hotel in Yokohama to my door step in Atlanta.

Anyway, I had 2 full days (Sunday and Monday) completely by myself. I had cash in hand, a JR Train pass and a list of stores and guitars I'd mapped out from Digimart. Spent all my time between Shinjuku, Shibuya and Ochanomizu (aka Guitar street). As with everything else, Japan is not cheap, but the selection of guitars were amazing. First time I'd ever seen stores with sections of Mayones, Caparison, Overload and Rhea guitars and some I'd never heard of. There were deals to be had though. Used Ibanez J-Customs seem to be overall cheaper than in the US. Also, I was looking for things I could not buy (or hard to find) in the US.

I ended up with the Ibanez J-Custom 8540ZD pictured below. The build quality on this guitar is grade A top notch, just well built and great attention to detail. The model was discontinued in 2017, this guitar is a 2012 year in near mint condition. All original with Mahogany body and one the HSS pickups. Also comes with a Seymour Duncan TB-14 Custom5 in the bridge which has recently become one of my favorite pickups.

I was SOOO close to a few different guitars includes a couple of different Mayones and a few ESP's, but in the end, this guitar was just too good to pass up, especially when the only 8540 model's I could find were way more costly than I paid.

One important note: Although in the US you can bring a guitar as a carry-on item on an airplane, they do NOT allow it in Japan. So I was forced to check the guitar in as luggage. The Japanese lady did put big Delta Fragile stickers all over it and it went through the oversized luggage instead of the regular luggage, not sure if that means it's stored any different. The guitar came through fine, but I was worried.

Pics:
ibanez8540zd-01-sm.jpg

ibanez8540zd-02-sm.jpg

ibanez8540zd-03-sm.jpg
 
awesome guitar man, congrats!! I have had a few J Customs and they are great guitars, as good as anything out there. I always try to find one without the tree of life. Rick Graham has a really cool J Custom, seen that one?
 
mooncobra":2n4jlnmk said:
awesome guitar man, congrats!! I have had a few J Customs and they are great guitars, as good as anything out there. I always try to find one without the tree of life. Rick Graham has a really cool J Custom, seen that one?

Thanks. I looked up the Rick Graham j-custom does look cool and that is cool. I saw a few J-Customs that had offset dot markers, none with dots up the middle part.
I've wanted a Jem for a long time with the tree of life inlays, but it was always hard to justify it when I got right down to it because I already have an Ibanez PGM301 that has similar specs and is hardtail. Plus I've had many Ibanez guitars with basswood. So this one fit perfect, mahogany body and tree of life inlays. And this particular model seems kind of rare.
 
I had a J-Custom 8427VV back in the day and man the quality and craftsmanship on those is something else. Absolutely amazing the difference between that and even a Prestige. Congrats on the NGD man, enjoy that one!
 
That is a beauty! Those were one of my favorite J Customs that I have owned in the past. I had a 2017 unit.

Keep a close eye on the wenge strips in the back between the maple. They are very thin. Mine had seperated in one small area and a piece of it fell out. They have now changed those to a thicker strip on the new ones now. I am not sure if they are using the KTS bars in the necks anymore.

Very cool guitar to have and enjoy!
 
That guitar is gorgeous man! Congrats!

Yeah, I was stationed in Korea in 89-90 and the flight back kicked my ass. I had to wear my uniform too because that is how you had to travel back then. I went from Osan to Japan and then we got off the plane for 2 hours. Went to Alaska and got off the plane for about an hour, then San Francisco and got off the plane for another hour or so. Then went to St. Louis and stayed overnight. Next day, got on another plane and went to Pittsburgh. My ass was kicked.
 
Nice guitar! I travel to Japan once or twice a year...you're right, the prices really aren't any different, but crazy how the music stores in the AEON mall have the high end stuff like Mayoness, Caparison, Strandberg, and ESP. Bummer to ship as baggage, but i bet the ladies behind the Delta counter were super nice. They always are so courteous and professional. Sucks returning to the rude people in the US airports.
 
Apex1Rg7X":wiuefs2i said:
I had a J-Custom 8427VV back in the day and man the quality and craftsmanship on those is something else. Absolutely amazing the difference between that and even a Prestige. Congrats on the NGD man, enjoy that one!
Thanks man, there really is a difference, maybe it’s in my head but it just feels good to play.


PBGas":wiuefs2i said:
That is a beauty! Those were one of my favorite J Customs that I have owned in the past. I had a 2017 unit.

Keep a close eye on the wenge strips in the back between the maple. They are very thin. Mine had seperated in one small area and a piece of it fell out. They have now changed those to a thicker strip on the new ones now. I am not sure if they are using the KTS bars in the necks anymore.

Very cool guitar to have and enjoy!
Yikes that’s scary, I never heard that before. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.


romanianreaper":wiuefs2i said:
That guitar is gorgeous man! Congrats!

Yeah, I was stationed in Korea in 89-90 and the flight back kicked my ass. I had to wear my uniform too because that is how you had to travel back then. I went from Osan to Japan and then we got off the plane for 2 hours. Went to Alaska and got off the plane for about an hour, then San Francisco and got off the plane for another hour or so. Then went to St. Louis and stayed overnight. Next day, got on another plane and went to Pittsburgh. My ass was kicked.

Damn that sounds rough. Our trip there was nonstop, so it wasn’t so bad. But the way back we had to hit Detroit first, then Atlanta. It just seemed like everything went wrong the whole way. Even our train ride to Narita airport was 20 minutes delayed which almost never happens in Japan...litany of issues the whole way.


MisterBulbous":wiuefs2i said:
Nice guitar! I travel to Japan once or twice a year...you're right, the prices really aren't any different, but crazy how the music stores in the AEON mall have the high end stuff like Mayoness, Caparison, Strandberg, and ESP. Bummer to ship as baggage, but i bet the ladies behind the Delta counter were super nice. They always are so courteous and professional. Sucks returning to the rude people in the US airports.
You’re right on the customer service bit, the JN lady and everyone at Narita airport was courteous and respectful, understanding they are there to help people. Totally different from the people we encountered in Detroit and Atlanta airports that didn’t seem to give two shits about anything.



Thanks everyone for the nice comments.
 
Nice dude! :rock: I'm flying to Tokyo tomorrow for 6 nights then Osaka for 4, hoping to find an old (1976) Korina Ibanez Destoyer. The ones that actually looked exactly like an explorer before they had to change them or a baritone Gibson LP studio if possible... was gonna try to hit up all the used guitar shops and hard off stores as I can.
 
That's so cool! I've never owned a J-Custom before, but I'm a huge fan of the RG shape. Maybe some day.
Need a quick demo of that thing in action.
 
errrrrl":301qm3dr said:
Nice dude! :rock: I'm flying to Tokyo tomorrow for 6 nights then Osaka for 4, hoping to find an old (1976) Korina Ibanez Destoyer. The ones that actually looked exactly like an explorer before they had to change them or a baritone Gibson LP studio if possible... was gonna try to hit up all the used guitar shops and hard off stores as I can.

That's awesome. I seem to remember a few destroyer type guitars at Guitar Planet in Ochanomizu.
 
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