Safe buying guitars on eBay from Japan?

dellartehommage2005 · July 2022

I've seen many guitars being sold on eBay for cheaper prices than anywhere else. Not dirt cheap but just much better prices. These sellers are always from Japan.

Are these just knockoffs? The sellers always have good ratings but it seems too good to be true.

mac63000 · July 2022

This might not be the most helpful, but it probably depends on the guitar and seller. I had a good experience buying a guitar from Japan via eBay several years ago. I would recommend trying to reach out to the seller and get more specific information/pics on the guitar you're interested in before pulling the trigger.

Editing to add that buying through eBay and using PayPal often adds a bit extra protection in case of fake items or something getting lost in shipping. PayPal has been handy in resolving issues for me when I ordered something that never arrived or when it wasn't in the condition described in the post.

pdg · July 2022

Be sure to factor in shipping costs and U.S. customs duties, as well as the difficulty and cost of returning an item overseas, if you need to.

ChrisMartin · July 2022

I am not saying it applies to all but there are several 'dealers' in Japan who seem to sell items they do not have in stock or advertise something they know they can buy somewhere else. Not sure how this started but it is a common complaint if you read enough feedback complaints on Japanese ebay sellers.