Job Discussion Forums

notallwhowander · Joined: 18 Apr 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Austin, TX

how practical is it to bring my guitar with me? pending a smooth visa process, I am expecting to leave for japan for a position with ECC in the kinki region late september. would it be easier to buy a used one instead? i am a minimalist packer and don't anticipate taking alot of extra stuff. anyone taken their guitar over there? thanks!

thelmadatter · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:31 pm Post subject: take it

If its important to you --- take it!

rlgordon · Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

I have been wondering the same thing. I think I am going to take it. Kinda funny that we both had the same problem and we're both from Austin.

frigginhippie · Joined: 13 Mar 2004 Posts: 188 Location: over here

I don't see why, it's only a burden for your 12hr flight. I took mine. Sometimes you just gotta play.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 7:35 pm Post subject:

But sometimes you just gotta travel. And if you're way attached to the guitar, next trip, onwards, you'll have to take it. And it could be a burden for long past the flight. No cheap hostels if you've got an expensive guitar, no sleeping out when you couldn't find a place, no getting drunk and playing it on the beach. (cause you'll get robbed)

So before you take it, I'd think about a few things. How much is it worth? How much is it worth to you? and how much would a cheaper, "play on the way" model cost at your destination?

Good luck, and keep playin,

Justin

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

does expatben have a song about this? Wink

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

expatben · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 9:05 pm Post subject:

Actually I DO have a song but I felt it would show a lack of sympathy and offend.

nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

I'd say bring it along.

I've been trying to find a decent guitar in my neck of the woods and it's almost impossible, especially for a classical one. True, they're cheap enough around and I can get a brand new P.O.S for less than $20... but I want quality.

rlgordon · Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

I decided against bringing my guitar, and I think the decision was a good one. I found a shop here in Shijiazhuang which sells Sigma guitars (Martin guitars made in Korea). The crappy guitars are only a few hundred kuai. The Sigmas go for like 1500-2000 kuai, which is pretty cheap for a decent guitar. I had to buy an allen wrench to fix the action, but now it sounds pretty good. Most importantly, bring strings. The strings here are crap, and I have only managed to find one pack of old Fenders. No Martin or EJ16 strings here.

An added bonus of guitar shopping here is getting to feel like a rockstar as people ask you to sing song after song.