[sneakypete]

Koichi at Ishibashi is a very good English speaker.
I own 4 of the Duncan Edwards...they`ve been making guitars for a long time but the line featuring the Duncan p`ups is only a few years old. I have a LP jr, one of their strats and 2 of the Les Paul models. Only the jr. was not purchased used and even then it was a going out of business sale so it was cheap. It features the bearly finished...finish, single dog ear p-90 and light as a feather.
The two LPs I have are slightly different...one is from the earlier run with the glossy finish and has a two piece body. The later version is matte finish and has a one piece body. Used is the best way to go for these, you can get em for less than half the retail price...when you can get em `cause there are a lot of buyers outside Japan going for them now...I`m lucky I live in a smaller city with less competition and evidently the Japanese players haven`t caught on to the Edwards yet.
Speaking strickty for myself...I bought the Edwards not because I can`t afford a Gibson...I had a Standard but got rid of it after getting my Ornettes, but thats another story... I got my Edwatds `cause I like them, they play great, sound the same and are up to snuff as far as quality and workmanship goes...what more could a guy ask for... excluding the bragging rights that go along with the name on the headstock. I`m down to my final Gibson...the Chet SST and it ain`t going anywhere soon... but the Duncan Edwards have nothing to be ashamed of. I have no idea how they can turn a profit on these...maybe because they have a figured maple veneer over the cap? Only use one screw on the truss rod cover? Not sure...but I do know, when I see the Duncan Edwards used I give them a real good look see...and I`m searching for a tele now to go with the others I have. I don`t think guys are buying the Edwards as a compromise to Gibson, they are buying them because they are well made guitars.

 

[sneakypete]

I`ve sent several guitars from Japan to Montreal using insured postal service. So far...no problems, damage or additional charges. I write them up as gifts...`cause they are... and send them air mail. Takes about a week door to door.
My brother in law and nephew are playing those guitars now.

 

[sneakypete]

as I said there were no additional charges...they paid nothing.
The finish on the guitar your looking for is the barely finished like on my junior... I like it a lot. Ishibashi may not have the guitar on their web site but that doesn`t mean they can`t get it...mail Koichin and ask him.

 

[sneakypete]

well I`m not a shop just a guy sending guitars to my family in Canada so I can write them up as gifts like I said earlier. Stores like Ishibashi ship a lot of guitars overseas and they may not be allowed to send them as gifts because they ain`t...mine are. So I suggest you get one of your family members or friends to come to Japan...Canadians get a 90 day tourist visa when entering the country... buy some guitars and send em to ya. And they may need all of those 90 days `cause there are a lot of shops to see.