Luthier in Tokyo?

hogues · #1 08-02-2009, 02:50 AM

Just got in to Tokyo this past weekend from Boston... brought my Czech-Ease along for the ride in the gage flight case. TSA people were great, let me help them with the inspection and make sure it was put back in the case properly. Still a scary feeling to see it descend the conveyer belt in to darkness... After a tense wait at the baggage carousel in Narita I was pleased to find out things looked great, and it was even in tune!

Later that night, get to my mother in law's place, unpack it and notice the bridge was -just- a little off in respect to angle and location... loosen the strings to adjust it and CLUNK there goes my soundpost. After 30 seconds of considering whether to rig up something with a coathanger and knife I decide to find a pro and get the bass the checkup and tuneup it probably needs anyways. I check google and talkbass and realize this might be harder than I think...

Anyone know a good bass luthier in the Tokyo/Yokohama area? Preferably one with patience for a first-year Japanese student or a little english under their belt?

Rvl · #2 08-02-2009, 04:53 AM

Hashimoto is good at repairs(probably cant do it right away)
There is also a shop near Shin Okubo station(cant remember the name)
But probably your best bet is the Kurosawa chain. One of their shops has a contrabass repair person.

Remember that its the beginning of the Obon holidays nextweek and alot of shops will be closed for 7-14 days

Good luck and if you get a chance to travel up north , i want to try your Czech Eaze (maybe buy it from you) I`ll be in Sendai for Obon but live in Aomori

In Japan your bass is called a "kontorabasu" contrabass or woodbass

Thanks

Robert vanLane

http://www.a-hashimoto.com/
http://www.kurosawagakki.com/

Brent Nussey · #3 08-02-2009, 06:57 AM

Take it to Yamamoto Bass Shop. It's in Shin-okubo.

http://www.yamamoto-bass.com/index.html

Talk to Kimoto-san, he's great, patient at explaining things, and will do expert setup and repair. Never too soon to get to know a good luthier. Their O-bon holidays are the 12-19. It's a terribly busy time of year, lots of repairs right after the rainy season, but I bet they could do a quickie setup before going on holiday. But you'll want to make an appointment, I think. If you think language will be a problem, I'll ring them for you and see what's up....

I have experience with several shops here in town, and have seen the work of most all of them. I will only use Kimoto.

Brent

Rvl · #4 08-02-2009, 07:33 AM

Brent have you tried Hashimoto? Just curious , might start sending to Kimoto-san if he is better. I visited Kimoto-san's shop 18 years ago , and was surprised by the upstairs room full of beautiful basses. I really want to get down to Tokyo and try out some of his basses.

Thanks

Robert VanLane

Brent Nussey · #5 08-02-2009, 08:24 AM

Hey Robert.

Reading my own post back, I realize it kind of seems like I was criticizing your recommendation. I didn't really mean it that way. I do think that the Yamamoto shop is in a bit different class than the other places in town. All the classical guys go there. Hashimoto is the guy who does guitars as well as basses, right? Probably he's OK for a lot of stuff. I think I've seen his setups, though I've not talked to him myself. I have to admit, I'm a little more finicky than some guys. I know a lot about basses and have an old instrument I want to take care of for the next guy who plays it, and Kimoto (my guy at the Yamamoto shop) knows about these things. And he can dress a fingerboard beautifully, in a way that works for my playing.

There's more to discuss about the various places around town, but I'm not totally comfortable doing it on an open forum. Maybe by pm, or better yet, in person the next time one of us gets to the other's town.

I'll be looking forward to it,
Brent

hogues · #6 08-04-2009, 02:11 AM

Brent -

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Ended up getting an express train and getting in MUCH earlier than I expected, but Kimoto-san welcomed me in anyways and took care of the setup in under 30 minutes. He was amazingly precise, even giving me a little diagram with measurements and explaining why he set things the way he did. I had the pleasure of trying out a few basses in his shop, including a Chinese 1/2 size that blew me away with its "punch" and big sound. I feel like this could be one of those ads - "A talkbass success story". I will definitely be going to Yamamoto for any future work on my bass!

Brent Nussey · #7 08-04-2009, 10:04 PM

My pleasure. I'm glad to hear things worked out so well.

Brent