[quote=“sandman”][quote=“rahimiiii”][quote=“braxtonhicks”]I’m in Zhongshan district (MinQuan/Zhongshan). Anyone know of generic music stores in the area? I’m looking for some of those egg shaker instruments? Oops! I have no idea if there’s another name for them, but they’re shaped like eggs, with beads inside and make a cool noise when you shake 'em. The ones I have are green and I bought them at some music school in Muzha but I have no time to back down there.
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I think “golden ants” (or Galaxy music as their English name) has these things as well. Its in “nanging east road” or something like that… get off MRT zhonxiao singseng exit #2 and walk toward the bridge (no not the computer market) and turn right and keep walking until you see the music shop (its quite a ways away)
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It’s on Jinshan South Rd., about a block south of the Jinshan/Zhongxiao intersection, on your left as you walk south. You can’t miss it.[/quote]
There is a shop on Roosevelt somewhere that I stumbled on one day. The owner is a classical guitarist and has his picture up all around the store. The guitars sold there are all high quality. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of where the actual location is. Guess you’re stuck with Galaxy, but they have good prices there.
Try Open Strings on Chaozhou Street No. 24 (02-2358-2383). It’s off of Roosevelt just north of Heping East Road (in Taipei).
They exclusively sell acoustic guitars from a small builder/company called Ayers Guitars – all the guitars are designed by an Australian luthier, are built by luthiers in Vietnam and marketed in Taiwan.
The craftsmanship on these guitars is excellent, and the designs are based on the classic acoustics – the Martin dreadnaught and OM guitars, the Gibson jumbo, etc. There are also a few classcial guitars, and last time I was there I tried an prototype archtop jazz guitar.
The prices are very reasonable for handbuilt guitars that are on par with Martin and Taylor.
The store also carries other high-end guitars, from companies such as Lakewood, Morgan and Santa Cruz.
One nice thing about the store is that they are guitar enthusiasts and try to cater to acoustic players (no electric guitars and no heavy metal shredding to distract you :>)
any opinion of the cort guitar that galaxy music sells? the one that goes for something like 24,000 and uses solid spruce top, mahogany or rosewood back and side, and curly maple binding. It looks like a steal at that price.
I’m leaving for Taichung 1-week from today. Been reading this forum for a while and it has been very helpful.
How is the market for guitars in Taiwan? Are quality and price comparable to the states at all? I’d be fine with a cheap acoustic Yamaha or Takamine, could I find something like that in Taiwan? I want a guitar that I don’t have to worry to much about and I prefer the Japanese entry-levels.
I have a guitar here but it’s already a little f’d up for travelling between Hawaii and the mainland (U.S.) for the last 4 years. But if I can’t find a playable guitar for a decent price in Taiwan that will force my hand, because I certainly can’t go without.
Your thoughts?
Thank you.
-The user name combines my favorite movie with Beyonce, my future wife.
Hey Density’s Child,
You can certainly buy guitars here. Tony’s in Taipei (also known as ATB Music) has a great selection, for example.
I’m not sure what prices are like in the States, but prices in that shop seem reasonable to me. Strings are also very good value there, compared to the UK.
Thanks irishstew. I feel a little lazy not finding that in search. Encouraging news.
Appreciate it. Here are some emoticons for your trouble. :raspberry:
There are loads of guitar stores in TW… as IrisHstu kindly pointed out the pick of the bunch is probably ATB in Taipei, but since you seem to be coming to Taichung, there are several good music stores here too… EME on ZiYou Rd. is probably the biggest/best with the widest selection of accoustics,electrics and basses in Taichung… In accoustics they have everything from US$100 disposable Chinese accoustics to US$5000 master built Martins…
As far as prices go Taiwan can be surprisingly good… I just last week bought a Fender 60th Anniversary US Telecaster… Fender’s list price is US$1500, but it retails in the US for about US$1100 on musiciansfriend.com… Here in Taichung at EME I paid US$1167 (NT$38,500) only about 5% more than the US!.. great guitar, great deal…
Whatever you do, don’t get theposter started on guitars, or any other musical instruments in Taiwan.
You see, the industry is controlled by a local cartel, suits, which are in turn controlled by politicos with strong family ties. They recognize that R&R has corrupted Americans and most of the world and are trying their best to not allow any foreigners to play here. The irony is that these suits are in fact being controlled BY the Americans who are trying to observe what would happen to a society that grew up beyond the influences of the Beatles, Bay City Rollers and most dangerously of all, Grateful Dead. Thus the suppression. The conspiracy goes higher than the American intelligence however, as it is actually the Masons who are controlling things from their little temples. They are also responsible for the shooting of JFK, who was getting dangerously out of hand with his continuing daliances. It was, in fact, A Mason limo driver who whot him. Check out the tapes. However, there is still one more step up. Aliens themselves that are controlling the whole thing, and are in DIRECT contact with the Masons. They’ve been here for millions if not billions of years, roaming the earth with the dinosaurs, who are still here, but are usually invisible.
Above all they are responsible for not allowing foreigners to play their guitars on the streets of Taiwan. We are still trying to figure out why.
Please, be careful.
thanks lads… yep, she’s a dream come true, my first ever Fender, I’ve been eyeing a nice vintage burst Tele since, well, forever… Now that the band’s back up to speed we’re in the process of setting up an epic jam room at a house in the mountains about 10mins outside Taichung… once that’s completed and there are no longer any noise restraints my POS 120w Crate amp will be out the window and replaced with something tasteful and sophisticated that does the guitar justice…
A pink paisely tele! I used to have one of those. And I can’t remember that chick’s name, but she rocks!
And did you get permission before putting up a pic of the chief in his younger days?
sweet sounding and playing guitar
