I was just in Kichijoji Hard Off today and they still have the crazy high-end antique speakers that blew Dan and Mick away, still sounding fabulous. What a cool place, but I hate how paranoid all the Tokyo guitar stores are about players touching anything. But, hey, after a complicated train ride, I wasn't leaving empty handed so I bought a TC Electronic Thunderstorm flanger and a Boss chromatic tuner, both for about the same as the low end on Reverb. Apparently flangers are the thing to buy... I told the attendant with excellent English who set me up then checked me out that TPS sent me. He said, "who?" Kids these days...
The Electric Mistress got jealous of that awesome Boss BF-1... I can't listen to a flanger without remembering Dan... You always take this sound to the next step! Thanks professor!
Omg, TPS were here?!! I wish I could have meet you guys and hand over to you my DSD-2! Happy birthday Dan! I hope you guys enjoyed, and do come back soon!
The hifi doesn't really have the full effect through the video but Mick's face at 12:02 says a lot. Normally I'm not a fan of vlogs but this was an awesome video, and we definitely need a follow up of you guys in shwangri-la running through all our pedals
Yes, that was a sobering moment. All of their expressions said everything. Mick's statement after that made me wonder "what are we doing to our music?" That was the most important part of the whole video. I'm not a hi-fi guy, but that was a huge reality check for me.
Oh yes, as one who spent a pretty penny on a separates system 20 odd yrs ago and it goes down to the nitty gritty of interconnects,cables,mains supply, isolation, positioning etc,etc.I’m now pursuing same as a guitar player. When will it ever end my better half says?! I knew these guys would get it. After seeing the last video with Mick turning off the fans and his interests in mics, I was thinking I wonder if they have a great HiFi. It makes you wonder if musicians are left frustrated realising most of their audience are never going to hear the full scope of their sound. But hey, being at a live venue and feeling that sound you can enjoy another side to our endeavours. Long may the quest continue, beats going to the pub every night and enduring pub quizzes (Sorry just had to get that off my chest.......and breathe out). By the way did you guys get to try Okonomiyaki? You’d love it I’m sure.
I remember listening to "Rubber Soul" in a hi-fi listening room in New Zealand, the gear was (somewhat) similar to that on display in the video. You could hear the slight rasp in the back of Lennon's throat during "Nowhere Man". Unbelievable.
Brilliant video. Japan is such a wonderful country, full of wonderful people. You can also buy 'stuff' and not feel ripped off. I bought a s/h USA '52 re-issue Telecaster (with Fender Tweed OHSC) in Hiroshima for just over £400 in 2005. Absolute bargain and the guy who owned the shop was just so lovely, left me alone to play whatever i wanted. Dozens of s/h guitars in cases. I'm definitely going back very soon.
As Mick said elsewhere in the comments, it is a Matchless DC30. Ceriatone makes a clone (also single-channel versions of each channel), and I almost bought the single-channel, EF-86 clone before I realized that it would be too heavy for me.
Thanks Sam. My ego thanks you too. But great players are something different. I aspire to it. If I ever play a note with all my heart and it is totally uncompromised, it will be great. I’m still searching. Thank you for the kind words!
Very late comment here. I loved seeing you guys experience real hi-fi audio for the first time. I grew up with it and I can say two things: one is, the listening is sublime. Two is don't ever get into that hobby. If you think guitars and amps and pedals are expensive...
The drummer in the band at the end wearing a NEU! T-Shirt...how cool. Cannot believe that you tone-hounds needed a hi-fi epiphany in Japan! ( Great place to have one *jealous*)
That was very interesting. Thank you. Glad that you got the pedal you wanted, and the 'bonus' pedals. I can relate to your hi fi experience - although I have a million digital recorders, my hi fi is all inconvenient, heavy, takes-up-too-much-space-but-sounds-glorious equipment from the 70s and 80s - Harmon-Kardon biamped pre-amp and amp, and B&W Matrix 2 speakers. There is nothing like it, especially compared to compressed / lossy formats like MP3.
It's like in Japan the loss of respecting music as an art form and craft never went away. The reverence of how every is arranged, pedals neatly aligned behind glass... it's like 1982-ish.
MEGA! Thanks Dan, for taking the time to put this together...I already live vicariously through you guys (e.g. your vox, your HIWATT, those insane wet/dry setups on a random farm in England) but this is BOSS level vicarious living. Thank you!
Happy birthday Dan! It is my birthday today (10th), shared with Midge Ure. Jackson Browne is also on the 9th. Librans Rule! (in a laid back kind of way.....)
Boss SD-2 was the first drive pedal I ever bought and still have. It's Wampler modded but happy to lend it to you if needed. I did have a stock one too until recently.
Oh my god guys! I've loved Japan for it's history, pop and car culture, but I wouldn't dreamed of their music shops being so awesome as well! Happy Birthday Dan and congrats on the vintage pedal loot! I'm sure we'll see a detailed video of you showcasing them soon enough!
Great episode as always, guys! No comments on this episode though, I actually have a show idea I want to run by you guys. I love the episodes where you bring on guests and go through their rig. What about a contest where you bring on a regular person and go through their pedal board and talk about ways they can improve their tone or whatever. I think it would be really interesting to see you talk with someone who might be more of a layman or journeyman and dissect their sound with them, talk about different options for achieving the sound that's in their head, and maybe play around with a couple of different options to show how they might be able to dial in that "head tone" they have. Contest could be something like share a picture of your rig and describe why it needs a bit of doctoring and you guys pick the one that's most interesting or most in need of assistance.
WOW WHAT A GREAT VIDEO! Love the shooting style and the edit, it's like I was there with you lads... Happy Birthday Dan once again, let's have more of those day in the life of TPS snippets on the channel! Cheers from Croatia!
I missed Hard Off in Tokyo but bought a japanese made Boss GE7 in Osaka for £12 and an 80s thompson mustang for £45. The most amazing country to visit too
I have been there and I can say: It is a guitarist heaven! There are stores everywhere and there is 1 street just outside of akihabara where all buildings are guitar stores, except 2 for coffee and food. And the prices are great!
Love the Dan roar way at the end haha :) Would love to hear more about the hifi part and lossy audio compression from you guys! The moment you were having definitely registered with me!
Oh man, just got back from a mission trip to Japan playing worship music - this makes me ready to go back so bad. We got to hang at the Yairi guitar factory. The people are awesome, the food is awesome, and crazy good musicians. I would be in MASSIVE trouble if we had time to wander around those guitar shops.
Just rewatched this vlog, and this time noticed the prices and converted them to USD. I know this was a few years back, but how was everything that cheap? I’d have gone and bought a suitcase just to bring a load of pedals home!
"Buy!..." ~ Mick, 2018
"Holy sh*t" ~Mick, 2018
I was just in Kichijoji Hard Off today and they still have the crazy high-end antique speakers that blew Dan and Mick away, still sounding fabulous. What a cool place, but I hate how paranoid all the Tokyo guitar stores are about players touching anything. But, hey, after a complicated train ride, I wasn't leaving empty handed so I bought a TC Electronic Thunderstorm flanger and a Boss chromatic tuner, both for about the same as the low end on Reverb. Apparently flangers are the thing to buy... I told the attendant with excellent English who set me up then checked me out that TPS sent me. He said, "who?" Kids these days...
3:30 Mick keepin the Mayer tones alive!!!
“YEEEEEAAAHH!!!!”
Dan you wonderful human being you!
Hahahaha ;)
He is turning American it seems.
How GLORIOUS was that flanger?????? OMG!
congratulations to the melodica player who adds the perfect soundtrack to Dan's disappointment at 2:18
Hahahah, it’s perfect!!
One of the few things that helps get me through the week is Dan and Mick. Cheers gents! Lovely Japan footage.
It wouldn't be a TPS production without Dan buying a flanger !
Dan Dan the Flanger man
stole my thunder
That flanger sounds like a whale. Lovely!
Hahaha dan buying a flanger lol. I have never loved flange but with each exited dan face I have to try it!
Very cool, Dan. Thanks for taking us along.
NEU! T-shirt in the very last frame!
You guys are living my dream! At least I get to watch someone I truly enjoy live it!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN!!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
You’re welcome :)
Welcome to japan!
ようこそ日本へ！
いつも見ています！
I could not believe the size of the Music stores.. Wow.....!!! Thanks for doing this guys... great
Happy Birthday, Dan!
Cheers mate :)
Loved this. You guys do such a great job of editing. Terrific story telling.
Ah, cheers mate :)
Happy Birthday Dan. All the best from Cologne.
Cheers mista masta :)
Thank you for listening to our performances and shooting!
We are waiting for next visit to Tokyo.
www.atomiccats.com/
Wow. Great video. The travel, the hunt for the rare and elusive, having a pint with your mates, all so enjoyable. More like this please.
The Electric Mistress got jealous of that awesome Boss BF-1...
I can't listen to a flanger without remembering Dan...
You always take this sound to the next step!
Thanks professor!
Ah, cheers mate, you’re so welcome
Omg, TPS were here?!!
I wish I could have meet you guys and hand over to you my DSD-2!
Happy birthday Dan!
I hope you guys enjoyed, and do come back soon!
Ah, thank you. We LOVE Japan so hopefully we’ll be back soon :)
Thanks for taking us along!
That talk box singer at the end, amazing
Thanks!!!😻 www.atomiccats.com
You're welcome!
love going on holiday with TPS!
Happy Birthday Dan!
Cheers mate ;)
What an awesome place...
Magic :)
The hifi doesn't really have the full effect through the video but Mick's face at 12:02 says a lot. Normally I'm not a fan of vlogs but this was an awesome video, and we definitely need a follow up of you guys in shwangri-la running through all our pedals
Yes, that was a sobering moment. All of their expressions said everything. Mick's statement after that made me wonder "what are we doing to our music?" That was the most important part of the whole video. I'm not a hi-fi guy, but that was a huge reality check for me.
Oh yes, as one who spent a pretty penny on a separates system 20 odd yrs ago and it goes down to the nitty gritty of interconnects,cables,mains supply, isolation, positioning etc,etc.I’m now pursuing same as a guitar player. When will it ever end my better half says?! I knew these guys would get it. After seeing the last video with Mick turning off the fans and his interests in mics, I was thinking I wonder if they have a great HiFi. It makes you wonder if musicians are left frustrated realising most of their audience are never going to hear the full scope of their sound.
But hey, being at a live venue and feeling that sound you can enjoy another side to our endeavours. Long may the quest continue, beats going to the pub every night and enduring pub quizzes (Sorry just had to get that off my chest.......and breathe out). By the way did you guys get to try Okonomiyaki? You’d love it I’m sure.
I remember listening to "Rubber Soul" in a hi-fi listening room in New Zealand, the gear was (somewhat) similar to that on display in the video. You could hear the slight rasp in the back of Lennon's throat during "Nowhere Man". Unbelievable.
Mick rocking the old school Santa Cruz shirt. Love it!
Happy belated birthday, Dan! Man alive, what a brilliant sojourn. That looked like a total blast. I wish that had been an hour long show.
What a great vid! Thanks for sharing guys. Man, those music shops look amazing. Japanese buskers, so farking cool!!
Going to Tokyo in a month! Cant wait to check out all the cool guitar stores!!!!!!
Nice video guys!!! Please post more videos in this same format. Love it! Greetings from Brazil!
This looks and feels like a magical trip, like a kid's first visit to DisneyWorld, it's just hard to fathom it all 😍
Kids in the toy shop! Have fun guys!!
Brilliant video. Japan is such a wonderful country, full of wonderful people. You can also buy 'stuff' and not feel ripped off. I bought a s/h USA '52 re-issue Telecaster (with Fender Tweed OHSC) in Hiroshima for just over £400 in 2005. Absolute bargain and the guy who owned the shop was just so lovely, left me alone to play whatever i wanted. Dozens of s/h guitars in cases. I'm definitely going back very soon.
That Matchless sounds AMAZING!
Sure does
What model is it?!? Amazing tone!
As Mick said elsewhere in the comments, it is a Matchless DC30. Ceriatone makes a clone (also single-channel versions of each channel), and I almost bought the single-channel, EF-86 clone before I realized that it would be too heavy for me.
So, those hi-if speakers didn’t have fans then, Mick?
hahahahaha *click*
Matchless for the win !!
Which one was it? I luckily have a SC-30 & Clubman (both Pre Samson) :)
First video where I've been gassing for a holiday and an audiophile grade hifi, instead of pedals. Nice work
...and through a Roland JC no less! Love it. And that amp.
Holy Flanger! So many products to see, nice.
Mick is such a great player
He sure is
Thanks Sam. My ego thanks you too. But great players are something different. I aspire to it. If I ever play a note with all my heart and it is totally uncompromised, it will be great. I’m still searching.
Thank you for the kind words!
Mick's reaction when he sits down in the Audio Salon.... I want to go to Japan.
I’ll never forget it
Very late comment here. I loved seeing you guys experience real hi-fi audio for the first time. I grew up with it and I can say two things: one is, the listening is sublime. Two is don't ever get into that hobby. If you think guitars and amps and pedals are expensive...
AAAAMAZING!! I would love to go to Japan! Cheers Pedal Boys!!
In Session is one of my favorite albums!
Best way to get over a hangover, gear shopping!!
There was a bit of that. Voiceover voices!
The drummer in the band at the end wearing a NEU! T-Shirt...how cool.
Cannot believe that you tone-hounds needed a hi-fi epiphany in Japan! ( Great place to have one *jealous*)
Total revelation :)
Wonderful video guys, but too short. Don't you have a full lenght version, that includes more views of Tokyo, bullet trains and gear? Cheers
I love that hi-fi moment of Zen.
Really was amazing :)
6:38 STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN!!!
Watching y'all sit on that couch, listening to that Hi-Fi system was so cool.
I’ll never forget it, sounded incredible
Happy Birthday, Dan! Cool video, I'd love to visit Japan!!
That was very interesting. Thank you. Glad that you got the pedal you wanted, and the 'bonus' pedals.
I can relate to your hi fi experience - although I have a million digital recorders, my hi fi is all inconvenient, heavy, takes-up-too-much-space-but-sounds-glorious equipment from the 70s and 80s - Harmon-Kardon biamped pre-amp and amp, and B&W Matrix 2 speakers. There is nothing like it, especially compared to compressed / lossy formats like MP3.
It's like in Japan the loss of respecting music as an art form and craft never went away. The reverence of how every is arranged, pedals neatly aligned behind glass... it's like 1982-ish.
Yeah, they have so much respect for music and art in general
MEGA! Thanks Dan, for taking the time to put this together...I already live vicariously through you guys (e.g. your vox, your HIWATT, those insane wet/dry setups on a random farm in England) but this is BOSS level vicarious living. Thank you!
Ah, my pleasure :)
I saw the Atomic Cats play outside the Shinjuku station when I went to Japan back in 2019. They’re phenomenal!
Thanks for the trip, minstrels! I enjoyed my brief Japanese vacation.
The ending is awesome!
Dan scaring the robot
Thanks for sharing this Dan.
Oh, that was just fun...more please, dan and mick's world guitar store tour....you know you want to...lol
Matt Knight knows his stuff!
love the stores! Oh my god!
Happy Birthday, Dan. Seems you've gotten some awesome presents for yourself!
Cheers B, yeah, sure did :)
Oh, and here's Kirk Fletcher doing some free marketing for you. :Dth-cam.com/video/aLLDHkXo4AE/w-d-xo.html
This is epic. Thanks, and enjoy!
great show , loved looking at Tokyo !
Looks like Vegas.
It wouldn't be a TPS video without Mick's favorite riff @ 10:36. It's become my TPS channel easter egg.
All the times I am in Tokyo I make sure that I can spend at last one day in ishinbashi and ochanomitsu...it is wonderland for a guitar player...
Sure is :)
See a bit of a Mick Bea bromance blossoming here
Happy birthday Dan! It is my birthday today (10th), shared with Midge Ure. Jackson Browne is also on the 9th. Librans Rule! (in a laid back kind of way.....)
Boss SD-2 was the first drive pedal I ever bought and still have. It's Wampler modded but happy to lend it to you if needed. I did have a stock one too until recently.
That SRV/King "In Session", filmed in Toronto, was epic. Matchbox Blues has such a great groove.
Aww Mick, you have to teach us that lick at 5:37!
Hahaha Frank Gimbale! Tribute to an absolute Aussie guitar legend. Nice one, Dan!
Oh my god guys! I've loved Japan for it's history, pop and car culture, but I wouldn't dreamed of their music shops being so awesome as well! Happy Birthday Dan and congrats on the vintage pedal loot! I'm sure we'll see a detailed video of you showcasing them soon enough!
Cheers mate, yeah, lots on that soon :)
What a brilliant vlog guys!
Great episode as always, guys! No comments on this episode though, I actually have a show idea I want to run by you guys. I love the episodes where you bring on guests and go through their rig. What about a contest where you bring on a regular person and go through their pedal board and talk about ways they can improve their tone or whatever. I think it would be really interesting to see you talk with someone who might be more of a layman or journeyman and dissect their sound with them, talk about different options for achieving the sound that's in their head, and maybe play around with a couple of different options to show how they might be able to dial in that "head tone" they have. Contest could be something like share a picture of your rig and describe why it needs a bit of doctoring and you guys pick the one that's most interesting or most in need of assistance.
I like this. Mick here. :0)
WOW WHAT A GREAT VIDEO! Love the shooting style and the edit, it's like I was there with you lads...
Happy Birthday Dan once again, let's have more of those day in the life of TPS snippets on the channel!
Cheers from Croatia!
Cheers Nik, was a fun time :)
I missed Hard Off in Tokyo but bought a japanese made Boss GE7 in Osaka for £12 and an 80s thompson mustang for £45. The most amazing country to visit too
Great video, Thanks for sharing your trip.
A few years ago I went to Tokyo, spent all my money on gear in the first day. Seriously, they have amazing stuff there.
They sure do :)
Wow I was so surprised you'd never seen an SD2 before. It was the first Boss pedal I bought and I still love it now
I have been there and I can say: It is a guitarist heaven! There are stores everywhere and there is 1 street just outside of akihabara where all buildings are guitar stores, except 2 for coffee and food. And the prices are great!
Arjen Ritzerfeld that’s what I hear. Meanwhile, back in the states within our major city not one guitar store.
Arjen Ritzerfeld Sounds like I need to move. Guitars, coffee, food. 3 out of 4 needs met.
Wow this is awesome. Makes me want to go to Tokyo.
@TPS - We love you so much, but having a Bea along for the ride is a BIG bonus...
Love the Dan roar way at the end haha :) Would love to hear more about the hifi part and lossy audio compression from you guys! The moment you were having definitely registered with me!
Oh man, just got back from a mission trip to Japan playing worship music - this makes me ready to go back so bad. We got to hang at the Yairi guitar factory. The people are awesome, the food is awesome, and crazy good musicians. I would be in MASSIVE trouble if we had time to wander around those guitar shops.
What a great vlog man! I miss Japan... I miss hangs with you dudes hahah.
Miss you too mate, let’s redo your board!!
I realize Im kinda randomly asking but do anyone know a good website to watch new tv shows online?
@Jason Leandro i dunno I use Flixportal. just search on google after it :P -keagan
@Keagan Duncan thanks, I signed up and it seems to work :D I really appreciate it !!
@Jason Leandro glad I could help =)
Franky Gimbale the gimbal. Absolutely brilliant. I had to comment! Love Japan.
What a feel good video. Well done guys.
Just rewatched this vlog, and this time noticed the prices and converted them to USD. I know this was a few years back, but how was everything that cheap? I’d have gone and bought a suitcase just to bring a load of pedals home!
I just found Ishibashi's store on Ebay. Currently drooling.
Those guitar shops!!! 🤯🤯🤯
Awesome video guys!!!
Congrats, Dan. Those are some nice birthday presents!
Great vid love this safari style .
This makes me want to go to Japan even more now.
Do it, it’s unreal!
Love the blog!
That flanger sounded wicked good please feature it in a full episode
Will do :)
Those stores are paradise!!! I am drooling over my desktop! Need to go to Tokyo! G.A.S., man!!!!! GAS