Navigator Guitars

[RolloTomassi]

Has anyone tried these out? Where can you purchase them?

[thornie]

I have been fortunate enough to play a Navigator while on Vacation in Japan at a great guitar store called Ishibiashi in Tokyo. It was a 2006 '59 model. I can tell you that it was every bit as amazing as my Gibson R9, and every bit as expensive. I think it was $3500 American. Phenomenal instrument. I'm a big fan of Japanese guitars, namely Edwards, Tokai, Fender japan, and the Navigator was easily the best of them all.

I believe you can find some vintage Navigators out there for mail order from various Japanese collectors. Other than going to Japan and finding one, I don't know if you can find a newer model over here in the US. I've never seen one for sale on ebay, and the great Japanese mail order sites (guitarjapan.com, ishibiashi online) don't offer them. I'm sure you know this, but ESP also makes the Edwards line which can easily be found on ebay, and are fantastic guitars in their own right. They are also considerably less expensive than the Navigator line. So you might have better luck looking for an Edwards.

Hope that helps!

IMO the holy grail of Japanese made guitars...
http://www.espguitars.co.jp/navigator/nlp480ltd.html

[germs]

^what he said.

[RolloTomassi]

I have been fortunate enough to play a Navigator while on Vacation in Japan at a great guitar store called Ishibiashi in Tokyo. It was a 2006 '59 model. I can tell you that it was every bit as amazing as my Gibson R9, and every bit as expensive. I think it was $3500 American. Phenomenal instrument. I'm a big fan of Japanese guitars, namely Edwards, Tokai, Fender japan, and the Navigator was easily the best of them all.

I believe you can find some vintage Navigators out there for mail order from various Japanese collectors. Other than going to Japan and finding one, I don't know if you can find a newer model over here in the US. I've never seen one for sale on ebay, and the great Japanese mail order sites (guitarjapan.com, ishibiashi online) don't offer them. I'm sure you know this, but ESP also makes the Edwards line which can easily be found on ebay, and are fantastic guitars in their own right. They are also considerably less expensive than the Navigator line. So you might have better luck looking for an Edwards.

Hope that helps!

IMO the holy grail of Japanese made guitars...
http://www.espguitars.co.jp/navigator/nlp480ltd.html

That Navigator Les Paul is hot :love::love::love:

I might look into the Edwards series.

[B Money]

I'll bet that if you email Ishibashi, they would sell you one.
株式会社 石橋楽器店　WEB SHOP [web-shop@ishibashi.co.jp]

let them know what model you want, they'll tell you if they have it and how much it costs.

I bought my Edwards LP from them and it was very easy, and super fast shipping. My guitar arrived in NY from Tokyo in 3 days!

[kherman]

Also, always look in the Ishibashi U-Box.
That's their used section.
You can find some sweet deals there at times.
http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/

there's a couple of Navigators in there right now.

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/image/3159199052.jpg
128'000 yen = $1470 usa.

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/image/3158979054.jpg
148'000 yen = $1700 usa.

[NWOBHM]

I have a NLP380Ltd Great guitar. Pretty chunky U shaped neck, bigger than my new 58' VOS. There's a couple for sale on MLP. I've seen at least 3 in the last month on ebay. http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/member-classifieds/98888-fs-firesale-esp-sv-std-navigator-lpc-etc.html

[RolloTomassi]

Also, always look in the Ishibashi U-Box.
That's their used section.
You can find some sweet deals there at times.
http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/

I can't get the font to appear in English on my browser. I speak Amurrican dammit!

[kherman]

Well, it's actually not that hard to navigate.
Since most stuff is in japanese and english.

But for doing a search, you can just click on the "N" in the alphabet on the left side.
Or type in Navigator in the box right below it, and hit enter.

Babel-fished version.
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ishibashi.co.jp%2Fu_box%2F&lp=ja_en&btnTrUrl=Translate

[RolloTomassi]

Thanks!

[currypowder]

Just picked up this very rare, and very high end Navigator, Model N-LP 400 CTM. Built in late 2006, this was one of the flagship models, although it has been discontinued. 100% Honduras Mahogany (no maple cap), Bare Knuckles P90 in the bridge (an upgrade) and Duncan Custom AlNico V Staple pickup in the neck. Ebony fretboard. Neck shape, to me, feels like a typical 59 shape. Very thin nitro finish (no poly undercoats like many of the lower Japanese models). Like my Tokai LS-320, I'd take this over a similar Gibson any day of the week at a fraction of the cost.

The guitar kills through my AC15. Can get a great clean tone at lower volumes, and great crunch cranked. This is my first experience with a staple neck pickup, so I don't really know how to describe it, other than very creamy. Maybe a little meatier than a normal P90.

Here's the web page from ESP, although you'll need to have google translate it: http://www.espguitars.co.jp/navigator/end/nlp400ctm.html

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c270/currypowder1/Current%20Gear/Navigator%20Black%20Beauty/IMG_2101.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c270/currypowder1/Current%20Gear/Navigator%20Black%20Beauty/IMG_2102.jpg

[whitehall]

Navigator is made by ESP. They make a variety of models from average price to really expensive. Most all the stores I went to Tokyo carried them . Their store in the Ochanomizu is pretty cool. You can find them all day long on Yahoo Japan as well.

[GuitarTone]

Edwards is also made by ESP...and they're NOT MADE IN JAPAN.
Nowhere on an Edwards guitar will you find, "Made in Japan".
They're made in China and assembled in Japan.

[TD_Madden]

re: Edwards made in China

Since when did this happen?