JMT Web News

Tokyo-based music products wholesaler Kanda Shokai began Play G guitar subscription service for first-time and experienced guitar players on August 3. The company expects the new service meets the demands of consumer of every age group and help them to start guitar playing at reasonable fee, and try versatile guitars including coveted models of favorite artists.

Rokushiro Sasaki, manager of Marketing Dept. says, “It has long been said that interest in guitar waned among young people. We feel the background for that is they fear it is a costly choice. Young people can get access to a host of inexpensive entertainment programs today. You must pay tens of thousands of yen for the first guitar. If they don’t need to worry about high starting cost, we thought the first hurdle would be much lower. Play G idea has thus taken shape at us.” He also takes recent city lockdown as a trade wind.

Kanda Shokai offers more than 250 items from acoustic guitars to electric basses and ukuleles with greatest share of electric guitars in various brands, finishes and features as well as left-hand models for the service. The company sets monthly subscription fees in 3 stages: Stage 1 for entry level players and young teenage students at 2,700yen, Stage 2 for intermediate and upper class players at 6,800yen, and Stage 3 for well experienced players at 18,000yen.(excluding sales tax).

Sasaki continued, “It is a great advantage for the customer to be able to choose favorite gears from the huge popular brand names. All models guaranteed of their quality standard come from our latest stocks. Even first-time player can start with one of the finest models of the price range at reasonable fee. We offer experienced guitarists already having guitars or seasoned senior players good selection of high-end models.”

Rented guitars can be switched to upper class models after certain period of use. It is fun picking up guitars in different styles and finishes matched to feeling from time to time, only realized in rental system.

Customer can buy instruments in use at market price deducting total rental fees paid. (Maximum deductible fees are regulated by models.)

Sasaki concluded saying, “We are ready to enhance selection of models for subscription system to better meet requests from customer. We see first-time guitar players are increasing after the pandemic, but it is a pity that they quit shortly. We want to provide them with an exciting experience and support them to continue enjoying music playing even after we beat the virus. Subscription system may expand to include amps and effect pedals in coming months.”