all of you must hate me by now -_-

First off, thank you all for being so kind and informative and taking the time to answer all my posts.

I've recently found this - http://buyee.jp/category/yahoo/auction/ ... /en?page=1

What do you guys think? Do you think I can buy stones here for cheaper than say, ebay and the high end online go stores like kiseido?

What do you guys think of the site in general?

It looks like a site which connects to the japanese yahoo auction site. You don't really know the price you pay until you win the auction just like ebay. And you probably need a Japanese agent to purchase and ship the goods for you once you actually win it. Could be worthwhile but really good items can attract some heavy bidders near the ending time.

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http://tchan001.wordpress.com
A blog on Asian go books, go sightings, and interesting tidbits
Go is such a beautiful game.

What kind of stones are you looking for, or are you just looking for something to get started? A lot of people I know are partial to Ing stones if they're not going high-end. These can be had from yutopian for maybe $20 to $30 a set and come with special bowls. I think they have some inexpensive boards there too, if that's what you're looking for. I'm not sure how they do on higher-end equipment, though.

I currently have a set of Yunzi single convex stones with a bamboo board, but would really love some slate and shell, which is what I'm trying to do now. Hopefully I win the auction

I'm using "buyee" to get the potential product. Have you ever heard of it?

Buying go equipment is not about getting the best price. It's first about finding the stones, bowls and board you want. Then researching the best price. However, the price is more than the total: a combination of retail, shipping, time from order to arrival and customer service. For the best of the intangibles, you may pay more. There is one other thing to consider and that is the repputation and lognevity of the shop you patronize. Helping to keep them in buisness by spending 10-20% more than what appears to be a bargain could have karmic benefits.
Yutopian, Kideido, Kurioki and Ishi Press all deserve a good look. Yellow Mtn and several ebay specialists also deserve a chance for your money. But don't forget to visit your local game store! Show them what you are looking for. Ask them if they're interested in trying to help you out.

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David Bogie, Boise ID
I play go, I ride a recumbent, of course I use Macintosh.

If you're going to buy from an online auction proxy (Buyee connects to Yahoo Auctions: Japan) then try this one.

http://www.fromjapan.co.jp/

I've been really happy with their service, they're fast and have decent prices (you'll pay about 10% extra).

That said though, be very careful using Yahoo Auctions Japan. You can find some awesome stuff, but you have to search the site every day before buying anything to know how things are selling, and how high you want to pay.

1. Know the prices things are going for (so you don't get ripped off)
2. Read the auctions (very important), because a lot of sets are incomplete or have flaws that don't show up on pictures.
3. Things might not be what they seem. I've been pleasantly surprised (once got a set of size 25 snow grade hyuga stones that just needed some cleaning and had a bad picture so no-one else bid) or terribly disappointing. Thankfully, the ladder has not happened to me yet.
4. If you want a real Kaya board, if you see "new" listed anywhere in the translation page, avoid it because the board will most likely be Shin Kaya (Spruce). It doesn't usually show-up clearly in the translation.
5. Compare the prices to Mr. Kuroki's site. If they are close, just buy them from him, you'll get better quality and amazing service.

If you need some stones and don't mind minor flaws (or use), I have six sets that I'll be listing as soon as I clarify the quality on (and clean) two of them. Some used, some not. Otherwise, I'd strongly recommend sticking with those that have a good reputation (Kuroki, Kisedo, ect.)

I love Bogiesan's comment about checking out the local shops. See what they have to offer first, there's nothing bad about supporting the smaller game shops, and often you'll meet some cool people that may want to learn or play with you.

Anyway, good luck with your hunt ^_^

Thanks for all that info!! It is much appreciated
Since I've posted this I've been looking and have found some stones that I think are good. Would you mind looking at them and giving your opinion? Here is the link - http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/p357608452

Just ended up winning these - http://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/m109454082 for around 40 euros... Thoughts? Did I get scammed?

Tell you the truth, I'm an impulse buyer who ends up having really bad luck...which is why I keep pestering you guys lol.

Tell you the truth, I got my current Go set from my local game shop! I currently have single convex yunzi stones with a bamboo board and bamboo bowls ^_^ But they don't have any slate and shell, and kurioki is a bit out of my price range, so I figured that buying straight from Japan would be cheaper than buying from a retailer who sells internationally (thus being able to raise prices). I would buy from him if I could, but it's just a bit too pricey at the moment.

I figured this was a yahoo auction proxy. Megumido07 is a good dealer, his size 22 and 25 stones tend to go for about 5000 - 6000 yen (though I've seen them as low as 4000). He posts new 22 and 25 sized stones every few days so if you find the price in auction is too high, just wait for his next one.

Once you factor in the costs (40 Euro + 10% proxy fee + Japanese tax + domestic shipping + international shipping) the deal is still ok.

These are size 25 (7.0 mm) standard grade, which will be good for a nice, small sized travel set.