Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted June 17, 2006 Author Moderators Share Posted June 17, 2006 Originally posted by StratTone Man that sucks that the US is such a pain for you guys to get instruments. Is there a way to get a US citizen (like myself) to buy it and send it to you? Or do you still have to pay to get it from me? Anyway just trying to help if there is a way. That is the route I may go in the end. It would mean the sender significantly declaring a low value and the insurance would reflect this and then send it the most secure way possible. I have now had 2 guiras from Germany of low value and paind no duty or tax. So, when I get rid of everything you can be the go between for my JB Artist:p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gaui Posted June 17, 2006 Members Share Posted June 17, 2006 Similar service has been available over here for some time now, great idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members collisster Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 1. couldn't parcel 2 go steal stuff you order?2. what if it arrives knackered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eflat Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Originally posted by collisster 1. couldn't parcel 2 go steal stuff you order?2. what if it arrives knackered? +1, and what if. . . . . and. . . . .and. . . . .and.. . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gochaz Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 One more thing:My mate went to the US a couple of months ago, and I took this as an ideal oppertunity to order a Les Paul Junior, and have it shipped to him, then he could bring with him on the plane. Understand I was doing this because at the time, I couldn't find any new non-historic Juniors in the UK. Anyway, I get on the Musicians Friend website, put the guitar in the shopping cart, enter the shipping address and the card holders address, and click order. Then, however, it said it can't complete the order because the card address was outside of the USA. I go onto MF's technical chat thingy, and the bloke on the other end says something about Gibson not wanting their products shipped abroad. I think it assumes that if the card address is outside the US, you intend to use the guitar outside of the US, so MF don't let you. The customer service fella said Gibson were very strict about this. The solution to this would be get a friend in the states to order it for you, using their card, then go through this company that allows shipping to the UK. Then you'd make arrangements to pay your friend in America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RomanS Posted June 19, 2006 Members Share Posted June 19, 2006 Originally posted by Fosse Fox I have now had 2 guiras from Germany of low value and paind no duty or tax. Well, why should you have paid taxes??? After all, both Germany and the UK are memebers of the EU! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Edward Posted June 19, 2006 Members Share Posted June 19, 2006 Originally posted by Fosse Fox That is the route I may go in the end. It would mean the sender significantly declaring a low value and the insurance would reflect this and then send it the most secure way possible. I have now had 2 guiras from Germany of low value and paind no duty or tax. So, when I get rid of everything you can be the go between for my JB Artist:p Germany is different, though, because it is an EU member state - within the EU, there are no import taxes due, that's the big difference with bringing in something from the US (i.e. outside the UK). If the package is declared at a much lower cost than the actual price by the seller,m you might avoid tax and whatever that way, though then of course you do take the risk of losing everything over and above the decalred cost if it gets lost in the post and you have to claim on the insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Edward Posted June 19, 2006 Members Share Posted June 19, 2006 Originally posted by Gochaz One more thing:My mate went to the US a couple of months ago, and I took this as an ideal oppertunity to order a Les Paul Junior, and have it shipped to him, then he could bring with him on the plane. Understand I was doing this because at the time, I couldn't find any new non-historic Juniors in the UK. Anyway, I get on the Musicians Friend website, put the guitar in the shopping cart, enter the shipping address and the card holders address, and click order. Then, however, it said it can't complete the order because the card address was outside of the USA. I go onto MF's technical chat thingy, and the bloke on the other end says something about Gibson not wanting their products shipped abroad. I think it assumes that if the card address is outside the US, you intend to use the guitar outside of the US, so MF don't let you. The customer service fella said Gibson were very strict about this. The solution to this would be get a friend in the states to order it for you, using their card, then go through this company that allows shipping to the UK. Then you'd make arrangements to pay your friend in America. Not a surprise. I suppose it's understandable, really - they're protecting their own distributors from having to compete with private imports. Of course, I would contend that if they didn't charge such frankly ridiculous prices here in rip-off Britain, then they wouldn't have to worry about that. Naturally, US guitars will cost more in the UK, given they have to be shipped, pay import tax, blah blah blah. However, even allowing for that the mark IMO is still way more than necessary, and Gibsons seem to me to be particularly subject to a brand-related price hike. I'm also slowly becoming less understanding of this rational explanation as it's very clear that even many guitars that the big US companies commission to be manufactured overseas (e.g. Squier, Epiphone, and WHY) are also half the price in the US that they are in UK stores..... This is also true of other sectors, e.g. clothing. The Gap is a fraction of the price in the US that it is in the UK (basically they change the $ to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheDarxide Posted June 19, 2006 Members Share Posted June 19, 2006 Originally posted by liamisfun if anyone actually uses this service... make sure u give us a headsup as to how good it is and what sort of saving you make +100000000000000000000000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted June 20, 2006 Members Share Posted June 20, 2006 I was in the US a few weeks ago. There are some deals to be had for sure (particularly on US-made stuff of course), but it is not the case that everything related to musical instruments is cheaper over there. In fact, some of the music gear I was looking at was more expensive. Remember that their (variable) sales tax often isn't included in advertised prices. I got caught out with that a few times. The food was quite cheap, though, which figures . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thom Posted June 21, 2006 Members Share Posted June 21, 2006 The shipping costs, custom fees and import duties ruin almost all good deals for most eu countries... So any american forumites coming to the EU in the near(or not so near) future: I'll pay upfront if you order me an sg jr from mf and take it with you on the plane to Europe. $100 in it for you, PM me. Cheers:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted June 21, 2006 Members Share Posted June 21, 2006 Originally posted by thomThe shipping costs, custom fees and import duties ruin almost all good deals for most eu countries...Yes, but only on the American stuff really. Americans pay import duties on Far Eastern stuff just like we do - and let's face it - that's where a lot of music kit comes from: Vox AD15VT Valvetronix, made in China:http://www.imuso.co.uk/ProductDetail.asp?StockCode=EG00272 UK price: $185http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AD15VT/ US price: $180 (+ tax?) Not much of a difference there. It's all too easy to look at the prices of Fender, PRS, Gibson, Dr Z., Fulltone, etc in the US, compare them with the UK, and conclude that we're being shafted. The stuff is made in the US - if you accept the principle of import duty, then it ought be cheaper over there, just as UK-made Marshall amps are cheaper to buy in the UK than in the US: Marshall TSL60, made in UK:http://www.speedmusic.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_marshall_jcm2000_series01.html UK price: $920http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-MAR-TSL60--brand-293.html US price: $1,199 Considerably more expensive in the US. What it comes down to is that: a lot of the most desirable rock'n'roll kit is and always has been manufactured in the US. Free trade with the US is looking unlikely, so c'est la vie... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thom Posted June 22, 2006 Members Share Posted June 22, 2006 Indeed, I was obviously not talking about stuff that costs about the same here, no other reason to have something shipped from the US, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted June 22, 2006 Members Share Posted June 22, 2006 Originally posted by thom Indeed, I was obviously not talking about stuff that costs about the same here, no other reason to have something shipped from the US, right? Absolutely. Actually, I'm sorry if that looked a bit like the whole post was addressing you directly. I just wanted to make a general point that not every piece of musical equipment is cheaper in the US (some folks seem to believe that that's the case). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thom Posted June 22, 2006 Members Share Posted June 22, 2006 Didn't mean to come of as a smart-ass or anything, srry bout that. You made a good point to the people who think the USA is the promissed land for g.a.s. patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dougy Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 Does this work for MusicYo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted June 23, 2006 Author Moderators Share Posted June 23, 2006 Originally posted by Dougy Does this work for MusicYo? Works for anything in the US Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dougy Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 Originally posted by Fosse Fox Works for anything in the US Doug Kewl. The Kramer Baretta Infinity Sustainer edges ever closer to my sweaty little mitts..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eflat Posted June 24, 2006 Members Share Posted June 24, 2006 So. . . . Anyone tried it yet??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members collisster Posted June 24, 2006 Members Share Posted June 24, 2006 yeh anyone tried it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dougy Posted June 24, 2006 Members Share Posted June 24, 2006 Originally posted by Dougy Kewl. The Kramer Baretta Infinity Sustainer edges ever closer to my sweaty little mitts..... Well, maybe if it hadn't just DISAPPEARED from MusicYo.com... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meep Posted June 26, 2006 Members Share Posted June 26, 2006 I've ordered stuff from the US before, there is no real way to make a bargain on things sub $1000 as you end up paying the same anyway after shipping considerations and tax. However, with more expensive stuff you start seeing savings as shipping becomes a more neglegible factor. BTW, if you request that the courier put "gift" on the label of the sent items you often don't need to pay VAT depending on what mood customs are in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members funstuie Posted June 26, 2006 Members Share Posted June 26, 2006 My first post here but I thought I would let you know about: http://www.shopthestates.com/ I haven't used them but they were recommended to me as they have a buying service which you can use to avoid credit card verification issues with online retailers. Anyway I want to get an Agile from Rondo but I am not sure it will be worth the effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HypnoToad Posted June 26, 2006 Members Share Posted June 26, 2006 Neat! We have service like that here in Iceland too. Very clever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members I34z1k Posted June 27, 2006 Members Share Posted June 27, 2006 Nothing for us here in africa... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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