Reimportation of American custom guitars.

boris bubbanov · June 27th, 2008, 05:02 PM

I am told that a number of US hand built boutique guitars are selling for strangely low prices overseas, primarily in the EU and specifically in the UK.

My question is: Where is the best source to find out, here or elsewhere in internet-land, what the customs-duties-etc fees are for RE-importing these underappreciated guitars back into the US?

Logic would have it, that if it could be identified as having been originally been built in the USA, and there was no evidence of any value having been added to it, that no fees of any kind would be appropriate? It'd boil down to how much the airline would charge to add it to your baggage, and there could be no intermediate stops on the way back into the States, no?

I have been stupid about not going over the Atlantic in the 70s and 80s when everyone else was going all the time. I'm getting used to the fact that it will cost a ton ( or a tonne, I guess ) and I thought this might be a fun way to 'beat the system', coals to Newcastle and all that.

Much obliged.

BritishBluesBoy · June 27th, 2008, 05:24 PM

Are you sure?? In my experience guitars are WAY more expensive in the UK than here in the US... In some cases as much as double the price... Yikes!

tiktok · June 27th, 2008, 05:46 PM

Euros for Dollars on the list price and no discount is what I recall...

boris bubbanov · June 27th, 2008, 05:53 PM

I should have made clear, USED custom guitars.

Think of the couple of makers of superb guitars who are no longer flavor of the month. Where the buyer didn't feel the love and took a nuclear hit, trading it to a shop for 20- 25 percent of his outlay.

I apologize.

Yeah, ya'll could be right; the mini-market would correct long before I'd actually make my move.

JayFreddy · June 27th, 2008, 07:08 PM

As I remember, the US customs duties on musical instruments is 3% maximum.

Brendan · June 27th, 2008, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayFreddy

As I remember, the US customs duties on musical instruments is 3% maximum.

I had to pay $60 duty on a $950 guitar. I'm not sure if that applies to used though...

June 27th, 2008, 05:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 8,430	Reimportation of American custom guitars. I am told that a number of US hand built boutique guitars are selling for strangely low prices overseas, primarily in the EU and specifically in the UK. My question is: Where is the best source to find out, here or elsewhere in internet-land, what the customs-duties-etc fees are for RE-importing these underappreciated guitars back into the US? Logic would have it, that if it could be identified as having been originally been built in the USA, and there was no evidence of any value having been added to it, that no fees of any kind would be appropriate? It'd boil down to how much the airline would charge to add it to your baggage, and there could be no intermediate stops on the way back into the States, no? I have been stupid about not going over the Atlantic in the 70s and 80s when everyone else was going all the time. I'm getting used to the fact that it will cost a ton ( or a tonne, I guess ) and I thought this might be a fun way to 'beat the system', coals to Newcastle and all that. Much obliged. __________________ Bubban0v

June 27th, 2008, 05:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
BritishBluesBoy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Age: 40 Posts: 4,580 62 Photos	Are you sure?? In my experience guitars are WAY more expensive in the UK than here in the US... In some cases as much as double the price... Yikes! __________________ BBB.

June 27th, 2008, 05:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
tiktok Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 3,860	Euros for Dollars on the list price and no discount is what I recall... __________________ It takes two people to paint a perfect painting: one to paint it, and the other to shoot him when it's done. http://www.myspace.com/travishartnett http://www.myspace.com/sugarcanemutiny http://www.myspace.com/davidbavas

June 27th, 2008, 05:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 8,430	I should have made clear, USED custom guitars. Think of the couple of makers of superb guitars who are no longer flavor of the month. Where the buyer didn't feel the love and took a nuclear hit, trading it to a shop for 20- 25 percent of his outlay. I apologize. Yeah, ya'll could be right; the mini-market would correct long before I'd actually make my move. __________________ Bubban0v

June 27th, 2008, 07:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
JayFreddy Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dallas TX USA Age: 43 Posts: 1,008 2 Photos	As I remember, the US customs duties on musical instruments is 3% maximum.