Phil-osopher10 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Has anyone imported amps from the usa? I really like the ampeg stuff that is coming out. I was just wondering what charges I would incur? What percentage is customs etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 IIRC, expect to pay another 25%-28% on top of the price (inc shipping), which will include Customs and Excise duty, Courier charges and VAT. Then don't forget if you are buying from the US, a certain issue with a difference in mains voltage. Some amps are switchable, some require replacement components that can be costly too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='Phil-osopher10' post='1095116' date='Jan 19 2011, 01:33 PM']Has anyone imported amps from the usa? I really like the ampeg stuff that is coming out. I was just wondering what charges I would incur? What percentage is customs etc?[/quote] You'll be liable for import duty and VAT. I'm no expert but I the import duty is dependant on the value of the items you are importing. I looked into buying a custom built EUB from the US but the duty and shipping costs made it unfeasible before I even thought about adding VAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil-osopher10 Posted January 19, 2011 Author Share Posted January 19, 2011 Good to know! The amp can be had for 300 or 400 dollars depending on whether I go for the 350 or 500. I might just wait. But this is good to know cause sometimes cheap stuff comes up on ebay but I have been wary off customs charges etc. so have stayed away. I know there are some exceptions etc. but I doubt an amp will fall into those categories. By the way how awesome do those cabs look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I've send my 9.0 with carry bag in from the states (in that time nobody was retailing it in my country) for £799 (=640€ in that time). P&P were roughly $70 (=56€). It got caught in customs and i had to let go another 91€ (with some gymnastic or it would be more ) to release it... In the end the whole thing costed 787€. On a local store, nowadays, they're listed close to 850€ with the bag (when i bought it i got quotes of 930€ from stores willing to order it for me!). The difference hasn't worth the trouble, it was the first and last time i'll send something in from abroad - of course this doesn't include the smooth deals i've been getting from all of you here on BC Next time i'll wait until the product reaches my country or other EU store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumnote Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 A few years ago, particularly when the pound was strong, there were some bargains to be had, but since the pound has fallen, its nowhere near as attractive to buy from the states You also have to bear in mind if you buy something new, you have difficulties with guarantees cos if you take your faulty amp into your local ampeg repairer he probably wont repair under guarantee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pentode Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I brought a small herd of Ampegs in from the states when there were two dollars to the pound which worked quite well. Worth remembering that you'll pay duty on the freight costs as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Ive just been getting this exact thing sorted cause im having some EA stuff shipped over and ive been in contact with UK customs and all that jazz and here is a rough estimate for what you'd be looking at. Before i go on, customs place everything under a different import code so as to calculate the duty. For purposes of this example the EA Doubler and EA 12 M-Line both fall under similar codes and have the same %-age of customs duty. But a Cab with more speaker cones may incur a larger %-age. I don't think the head wattage matters, all under the same code. Here goes. Say your amp is $400 before you do anything you need to convert into £ and remember that all the totals from here on will depend on the exchange rate ONLY for the day you did the conversion. ie if you convert one day and order it another you have to allow for the exchange rate to differ which will then throw everything up or down a bit So $400 in to £ is 251.88 (converted using the cash converter on dashboard of a mac) The shipping would then obviously depend on who you use, Lets say $50, £31.48 Customs and excise charge for amps is 4.5% of the total INCLUDING SHIPPING so £251.88+31.48 = £283.36 4.5% of this is = £12.60 (so this is your amount that will go to customs) Then comes VAT.....yay..... As everyone knows VAT is now an astronomical 20%!!! 1/5 of what you buy goes to the government...fair? anyhoo! VAT is added to your Item+Shipping+Customs excise duty. SO.. £283.36+£12.60 = £295.96 you then have to take 20% of that and add it to the price to find out how much it will ACTUALLY cost to get your amp int the country 20% is £59 btw, add to £295...£354 overall total. OTHER CHARGES THAT MIGHT APPLY!!! Some postage companies charge Broker fees for handling the customs chrage untill you pay it when you collect your item and also if you use your credit card or bank account to wire money across there can sometimes be a charge for buying something in a different currency(plus the exchange rate might be different!) Hope that helps some people, but like i said, check out the HM customs guys to get the right code for your item that is getting shipped in so you can calculate the customs charge. I don't know if that is the only rate for AMPs or if there are any other ones, the 4.5% is the same for the Whizzy 12 M-Line though Dara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 [quote name='stewartmusic' post='1097243' date='Jan 21 2011, 11:06 AM']As everyone knows VAT is now an astronomical 20%!!! 1/5 of what you buy goes to the government...fair?[/quote] Not quite - it's actually 1/6 of what you pay goes to the government (think about it)... But I'm really starting to notice VAT these days, especially with those people who quote ex-VAT, and even more so compared to about a year ago when it was only 15%! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 [quote name='stewartmusic' post='1097243' date='Jan 21 2011, 11:06 AM']As everyone knows VAT is now an astronomical 20%!!! 1/5 of what you buy goes to the government...fair?[/quote] Yep. You're being taxed to spend the money that you've already been taxed on... neat trick if you can get away with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 You can't complaint much... since i remember VAT has been 20% over here, a couple of years ago it climbed to 21% and this year we have a very nice and brand new 23% VAT tax... all due to the economical crisis that no one realy sees... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1097763' date='Jan 21 2011, 04:38 PM']You're being taxed to spend the money that you've already been taxed on... neat trick if you can get away with it... [/quote] Indeed, as a higher rate tax payer, I earn £100, pay £40 in tax. The remaining £60 will buy me £50 worth of goods/services with £10 going in VAT. So half of my higher rate earnings goes to the tax man. (Or, of course, way more than that if I'm buying drink or petrol!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil-osopher10 Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 That was some good figures! I like to understand what percentage will go where! Apparently gifts can be up to £135! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 [quote name='Alec' post='1097802' date='Jan 21 2011, 05:06 PM']Indeed, as a higher rate tax payer, I earn £100, pay £40 in tax. The remaining £60 will buy me £50 worth of goods/services with £10 going in VAT. So half of my higher rate earnings goes to the tax man. (Or, of course, way more than that if I'm buying drink or petrol!)[/quote] Thinking about it, it goes back further than that... You've been taxed on what you've earned. You're being taxed when you spend that money on products Those products have been produced using materials that have been taxed by a workforce who have also been taxed... I think I'm getting one of my headaches... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil-osopher10 Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 Now, now lads... I think it is a rather easy cop out getting at the government. Cause in fairness we get free health care cheap tution on most cases etc etc. so they're not all bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 [quote name='Phil-osopher10' post='1098247' date='Jan 21 2011, 11:51 PM']Now, now lads... I think it is a rather easy cop out getting at the government. Cause in fairness we get free health care cheap tution on most cases etc etc. so they're not all bad![/quote] I thought I paid NI for my free healthcare... but then again I thought road tax was for roads as well so just goes to show what I don't know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil-osopher10 Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Well we're not the worst off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 [quote name='Phil-osopher10' post='1097810' date='Jan 21 2011, 05:09 PM']That was some good figures! I like to understand what percentage will go where! Apparently gifts can be up to £135![/quote] I did see something about that but im pretty sure its only if the value is under £9 is free and regardless of gifts/family heirlooms or issues of BGM tax can be applied to anything...under £135 i think the customs charge is prettttty low though. Bearing in mind...thats all well and good if the person who sends you it declares the correct amount as for the government im still a student in scotland who dosent pay taxes...yet...council or road(dont drive) but im still pretty skint! just like the rest of us im sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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