Importing Guitars

[steve-soar]

Gone are the days of bargains to be had from abroad.... for now.
I got a really nice Fender Japan Jazz off Ebay, £65 P&P for 3 days door to door (so to speak), no customs. I was standing in line, waiting at the Post Office and I could see a guitar box. As I got closer, I could see Japanese print on one of the lables. I asked to pick it up, with I.D. and ticket and I couldn't believe it when the guy said there you go, thank you.
This was last year, now, it would cost £140 to send.

[maxrossell]

Yep.

I just priced up a couple used items from Ishibashi, and I actually reckon I'd do better buying the same thing new over here thanks to the pissing exchange rate.

Well done Gordon sodding Brown. I hate you with every fibre of my being.

[jchel]

I got my Strat. from here.

[url="http://www.japanfender.com/"]http://www.japanfender.com/[/url]
Didn't have to pay any duty.
Even if I did still much cheaper than the UK sites.
Jchel

[AndyTravis]

eek, this is so useful, too useful!
I'm going to end up buying ishibashis entire stock.

[OldGit]

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='652566' date='Nov 12 2009, 12:50 PM']eek, this is so useful, too useful!
I'm going to end up buying ishibashis entire stock.[/quote]


If you want something particular you need to get up about 6am and do yoru search.
When you spot something you fancy email immediately to express your interest. They generally will pull it from the website for you to consider (so save teh images whilst it's still there if you need to)
If you leave it beyond about 10 the US guys get on and it will be gone.

[Simon.]

[quote name='Currrls' post='331680' date='Nov 18 2008, 06:14 PM']firstly, anyone dealt with far east guitars, the website looks pretty professional

secondly, what do you think of this [url="http://www.fareastguitars.co.uk/usedjb5.htm"]http://www.fareastguitars.co.uk/usedjb5.htm[/url][/quote]

Hi Currrls,

I bought my 75 RI Jazz from John at Far East a couple of years ago. No problems at all with the transaction - plenty of communication and the bass turned up quickly, very well packaged and exactly as described. All in all, a great service and tom top it off, a really lovely bass! No complaints from me, and I'm currently considering asking him to source me a 70s RI Precision.

Cheers.

[rasher80]

Prices have gone up again at Guitar Emporium, not a million miles off MIA prices now!

Shame

[BigRedX]

I notice that Ishibashi will no longer sell UBox items outside Japan. Their only sales point for foreign customers now is their eBay shop. Not many basses and all of them either Fenders or their copies - BORING!

Pity as there's a very tasty looking Atlansia in the UBox at the moment. :-(

[ped]

Ah the good old U-box. Just been back and it brought back fond memories. Liking the Atlansia bass, too!

[url="http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/ubox.cgi?T=syosai&sline=862&print=1&keys2=annex%40ishibashi.co.jp&tid=list3"]http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/ubox.cgi?...p&tid=list3[/url]

[Stacker]

Ishisbashi no longer selling s/h kit on U-Box internationally!! Would-be international purchasers need to use their ebay site [url="http://myworld.ebay.com/ishibashimusic"]http://myworld.ebay.com/ishibashimusic[/url] which is absolute pants as there are some goodies up there I wanted!

[BigRedX]

Did you see my post 2 above yours? And that was fairly old "news" when I posted it!

[nick]

Hi All,

Hoping for any advice from anyone that's bought from Japan.
I've seen a bass I particularly like on Ebay from seller Chingo123

Firstly, was wondering if anyone's had any experience with this seller before(?) He's got 99.7% positive feedback, but who knows...

Secondly, to cut costs down, I'm considering going for sea freight option of despatch. Half the the price of SAL. I'm not concerned about the delivery time 6-8 weeks, as I can wait. But has anybody had any experiences, bad or good with sea freight, is it a no-no?

Much appreciate any opinions.
Thanks

[OldGit]

[quote name='nick' post='802981' date='Apr 11 2010, 08:01 PM']Hi All,

Hoping for any advice from anyone that's bought from Japan.
I've seen a bass I particularly like on Ebay from seller Chingo123

Firstly, was wondering if anyone's had any experience with this seller before(?) He's got 99.7% positive feedback, but who knows...

Secondly, to cut costs down, I'm considering going for sea freight option of despatch. Half the the price of SAL. I'm not concerned about the delivery time 6-8 weeks, as I can wait. But has anybody had any experiences, bad or good with sea freight, is it a no-no?

Much appreciate any opinions.
Thanks[/quote]

Chingo123 is fine. I've dealt with him in the past and would do so again.
Shipping by ship is fine too - but boy does 6 weeks feel like a long time when you are waiting for your bass to show up ..

[nick]

[quote name='OldGit' post='803822' date='Apr 12 2010, 03:22 PM']Chingo123 is fine. I've dealt with him in the past and would do so again.
Shipping by ship is fine too - but boy does 6 weeks feel like a long time when you are waiting for your bass to show up .. [/quote]

Thanks OldGit.
It is a long time to wait, but I'm trying to keep costs down - sea freight is significantly cheaper than other options. Plus , got other pieces of Japcrap to play in the meantime.

[OldGit]

[quote name='nick' post='803940' date='Apr 12 2010, 05:40 PM']Thanks OldGit.
It is a long time to wait, but I'm trying to keep costs down - sea freight is significantly cheaper than other options. Plus , got other pieces of Japcrap to play in the meantime.[/quote]


Yeah it cuts the shipping costs and the duty and VAT are all applied to those costs too.
David is fine. He's a Kiwi living in Japan. Very good comms and [b]outstanding[/b] packing.

Edited April 12, 2010 by OldGit

[Stacker]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='768032' date='Mar 8 2010, 03:38 PM']Did you see my post 2 above yours? And that was fairly old "news" when I posted it![/quote]


Yeh, I did - after I'd posted mine!

Anyway, you can still get s/h stuff offa Ishi if you've dealt with them before.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Stacker' post='905509' date='Jul 26 2010, 09:45 AM']Anyway, you can still get s/h stuff offa Ishi if you've dealt with them before.[/quote]

Indeed - as I've recently discovered *grin*

However your order has to come to at least ¥50,000 (approximately £370 at current exchange rates), which could be problematic when looking at some of the cheaper basses.

[Stacker]

Just a quick update to remind Basschatters to check the duty that the UK Border Agency are charging on imported electric guitars. I have just caught them out again - for the 3rd consecutive time since I started checking - with incorrect calculations. I shudder to think how much money I've lost to them over the past ten years of importing kit.

Be vigilant, guys.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Stacker

[OldGit]

[quote name='Stacker' post='911801' date='Aug 1 2010, 12:09 PM']Just a quick update to remind Basschatters to check the duty that the UK Border Agency are charging on imported electric guitars. I have just caught them out again - for the 3rd time since I started checking - with incorrect calculations. I sudder to think how much money I've lost to them over the past ten years of importing kit.

Be vigilant, guys.[/quote]

Hummmmmm
Can you elucidate a little?
Thanks

[Stacker]

I thought I'd posted on this somewhere else a while back but I can't find it right now.

Electric guitars have a 'commodity code' that allows HMRC/UKBA to calculate the duty and thus the VAT. The commodity code is 9267901000 and this gives a duty rate of 3.2%. This is added to the value of the goods plus it's shipping and insurance charges (if any) and that total then gets VAT added to it.

UKBA should, if the item arrives at Coventry International Hub, look at the item description, allocate it's correct code and calculate accordingly. Thing is, these guys are not doing it, even when the correct commodity code is on the shipping docket. It's starting to annoy the hell out of me: I'm not here to their job for them and if they want their pound of flesh then I expect them to do it properly! I've already received two adjustment refunnds this year from them and my MP is involved with the issues as well.

It's not fair, and they think that cos their part of HMRC they can do as they see fit. Well, not with this fella!

Hope that helps.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Stacker

[OldGit]

[quote name='Stacker' post='911994' date='Aug 1 2010, 04:25 PM']I thought I'd posted on this somewhere else a while back but I can't find it right now.

Electric guitars have a 'commodity code' that allows HMRC/UKBA to calculate the duty and thus the VAT. The commodity code is 9267901000 and this gives a duty rate of 3.2%. This is added to the value of the goods plus it's shipping and insurance charges (if any) and that total then gets VAT added to it.

UKBA should, if the item arrives at Coventry International Hub, look at the item description, allocate it's correct code and calculate accordingly. Thing is, these guys are not doing it, even when the correct commodity code is on the shipping docket. It's starting to annoy the hell out of me: I'm not here to their job for them and if they want their pound of flesh then I expect them to do it properly! I've already received two adjustment refunnds this year from them and my MP is involved with the issues as well.

It's not fair, and they think that cos their part of HMRC they can do as they see fit. Well, not with this fella!

Hope that helps.[/quote]

Ah..
Can you tell us what they are doing wrong? Is it the wrong commodity code? Does it makea big difference and who do you call to fix it?
How do you know if they have done it wrong?
Thanks
OG

[Stacker]

From what I've heard, sometimes they just assign a blanket code, like clicking 'other' on a web form. The commodity code should be given by you to your shipper (this I discovered back in April) to make it easier for UKBA to do their calculations. If it's not there, then they have to look it up and with this being the age of the information superhighway then that should be no problem for them. Yet it seems it is, judging by their figures.

The only thing I haven't seen on their breakdowns is that there may be different rates of duty for items coming from different countries but that is not highlighted or explained in their breakdowns either.

You have to write to the UKBA at Siskin Parkway West in Coventry and you will need to supply the sender's shipping docket and the customs charge sticker, or scans thereof. But don't expect a reply too quick though. UKBA sat on my letter for over a month and only when I got my MP involved did they put themselves in gear. These folk forget they are civil servants, at the end of the day. Something that I have had need to remind them of.

BTW, since April, with these last three consecutive imports, UKBA have so far got the cumulative figure wrong by >£70. £70 which is better off in my bank account. So you can see why I'm rather bolshy about this when you factor in the vintage Ricks and Fenders I've imported from the 'States over the last ten years and never queried the import duty.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Stacker

[OldGit]

Thanks Stacker. A good heads up.

[malcolm.mcintyre]

there has been a bit of talk about carrying guitars undeclared through Customs and avoiding duty. I know the penalty if stopped is an extra 100 percent of the duty owing, but I was told they can confiscate the bass as well?
Even if the duty is avoided "by accident" by the importer, they can still impose a penalty of about 50 percent extra duty.

Edited August 12, 2010 by malcolm.mcintyre

[Stacker]

The days of strolling through H'row with a '57 LP Gold Top in a battered case are long gone. EX MI industry men have been employed by Customs (or UKBA as they are now known) for many years. You have to be a clever, well-prepared fella and have all kinds of false documentation/provenance to hand if you get pulled.

I have also heard of baggage-handlers (in the carousel back-rooms) opening up guitar cases and having a wee go on them. Bear that in mind if you bring one through without it being locked/secured properly.

Edited August 18, 2010 by Stacker