sgh Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 (edited) Given the recent Gibson case in the US regarding the importing of guitars into the US do I need to be worried about taking my Walnut bass to the US on holiday ? Would I need any documentation ? Thanks Steve Edited April 18, 2012 by sgh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panamonte Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Personally I'd be more concerned about having to spend a protracted time in US Immigration trying to persuade them that I wasn't planning to play any gigs and that was why I didn't have a work permit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chairleg Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Steve, had a quick look and found this: http://idle.slashdot.org/story/11/08/29/148239/environmental-enforcement-agents-targeting-guitars Only had time to glance at it so not sure if it contains anything of use to you. Regards, Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 If you are coming on holiday, and you own the bass and are not planning on "working" or "selling", you shouldn't have any problems. In this case your guitar is like a set of golf clubs or a tennis racquet. I just recommend you check it as luggage/baggage. Shouldn't be any customs issue, as you aren't "importing" anything. Importing assumes you are bringing a product here to sell or that you have bought from an overseas vendor and having shipped directly to you. In this case you are bringing your personal bass with you as baggage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 The law, by the way, really only applies to companies and independent builders and makers. Vintage instruments are sort of grandfathered, as they are definitely made with what would now be considered illegal woods. Just tell them you are a liberal, super Democrat at immigration and that you love President Obama. You should be fine..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Whatever may transpire on arrival in the US, you might want to check the UK HMRC website re: bringing items back into the UK. Without paperwork to prove otherwise, UK customs might think you bought it in the US during your trip and stiff you for some duty, VAT, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 How long are you going for? If it's only a couple of weeks then why bother taking a bass at all? Have a break from it, enjoy your holiday & come back to it refreshed & enthusiastic. You'll need a proper pro flightcase to ensure that it doesn't get destroyed & there's also the possibility of it going missing in transit. If you're going for a long time then I'd consider buying a bass out there & flogging it before you come back before going to all the hassle of taking one with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vax2002 Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 (edited) If it has no CE sticker on the Bass UK Customs will ask for absolute proof that the bass is not been imported, so you would need copper bottomed travel documents listing the bass as outbound luggage, they do not "do" excuses" The luggage slip should say : bass Guitar, serial number XXXXXXXXXX type : ringer bass( make and model), Colour : rosewood(colour description) Approximate age Edited April 18, 2012 by vax2002 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 why do you need to take one with you? If you have too buy one. And then sell it or unbolt it and hide it with your underwear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Ooh a Basschatter in Asbury Park. I used to live in Belmar (and Point Pleasant, and Tom's River, and Bayville, and Jackson...). I hear the boardwalk's been redeveloped and the town is on the up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgh Posted April 19, 2012 Author Share Posted April 19, 2012 Thanks for all the replies, I will be going for just under 3 weeks to visit my brother & I love taking one to re-visit when we were younger & we used to play together. I take the point about taking the paperwork for bringing back in to the uk. As you can see from my Profile pic I like Status basses & they are rare enough over here let alone in the US, so I usually end up taking one of mine (complete with CE sticker!). Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1334785581' post='1621405'] Ooh a Basschatter in Asbury Park. I used to live in Belmar (and Point Pleasant, and Tom's River, and Bayville, and Jackson...). I hear the boardwalk's been redeveloped and the town is on the up? [/quote] Asbury is better then ever, okay, not ever but it has com WWWAAAYYYYYYY back. Lots of places with live music, a ton of really great restaurants, and you can walk the streets of most of the town late at night with no worries. So, what made you move to the other side of the pond? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Been back and forth to the US with basses many times. Never had a problem. Then again, my cases are all a little roadworn, so they hardly look like new instruments! One thing to consider, if the Status is a headless, it might fit in a guitar gig bag, which means you should be able to take it into the cabin instead of checking it! Tom/thisnameistaken - We lived in NJ for quite some time, we're in PA now, and we're heading home to the UK in July. The US was fun for a while, but we've both had enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassdriver Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 [quote name='vax2002' timestamp='1334778929' post='1621261'] If it has no CE sticker on the Bass UK Customs will ask for absolute proof that the bass is not been imported, so you would need copper bottomed travel documents listing the bass as outbound luggage, they do not "do" excuses" The luggage slip should say : bass Guitar, serial number XXXXXXXXXX type : ringer bass( make and model), Colour : rosewood(colour description) Approximate age [/quote] I took my bass to Australia last year but had no trouble bringing it back to the UK. Customs never even looked at it. I just walked through the green channel, no problem. Maybe it would have been different if they'd decided to stop me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lxxwj Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 You should be fine as long as the buggers at airport security don't open it up for explosives. [i]Silly Americans..[/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 [quote name='TomRichards' timestamp='1334869582' post='1622797'] Asbury is better then ever, okay, not ever but it has com WWWAAAYYYYYYY back. Lots of places with live music, a ton of really great restaurants, and you can walk the streets of most of the town late at night with no worries. So, what made you move to the other side of the pond? [/quote] Glad to hear it man I used to spend a lot of time in Asbury, playing at The Saint and the Stone Pony. I guess you probably know John D'Esposito? He used to attempt to manage our band back then, poor guy! I am originally from England I came back here after three years because I got a bit homesick, but I had a great time living at the shore in NJ. I keep meaning to go back to visit old friends but they've scattered up and down both coasts now, would be an expensive trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.