martindupras Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 [quote name='secretsquirrel' post='1254005' date='Jun 2 2011, 02:16 PM']You'll probably not get that delivered until you pay for the duty/VAT on both Personally I wouldn't have done this but each to their own. Just remember it will have to go back to the states for any repair work in the event it's ever needed (and that will cost much more than any savings you made)[/quote] I had budgeted for duty and VAT so it's not going to be a surprise. I was surprised that they didn't ask for payment of the duty and VAT before delivery, which is what I've experienced in the past. I see where you're coming from with the warranty. From my point of view, though, this is no different than buying second-hand (where you don't get a warranty anyway), and the way I see it I'm getting a new head and new foot controller for roughly the same amount of money as the heads go for second-hand. But I do take your point, a warranty repair would be a pain. - martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 [quote name='martindupras' post='1254078' date='Jun 2 2011, 02:54 PM']I had budgeted for duty and VAT so it's not going to be a surprise. I was surprised that they didn't ask for payment of the duty and VAT before delivery, which is what I've experienced in the past. I see where you're coming from with the warranty. From my point of view, though, this is no different than buying second-hand (where you don't get a warranty anyway), and the way I see it I'm getting a new head and new foot controller for roughly the same amount of money as the heads go for second-hand. But I do take your point, a warranty repair would be a pain. - martin[/quote] Im sure TC would sort you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretsquirrel Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) [quote name='martindupras' post='1254078' date='Jun 2 2011, 02:54 PM']a warranty repair would be a pain.[/quote] Actually based on the serial number (TC Electronics would know where it came from) I think any repair would be a pain even if you offered to pay for it. [quote name='Musicman20' post='1254114' date='Jun 2 2011, 03:11 PM']Im sure TC would sort you out.[/quote] What makes you think that? I'm absolutely sure TC Electronics' service department in Denmark wouldn't if they knew this was a grey import and neither would any dealer either. It's very clear on the TC Electronics website "The product warranty is only valid in the country where the product was purchased" You pays your money and you takes your risk. I'd still ask a local dealer for a deal myself letting them know what I'm considering doing Edited June 2, 2011 by secretsquirrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martindupras Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 [quote name='secretsquirrel' post='1254192' date='Jun 2 2011, 04:19 PM']You pays your money and you takes your risk. I'd still ask a local dealer for a deal myself letting them know what I'm considering doing [/quote] That's exactly what I've done. I've taken a chance that I was happy to take. I've taken chances hundreds of times on second-hand items too. IMO, there isn't a single UK dealer who is able to beat the price I got. It's a moot point. If I'd thought there was even a remote chance of getting an equivalent price, I would have bought locally. I don't see how that's any more of a risk than buying second-hand. - martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 [quote name='secretsquirrel' post='1254192' date='Jun 2 2011, 04:19 PM']What makes you think that? I'm absolutely sure TC Electronics' service department in Denmark wouldn't if they knew this was a grey import and neither would any dealer either. It's very clear on the TC Electronics website "The product warranty is only valid in the country where the product was purchased" You pays your money and you takes your risk. I'd still ask a local dealer for a deal myself letting them know what I'm considering doing [/quote] Its still a purchase of their amp, and they would no doubt point the buyer to their service centre. Yes, cost might be involved, but they are always helpful when I contact them. In fact, Uffe, the TC chap who is on their demo vids, called my mobile personally to sort out a small issue I had with my RH750. Like I said, a customer could buy it in the USA and move to the UK. It has a worldwide voltage detections system. Yes, it isnt the safest option, but at least its an amp sold for TC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 [quote name='chris_b' post='1248999' date='May 29 2011, 11:13 AM']I don't understand TC's thinking here. Have they any idea about marketing strategies. By choosing this price point for the RH750 they've just screwed their entire current customer base by wiping out the second-hand value of TC amps. They've also trashed future sales of two of their own lines. Who's going to buy a Classic and RH450 now?[/quote] Who is going to buy an RH450? I would. Great price for a great amp. Would it be nice to go for the RH750? Yes. Is the price difference worth it? I haven't tried the RH750... but after owning an RH450 for two years, I don't feel I need to change. So if anything, it's a great way to sell RH450s It sucks that second hand prices will be so low now. If I had to sell, I'd barely get a third of what I paid. It cost me £750 in May 2009, and soon afterwards it went up to £850 in the same store (Guitar Guitar)... Fortunately, I have no intention of letting it go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martindupras Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I just wanted to give an update on my RH450 purchase from the USA. I have not yet received a duty/import invoice. I have great doubts that one will come by now. My total cost for the brand new RH450 and the RC4 footswitch, including all shipping, was £516. Both arrived within two days from purchase. Incidentally, I found that an old padded laptop case works brilliantly to store the head and the footswitch. My first impressions of the RH450. (I doubt that many people care by now, there have been gazillions of reports and reviews.) The build, the design of the head and of the footswitch, are great. The head is heavier than I expected, the footswitch smaller. The interface is relatively easy to use. It could be easier. Once you change the settings on a preset, there's no way to be visually reminded which it was you were editing, so several times I meant to alter preset 2 and ended up overwriting preset 3. Which is frustrating but only because I have the short term memory of an iguana. The mp3 input is only audible in the headphones. It makes perfect sense, but today I wished I could get it out of the cabs, it would have been handy. It's not a big deal though. Sound: I have not yet found a sound that I really like on this amp. That is not unusual for me. The out-of-the-box sound is not to my liking at all. Tweaking the EQ with the default settings doesn't help much. I looked up the frequency bands, and changed them to something that makes more sense to me, which helped a little. I need to do some more experimentation and try it at my next band rehearsal. It looks like the presets retain the centre frequency of the EQ bands, so I'm very much hoping that that will help me achieve sounds that I like. It's a bit of a shame to not be able to change the Q of the filter bands because I'm positively convinced that this would allow me to get exactly the sounds that I want. (It's a shame nothing seems to have come from the TC tweak software they gave to reviewers at one time, I'd be well up for trying it.) I don't like the compressor. Once again, I'm a fusspot, and very few compressors are to my satisfaction. For reference, I'm happy with my Demeter Compulator. Once again, not a big deal, I can just turn it off, but it would have been nice to have a usable compressor built in. The tuner is very good. It's very fast, and it seems to sample the sound continuously like the better tuners, so points for that. All in all, I'm fairly happy. I didn't buy the amp to replace my main amps (GK Fusion 550, Traynor YBA-200) but rather as a much smaller, lighter addition to my arsenal. For the record, the basses I used are a MusicMan Bongo 5HH+piezo and an American Jazz V Deluxe. The cabs I used were Acme Low-B1 and Tech Soundsystems ND612S. - martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 (edited) [quote name='martindupras' post='1263504' date='Jun 10 2011, 12:32 AM']I have not yet received a duty/import invoice. I have great doubts that one will come by now.[/quote] Sadly, I'd have to say not to be too confident - think mine arrived 3 weeks later, just as I was getting really confident that I'd "escaped". I'd give it until the end of June (seriously!) before you feel you've got out of jail free. [quote name='martindupras' post='1263504' date='Jun 10 2011, 12:32 AM']Incidentally, I found that an old padded laptop case works brilliantly to store the head and the footswitch.[/quote] Me too, and these are ten a penny at work. Given that people were finding that the TC bag was not holding out well, I was delighted with this - free and robust! [quote name='martindupras' post='1263504' date='Jun 10 2011, 12:32 AM']Incidentally, I found that an old The mp3 input is only audible in the headphones. It makes perfect sense, but today I wished I could get it out of the cabs, it would have been handy. It's not a big deal though.[/quote] Completely agree! While you wouldn't want to do this with regular gigging, it would surely open up opportunities in a busking role and would occasionally just sort out a problem. That said, I've never even used the mp3 input on mine (but might have if it was routed to the speakers) [quote name='martindupras' post='1263504' date='Jun 10 2011, 12:32 AM']Incidentally, I found that an old The I don't like the compressor. Once again, I'm a fusspot, and very few compressors are to my satisfaction. For reference, I'm happy with my Demeter Compulator. Once again, not a big deal, I can just turn it off, but it would have been nice to have a usable compressor built in. The tuner is very good. It's very fast, and it seems to sample the sound continuously like the better tuners, so points for that.[/quote] Wow - I love the compressor. Wouldn't carry around a separate one, as for big gigs I'd just rely on the compression in the PA rack. The separate compressor control is the only RH750 that I long for, though... The tuner is arguably the best bit of genius in this little amp. Never again am I fishing around for a tuner in my bag, or discovering it's been left on and the battery's gone flat. Debated a rack tuner for years, but now don't need to bother! Keep plugging away with the EQ, though, there's the sound you need in there, just begging to come out to play! Edited June 10, 2011 by Alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I think the compressor is fantastic for an onboard feature, but I'm a simple creature when it comes to these things. For me, it sounds great. Keep tweaking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martindupras Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 [quote name='Alec' post='1263645' date='Jun 10 2011, 09:51 AM']Sadly, I'd have to say not to be too confident - think mine arrived 3 weeks later, just as I was getting really confident that I'd "escaped". I'd give it until the end of June (seriously!) before you feel you've got out of jail free.[/quote] Damn. I know you're right. - martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martindupras Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 ... And the duty invoice came in the post today. Damn. Having said that, it's much less than I thought. - martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 [quote name='martindupras' post='1263915' date='Jun 10 2011, 12:43 PM']... And the duty invoice came in the post today. Damn.[/quote] Told you so... [quote name='martindupras' post='1263915' date='Jun 10 2011, 12:43 PM']Having said that, it's much less than I thought.[/quote] Same here. But for me, the kickers were the fact that the tax was also charged on the delivery cost, plus the service charge that DHL levy - grrr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I'm just about to do a trade + cash deal for one of these.... Just wondering, what's the going rate now approx for a second hand 450 with bag and footswitch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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