Buying new from the US

[Lozz196]

Just bought a Fender Custom Shop 62 Precision Pickup from the US. Worked out at about £83 inc delivery. Just had to pay a customs charge of £13 so £96 in total, against the cheapest - at the time of purchase - here at £125, so a saving of £29. Ok, if it breaks it`s a bit tricky, and I wouldn`t go down this route if it wasn`t something that I knew I liked/def wanted, but pretty pleased on saving roughly 25%.

[TheGreek]

I bought my Veillette Citron direct from the States (there are maybe 3x in the UK) - HMRC were kind enough to hold on to it for me till I was able to give them £113.

Death & Taxes!!

[Yank]

History never mentions it, but I'm pretty sure George Washington was a bass player and was outraged at the high taxes on his new bass. He didn't have any gigs coming up in England anyway, so told the king to sod off.

[Skybone]

I've been looking into this a lot more recently, as it would appear to be far cheaper to buy a Rickenbacker in the US and have it shipped over, than it would be to actually buy an "officially imported" one in the UK. No UK discounts anywhere, yet there appear to be loads in the US. If they won't export a new bass, then there would appear to be an abundant source of very good quality, second hand models kicking about that don't have manufacturer restrictions on.

Pretty sure Rosetti just get the US list price & just change the $ symbol for the £ symbol.

The only downside to this, is that I still can't afford one!

[Al Krow]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1509036299' post='3396233']
Just bought a Fender Custom Shop 62 Precision Pickup from the US. Worked out at about £83 inc delivery. Just had to pay a customs charge of £13 so £96 in total, against the cheapest - at the time of purchase - here at £125, so a saving of £29. Ok, if it breaks it`s a bit tricky, and I wouldn`t go down this route if it wasn`t something that I knew I liked/def wanted, but pretty pleased on saving roughly 25%.
[/quote]

Thanks for sharing Lozz and yes, from what you say, it can definitely be worthwhile: a 25% saving is considerable!

In case this is helpful to anyone else thinking about importing from the US, a typical "Lozz type example" would be:

Cost of goods plus delivery and insurance to the UK port of entry = £75
VAT at 20% = £15
Postage in the UK = £6
[i]Total = £96[/i]

No Customs duties to pay on top where price < £135 (including VAT). Otherwise if the price is > £135 you need to add 2.5% to the whole VAT inclusive price (the rate is 2.5% only up to £630 and then specific rates apply)

Edited October 28, 2017 by Al Krow

[thepurpleblob]

Some years ago I bought a used Yamaha TRB4P from a shop in the USA. Turned up (very well packed) at Prestwick Airport. Went down, paid the bills and all perfectly happy. PITA if you need to send it back for any reason. I think it's a bit like used cars - you've bought it, it's your problem now.

[TheGreek]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1509113895' post='3396747']
I've been looking into this a lot more recently, as it would appear to be far cheaper to buy a Rickenbacker in the US and have it shipped over, than it would be to actually buy an "officially imported" one in the UK. No UK discounts anywhere, yet there appear to be loads in the US. If they won't export a new bass, then there would appear to be an abundant source of very good quality, second hand models kicking about that don't have manufacturer restrictions on.

Pretty sure Rosetti just get the US list price & just change the $ symbol for the £ symbol.

The only downside to this, is that I still can't afford one!
[/quote]

Pretty much the story for a friend who's imported a Mustang - cheaper to import parts himself and pay the Import Duty then to buy in the UK.

[steantval]

I remember several years ago when holidaying in the US, the exchange rate was two dollars to the pound and I'm kicking myself because I was dilly dallying over bringing back a bass.
I visited the big Sam Ash music store in Sarasota and could have purchased a brand new Musicman Stingray for $1300 (£650).
Our guitarist was really lucky after purchasing a brand new PRS from a music superstore in Vegas, got really lucky on the return trip through U.K. Customs, just waved through and paid zero duty, lucky chap.

[FinnDave]

Never mind how much it cost, how does it sound??

[Chris2112]

[quote name='steantval' timestamp='1509202522' post='3397312']
Our guitarist was really lucky after purchasing a brand new PRS from a music superstore in Vegas, got really lucky on the return trip through U.K. Customs, just waved through and paid zero duty, lucky chap.
[/quote]

I do remember reading of customs 'getting wise' to musicians travelling to America to spend. Stories of guys leaving the UK with a Squier P bass in a hard case in hand luggage and coming back with an Alembic only to find that customs had cottoned on to their trick and they were hit with import duty. At a roadside somewhere in California, the old P bass had been dumped!

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1509216634' post='3397407']
I do remember reading of customs 'getting wise' to musicians travelling to America to spend. Stories of guys leaving the UK with a Squier P bass in a hard case in hand luggage and coming back with an Alembic only to find that customs had cottoned on to their trick and they were hit with import duty. At a roadside somewhere in California, the old P bass had been dumped!
[/quote]

To an extent, this sort of thing has been going on for years. I cite a passage from Ian Hunter's epistle 'Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star'.

Mott The Hoople would tour the USA and do raids on pawn shops, purchasing anything that would sell for profit in the UK. Remember none of this stuff was really vintage back then, they were just Gibsons and Fenders. They'd just put the purchases in with their tour gear, it woukd all sail through borders and when it arrived back in 'Blighty, Hunter and Ralphs would be up in the West End hawking this gear around dealers.