Typical shipping costs from the US

[Marky L]

Hi

OK I have had a dig around in the courier guide and other threads, but as a quick and dirty, could anyone give me a guide to the cost of shipping a bass in a hardshell case from the US to UK.

I am hoping to argue the guy selling the Ric I want to ship, but I need an idea of the nasty shipping costs.

So a Ric 4003 in it's case.. insured to a value of let's say £1800. (not looking for dodgy budget nonsense!!!!).

Ta muchly

[Toasted]

Sadowsky charged me $250 for a next day FedEx, tracked and insured service.

[Toasted]

Don't forget to add VAT and Tax into your calculations.

[maxrossell]

Do you pay tax if it's used gear?

[bumnote]

[quote name='maxrossell' post='681232' date='Dec 11 2009, 12:37 PM']Do you pay tax if it's used gear?[/quote]

Yes

allow 22% as a rough guide including shipping costs

[lozbass]

I've brought in a couple of basses from the US recently - Fedex is around $300-400 for a two-day service (though it takes longer with admin for duty and tax). You will pay duty and VAT on the price of the instrument and the shipping cost. At current VAT rate, you'll need to factor in around 19% (VAT and import duty) for the declared value of the instrument (£1800) plus shipping (about £250). I'd say the final price in sterling will be something like £2400-2450

[Rich]

And don't try to fool them by declaring the value as £200 or something. They ain't daft, unfortunately.

[Marky L]

Thanks all.

Yeah, my only hope of sneaking it by customs would be to bring it back personally I guess.. "yes Mr Customs & Excise Man, it's been with a friend who has been touring with it and did some repair work for me too.."

Stupid $/£ exchange rate too, it all adds up, but sometimes all sense just goes out the window!!

Anyway, TBH I don't think he is going to change his mind ref shipping, so I'll just pine away..

[Rich]

[quote name='Marky L' post='681333' date='Dec 11 2009, 01:50 PM']Yeah, my only hope of sneaking it by customs would be to bring it back personally I guess.. "yes Mr Customs & Excise Man, it's been with a friend who has been touring with it and did some repair work for me too.."[/quote]
That won't cut any mustard with them either, unless you can demonstrate that you bought it in the UK (e.g. a receipt). Otherwise they'll sting you for duty anyway. C&E are very powerful, and they know it.

[Toasted]

Normally I'd really enjoy telling Rich to not be silly. . . . but he's bang on the money ;-)

[leschirons]

Fedex cost me $250 for a three day service that took a week and then I copped a charge of €500 import and TVA (VAT)

[Golchen]

[quote name='Rich' post='681353' date='Dec 11 2009, 02:10 PM']That won't cut any mustard with them either, unless you can demonstrate that you bought it in the UK (e.g. a receipt). Otherwise they'll sting you for duty anyway. C&E are very powerful, and they know it.[/quote]


How about - Take a case OVER with you, buy any old cheap piece of cr*p guitar from a junk shop to fill it. Ditch the cr*p guitar when you get there and bring the bass home in the case.

[WalMan]

[quote name='Golchen' post='681690' date='Dec 11 2009, 08:43 PM']How about - Take a case OVER with you, buy any old cheap piece of cr*p guitar from a junk shop to fill it. Ditch the cr*p guitar when you get there and bring the bass home in the case.[/quote]
Nope!. They aren't idiots & have people who know about these things. You'd just end up getting it confiscated

[Golchen]

[quote name='WalMan' post='681769' date='Dec 11 2009, 10:25 PM']Nope!. They aren't idiots & have people who know about these things. You'd just end up getting it confiscated[/quote]


Doh! Sounded like a good idea ....

[Toasted]

All this scheming to save a couple of hundred quid - just get it spent and start loving the bass

[Golchen]

[quote name='Toasted' post='683994' date='Dec 14 2009, 01:59 PM']All this scheming to save a couple of hundred quid - just get it spent and start loving the bass [/quote]


I take it you don't have a wife to factor into the equation?

[Toasted]

We're not married but she does give me disapproving looks when I return from Bass Direct.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Toasted