Best Strat for about $700,-?

Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Bartdef said:
I believe I can still order at Guitar Center although I'm in the Netherlands, but I searched their site and couldn't find the PRS, I don't know whether I just can't buy it from here or if it's sold out? But thanks for the tip anyway!

However I'm more into vintage strat kinda looks, I heard lots of good stories about Fender MIJ's ('80's), I wouldn't call myself a Fender junk, but would no one recommend me getting on of those?
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Not sure about NL but I know here in Italy I get absolutely murdered by the import taxes when I order from somewhere like GC. The extra cost of shipping alone will make you wince in pain.
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

There are any number of strat style guitars within your budget.
The first thing that struck me was also Yahama which generally provide very good quality for the price. In the end you´ll need to play the guitars and decide what models feel good and sound good to you (unplugged), G&L, Ernie Ball Sterling, Jackson, Cort, LTD, Tokai, Ibanez, Fender/Squier, (in no particular order) all have models within your budget and probably lots more.

Play everything you can get hold of even if they´re cheaper than you expect to pay and maybe leave some money aside to upgrade pickups.
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Edgecrusher said:
Not sure about NL but I know here in Italy I get absolutely murdered by the import taxes when I order from somewhere like GC. The extra cost of shipping alone will make you wince in pain.
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Excuse me but most of that is sales tax.

The price displayed on US websites is without sales tax but many people in many states have to pay sales tax.

So the website displayed prices are deceptive.
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

uOpt said:
Excuse me but most of that is sales tax.

The price displayed on US websites is without sales tax but many people in many states have to pay sales tax.

So the website displayed prices are deceptive.
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Ummm no its not not in Italy. Anything you order here from a retailer when it hits the border they slap you with a bill for 26% of the stated value of the goods. Hell they made me pax taxes on used personal items that were sent to me from home just because we declared a value for insurance purposes

There is no such thing as sales tax in Italy


What states have to pay sales tax? When I left in Idaho there were no sales tax on internet purchases.
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Edgecrusher said:
Ummm no its not not in Italy. Anything you order here from a retailer when it hits the border they slap you with a bill for 26% of the stated value of the goods. Hell they made me pax taxes on used personal items that were sent to me from home just because we declared a value for insurance purposes

There is no such thing as sales tax in Italy


What states have to pay sales tax? When I left in Idaho there were no sales tax on internet purchases.
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If the state you live in has sales tax you are obligated to pay it even if the website doesn't charge it before delivery. If you decide to cheat on taxes and not declare it that is your own decision, I am talking about the law here.

It doesn't matter what Italy calls it as importing into the EU costs about the same for most goods and most countries. For example, importing your guitar into Germany will be 22%, which is made up from 19% sales tax and 3% customs. The 19% sales tax is the same sales tax that you would pay inside the country in a mom and pop shop or amazon.de. So your foreign sale is only 3% more than inside the country.

The difference is, again, that US/Canadian websites do not include sales tax in displayed prices and every other developed country requires that price displays include sales tax. As a result Europeans feel like the manufacturer or importer is ripping them off, although the rippoff usually is almost exclusively government issue.


ETA: apparently Italy has 20% VAT which is a sales tax, more complicated, but the difference doesn't matter if you import. Not sure where the remaining 3% come from if 3% are customs.
http://world.tax-rates.org/italy/sales-tax

ETA, OK, so there is a separate "import VAT" of 22% and 3.7% customs, so you end up with your 26%. What the difference is between having different VATs for import and non-import as opposed to just charging more customs is questionable, it is probably the E.U. not allowing random states to charge random customs.

http://www.dutycalculator.com/dc/23...struments-from-united-states-to-italy-is-3.7/
 
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Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

uOpt said:
If the state you live in has sales tax you are obligated to pay it even if the website doesn't charge it before delivery. If you decide to cheat on taxes and not declare it that is your own decision, I am talking about the law here.

It doesn't matter what Italy calls it as importing into the EU costs about the same for most goods and most countries. For example, importing your guitar into Germany will be 22%, which is made up from 19% sales tax and 3% customs. The 19% sales tax is the same sales tax that you would pay inside the country in a mom and pop shop or amazon.de. So your foreign sale is only 3% more than inside the country.

The difference is, again, that US/Canadian websites do not include sales tax in displayed prices and every other developed country requires that price displays include sales tax. As a result Europeans feel like the manufacturer or importer is ripping them off, although the rippoff usually is almost exclusively government issue.


ETA: apparently Italy has 20% VAT which is a sales tax, more complicated, but the difference doesn't matter if you import. Not sure where the remaining 3% come from if 3% are customs.
http://world.tax-rates.org/italy/sales-tax

ETA, OK, so there is a separate "import VAT" of 22% and 3.7% customs, so you end up with your 26%. What the difference is between having different VATs for import and non-import as opposed to just charging more customs is questionable, it is probably the E.U. not allowing random states to charge random customs.

http://www.dutycalculator.com/dc/23...struments-from-united-states-to-italy-is-3.7/
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Yeah ok so then we agree as thats what i said before
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

The OP is in Europe. The economics of buying from outside the EU trade zone are, let us say, disadvantageous. Even the economics of the OP buying from a forum member within the EU are not wonderful.

Imagine, if you will, that I have a Fender MIM Stratocaster for sale at £375. This figure converts to approximately €470 before shipping and any applicable NL taxes.
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Edgecrusher said:
Not sure about NL but I know here in Italy I get absolutely murdered by the import taxes when I order from somewhere like GC. The extra cost of shipping alone will make you wince in pain.
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You're absolutely right, everything I order from outside the EU that costs more than €150,-; I will have to pay 21% import taxes
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

playas said:
There are any number of strat style guitars within your budget.
The first thing that struck me was also Yahama which generally provide very good quality for the price. In the end you´ll need to play the guitars and decide what models feel good and sound good to you (unplugged), G&L, Ernie Ball Sterling, Jackson, Cort, LTD, Tokai, Ibanez, Fender/Squier, (in no particular order) all have models within your budget and probably lots more.

Play everything you can get hold of even if they´re cheaper than you expect to pay and maybe leave some money aside to upgrade pickups.
Click to expand...

That's a nice tip, thanks :) I know you're right, but just wondering, why is it that the guitar will have to sound good unplugged? Is it because you can hear the actual guitar/wood better?
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

uOpt said:
(...)The difference is, again, that US/Canadian websites do not include sales tax in displayed prices and every other developed country requires that price displays include sales tax. As a result Europeans feel like the manufacturer or importer is ripping them off, although the rippoff usually is almost exclusively government issue.(...)
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That is true, however, a lot of manufacturers do notice it on the checkout page, an example from the Chinese website Miniinthebox.com: "We don't add taxes, VAT, or other hidden charges. You pay what you see on the checkout page, i.e. goods subtotal shipping cost.

However - In most countries in the world you have to pay taxes on imported goods. Sometimes goods under a certain value, or in certain categories, do not incur taxes.
The rules are different in every country.

In any one country the rules are often applied differently in different places, and sometimes rather randomly.

MiniInTheBox is based in China. We are a Chinese company. Therefore anything you buy from us is going to be imported as far as your country's customs are concerned.

Unfortunately there is no way for us to know the rules, regulations, customs, traditions, practices, loopholes, schemes, systems, paperwork, codes, laws, or rulings of any country.

As such we cannot, and will not, offer advice about taxes in your country.

As the buyer, it is your responsibility to find out that information before you order."

Which is, I think, good, that they do make the buyer aware of possible import taxes etc.
However, I feel like I might be going a little bit too off-topic. ;)
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Bartdef said:
That's a nice tip, thanks :) I know you're right, but just wondering, why is it that the guitar will have to sound good unplugged? Is it because you can hear the actual guitar/wood better?
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If it sounds good unplugged then it can be worth your while to upgrade pickups later, even if it doesn´t sound great plugged in. If it´s a dog unplugged you probably won´t be able to improve things much even by changing the pickups. I´d recommend listening to it plugged in too of course.

I also forgot to mention LAG guitars, I haven´t played one but they seem to be fairly readily available around Europe so probably worth checking out. I must do myself too.

For second-hand guitars brands like Aria, Hondo, Hohner also pop up too and would be worth checking.
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Being as how American Standard Strat's go for around a grand in US money new, they can definitely be had for around 700 or even less if you look hard enough. You can never go wrong with a Standard American Strat. They just play phenomenal and bleed tone.
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Mad-Max said:
Being as how American Standard Strat's go for around a grand in US money new, they can definitely be had for around 700 or even less if you look hard enough. You can never go wrong with a Standard American Strat. They just play phenomenal and bleed tone.
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+1. Used American Standard is hard to beat. To the OP: if you insist on new, a Mexican Classic Player can be very good. '50s with maple neck and 9,5" radius, '60s with rosewood and 12" radius. I've got the latter 2nd hand for €450,- that would leave budget to look for a nice 2nd hand tube amp like Fender Blues jr as well. you're welkome to give the classic player a try, I live in the area of The Hague.
Cheers,
Chris


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Best Strat for about $700,-?

Funkfingers said:
The OP is in Europe. The economics of buying from outside the EU trade zone are, let us say, disadvantageous. Even the economics of the OP buying from a forum member within the EU are not wonderful.

Imagine, if you will, that I have a Fender MIM Stratocaster for sale at £375. This figure converts to approximately €470 before shipping and any applicable NL taxes.
Click to expand...

This is the point in buying from outside the EU.
Understand though that inner-market is one concept, every EU country pay the same to get something inside the EU.

Long story short it is probably not worth it buying from outside the EU. There are exceptions like labelling the goods as a gift etc. but not all shippers want to work with that.

As a fellow Dutchman I can suggest second hand upper Mim or lower Mia strats. Try and haggle a bit if you must. Mij strats are pretty great too but not so common here. The 80s Squiers pop up every now and then. serial numbers start with JV, just google 80s JV squiers and enjoy the read;)
I am not so knowledged at single coiled guitars so couldnt help further. Second hand gives big bang for the buck though!
 
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Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Mad-Max said:
Being as how American Standard Strat's go for around a grand in US money new, they can definitely be had for around 700 or even less if you look hard enough. You can never go wrong with a Standard American Strat. They just play phenomenal and bleed tone.
Click to expand...

I'm with Mad-Max on this one. A used American Strat is a great option. I did pick up an extra strat guitar that I intended to use for jam sessions or cheap gigs or to take to work. It turned out to be a great guitar. It was $600 U.S. on sale and It needed very little set up. It plays great and sounds great too. Its a Fender Lonestar Deluxe strat and you can find demo's on YouTube of people playing this guitar. It has a humbucker in the bridge and two single coils. I got the Ocean Turquise with the maple neck and even though its made in Mexico, it was made in the Mexican Custom Shop so its set up much better then a standerd Mexican strat. The pickups are top notch and the neck feels awesome. For an inexpensive guitar its a great value. You can always upgrade the Tremelo on the guitar later on with a locking Super V if you want to really tear it up and shred like crazy. I love mine. I play it as much as my expensive American strats. It has great authentic strat tones.
good luck on your search
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

Mad-Max said:
Being as how American Standard Strat's go for around a grand in US money new, they can definitely be had for around 700 or even less if you look hard enough. You can never go wrong with a Standard American Strat. They just play phenomenal and bleed tone.
Click to expand...

Nice idea, I´ve never seen one for anything approaching €500 in europe though. I´d expect closer to twice that for second-hand.
 
Re: Best Strat for about $700,-?

playas said:
If it sounds good unplugged then it can be worth your while to upgrade pickups later, even if it doesn´t sound great plugged in. If it´s a dog unplugged you probably won´t be able to improve things much even by changing the pickups. I´d recommend listening to it plugged in too of course.

I also forgot to mention LAG guitars, I haven´t played one but they seem to be fairly readily available around Europe so probably worth checking out. I must do myself too.

For second-hand guitars brands like Aria, Hondo, Hohner also pop up too and would be worth checking.
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Ah, I see, I'll definitely keep that in mind, thanks!
Yea, I know about LAG, I work in a local music store and we've got quite some of those, they offer good quality for a fair price. Might be getting a little bit off-topic but you should definitely check out the LAG Roxane Racing series, too expensive for me, but it might be something for you. ;)
Also, thanks for putting those brands up too, I have an Aria myself and frequently play on an 80's Hondo strat, they're fairly good indeed. I don't know much about Hohner though, but I'll check out, thanks for noticing. ;)
 
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