Shipping Guitars from US to UK
- Thread starter Dooogz
- Start date
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: Shipping Guitars from US to UK
I have shipped a guitar to the UK....if memory serves the shipping was around $50, including the packing, I'd have to check my records to be completely accurate. Was it successful, well.....it did arrive in a fairly timely manner, it took about a week. If you're just willing to bite the bullet on the import duties and fee's, then there shouldn't be much of a problem. The one I sent I listed as a gift, because I already owned it and was sending it to someone. It was held up in customs for quite a long period, because I insured it for the replacement value, as instructed by the USPS. That is what posed the problem.
It still worked out, it just took a bit of communication with the customs people.
I have shipped a guitar to the UK....if memory serves the shipping was around $50, including the packing, I'd have to check my records to be completely accurate. Was it successful, well.....it did arrive in a fairly timely manner, it took about a week. If you're just willing to bite the bullet on the import duties and fee's, then there shouldn't be much of a problem. The one I sent I listed as a gift, because I already owned it and was sending it to someone. It was held up in customs for quite a long period, because I insured it for the replacement value, as instructed by the USPS. That is what posed the problem.
It still worked out, it just took a bit of communication with the customs people.
darkshadow54321
New member
Re: Shipping Guitars from US to UK
God I hate customs....
God I hate customs....
Norman_T
New member
Re: Shipping Guitars from US to UK
I have had a number of guitars (and other things) shipped from the US to the UK for me so I guess I have some experience in this.
Generally postage & insurance for delivery from US to UK within 7 days is about $100. If you want it quicker (in a couple of days and to be tracked via FedeX etc) then it is going to cost you more anything from $150 -$230. The real problem comes from when customs gets hold of the guitar and if it is over a certain value (currently about $55-$60) in the UK. That's when delays occurs as the customs people can take up to 3 weeks before notifying you of its arrival and what duty and import tax you have to pay.
If you are going to buy a guitar or anything else over the value above from the US and have it sent to the UK, you have to be very careful for the following reasons.
1. Is the guitar that you are buying genuine and worth it?. Risky if you do not know what it is like and never played it (exclude US Hamers from this).
2. Are you prepared to wait up to a week for its arrival or do you pay more for express delivery?.
3. In order to ensure that you don't pay to much tax (at this end) then you might have to ask if the seller would be willing to put a lower value then what you have paid for customs purposes. Merely putting it down as a gift on the customs declaration form is not enough as a value also has to be put there. Be aware that some sellers may not be able to do this as they are running businesses and have to audit their accounts.
4. Technically what you are doing is illegal and I deny all knowledge of telling you about this
.
On the whole my experience with having guitars and other things sent to me has been very good but as I always say make sure that you have good communication with the sellers and where possible talk to them directly that has always been my golden rule.
I have had a number of guitars (and other things) shipped from the US to the UK for me so I guess I have some experience in this.
Generally postage & insurance for delivery from US to UK within 7 days is about $100. If you want it quicker (in a couple of days and to be tracked via FedeX etc) then it is going to cost you more anything from $150 -$230. The real problem comes from when customs gets hold of the guitar and if it is over a certain value (currently about $55-$60) in the UK. That's when delays occurs as the customs people can take up to 3 weeks before notifying you of its arrival and what duty and import tax you have to pay.
If you are going to buy a guitar or anything else over the value above from the US and have it sent to the UK, you have to be very careful for the following reasons.
1. Is the guitar that you are buying genuine and worth it?. Risky if you do not know what it is like and never played it (exclude US Hamers from this).
2. Are you prepared to wait up to a week for its arrival or do you pay more for express delivery?.
3. In order to ensure that you don't pay to much tax (at this end) then you might have to ask if the seller would be willing to put a lower value then what you have paid for customs purposes. Merely putting it down as a gift on the customs declaration form is not enough as a value also has to be put there. Be aware that some sellers may not be able to do this as they are running businesses and have to audit their accounts.
4. Technically what you are doing is illegal and I deny all knowledge of telling you about this
.On the whole my experience with having guitars and other things sent to me has been very good but as I always say make sure that you have good communication with the sellers and where possible talk to them directly that has always been my golden rule.
Jonnylane
New member
Re: Shipping Guitars from US to UK
Just thought I'd share my experience;
I had a PRS singlecut shipped from the USA. I bought it for $1200, express insured shipping cost $90. The shop at the other end kindly marked the customs form down a few hundred dollars for me. It took 8 days to arrive because of a slight hold up in customs.
Costs:
VAT: 17.5%
Duty: ~3.5% (for guitars)
Brokerage (£8-20 fixed fee)
The point which people have missed is that if you have your customs form marked down, in the event of loss or damage you can't claim more than what was on the shipping form, so if you mark a $2000 as a $50 gift, you're going to get royally f*cked if it gets lost.
It went very smoothly and I'd do it again
Jonny
Just thought I'd share my experience;
I had a PRS singlecut shipped from the USA. I bought it for $1200, express insured shipping cost $90. The shop at the other end kindly marked the customs form down a few hundred dollars for me. It took 8 days to arrive because of a slight hold up in customs.
Costs:
VAT: 17.5%
Duty: ~3.5% (for guitars)
Brokerage (£8-20 fixed fee)
The point which people have missed is that if you have your customs form marked down, in the event of loss or damage you can't claim more than what was on the shipping form, so if you mark a $2000 as a $50 gift, you're going to get royally f*cked if it gets lost.
It went very smoothly and I'd do it again
Jonny
