Importing a Guitar from Canada - has anyone done this ?

Alnico

I am looking at getting an acoustic guitar around February from Canada and i was wondering if anyone has done this and knows if the import duties etc are any different than they are from the likes of Japan or USA ?

For those interested it's this one and i want to order it from this shop......................

http://www.stevesmusic.com/guitars-and-basses/acoustic-guitars/al-cedar-cw-sunrise-16778?zenid=dt4qnl460nc5g7351t26ajoik0

I would buy it from this country if anyone actually sold them anymore but very few people do and those that do charge a lot for them.

Cheapest i can find in this country is £399 and Woodbrass can order one at £425.

The guitar from Canada comes to £179 + Shipping and then whatever duties are chargeable but i have no experience of importing from Canada.

This shop can supply a hardcase for a further £35 so it will be £214 + Shipping + VAT + Duty + Handling, as far as i can see.

Alternatively if anyone knows of somewhere who can supply this Guitar in the UK for a reasonable price, that would obviously be much easier !.

hubobulous

Hiya

I've imported quite a few guitars from Canada - the duty you pay here is based on the purchase cost, (the cost that the dealer declares), not where it comes from.

Hope that helps

Alnico

hubobulous said:

Hiya

I've imported quite a few guitars from Canada - the duty you pay here is based on the purchase cost, (the cost that the dealer declares), not where it comes from.

Hope that helps

Hiya

Thanks for that. So it shouldn't cost any more to pay the duty as it would from the likes of Ishibashi then ?

TTony

Duty is paid on the TOTAL cost, ie cost of the guitar plus shipping costs.  You pay import duty (3% ish) plus VAT, plus a handling charge.  It generally works out at c25%.  You might sneak through without it, but thats a lot rarer these days.

The shop will tell you what the shipping will cost, but I'd budget £100 for that. 

You'll need the hard case to get insurance.

So, cost becomes £214 + £100 + 25% = £392.50.  Not a lot different to buying in the UK

Alnico

TTony said:

Duty is paid on the TOTAL cost, ie cost of the guitar plus shipping costs.  You pay import duty (3% ish) plus VAT, plus a handling charge.  It generally works out at c25%.  You might sneak through without it, but thats a lot rarer these days.

The shop will tell you what the shipping will cost, but I'd budget £100 for that. 

You'll need the hard case to get insurance.

So, cost becomes £214 + £100 + 25% = £392.50.  Not a lot different to buying in the UK

Hmm...............I see your point. I hadn't realised that shipping would be that much but i suppose it probably would be.

Think i might call the few dealers left in the UK who do them and ask if they can order the one i want.