Shipping a guitar from USA to UK - advice please.

GeeJay

Hi guys,

I've found a really great guitar in the USA (will post pics if I buy it), and i'm really tempted to order it. I've got a good friend over there who says he is happy to buy it for me and send it over.

However I'm not sure what the safest way to ship it back to the UK would be. I've heard stories of cold plane cargo hulls warping the wood etc.

Any advice please? Would be much appreciated.

Glacial_Pace

I've taken guitars on long haul flights before as checked luggage and had no issues.
If it has a Rosewood fretboard I'd be concerned about the new regulations though.

JD50

Thousands of guitars arrive In the UK every years from all over the World, I would.not worry about warping in transit. I have had 3 guitars arrive by air from the States,Mexico & Norway without issue. All Fenders and were sent well packed with the neck.off.

Flink_Poyd

Be prepared to pay VAT when it gets into the country. 

fretmeister

Get a proper fitted flight case for it. Then bubble wrap, then a box 

Take photos of the packing process. Make sure the shipping is insured.

Expect to pay import tax and Vat on the cost of the guitar and case AND the shipping.

So assume the price of the guitar and case and shipping  and then about 25% on top to actually get it in your hands.

(then decide is wasn't worth it)

guitars4you

Shipping via UPS or Fed Ex will be fine if well packed - will cost around £100/120 - Be prepared to pay vat and import tax on arrival - If it has any rosewood on it, be careful as post 2/1/17 all guitars shipped across customs borders require a CITES certificate - With such a poor exchange rate not sure how good a deal you are getting, but if it is  a guitar you like then so be it

Jalapeno

guitars4you said:

Shipping via UPS or Fed Ex will be fine if well packed - will cost around £100/120 - Be prepared to pay vat and import tax on arrival - If it has any rosewood on it, be careful as post 2/1/17 all guitars shipped across customs borders require a CITES certificate - With such a poor exchange rate not sure how good a deal you are getting, but if it is  a guitar you like then so be it

This. 

Don't use USPS/Royal Mail - they're very slow, plus UPS/FedEx will sort out customs/duty on the doorstep witha credit card, whereas using postal means you have to wait for a bill, then pay online - this alone can take 2 weeks.

Xsmnmy

fretmeister said:

Expect to pay import tax and Vat on the cost of the guitar and case AND the shipping.

all this, plus you pay VAT on the insurance value. Have it insured for the price you paid, or its market value if you are getting a bargain. If it cost $600, but insured for up to $1000, you pay VAT on $1000. I have had 10+ guitars shipped from the US by USPS; takes about 5-7 days to get to the UK, plus customs time here - that can be anything from a few days to weeks if you are unlucky - only one arrived damaged, but another time a seller thought he was doing me a favour by adding extra insurance - it just meant I paid more tax.

Neil

When you add on all the extras, shipping, VAT etc, those "bargains" often seem to lose their shine.

ICBM

If it's a Fender it's worth removing the neck, even if you're sending it in its own case - undo the neck and put it back in the pocket with a piece of paper or something jammed in to protect the pocket edges. That way if the case gets heavily stressed it won't damage the neck or the joint because it will simply move.

If it's a Gibson or something else with a fragile headstock you should slacken the strings off almost completely, and make sure the headstock isn't touching the front or back of the case inside - pad the neck support or the far end of the body if necessary to achieve that.

Then pack the case in bubble wrap inside a larger strong box. And pray. Personally I wouldn't pay extra for insurance because I've never known anyone make a successful claim so it's just giving money away, but someone on here said they did… so up to you. But as smnmy said don't over-insure or you'll just pay more duty.

GeeJay

Thanks for all the advice guys.

It's a really nice new EBMM BFR, so pretty hard to get here and they're all unique and this one is a beauty. 

Hmmm good point about the VAT. I thought if it was sent as a gift, you didn't have to pay tax on it but looking on the government site this isn't the case!

Maybe the cheapest option would be to wait until my friend flies back and get him to bring it with him. That wouldn't incur any costs other than extra luggage allowance would it?

crunchman

GeeJay said:

Thanks for all the advice guys.

It's a really nice new EBMM BFR, so pretty hard to get here and they're all unique and this one is a beauty. 

Hmmm good point about the VAT. I thought if it was sent as a gift, you didn't have to pay tax on it but looking on the government site this isn't the case!

Maybe the cheapest option would be to wait until my friend flies back and get him to bring it with him. That wouldn't incur any costs other than extra luggage allowance would it?

To do it legally he should still go through the red channel at customs and pay the VAT and duty.  You would save on the shipping cost, and wouldn't have to pay VAT on the shipping cost.  You can bring back stuff worth up to £390 for free.  Above that it's liable for duty.

I don't think you said whether it had a rosewood board.  If it does then getting your friend to bring it back in person is probably your only real option at the moment because the CITES rosewood thing is a mess.

Alternatively, wait for Trump's trade deal with the UK. Hopefully we can then import them duty free.

Whitecat

(If it does contain rosewood) - at the moment the head of the MIA says that customs aren't actually enforcing the CITES regs, but ask yourself if you're prepared to take the risk being that in the week or so it takes to land and get cleared they may well change their minds, we have no idea what the plan is... could be weeks, could be months before it's a genuine issue.

The idea about hand-carrying it is a good one, as it averts that possibility completely, VAT and duty issues aside.

KrisGee

GeeJay said:

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Hmmm good point about the VAT. I thought if it was sent as a gift, you didn't have to pay tax on it but looking on the government site this isn't the case!

Screenshot from the latest regulations, surely importing as gift and avoiding fees can be done according to this? You just need an occasion to receive a gift from your friend. Anyone who done this in the past?

Whitecat

KrisGee said:

GeeJay said:

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Hmmm good point about the VAT. I thought if it was sent as a gift, you didn't have to pay tax on it but looking on the government site this isn't the case!

Screenshot from the latest regulations, surely importing as gift and avoiding fees can be done according to this? You just need an occasion to receive a gift from your friend. Anyone who done this in the past?

The value limit for gifts is £34. Anything above this attracts VAT and duty, even if it is a gift. 

Gassage

Ummm, have you considered going and getting it? I'm serious. It's often stacks up more fun a cheaper.

guitars4you

GeeJay said:

Thanks for all the advice guys.

It's a really nice new EBMM BFR, so pretty hard to get here and they're all unique and this one is a beauty. 

Hmmm good point about the VAT. I thought if it was sent as a gift, you didn't have to pay tax on it but looking on the government site this isn't the case!

Maybe the cheapest option would be to wait until my friend flies back and get him to bring it with him. That wouldn't incur any costs other than extra luggage allowance would it?

If he is bringing it as 'his own property' with an appropriate receipt from a USA Dealer then I don't see why any tax will be levied - If he was been honest and went through the red channel then yes a tax/vat will be applicable

However the fact that you are actually buying it is irrelevant to customs at this stage - If he just goes through the green channel and if stopped states it is his guitar and will be taking it back as well - also no cites issues if you are traveling with it

Whitecat

guitars4you said:

GeeJay said:

Thanks for all the advice guys.

It's a really nice new EBMM BFR, so pretty hard to get here and they're all unique and this one is a beauty. 

Hmmm good point about the VAT. I thought if it was sent as a gift, you didn't have to pay tax on it but looking on the government site this isn't the case!

Maybe the cheapest option would be to wait until my friend flies back and get him to bring it with him. That wouldn't incur any costs other than extra luggage allowance would it?

If he is bringing it as 'his own property' with an appropriate receipt from a USA Dealer then I don't see why any tax will be levied - If he was been honest and went through the red channel then yes a tax/vat will be applicable

However the fact that you are ctually buying it is irrelevant to customs at this stage - If he just goes through the green channel and if stopped states it is his guitar and will be taking it back as well - also no cites issues if you are traveling with it

*if* customs wanted to press they could ask for proof of purchase to prove that VAT was already paid though - either from a UK dealer or a receipt for VAT paid on previous import. they may, they may not, depends on the mood of the inspector you get, if you get inspected at all.

so I wouldn't absolutely count on just getting away with "it's my guitar." but customs are pretty overstretched and other than the random spot-checks they do for people who don't look quite right they usually rely on advance intelligence to pick out their targets for inspection and are going for far more serious things than VAT dodging on guitars.

Strat54

I always worked on the theory that paying a small amount of duty would suffice and keep Customs happy and for myself and the people I know it worked well rather than outright avoidance. The wonderful invention of the Fender relic did a lot of people good. Lots of expensive vintage stuff has come in as those  But to be honest I have never had anything where I have paid duty on questioned. Like was said, they have bigger fish to fry.
As Mark said UPS and FedEx are okay, I'd be nervous having set necks shipped though.....even in this country! Never had a problem with bolt-on's though. 
Personally I'm waiting on the return of the healthy pound before I start stateside purchasing again. I'm sure many others are too. 

Handsome_Chris

@Strat54 , when you say pay a small amount of duty rather than outright avoidance, do you actually mean outright evasion.  Outright avoidance is legal so why pay up?