Importing a guitar to Aus from US

lefty lespaul · Nov 14, 2003

99Honeyburst said:
I would venture that the vast majority of R9s aren't sold to "musos" in the context you mean it - I'd bet many (most?) of them go to 40 somethings (like me) who have lots of disposable income (not like me ). Look no further than here on this board where many dudes have several of em...

Oh and was :wap really necessary? Just trying to help other folks out here. If you'd like to debate consumer sentiment vs demand vs demographics, price theory, and currency rate mechanisms we'd need to go to Backstage if that was still around...:lol2

:lolspin I knew it would get a bite. Importing them is Fine but people also need to be aware of the pit falls. It may not seem like help but was intended to give a another point of view.

I think you would be better to grab something you want and leave it at that. :dude

standardstandard · Dec 14, 2003

Real life experience guys ............

1963 Les Paul Junior (SG body shape)

Purchase price $US 1301 ($AUS 1768.14)
Shipping and insurance $US 219

Customs and Trade gate charges $AUS 53.39
Customs Duty $AUS 88.40 (5% of guitar price)
GST $AUS 202.29 (10% of guitar + ship and ins)
DHL Courier disbursements $AUS 9.90

Total extra (not the purchase, insurance and shipping)
$AUS 353.98

Hope this helps those of you thinking about it.

:dude :dude :dude :dude

Plankspanker · Dec 14, 2003

You might want to buy a Murphy and tell Customs its a used guitar that was given to you as a gift. Put a Les Paul Standard truss rod cover on it and claim it as a cheaper model used LP. Even if you are charged a tax on it you'll still be ahead because of the price differential.

ultra · Dec 14, 2003

It might just be cheaper to fly to LA for a week, choose the guitar yourself, play the snot out of it while your there and bring it back "used".

The duty, if you declare it, would be less than for a new one for sure.

Rhandy Rhodes · Dec 14, 2003

If you import a guitar (shipped not in person) and say its a gift and describe it as second hand, do they actually unpack the thing and check out what type of guitar it is?

im thinking of importing a les paul and want to know if anyone has got away with saying the value is less than it actually is

99Honeyburst · Dec 14, 2003

My reading of the import duty/tax rules is that the amounts are levied on Invoice + Shipping and Insurance amount regardless of whether or not it's new or used. In the case of a gift they use the declared value. Easy you say - declare a low value! Problem is then you'll only be able to insure it for that amount - too risky.

My point of view on this is that by importing you'll be saving a heap of money on what it would cost you to buy here as illustrated in the various examples and standardstandard's real experience above. I personally wouldn't get into fraud which is what all of the gift, lower invoice price etc. tricks are. The penalties if caught are likely to be so high that any saving achieved would be eaten up - and then some...

Remember - it's the Customs folks job to collect duty and minimise/eliminate fraud - it won't be as easy as it seems to get around the rules.

Besides - with the Aussie dollar getting stronger by the day, we're now in price territory where a R9 can be had for the retail price of a Standard here...

lefty lespaul · Dec 14, 2003

99Honeyburst said:
My reading of the import duty/tax rules is that the amounts are levied on Invoice + Shipping and Insurance amount regardless of whether or not it's new or used. In the case of a gift they use the declared value. Easy you say - declare a low value! Problem is then you'll only be able to insure it for that amount - too risky.

My point of view on this is that by importing you'll be saving a heap of money on what it would cost you to buy here as illustrated in the various examples and standardstandard's real experience above. I personally wouldn't get into fraud which is what all of the gift, lower invoice price etc. tricks are. The penalties if caught are likely to be so high that any saving achieved would be eaten up - and then some...

Remember - it's the Customs folks job to collect duty and minimise/eliminate fraud - it won't be as easy as it seems to get around the rules.

Besides - with the Aussie dollar getting stronger by the day, we're now in price territory where a R9 can be had for the retail price of a Standard here...

I agree. With the exchange rate as it is, it would be better to just buy it and do it the standard way and pay any duty outstanding.

Last thing you want is a High priced low register value guitar to get lost or damaged.

We never had it so good.

:dude

Duncan · Dec 15, 2003

lefty lespaul said:
...We never had it so good.

:dude

..except back in about 1979 when $1 Aussie bought about $1.20US... times have changed....

99Honeyburst · Dec 15, 2003

Duncan said:
..except back in about 1979 when $1 Aussie bought about $1.20US... times have changed....

Not to mention that in '79 a real Burst could be had for a few grand!!:eek

goldTopDeluxe · Mar 18, 2004

Okay,

I'm looking into doing this myself. Yesterday I called Australian Customs and was told that I would have to pay:

1) Customs Duty - calculated at 5% of the Guitar Value.
2) GST - calculated as 10% of (Guitar Value + Shipping + Insurance).

Have any other fellow aussies gone through this process recently? If so - please share your experience and any advice you may have. Maybe even recommend a good dealer from the States.

Cheers.

:yay

goldTopDeluxe · Mar 18, 2004

Re: Real life experience guys ............

standardstandard said:
1963 Les Paul Junior (SG body shape)

Purchase price $US 1301 ($AUS 1768.14)
Shipping and insurance $US 219

Customs and Trade gate charges $AUS 53.39
Customs Duty $AUS 88.40 (5% of guitar price)
GST $AUS 202.29 (10% of guitar + ship and ins)
DHL Courier disbursements $AUS 9.90

Total extra (not the purchase, insurance and shipping)
$AUS 353.98

Hope this helps those of you thinking about it.

:dude :dude :dude :dude

standardstandard, What is the Customs and Trade gate charge of $AUS 53.39 that you have listed? The person I spoke to at Customs did not mention this. Is this a calculated percentage, or a flat fee that has to be paid?

standardstandard · Mar 18, 2004

Re: Re: Real life experience guys ............

goldTopDeluxe said:
standardstandard, What is the Customs and Trade gate charge of $AUS 53.39 that you have listed? The person I spoke to at Customs did not mention this. Is this a calculated percentage, or a flat fee that has to be paid?

From memory there is a Customs "inspection" fee of $50 and a transaction charge of about $3.50, which covers the electronic transaction between Customs and the shipping/freight company interface.

I have done it a couple of times since my first example with the '63 Junior and all transactions, Customs and other fees have been at the same rate or percentage.

I have bought from quality Ebayer's, although I have had price quotes on items from dealers. If you check out the Ebayer's there is little risk - if something seems a bit funny or feels funny, run away. There are plenty of great guitars out there to be had if you use a little bit of investigative skills and trust your instincts!

You might want to talk to a couple of the Forum dealers. they all have great reputations and often send stuff to OZ - Mike's and Dave's have responded to my questions and emails very quickly when I have enquired.

..... Now, if I could only find an Oxblood to buy, mmmmmm, Oxblood, mmmmmmmmm

Happy to answer any other questions if you have them ......

:dude :dude :dude

moonweasel · Mar 18, 2004

Here's a thought,

Ok, this is a crazy idea, but if you have a mate who is traveling to the US, or you are coming on a business trip and want to avoid duties if you buy a guitar here in the US. Maybe this will help?

Find someone here on the forum who owns the model you want to buy, but lives in Austrailia. Arrange to meet up with them in front of some landmark, like the Opera House in Sydney (sorry, I know you guys have more than one landmark, but I love architecture!). Get a picture of you playing it. Bring the picture with you. Buy the same model in the US. When you get to customs at the airport, make up a reason for having "brought the guitar from Austrailia. "I wanted to bring my guitar with me, business trips are always more fun when I get to play in the hotels after those long stupid meetings." (or something).

Now if they want to take you "to the back room", whip out the picture. "See its mine!"

Just a thought.

Those duties are amazing. Who are they designed to protect? Austrailian guitar stores? (theyve obviously fixed their prices high). The new and upcoming guitar companies based in Austrailia? Oh well...

standardstandard · Mar 18, 2004

When you take personal property out of Australia, you have to declare it. When you bring it back in, they cross check it against what you took out, serial numbers included.

If you didn't declare anything on the way out, you will have GREAT difficulty in convincing them (Customs) that you did take it out. If you cannot prove you did, it is treted as an improt and you will pay as above.

The overall low rates of duty, GST etc really do not make it worthwhile to spend time dreaming up scams to avoid paying $300-350. Hell, we are saving thousands (sometimes $5 to $8K).

:dude

dolsonlelan · Jun 18, 2020

Maybe consider checking out companies like ACC customs clearance agents in Melbourne because before you import goods, you need to lodge an import declaration. The import declaration provides information about the goods you are importing. My understanding also of the import duty and GST issues that are importing to Australia is you are charged 5% import duty on a new or used guitar. The Australian customs will then need the additional import charges.

ultra · Jun 19, 2020

dolsonlelan said:
Hi guys I know this is an old post but do you know why my shipped guitars was stuck at the customs for like a week already

Maybe Customs is short staffed due to Covid............. do you think?

garywright · Jun 21, 2020

a couple of years ago I had an r9 shipped to the US from Sweden ...once it hit Germany it was in customs for over a week

au_rick · Jun 21, 2020

standardstandard said:
When you take personal property out of Australia, you have to declare it. When you bring it back in, they cross check it against what you took out, serial numbers included.

If you didn't declare anything on the way out, you will have GREAT difficulty in convincing them (Customs) that you did take it out. If you cannot prove you did, it is treted as an improt and you will pay as above.

The overall low rates of duty, GST etc really do not make it worthwhile to spend time dreaming up scams to avoid paying $300-350. Hell, we are saving thousands (sometimes $5 to $8K).

:dude

Not sure how much / often this is policed, I flew overseas with a guitar twice last year and no-one batted an eyelid let alone asked me to declare it.

Aloha_Ark · Jun 22, 2020

au_rick said:
Not sure how much / often this is policed, I flew overseas with a guitar twice last year and no-one batted an eyelid let alone asked me to declare it.

How much policing/customs checking goes on flying from Japan or Hawaii to Australia? Given how cheap airfare is nowadays, this may or may not save you money. It's the coronavirus quarantine rules from each country that can mess up your travel plans.

Importing a guitar to Aus from US

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