Shipping from US to UK

Matt Hutchinson · Post by **Matt Hutchinson** » 2 Aug 2004 2:48 am

Does anyone have any experience of selling steel guitars to European buyers? Obviously the range of second-hand guitars over here is limited so I wondered what the rough cost of shipping steels over from the US to the UK would be.

mickd · Post by **mickd** » 2 Aug 2004 3:52 am

I have imported 3 steels from the States :
Eh100 lapsteel - BAX Global (Airfreight) - $95
Fender Studio Deluxe Lapsteel - USPO (boat) - $55
Sierra Session Pedalsteel - UPS - £££lots (I have lost the receipts, but I think it was getting on for £200).

Daniel J. Cormier · Post by **Daniel J. Cormier** » 2 Aug 2004 4:35 am

Most shipping to Europe on D-10 pedal steels will run from 225.00(US) to 300.00(US) using the big 3( UPS,Fed-ex,Air-borne)

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Daniel J. Cormier
MCI D-10 , Peavey Sessions 500 & 400 Limited ,Nashville 400
http://www.cajunsteelguitar.com email at djcormier@cox-internet.com

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 2 Aug 2004 5:02 am

Matt, i left you an answer over on your thread at BSS
Fedex, DHL, and USPS are fine, but don't go w: UPS (they're real flaky when it comes to filing a dammage claim)

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 2 Aug 2004 5:40 am

I used BAX Global a couple times. It was around $100 and great service. In the states you need to have a business address for pick up. And if I remember right it is cheaper if you do an airport pick up in Europe.

Bob

Ed Prosser · Post by **Ed Prosser** » 2 Aug 2004 12:23 pm

Matt, I just shipped a 27 yr. old MSA Classic SS 8&5 To UK. Total weight, 65 lbs. With shipping weight and $2200.00 Insurance, it cost him $292.16. It was shipped Fed Ex and arrived in 4 days in perfect condition, Thank God. They also have to pay an import duty which is pretty steep!!!!!
Ed Prosser

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CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 2 Aug 2004 12:41 pm

i don't know how it is in the UK, but if the insurance value is (way or just) above declared value for Customs, they'll either have it sent back (this happened to me here in Froghaven

) or charge you on the insurance value
since then, i declare both Customs Value and Insurance the same [This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 02 August 2004 at 01:42 PM.]

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 2 Aug 2004 12:49 pm

I recently used Bax Global to get my Zum out to NZ -- 187USD from California - door to door and they looked after all the customs documentation etc. only took about 6 days!! Also much cheaper than some of the other options -- guitar arrived in perfect condition.

Matt Hutchinson · Post by **Matt Hutchinson** » 3 Aug 2004 12:04 am

Thanks for the replies everybody, looks like it might not be as expensive as I figured so I'll keep my eyes open for steels in the US too from now on.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 3 Aug 2004 2:16 am

Go FedX, they are fast, safest, and the price is not much above the others.
DHL is OK, but not as efficiant
Avoid UPS like the black plague.
Unless you like firewood with pedals. aaaand a 9 month fight to get partial payment.
IF all your paper trail is perfect, and you don't mind 30 phone calls.

I just read that US Postal has FINALLY, after two years + of hell, dropped the " new and improved" shipping partner in europe,
and are now once again are shipping direct to euro postal services.
not the idiot third party they have been using.

No amount of wins by Lance Armstrong could have gotten me to send anything large through them in the last few years.
Extra charges, packages lost for from 30 to 150+ days,
abusive delivery people, just a pure horror show.

X-mas presents sent in October arriving in March with 50€ surcharges for $40 declared contents paid on the spot or in advance.....

And CB once had a lapsteel get lost for 6 months,
before they FINALLY found it.
Quelle horreur!!!

FedX got my properly packed Sho-Bud to me in a week door to door, and in perfect condition.
Around $285.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 03 August 2004 at 03:22 AM.]

Matt Hutchinson · Post by **Matt Hutchinson** » 10 Aug 2004 3:01 am

After checking this out at some length it seems that shipping isn't the main expense for us in the UK, it's not even the import duties - it's the VAT we have to pay on the instrument AND the shipping which bumps it up. This would mean, in effect, that a steel for sale at $1000 would cost me over $1500 including shipping and duties etc. I think, for now at least, I'll confine my searching to this side of the Atlantic!

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 10 Aug 2004 5:00 am

Hi Matt, glad you've understood the VAT thang !
that does'nt mean you should'nt look into gettin' one in the good ol'
just workin' out the logistics fer payin less VAT is the trick
it can be done
you got any friends or relatives in Spain, Poland, Greece, Checkoslovakia, Portugal,
VAT is cheaper there....
edited: that's 1 idea - there are more...[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 10 August 2004 at 07:23 AM.]

Sidney Ralph Penton · Post by **Sidney Ralph Penton** » 10 Aug 2004 5:27 am

matt check with Scotty's music in st louis he ships all over the world he could give you the cost of this. really all you have to do is claim the steel guitar is cheaper than what you paid for it. that will save you a little. good luck. sid

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 10 Aug 2004 9:46 am

I 2n using BAX Global. In my normal business, I use them almost exclusively. They always have great rates and service to match. I almost always ship airport to airport, which means I take it to their terminal and the customer picks up at their terminal. It is cheaper this way, and usually not a problem unless you are an awfully long ways from their nearest terminal. They will sometimes tell you that you need an account with them to ship. However, if you give them the size and the weight and ask for a price quote, then tell them you will bring it on down and pay in advance, they won't turn you down. Door to door service is much higher with any shipping company.

Bob Simmons · Post by **Bob Simmons** » 10 Aug 2004 7:08 pm

Shipped a Simmons Custom and an Emmons PP by BAX Global, highly recommend them, great communications and tracking (Simmons Steel Guitars)

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 11 Aug 2004 5:36 am

Matt,
Get in touch if you want ,I may be able to help you, I have sorted this problem a few times now! email or phone numbers on website
JD.

http://www.pedalsteelguitar.co.uk

Jimmy Douglas · Post by **Jimmy Douglas** » 11 Aug 2004 10:43 pm

I shipped a guitar to Australia with Bax which was a real downer, the guitar arrived in good condition but the service was expensive and loose.

I shipped many guitars to Japan when I lived there using UPS and they all arrived in good shape, service was good about 200US + taxes.

Jimmy