CITES import on old guitar - advice please

[paulhannon]

Hi all - I'm new, so apologies if this is covered elsewhere - i had a look, sorry if I missed a similar post.

I'm getting all my personal belongings shipped over from Ireland, and in amongst it is my beloved Encore E76 Strat (don't laugh, it was my first guitar, that my dad bought me when I was 14, in 1994). So it's got a rosewood fretboard and today I find out that this is a bad thing.

I keep reading on sites outside of NZ that in a case like this I should be fine - it's less then 10KG, personal belonging etc, but I can't find anything like that for here in NZ, although it seems like the rule is meant to apply internationally.

Anyone here had a similar experience or know what is most likely to happen? Spoke to Customs, they said speak to DOC and they didn't give me confidence that they actually knew themselves but did you use the word "destroid". Which makes no sense to me, it's not like the tree will it came from will now somehow be conserved.

Thanks everyone

[Molly]

We should have a simple and accurate thread on this as it comes up a lot. I mentioned bringing my rosewood Strat back to NZ and the UK dealer told me:

In terms of CITES for the rosewood on the Stratocaster, CITEs paperwork is not required for this guitar unless you decide to sell it and it leaves the European Union (Or the UK after 29th March 2019, as things stand). This involves making an application with APHA (The UK CITES Management Authority) and a re-export permit will cost £59.00 at the current rate. You would simply need to state that the guitar contains Indian Rosewood on the fingerboard and can prove the guitar’s age by its ‘S7’ serial number denoting that it is from 1977. Whilst the guitar remains in your possession, this paperwork is not required, and will also not be required if you sell it or trade it in the UK.

Are we looking at Brexit complications?

[Single coil]

Then amurikans apparently don’t care if it’s in your carry on luggage. It may well not be rosewood, potentially a variant thereof, so ya know there’s always that.

[paulhannon]

Thanks for replying.

My guitar was build it the early 1990's - do you know if that is exempt.

Unfortunately I don't know the serial number. It's currently in transit here to New Zealand, so there's no way to get the number now. Until it arrives.

[olegmcnoleg]

My guess is that they will not care at all. They are far more concerned about potential pests, soil, anything that has been outside or has dirt on it. And rightly so.

[paulhannon]

Hope you're right, as the guy at Customs wasn't sure and the DoC guy sounded like he want to reach down the phone and take a swing at me!

[GrantB]

I think there will be little issue here. I’m surprised the UK make a big deal about it.

[paulhannon]

No the UK are actually surprised that it is NZ that are making a big deal about it.

I just got off the phone to them over there (the UK Customs AND also APHA) and they both separately said they really don't think I should need to have one, as it's my personal guitar. It's the guy here in NZ that is telling me I could be in trouble.

[Single coil]

Customs n shit are pretty clueless. Don’t get too wound up about it.

[Molly]

No the UK are actually surprised that it is NZ that are making a big deal about it.

I just got off the phone to them over there (the UK Customs AND also APHA) and they both separately said they really don't think I should need to have one, as it's my personal guitar. It's the guy here in NZ that is telling me I could be in trouble.

What SC said.

I had a document linked in a previous thread which detailed the exact guidelines. Might take a bit of trawling, sorry. I can't seem to find it right now.

My concern is that I just want to waltz through immigration / customs with my Strat without some overly-officious MAF guy wanting to 'treat' the wood of my guitar. You are obliged to declare any wood in your possession after all.

[paulhannon]

Would this be the document?
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/cites/p ... _clean.pdf

[Molly]

Yes.

[paulhannon]

Thanks Molly!

So going by that, I should be ok. I get that that doc is covering europe, but it can't be too different here.
So I think the guitar in my shipping container, making its way here to New Zealand, should be ok and that the guy in Auckland that is the Cites contact here might be a little bit overzealous.

Agreed?

[Molly]

I'd say so. Shouldn't be any uncertainty though, eh? Might be the same bureaucrats that are dealing with Brexit.

Hope the shift goes well.