Importing Guitars from the USA

[TrooperHarley]

Can anyone tell me:
- Of a US guitar retailer who is prepared to freight guitars to NZ? None of the ones I have asked will freight outside the US.
- Is NZ duty payable on imported guitars, as well as GST?
- What is the best US freight firm to deal with?
- Are there any traps for young players to be wary of?
Thank you.

[danrawkz]

Can anyone tell me:
- Of a US guitar retailer who is prepared to freight guitars to NZ? None of the ones I have asked will freight outside the US.
- Is NZ duty payable on imported guitars, as well as GST?
- What is the best US freight firm to deal with?
- Are there any traps for young players to be wary of?
Thank you.

-Heaps of eBay shops/sellers will ship to New Zealand, I'm a prominent eBay user when it comes to guitars,
-USPS or UPS as far as price and shipping speed goes,
-$450-500 Declared price in NZD and up will hit you with GST,
-Don't know what you mean by this question.

[GrantB]

See below

Can anyone tell me:
- Of a US guitar retailer who is prepared to freight guitars to NZ? None of the ones I have asked will freight outside the US. (retailers on eBay are probably a good way to go. Like Rocky Street Sounds or Bizarre Guitars)
- Is NZ duty payable on imported guitars, as well as GST? (GST is payable on anything over $400NZD and on shipping too! You will need to have a broker or someone to move your goods through when they get to NZ or if Customs are bored they will process for you (a PID))
- What is the best US freight firm to deal with? (USPS is reliable and the cheapest - not to be confused with UPS)
- Are there any traps for young players to be wary of? (the biggest part to get right is the dealer - use someone with excellent feedback and good communications. Someone who will sort it out if it all turns to shit on you).
Thank you.

All the best and let us know what you get!

[Tonemaker]

Be sure and check the exchange rate! Customs will use the NZD value so you may get hit harder than you expect. I was going to get a new gat PRS and after everything I could close my eyes and and prob get the same price at the RS when its all said and done, also I would have a NZ warranty!

[NZRS-Dave]

Hi,

It's Dave here from the Rockshop - what you looking at? I deal with Price Challenges everyday (and I mean every day). 98% of the time, it's not that much cheaper to warrant it. My deals are pretty good.

Let me know, if I can help, all good. If I can't, then I can't.

Always happy to try and help

PM me or email me at dave@rockshop.co.nz

[ZOMBIE EATER]

I would check best price an NZ retailer could do before looking off shore. NZRS_Matt is really good to deal with and will do what he can for NZG members. NZ warranty a big +.
-Snap-I havent dealt with Dave, but he looks good too

[NZRS-Dave]

I havent dealt with Dave, but he looks good too

My wife thinks so, and I do try to stay in shape.

[B45-12]

The Customs GST can be variable - I've been hit up and also missed - in theory there was an exemption up to $50 gst (=value of about $600 NZ) and they WILL convert the US dollars declared to NZ. There is also an additonal customs fee for values over NZ $1000 (about $200 from memory)

The US seller will usually have their own shipper and use them for example USPS - good idea is to ask/pay for insurance.

All in all, if the RS will come to the party with the price challenge they are worth dealing with as they are local and can be taken to small claims tribunal etc etc. if they don't measure up.

However it would then also worth taking the RS's price challenge offer back to the original US firm and seeing if they will give you any better deal to cover the cost of no warranty and postage. Probably they will not, but the Yanks often love to haggle.

[mr_sooty]

Sweetwater are good to deal with. Otherwise proguitarshop.com and Tunnel Vison Music. All three of those ship here.

If there's not much in it, I'll go local because at least there's some HOPE of backup. But fact is sometimes you can save massive amounts importing. I got a brand new 08 American Standard Strat from Sweetwater last year that ended up costing me less than $1500 NZD after shipping and GST, when the dollar was at 0.80 USD. I think the price here at the time was $2399. Those Strats have gone way up now though. But if there was only a couple of hand shandy in it I would have gone local.

[Bg]

All in all, if the RS will come to the party with the price challenge they are worth dealing with as they are local and can be taken to small claims tribunal etc etc. if they don't measure up.

*faints* have I been transported to a parallel universe while I was having a drunken nap on the sofa???

[TrooperHarley]

Thanks everyone. I would only go down the import path if the cost saving was really significant.

Since posting the question, I have got some really good quotes from NZ retailers, so I'll probably stay local.

[thehenderson]

Good call. Play it before you buy it too, it's not like buying an amp, pedal, keyboard, computer etc etc. It feels like something

[NZRS-Dave]

I think that a lot of it also depends on what product you are importing.

Fender, I think it is, are damn near militant over resellers sticking to their territory. If they catch someone selling outside of their territory, they get a warning. If it happens again, they lose all Fender buying privileges for 90-120 days. That's a huge amount of time in the US (not so bad here). If they don't it again ... no products at all ever.

So some companies won't risk it with Fender, but not care as much with others.

I think it was Fender - not too sure - but the message is the same.

[B45-12]

All in all, if the RS will come to the party with the price challenge they are worth dealing with as they are local and can be taken to small claims tribunal etc etc. if they don't measure up.

*faints* have I been transported to a parallel universe while I was having a drunken nap on the sofa???

Well you TOLD me to be nice!

[crunchy as kellogs]

All in all, if the RS will come to the party with the price challenge they are worth dealing with as they are local and can be taken to small claims tribunal etc etc. if they don't measure up.

*faints* have I been transported to a parallel universe while I was having a drunken nap on the sofa???

Well you TOLD me to be nice!

who are you and what have you done with B45?