Guitar shipping costs US > England

[TequilaKing]

I'm looking at buying a PRS CE and because of the strong pound to dollar it's looking as though I'll be buying it from the States


I've sounded out a few sellers on the bay with regards to the shipping of the PRS to England but have been given totally wild variations in shipping costs - anywhere from $90-$280

So, as I'm sure there's loads of US based guys here who've sold and shipped guitars to England, roughly how much should I budget for just for the shipping?

Cheers!

[Anton]

It's not so much shipping costs you have to worry about, import duties on a guitar of that price will probably cost a lot more. I've had shipped guitars from the states insured for around $160. That was a long time ago though, it might be cheaper / more expensive than that now.

[Gurj]

I normally pay around $120 for a cased guitar shipped by USPS. Only issue I have is that although they say 5 days to deliver, you can wait up to 3 weeks, particularly at this time of year.

[Davey]

And when you get it, prepared to have your trousers around your ankles and plenty of lube available becuz yo' is gonna get the shaft on the taxizzle.

[TequilaKing]

I've been thinking about the tax thing... is it some kind of black art as to what parcels they tax and what parcels they dont?

I've bought shed loads of stuff from the states - necks, bodies, trems and pups but out of all the parcels I've got I think I've only been stung for tax on 1 neck (roughly £12 if I remember right of which about 7 quid was duty and 5 quid was Parcel Force 'admin fee')

I guess as soon as they see 'guitar' on the customs label they'll pull it straight away though

whats the tax rate then? is it just the V.A.T.? if it is I *think* I'd still be in a saving position over buying a PRS CE from England. It wouldn't be a huge saving but I should still be making a 10%-15% saving which I think is ok-ish I guess

[Davey]

It used to be hit and miss, but now it's defintely 'hit' 100% of the time.

Best way to work it out is to get the price and then bang 22% on it. It'll be less than that but not by much and that way you'll be guaranteed to be covered when it arrives if you take that into account.

[Rich]

Priority mail is the only USPS option [besides postal Fedex], insurance is max at $650. Fine for RG570's but not for guitars worth much more.

[ScottB]

A few months ago, I sold one of my RG550s to Ian who lives in Manchester. It shipped in a UV1000, which is a large case for a 6 string.

International Priority Mail via USPS, valued and insured @ $500 was about $135 IIRC.

UPS wanted $250.