Jems available in Japan;

Lurch · #1 07-25-2002, 01:28 AM

Rich, I've read your posts about importing guitars that are only available overseas and getting hammered by Customs, shipping, fee's, etc. Well my question is, I work for a major-airline and fly for free, so do you think it would be worth flying over and bringing several back? Would they still nail me with all those fee's? I've never flown to Japan before, so I'm not sure how the process works. There are a few B.C. Rich's only available there I'd like to have also, not to mention those PGM300's!

Rich · #2 07-25-2002, 01:36 AM

I have had a few airline workers fly over to purchase in person. All of them had to have a plan in place to sneak the entry around customs when they got home. I'm not sure how this would work in the US. The biggest problem you find in Japan is basically, only Ishibashi will ship worldwide. If you can find a dealer that will ship, and they ship EMS, it should come in without customs fees, but, my state has been pouring over these customs records and is sending out use tax bills on the basis of valuations on customs records. ;/

gkelm · #3 07-25-2002, 02:38 PM

I might chime in here with my single experience. My wife and I recently returned from Tokyo earlier this month with two guitars and a load of gifts, etc. I may not have all the numbers straight, but this may give you an idea. The US customs sheet said we were allowed $400 each duty free (total $800)...anything beyond that was supposed to be a 10% charge. Here's the poop:

http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/travel/travel.htm

Now that i look at the table there, it indicates 3%? We claimed $1800, so I was expecting to pay about $100. BTW, I don't get the idea that US Customs hires the brightest people. This poor old guy punched some numbers on a calculator, and then it took 2-3 ladies to get into the cash register. The grand total for duty came to $21. Go figure? I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it was a fluke...either way, even with what I thought I was going to have to pay, it came out better that if I would have shipped even one of the guitars.

Rich is right...from what I have heard no customs on EMS. I asked a couple stores, and they were not willing to ship for me. However, you could always ship it yourself from Japan via EMS...you can find their locations on the web. In that case i'd get the shop you buy it from to package it...they did that for me on the guitar I checked as baggage.

All the best...keep us posted if you go! And see the sights while you're there.
Greg

Rich · #4 07-25-2002, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkelm

from what I have heard no customs on EMS.

I wouldn't expect this to last forever. This has got to be one of the biggest oversights out government is making as far as lost revenue. Billions of dollars of merch cross our boarder each year that is currently not being taxed just because it's being shipped postal. One day some damn Senator is going to realize the 100's of millions they're giving away, and plug the hole.

gkelm · #5 07-25-2002, 08:08 PM

Shhhhhh. Glen, delete that post.

Always wondered if I'd ever get the opportunity to use the "twisted evil" emoticon.

Rich · #6 07-25-2002, 08:13 PM

Just being a realist. If you live in Jersey you can already expect State Use Tax bills as Jersey is going through customs records looking for anything worth sending out a bill on.