Shipping a guitar to Japan - Duty?

babahi · #1 09-28-2003, 10:44 AM

This is obviously the right place to ask -- a friend of mine in Japan is interested in borrowing a guitar of mine that I have in Germany. He is only staying in Japan for two years but doesn`t know how hard he will be slapped with import duties an/or sales tax. Are there any duties and how much would they be? The guitar is made in the USA, so no Japanese item.

If anyone knows, you can try to beat Rich! Thanks all...

vai n maiden · #2 09-28-2003, 02:13 PM

if he's just borrowing an axe off you, then he shouldnt have to pay anything its a piece of his luggage.

Rich · #3 09-28-2003, 02:24 PM

I've got no idea, Scott74 "might" know but doubtful as he's military so everything goes APO. Best bet is have him call Jp. customs for the details.

Ibateur · #4 09-29-2003, 02:06 AM

Why don't you ask him to buy you an "only available in Japan" guitar when he's there, then he can "borrow" that one?

Scott 74 · #5 09-29-2003, 05:21 AM

PM me

babahi · #6 09-29-2003, 05:27 AM

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

The guitar would be shipped to Japan, not taken as personal luggage. I can get shipping info off the net, just the info for a guitar, specifically, is not easy to come by, especially the procedure within Japan itself.

Unfortunately, calling customs and asking is a pain, as I am presently in Japan and my Japanese is not sufficient for that. Scott74 has posted that his Japanese is horrible too...

As for getting him to buy me another guitar in Japan -- I saw an immaculate Steinberger Klein guitar last week and now have well over 60 guitars. More guitars is a pretty bad options (never thought I`d say that!).

So this was just in case somebody already had experience with this and/or had been through it themselves.

Thanks all!