Importing 7s and parts into Australia

amonb · 10-21-2007, 07:05 AM

A thread from fellow Aussie member Pirelli triggered me to start this. I know it may have limited appeal but I know there is a dedicated group of Aussies who love this site and unfortunately our location means we can't as readily join in on the sales to-and-fro as our European and American cousins. And the pricing of almost EVERY guitar component (seven string or otherwise) in this country is decidedly criminal. This is not an accusation, this is fact.

This thread is for 7 string players in Australia who would like to dip their toes in the import waters but don't know enough about it to try. I hope this helps.

Mods, if this is in the wrong place please move it to a place more appropriate.

1. $1000.00 is your limit.
In Australia, if you import goods worth over $1000.00, and Customs finds out, prepare for a whole slew of charges. This will include GST (payable to Customs on behalf of the Australian Taxation Office), release charges and additional carriage charges. Needless to say this can mount up.

Just be careful of any carriage charges you incur in the country of origin...this is added as the value of the good. More info here:

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/re...s/commer02.pdf

The document is from Y2K, but is still current.

The cool thing is, if everything is under $1000.00, you are free and clear of ANY customs costs. Don't believe those sellers based in Australia (usually based on Ebay) trying to sell cheaper o/s goods marked up and who go on about "having paid the customs duties" and "extra freight" cause it's crap.

2. Keep your invoices/invoice emails.
This sounds obvious but I am not saying it because of the possibility of you getting ripped off. I say it as if customs suspect that an item is over $1000.00, they CAN legally demand of you proof of purchase price, insurance AND postage cost. They will not release your lovely new 7 string until they have it. You have to supply this within a specified time period (I believe it is 14 days, can't remember) or then you start to owe Customs for them holding your item. The cool thing is you can just fax the stuff to them. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS ASKED FOR, so you may well not have to provide customs with any proof at all.

3. Customs documentation is crap.
If Customs want proof of the item (as above) they will post you a whole forest's worth of documentation. Some of this is pretty scary, as it asks you to register as a business, an importer, and all kinds of things that won't relate to you if you are just after that COW 7 you've always wanted. It can be pretty daunting if you haven't seen this kind of thing before.

If in doubt, CALL CUSTOMS. There will be a stack of phone numbers listed on the documents to call, and the one that has gotten me sorted is the number of the customs office at the airport where the 7 stringer is held. They are very helpful, and most of the forms mentioned go in the bin (remember kids, like Devin Townsend says, recycle!).

4. Think smart about postage.
I haven't ordered from the UK, only the US, so I can only speak from my American postage experience.

USPS is definitely the cheapest option on postage, and make sure you always get a tracking number cause then you can track the stuff live on the net, which is pretty cool and helps build the excitement when you know where the thing is.

The problem with postage from the US generally isn't weight, its length. Guitars are generally pretty light, but if the instrument is over a certain length, the postage price can get real dumb if you are buying from a private seller. If you are ordering a bolt-on guitar without a case, the simple solution is to get the neck taken off by the seller. It is really easy to put the neck back on (trust me I am all thumbs and can barely manage changing a string, and even I was able to put the guitar back together and set it up...many guides on these subjects on this site) and doing this will knock the postage RIGHT back.

Commercial sellers (like many with Evilbay shopfronts and DCGL) can ship cheaper, and this isn't as big a problem.

5. If available ALWAYS get insurance.
This is a no-brainer. Your trusty guitar/pick-up/pick signed by Paul Gilbert is about to go through a hell of a lot of hands before it gets to you, and it only takes one of those hands to screw up. I haven't had a problem in my multiple transactions of everything from strings to full-length guitars, but insurance is there for one precise reason: SHIT HAPPENS.

That's all I got. I will edit if there is more I think of, and I hope this is of some help to Aussies. I have found almost EVERYTHING to do with guitars is pretty much cheaper from the US, especially with our dollar doing so well lately!

Cheers.

DDDorian · 10-21-2007, 07:32 AM

Great post! That first point especially has caught me up before. This should be stickied or something, although I guess there probably aren't enough Aussies to bother

You just bought the AES7 from Zimbloth, yeah? Be sure to post a review

amonb · 10-21-2007, 07:46 AM

Thanks dude!

Yeah I got the AES, I just tacked a little bit onto the end of Zimbloth's review cause he kinda said everything already

I just hope this helps out some Aussies cause I KNOW they are here and they are just as enthusiastic about the 7-string scene, its just harder to get stuff!

amonb · 10-21-2007, 05:28 PM

Mods, is this worth a sticky?

Demeyes · 10-21-2007, 06:16 PM

I'm not from Australia but there is some good info there that applies to people importing guitars to Europe too. Good post. Maybe some more general points and a sticky could be made for general importing?

forelander · 10-21-2007, 11:22 PM

Great info, having bought two guitars from the US I knew most of it but it's very helpful. I didn't know shipping and insurance contributed to the value of the guitar, though I always wondered it. Also, now is a great time to buy since our dollar is now worth $US 0.90 so anything you buy is an awesome deal.

To put this in perspective, a new S7320 here is 1500 aus dollars - I paid under $1000 AUS for my S7420. A hellraiser is 1800 and I can again get one for under $1000 AUS. The amounts being charged are ridiculous. A pack of strings is 15 bucks, 20 with the extra 7th string.

Oh well, awesome summary, hope it helps some people. Might also be worth noting that if you get a lot of things close together they'll hold them and add the value so be careful with that as well.

Pirelli · 10-22-2007, 12:17 AM

Nice post!

Quote:

Originally Posted by amonb

1. $1000.00 is your limit.
In Australia, if you import goods worth over $1000.00, and Customs finds out, prepare for a whole slew of charges. This will include GST (payable to Customs on behalf of the Australian Taxation Office), release charges and additional carriage charges. Needless to say this can mount up.

Here is the kicker... you find a guitar worth $850.00 Australian and the shipping is gunna be $100.00, and insurance $60.00. You're cool, right? The guitar is worth under $1000.00... sweet!

WRONG. All three of these things are determined by customs to be the worth of the guitar, and your guitar's worth in the eyes of customs is now $1010.00...doh!

The cool thing is, if everything is under $1000.00, you are free and clear of ANY customs costs. Don't believe those sellers based in Australia (usually based on Ebay) trying to sell cheaper o/s goods marked up and who go on about "having paid the customs duties" and "extra freight" cause it's crap.

I'm pretty sure this info is incorrect, the $1,000 limit applies to the "value of the good". This means that if the guitar is $999, and postage is $250, you're sweet. I just called customs to double check because you gave me a massive fright (I've got an RG1527 from Japan in the mail)

Importantly, MAKE SURE YOU CONVERT THE CURRENCY, because the value is calculated in aussie dollars. Customs have the exchange rates they use on their website.

The goods news is, with the US sub-prime mortgage crisis stalling the US economy, the Aussie dollar is doing really well against the greenback, so it's a great time to buy.

amonb · 10-22-2007, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirelli

I'm pretty sure this info is incorrect, the $1,000 limit applies to the "value of the good". This means that if the guitar is $999, and postage is $250, you're sweet. I just called customs to double check because you gave me a massive fright (I've got an RG1527 from Japan in the mail)

Corrected, and I have also included the link to the info that backs this up. I also called Customs and clarified this as I received opposing advice.

Just to let you all know, I didn't just make this stuff up

, I did my homework the hard way - by doing!

neon_black88 · 05-01-2008, 07:32 AM

I thought I'd bump this because this is more relevant than ever with Aussie dollar doing EXTREMELY well at the moment and you can buy pretty much any guitar for half the price in the states. Dont be afraid to buy from the US gentlemen!

I just bought a Music Man John Petrucci and unfortunatly it ended up being over a grand so im shitting my pants right now thinking of how much all these fee's will add up to be, but we'll see and I'll let you know how much I do end up copping it.

amonb · 05-01-2008, 07:46 AM

Definately let us know... that would be awesome!

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10-21-2007, 07:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
amonb Just One More... Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 2,250 Real Name: Amon Main Seven: Ibanez s7420 BP Thanked: 14 $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$	Importing 7s and parts into Australia A thread from fellow Aussie member Pirelli triggered me to start this. I know it may have limited appeal but I know there is a dedicated group of Aussies who love this site and unfortunately our location means we can't as readily join in on the sales to-and-fro as our European and American cousins. And the pricing of almost EVERY guitar component (seven string or otherwise) in this country is decidedly criminal. This is not an accusation, this is fact. This thread is for 7 string players in Australia who would like to dip their toes in the import waters but don't know enough about it to try. I hope this helps. Mods, if this is in the wrong place please move it to a place more appropriate. 1. $1000.00 is your limit. In Australia, if you import goods worth over $1000.00, and Customs finds out, prepare for a whole slew of charges. This will include GST (payable to Customs on behalf of the Australian Taxation Office), release charges and additional carriage charges. Needless to say this can mount up. Just be careful of any carriage charges you incur in the country of origin...this is added as the value of the good. More info here: http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/re...s/commer02.pdf The document is from Y2K, but is still current. The cool thing is, if everything is under $1000.00, you are free and clear of ANY customs costs. Don't believe those sellers based in Australia (usually based on Ebay) trying to sell cheaper o/s goods marked up and who go on about "having paid the customs duties" and "extra freight" cause it's crap. 2. Keep your invoices/invoice emails. This sounds obvious but I am not saying it because of the possibility of you getting ripped off. I say it as if customs suspect that an item is over $1000.00, they CAN legally demand of you proof of purchase price, insurance AND postage cost. They will not release your lovely new 7 string until they have it. You have to supply this within a specified time period (I believe it is 14 days, can't remember) or then you start to owe Customs for them holding your item. The cool thing is you can just fax the stuff to them. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS ASKED FOR, so you may well not have to provide customs with any proof at all. 3. Customs documentation is crap. If Customs want proof of the item (as above) they will post you a whole forest's worth of documentation. Some of this is pretty scary, as it asks you to register as a business, an importer, and all kinds of things that won't relate to you if you are just after that COW 7 you've always wanted. It can be pretty daunting if you haven't seen this kind of thing before. If in doubt, CALL CUSTOMS. There will be a stack of phone numbers listed on the documents to call, and the one that has gotten me sorted is the number of the customs office at the airport where the 7 stringer is held. They are very helpful, and most of the forms mentioned go in the bin (remember kids, like Devin Townsend says, recycle!). 4. Think smart about postage. I haven't ordered from the UK, only the US, so I can only speak from my American postage experience. USPS is definitely the cheapest option on postage, and make sure you always get a tracking number cause then you can track the stuff live on the net, which is pretty cool and helps build the excitement when you know where the thing is. The problem with postage from the US generally isn't weight, its length. Guitars are generally pretty light, but if the instrument is over a certain length, the postage price can get real dumb if you are buying from a private seller. If you are ordering a bolt-on guitar without a case, the simple solution is to get the neck taken off by the seller. It is really easy to put the neck back on (trust me I am all thumbs and can barely manage changing a string, and even I was able to put the guitar back together and set it up...many guides on these subjects on this site) and doing this will knock the postage RIGHT back. Commercial sellers (like many with Evilbay shopfronts and DCGL) can ship cheaper, and this isn't as big a problem. 5. If available ALWAYS get insurance. This is a no-brainer. Your trusty guitar/pick-up/pick signed by Paul Gilbert is about to go through a hell of a lot of hands before it gets to you, and it only takes one of those hands to screw up. I haven't had a problem in my multiple transactions of everything from strings to full-length guitars, but insurance is there for one precise reason: SHIT HAPPENS. That's all I got. I will edit if there is more I think of, and I hope this is of some help to Aussies. I have found almost EVERYTHING to do with guitars is pretty much cheaper from the US, especially with our dollar doing so well lately! Cheers.

10-21-2007, 11:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
forelander you fail me Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 829 Main Seven: S7420FM Rig: 6505+ half stack Thanked: 9	Great info, having bought two guitars from the US I knew most of it but it's very helpful. I didn't know shipping and insurance contributed to the value of the guitar, though I always wondered it. Also, now is a great time to buy since our dollar is now worth $US 0.90 so anything you buy is an awesome deal. To put this in perspective, a new S7320 here is 1500 aus dollars - I paid under $1000 AUS for my S7420. A hellraiser is 1800 and I can again get one for under $1000 AUS. The amounts being charged are ridiculous. A pack of strings is 15 bucks, 20 with the extra 7th string. Oh well, awesome summary, hope it helps some people. Might also be worth noting that if you get a lot of things close together they'll hold them and add the value so be careful with that as well. Jetzt liegst du hier, ganz regungslos, in meiner hand und meinem schoß, du bist so kalt...

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10-21-2007, 07:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
DDDorian Later, ace! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Middle of nowhere, Australia Posts: 2,198 Main Seven: Schecter 007 Elite in che Rig: Sunn Beta Lead Thanked: 124	Great post! That first point especially has caught me up before. This should be stickied or something, although I guess there probably aren't enough Aussies to bother You just bought the AES7 from Zimbloth, yeah? Be sure to post a review

10-21-2007, 07:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
amonb Just One More... Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 2,250 Real Name: Amon Main Seven: Ibanez s7420 BP Thanked: 14 $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$	Thanks dude! Yeah I got the AES, I just tacked a little bit onto the end of Zimbloth's review cause he kinda said everything already I just hope this helps out some Aussies cause I KNOW they are here and they are just as enthusiastic about the 7-string scene, its just harder to get stuff!

10-21-2007, 05:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
amonb Just One More... Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 2,250 Real Name: Amon Main Seven: Ibanez s7420 BP Thanked: 14 $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$	Mods, is this worth a sticky?

10-21-2007, 06:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Demeyes ss.org Regular Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 287 Real Name: Eoin Main Seven: C7 Hellraiser Rig: GT8 - Laney GH50L Thanked: 2 / 1	I'm not from Australia but there is some good info there that applies to people importing guitars to Europe too. Good post. Maybe some more general points and a sticky could be made for general importing?

05-01-2008, 07:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
neon_black88 ss.org Regular Join Date: May 2006 Location: Vic, Melbourne Australia Posts: 1,064 Real Name: Sam Main Seven: Schecter 007 Elite Rig: Peavey Valveking 112 Thanked: 28	I thought I'd bump this because this is more relevant than ever with Aussie dollar doing EXTREMELY well at the moment and you can buy pretty much any guitar for half the price in the states. Dont be afraid to buy from the US gentlemen! I just bought a Music Man John Petrucci and unfortunatly it ended up being over a grand so im shitting my pants right now thinking of how much all these fee's will add up to be, but we'll see and I'll let you know how much I do end up copping it.

05-01-2008, 07:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
amonb Just One More... Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 2,250 Real Name: Amon Main Seven: Ibanez s7420 BP Thanked: 14 $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $amonb is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$	Definately let us know... that would be awesome!


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Importing 7s and parts into Australia