Guitar purchase dilemma

boolean

boolean

Experienced
Ok, this is really a two-part question...

I'm wanting to buy a particular Suhr guitar, however in my part of the world it is very difficult (and horrendously expensive) to purchase through a local distributor. I've never purchased a guitar internationally before and I'm wondering if someone can offer advice on shipping i.e. packaging to avoid damage, which postal service to use, etc.

Secondly, I found a store in the US which ships internationally and I was wondering if anyone here has experience with these guys ? Humbucker Music

Any advice, personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.
 
DO you know anyone who is travelling that you could pay to carry it for you?

When I lived in Ireland it was cheaper to fly to London for a quality guitar of the custom and PRS kind than it was to buy them there. If you advertise for someone it might turn up a surprise.

Just a suggestion! :)
 
I think it'll still be horrendously expensive once you pay the customs duties and whatever taxes there might be in Australia. All that "free" healthcare and the legendary welfare system needs to be paid for.
 
plexi59 said:
I think it'll still be horrendously expensive once you pay the customs duties and whatever taxes there might be in Australia. All that "free" healthcare and the legendary welfare system needs to be paid for.
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I gladly paid all those taxes in Ireland knowing what the healthcare system did for my crippled father who got shafted by his insurance and had to rely on the government as he died.

You've got a point about it being horrendously expensive. Could say it's a gift, or package it as such? I'm not sure how you could get around it.
 
The cost is certainly a major factor but not the only one. I was told by the local distributor that the lead time on this guitar could be anywhere from 6 months to >1 year. Yet, there are US stores with stock of this guitar right now......this is what I meant by "difficult" (sorry, should have elaborated more).

From what I have been able to find out, the Australian taxes + import duty equates to approximately 15% maximum of any product costing >AU$1000 (10% tax + 5% duty). To give you some idea of the magnitude of the term "horrendous" I used, the local distributor has quoted me AU$4500 - $5000 for a guitar I have seen advertised for AU$2600 in the US, which would cost $2990 after the taxes/duty. The only unknown for me (at the moment) is the postage cost.

Again, I would really like to hear from people who have had experience in importing guitars here.
 
BigD1977 said:
DO you know anyone who is travelling that you could pay to carry it for you?

When I lived in Ireland it was cheaper to fly to London for a quality guitar of the custom and PRS kind than it was to buy them there. If you advertise for someone it might turn up a surprise.

Just a suggestion! :)
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great idea, but unfortunately I don't know anyone travelling there soon :(
 
boolean said:
BTW, I am after a "Standard Pro" ...I personally consider this more a "better strat" than a "super strat" .......but anyway has a super-price :disgust:
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Just out of curiosity is there another start style guitar that you have looked at that will compair to a Suhr that doesn't have the huge price tage?
 
Yeah, Australia is kinda funny on prices. When I can, I buy locally. Happy to pay a little extra to keep my local store in biz, not to mention warranty and all that. Andrew at Independent Music got my AXE II business for an extra $400 (I think it was) and that seemed OK to me. But yeah, some stuff is just stupid prices. I worked in retail before the internet was ubiquitous, and a lot of the pricing from the dealers I think counted on the average punter just not knowing how much it cost elsewhere. Now that info is just a few clicks away, and some manufacturers "get it" and have some kind of parity pricing, and some importers take the opportunity to leverage their "monopoly" to try price gouging.

It invariably fails, and it is the local stores that end up getting rather screwed in the bargain. Hell I had enough trouble working in a Boston store and trying to sell big ticket items. "But I can get this $3000 synth across the border in New Hampshire without the 5% state tax. Can you match that?" No. Not worth my time. And don't come to me asking for support.

Now on the flipside you can't blame anyone in the slightest for wanting to save THOUSANDS of dollars and pay the much more reasonable US price on something like a guitar.

Don't know where I'm going with this kinda-sorta-not-really-a-rant. I guess, it is this: when it is reasonable, buy local. When it isn't, find the good prices overseas :) No one could blame you for that.

BTW, Beautiful guitar, Boolean.
 
Price was only one component here ...the main reason was availability & choice. My local distributor told me it would take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to get this guitar and on top of that cost me >$1500 more. So we're not talking just a bit of inconvenience & a couple of $ here :D . It just doesn't make sense to order a guitar to be made when it is already in stock in the US. I'd sincerely like to support the local distributors (as I did with Independent Music for the Axe II) but local guitar stores need to get their act together and invest in some actual stock. For example, the local Suhr dist. here only usually has 1 Suhr guitar in stock at any given time ....although at the moment they have none and are not sure when the next will arrive !
 
boolean said:
For example, the local Suhr dist. here only usually has 1 Suhr guitar in stock at any given time ....although at the moment they have none and are not sure when the next will arrive !
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...and then they wonder why they don't sell very well...
 
I have bought several guitars from America and shipping cost vary a lot but very easy as long as you buy a case with the guitar.
Prices in Australia can be silly , just got a tripleplay pickup on ebay from USA for $450 including post.
The local importer charges $699 for same.
Axe fx stuff and atomic prices are ok here
 
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