Help with Customs Plant and Plant Product Declaration Form

[Feste]

Does anyone have any experience in completing the Plant and Plant Product
Declaration Form for Customs with regard to a guitar? Specifically, the section that asks for
"Quantity of Plant Material" -How much product/merchandise is in the shipment
For example, what percentage of a guitar are the following:
Fretboard, Bridge, and Headstock Veneer?
The neck & bindings?
Back & Sides?
Top & bracing?
Blocks, linings, back struts?

etc.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Feste

Does anyone have any experience in completing the Plant and Plant Product
Declaration Form for Customs with regard to a guitar? Specifically, the section that asks for
"Quantity of Plant Material" -How much product/merchandise is in the shipment
For example, what percentage of a guitar are the following:
Fretboard, Bridge, and Headstock Veneer?
The neck & bindings?
Back & Sides?
Top & bracing?
Blocks, linings, back struts?

etc.

I've had to do this when importing a few guitars. Usually, it's best to get this information from the maker of the guitar.

In the first column, you list the component. Guitar/fingerboard, guitar/top, guitar/back and sides, etc. In the second column you list the genus and species. Third column country of harvest, obviously. Unit of measure in every case I've seen is cubic meters. Not exactly the best set of units for a guitar. 0% recycled material.

You need to list every species of wood in your guitar. Again, if I have any doubts, I reach out to the builder and have them complete the form.

[Feste]

Originally Posted by justonwo

I've had to do this when importing a few guitars. Usually, it's best to get this information from the maker of the guitar.

In the first column, you list the component. Guitar/fingerboard, guitar/top, guitar/back and sides, etc. In the second column you list the genus and species. Third column country of harvest, obviously. Unit of measure in every case I've seen is cubic meters. Not exactly the best set of units for a guitar. 0% recycled material.

You need to list every species of wood in your guitar. Again, if I have any doubts, I reach out to the builder and have them complete the form.

I have the list of woods/species, but how do I determine cubic meters for each part?

[Ryan Alexander]

Fedex asked me to fill one of these out about 10 years ago for a guitar I shipped from Canada to my pal Wade Hampton Miller in Alaska. I took my best shot at it and thankfully had no issues. As long as the guitar doesn't have any restricted materials you should be OK. Instead of trying to guess weights for the various components, I entered "pcs" (pieces) under the unit of measure field. Use google with the common wood names to get the genus/species. Hope this helps!

[Feste]

Originally Posted by Ryan Alexander

Fedex asked me to fill one of these out about 10 years ago for a guitar I shipped from Canada to my pal Wade Hampton Miller in Alaska. I took my best shot at it and thankfully had no issues. As long as the guitar doesn't have any restricted materials you should be OK. Instead of trying to guess weights for the various components, I entered "pcs" (pieces) under the unit of measure field. Use google with the common wood names to get the genus/species. Hope this helps!

I was leaning in that direction. I would have to guess on the amount braces though...

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Feste

I have the list of woods/species, but how do I determine cubic meters for each part?

You'll have to make your best estimate. The fingerboard should be relatively easy. It's a rectangle (in 3D space). You can approximate the neck as a half-cylinder. You can approximate the headstock as a rectangle. If there's a headstock veneer, same deal. Just approximate the top as a rectangle, which will be an overestimate. Figure the thickness of the top is probably about 0.100". Same with the back and sides. You can use a piece of string to measure the length of the sides.

Just make all the measurements in cm. A thickness of 0.110" is 0.2794 cm. Then all your volumes will be in cm3. To convert to m3, you would need to divide your volumes by 1 million.

Rectangular cuboids: Volume = L x W x H
Half cylinder = 1/2 x Pi x (Neck depth up to fretboard)^2 x neck length

[Feste]

Originally Posted by justonwo

You'll have to make your best estimate. The fingerboard should be relatively easy. It's a rectangle (in 3D space). You can approximate the neck as a half-cylinder. You can approximate the headstock as a rectangle. If there's a headstock veneer, same deal. Just approximate the top as a rectangle, which will be an overestimate. Figure the thickness of the top is probably about 0.100". Same with the back and sides. You can use a piece of string to measure the length of the sides.

Just make all the measurements in cm. A thickness of 0.110" is 0.2794 cm. Then all your volumes will be in cm3. To convert to m3, you would need to divide your volumes by 1 million.

Rectangular cuboids: Volume = L x W x H
Half cylinder = 1/2 x Pi x (Neck depth up to fretboard)^2 x neck length

Experiencing vertigo now...

I guess I will just have to wait until I can get in touch with the builder on Monday.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Feste

Experiencing vertigo now...

I guess I will just have to wait until I can get in touch with the builder on Monday.

I can definitely help you do the math. It's not as hard as you think. The builder can also do it.

[Feste]

Originally Posted by justonwo

I can definitely help you do the math. It's not as hard as you think. The builder can also do it.

The help is much appreciated, but without the guitar in hand, I would really have to guess. I was just hoping to expedite the process and it appears that is just not possible. What I don't get is the shipping companies, Fedex in this case, should know what is needed and supply that ahead of time. This is the third form I have been asked to completed since the guitar hit customs. I went through a similar situation a few months ago trying to get a guitar out of Canada and they ask for competely different forms one at a time over the course of a week. In the meantime, the guitar sits at customs where some agent is most likely playing “Smoke on the Water” on it to pass the time. Patience is a very necessary trait to possess when shipping an instrument these days.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Feste

The help is much appreciated, but without the guitar in hand, I would really have to guess. I was just hoping to expedite the process and it appears that is just not possible. What I don't get is the shipping companies, Fedex in this case, should know what is needed and supply that ahead of time. This is the third form I have been asked to completed since the guitar hit customs. I went through a similar situation a few months ago trying to get a guitar out of Canada and that asks for comely different forms one at a time over the course of a week. In the meantime, the guitar sits at customs where some agent is most likely playing “Smoke on the Water” on it to pass the time. Patience is a very necessary trait to possess when shipping an instrument these days.

If you're importing a guitar, you have to assume that Lacey Act information will be required, even if customs is inconsistent about asking for it. It is best to ensure your seller has this information ready to go regardless of whether it's ultimately needed.

[Feste]

Originally Posted by justonwo

If you're importing a guitar, you have to assume that Lacey Act information will be required, even if customs is inconsistent about asking for it. It is best to ensure your seller has this information ready to go regardless of whether it's ultimately needed.

Agreed, and I do have most of the info., just not the breakdown of percentages. I had an in-depth conversation with FEDEX with the last guitar and I thought I had it figure out . . . lesson learned.