Emerald Order - Clearing New York Customs??? - Page 3

RP · #31 10-30-2019, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvanB

I've heard that guitars take a lot longer than letters to deliver through Richmond. Saki time..............

I anticipate a Friday delivery....

RP · #32 10-31-2019, 07:34 AM

Here we go. Now what guitar did I order???

Your item arrived at the Post Office at 6:14 am on October 31, 2019 in CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22906. USPS expects to deliver your package on Thursday, October 31, 2019.

raysachs · #33 10-31-2019, 07:46 AM

Hopefully this wasn't as painful for you as the first X20 since you already have the six-string version available to play... Hope you enjoy the 12-string. And the X30 that I'd be willing to bet will be coming along any day now!

Congratulations in advance...

-Ray

RP · #34 10-31-2019, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raysachs

Hopefully this wasn't as painful for you as the first X20 since you already have the six-string version available to play... Hope you enjoy the 12-string. And the X30 that I'd be willing to bet will be coming along any day now!

Congratulations in advance...

-Ray

Thanks Ray. Actually, the wait was worse because this one got hung up in customs for a week while joelman's flew through. But all's well that ends well, and hopefully it will end well this afternoon. What part of Philadelphia are you from or did we have that conversation previously???

Captain Jim · #35 10-31-2019, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RP

Here we go. Now what guitar did I order???

Your item arrived at the Post Office at 6:14 am on October 31, 2019 in CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22906. USPS expects to deliver your package on Thursday, October 31, 2019.

Tick, tick, tick.

Everybody sing: "Oh, happy day..."

raysachs · #36 10-31-2019, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RP

Thanks Ray. Actually, the wait was worse because this one got hung up in customs for a week while joelman's flew through. But all's well that ends well, and hopefully it will end well this afternoon. What part of Philadelphia are you from or did we have that conversation previously???

I'm not actually FROM this area, but we've lived here for over 27 years, so it's feeling pretty rooted at this point. We live in West Chester, a small Colonial era town about equidistant from Philly and Wilmington, DE, but well north and west of the I-95 corridor that runs between them. It's an amazing place to live for they bicycling hobby I was deeply into for about 20 years. It's as good as anywhere I guess for playing guitar...

-Ray

RP · #37 10-31-2019, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raysachs

I'm not actually FROM this area, but we've lived here for over 27 years, so it's feeling pretty rooted at this point. We live in West Chester, a small Colonial era town about equidistant from Philly and Wilmington, DE, but well north and west of the I-95 corridor that runs between them. It's an amazing place to live for they bicycling hobby I was deeply into for about 20 years. It's as good as anywhere I guess for playing guitar...

-Ray

I sort of know West Chester. I passed through there last March while visiting my cousin in Langhorne. I'm an ACAC gym member in Charlottesville and spent some time at the really super-dooper branch in West Chester. Also I spent my formative years in Drexel Hill and graduated from Upper Darby...

raysachs · #38 10-31-2019, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RP

I sort of know West Chester. I passed through there last March while visiting my cousin in Langhorne. I'm an ACAC gym member in Charlottesville and spent some time at the really super-dooper branch in West Chester. Also I spent my formative years in Drexel Hill and graduated from Upper Darby...

My wife is a member of that ACAC. I used to be but the stuff I was using I could do just as well for $10/month at Planet Fitness. She does a lot of yoga and various other fitness classes and it's a better deal than taking a bunch of yoga classes elsewhere. I tend to just use the cardio machines and weights so it was exorbitant for me. It's a cool place - I kind of miss the pool in the summer, but I wasn't using that enough to justify it either...

RP · #39 10-31-2019, 03:42 PM

Ok, this Emerald order just got even stranger. The mail carrier couldn't deliver my guitar today because I have to pay $243.14 in customs fees. Is this for the "specialized examination" that Kevin alluded to or simply storage fees for holding onto it for an extra week? GRRRRRRR........

Joel_man · #40 10-31-2019, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RP

The mail carrier couldn't deliver my guitar today because I have to now pay $243.14 in customs fees.

Not that is just crazy talk. I would recommend getting in touch with Emerald when you wake up tommorow, (given the time difference). And/or you can start with an email tonight.

Crazy talk!

RP · #41 10-31-2019, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel_man

Not that is just crazy talk. I would recommend getting in touch with Emerald when you wake up tommorow, (given the time difference). And/or you can start with an email tonight.

Crazy talk!

Thanks Joel. I already sent an email so they can hopefully deal with this before I awaken. Unfortunately, my cheapie cell phone plan doesn't include international calls. Maybe I can SKYPE....

mountainmaster · #42 10-31-2019, 04:29 PM

That sucks. But why contact Emerald? What can they do about it?

RP · #43 10-31-2019, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainmaster

That sucks. But why contact Emerald? What can they do about it?

I'm contacting Emerald because they were the seller and said nothing to me, even in the fine print, about having to pay an additional $243.14 customs fee. If this is indeed a legitimate charge then Emerald can reimburse me for paying it...

mountainmaster · #44 10-31-2019, 04:46 PM

Is it possible that the import rules have changed? If so then Emerald is not aware of it because their FAQ says: "If you are located in the USA you will not have to pay import duty as guitars are zero rated. If you are located in the rest of the world you should check locally about potential import duties."

Earl49 · #45 10-31-2019, 05:04 PM

Customs fees came up once about two years ago (?) right at the end of a calendar year or the beginning of the New Year. As I recall that fellow paid the ransom and planned to challenge the fees as a mistake and ask for a refund, but never posted a follow up. None of my Emerald purchases have had this happen, the latest being mid-December 2018.

It is possible that some law or treaty changed as of the new federal fiscal year starting OCT 01, but that would be news to all of us - including many who got their Emerald guitars without fees this month. As far as we know, trade between Ireland and the US is still duty free on guitars. I suspect a bureaucratic error at US Customs, which also caused the delay so far. It's not like Emerald uses Brazilian rosewood or other CITES listed species - they know better.

Good luck!