Our European friends.. with the weak dollar why..

[Hambone]

aren't you all flying over to the states to buy your dream guitars?

Or are you?

Back in 2002 I sold a Taylor 914CE to a fellow who flew in from England to buy it. I'm surprised we're not hearing more of this.

[fingerstyle2]

I think we don't hear about it because sales are 99% private affairs. Based on my informal contacts, quite a number of higher-end vintage Martins have gone overseas in the last several months. Here's a chart showing how the buying power of the Euro has risen against the dollar over two years (as of a few weeks ago). The left-hand scale is dollars per Euro. It's at $1.56 this morning.

David

[markt]

The only way it would be cost effective to do that would be if you were intending to not declare the guitar going through customs. Against the law but some folks do it.

Other wise it is far cheaper just to have it shipped out.

Say for example a $2000 guitar not declared + flight(Glasgow to New York as an example $550) = $2550 (doesnt include any additional expenses, accomodation etc)

$2000 guitar declared ($420) + flight ($550) = $2970

$2000 guitar shipped ($150) + declared ($451.50) = $2601.50

Originally Posted by Hambone

aren't you all flying over to the states to buy your dream guitars?

Or are you?

Back in 2002 I sold a Taylor 914CE to a fellow who flew in from England to buy it. I'm surprised we're not hearing more of this.

Probably has much to do with the import duties and levies......something were also hearing a lot of from our U.S. politicians these days. Protectionist rhetoric will only increase in the coming months.

The flip side of the "dollar dilemna" is that manufacturers will pay more for the woods that are used for the guitars and prices will rise domestically to offset these costs (or cheaper woods will be used). In addition, we are seeing some Canadian luthiers raise prices as the USD has fallen some 30 - 40% in recent years against the CDN $.

Just be glad that Bush's family/friends were in oil and not luthiers or we'd be paying $10K for a basic geet by now.

[Joost Assink]

Even with import duties and taxes it's very interesting to buy guitars from the states. My Martin is a prime example. I can't go into a price discussion, but even after all import duties and taxes the guitar is more than 1500 euros (more than 2300 dollars!!!!) cheaper than the best price in the Netherlands...

I understand that retailers need to make a profit, but if I can import a single guitar with this kind of difference, imagine buying them wholesale. The profit margin would be even greater.

[Kitchen Guitars]

Most of the high end collectable Yamaha's are getting gobbled up at play money prices and going over seas. I can usually win at the "whats this one gonna go for" game. I watched an $800 (last years prices) Yamaha guitar go for $4k!
I have a 5K + guitar on eBay (not Yamaha) that says no overseas bid without pre aproval. I know some are jerking my... but I have cleared a dozen from Europe.

[lightmage81]

I don't know about those in Europe... but here in Singapore we have taken notice! The number of Mcphersons, Goodalls and CAs that have arrived at our shores the last few weeks has been exceptional!

[kenny5060]

We've just had a thread about these issues:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...ight=importing

[thistle]

Here in the UK we are having problems ourselves with falling house prices and a general downturn in the economy.

That along with the ever increasing food, utility, petrol, council tax bills, and car tax, our discretionary money ain't what it used to be, weak dollar or not.

You wanna complain about your gas (petrol) prices? Try paying $12 US a gallon....

[AFNospam]

Of course, some of you could pay someone in the US to fly over and deliver the guitar to you. I'd do it for airfare and a pint.

[jyee]

Originally Posted by markt

The only way it would be cost effective to do that would be if you were intending to not declare the guitar going through customs. Against the law but some folks do it.

Originally Posted by AFNospam

Of course, some of you could pay someone in the US to fly over and deliver the guitar to you. I'd do it for airfare and a pint.

That would solve the problem... they can't charge a duty if i'm just traveling with my guitar. If you happen to like my guitar and want to buy it while i'm visiting, that's just a coincidence of good taste in guitars.

fwiw, i bought my thunderbird from a guy in japan. when he shipped it, he declared it as "returning a borrowed guitar to a friend"

[IainDearg]

Originally Posted by Hambone

aren't you all flying over to the states to buy your dream guitars?

Or are you?

Back in 2002 I sold a Taylor 914CE to a fellow who flew in from England to buy it. I'm surprised we're not hearing more of this.

I've done exactly this. And I know others are too - or buying online from the US and shipping over. You should know that UK distributors and retailers have not reduced prices to reflect the exchange rate.

In '05, I flew to Orlando from Glasgow (Scotland), drove down to Naples and bought an OM-18V. As I came out of the store and noticing that my family was with me and the weather was quite nice, I decided we may as well have a vacation since we we'd already come so far.

[Hambone]

Originally Posted by markt

The only way it would be cost effective to do that would be if you were intending to not declare the guitar going through customs. Against the law but some folks do it.

Other wise it is far cheaper just to have it shipped out.

Say for example a $2000 guitar not declared + flight(Glasgow to New York as an example $550) = $2550 (doesnt include any additional expenses, accomodation etc)

$2000 guitar declared ($420) + flight ($550) = $2970

$2000 guitar shipped ($150) + declared ($451.50) = $2601.50

Yes, but you can come hang out in Boston for a few days and try the guitar before you buy it.

[markt]

Originally Posted by Hambone

Yes, but you can come hang out in Boston for a few days and try the guitar before you buy it.

Good point!

[BlackHeart]

Notice how Europe CHARGES $$$$ to import what Brit Luthiers like Kinkead can MAKE for the same price or close.

The USA is not doing this, and China and India is getting fat off of this, and making grain, gas and all other consumables get MORE EXPENSIVE.


And no politician talks about this issue.

Man it was the other way around 15 years ago. Europe was CHEAP, now its a money vacume..$$$$$$$



(Happy April-fools)