Buying from Japan

[Cecil6243]

Not a guitar but I sent something fragile but well packed to Canada once. When it got to the customer it was damaged. I can only assume Customs took it out of the box, and did a poor job of repacking it as it was virtually bullet proof the way I packed it.

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by Marshall

OK. Thanks for the feedback. I popped for the guitar.

We'll see what entails.

Guitar came today via Fedex. Looks great. Exactly what I was hoping for. No customs or waiting issues. I'll have to test the electronics later. But the guitar looks and plays great out of the box.

[KevinH]

Glad it worked out. Looks great. Were you charged an import duty?

[Marshall]

Shipping cost was $225, so maybe that’s where they make it up.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Marshall

Anybody have experience good and/or bad buying a guitar listed on Reverb and/or ebay in Japan and shipped to US?

There are a couple things I'm considering clicking on one. But I'm wary. They look to be new from "shops" in Japan, not individuals.

Hi Marshall
On eBay I've bought cameras/lenses, photo strobes, not guitars but if I did decide to, the 'rules' would be the same.

On ebay I only buy if seller has 98% or above rating, and the 'negatives' are often 'lame'. They might say things like 'it was two days later than projected' (which in my book coming from overseas is right on time).

I've never been 'stiffed' or gotten bad items in over 2 decades of purchasing used things from eBay. I've never shopped Reverb.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Glad it worked out. Looks great. Were you charged an import duty?

I've purchased from two different retail stores in Japan and have not been charged an import duty. Both came via the post office. But both were American built guitars coming back not overseas builds.

[NickTuneUp]

Originally Posted by Marshall

Anybody have experience good and/or bad buying a guitar listed on Reverb and/or ebay in Japan and shipped to US?

There are a couple things I'm considering clicking on one. But I'm wary. They look to be new from "shops" in Japan, not individuals.

A little update for everyone... There is a custom duty when importing from Japan. I just found out! Guess how I know...

Japan and the USA do not have a "free trade" agreement. Imported Acoustic Guitar is classified as 9207.90.0080 which has a 5% duty rate. You will likely be receiving an invoice depending on how the shipper classified your guitar.

[KevinH]

In your case was the guitar being repatriated? See UncleJesse's comment above. Is that the difference?

Originally Posted by NickTuneUp

A little update for everyone... There is a custom duty when importing from Japan. I just found out! Guess how I know...

Japan and the USA do not have a "free trade" agreement. Imported Acoustic Guitar is classified as 9207.90.0080 which has a 5% duty rate. You will likely be receiving an invoice depending on how the shipper classified your guitar.

[NickTuneUp]

Originally Posted by KevinH

In your case was the guitar being repatriated? See UncleJesse's comment above. Is that the difference?

I bought a Yamaha LS36, so no.

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

I've purchased from two different retail stores in Japan and have not been charged an import duty. Both came via the post. But both were American built guitars coming back not overseas builds.

UJ, did you, or the store complete the CPB3311 form, which identifies US-made goods returned from beyond our borders.

The Japanese guitar market is a distraction of mine. I am fascinated by the depth and breadth of US built guitars there. And not just from the big houses - Martin and Gibson. I have recently seen guitars by Claxton, Gaiero, Kostal, Heinonen, Wingert, Merrill and many others whose voyage overseas seems is intriguing. And then, the considerable local talent - some Somogyi-trained - Ogino, Nishi, Fujii, Ebata.

Several of the US-made guitars listed in Japan fall under CITES I owing to parts in BRW/Jacaranda. How these guitars got into Japan, when made after the application of the rules (1992?) is a mystery to me. And I wondered if they could be repatriated since they originated here. I reached out to The Man. And here is the reply (from The Woman):

Good afternoon David,

Your question depends on whether the guitar is being imported as a formal entry as per CBP. We have information on our website about instruments being imported as an informal entry, and that can be found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/our...ct/Declaration. Click on the link for Instruments shipped internationally for performances and you will find information about Lacey Act Declaration requirements.

If your guitar is being imported as a formal entry and is categorized under an HTS code on our implementation schedule (found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/our...taton-schedule), you will be required to fill out a Lacey Act declaration, which would require information about the species of wood in the guitar and where that wood was harvested. It doesn’t matter where the instrument was manufactured. The Lacey Act is a conservation law, so country of harvest is required on the declaration, not country of origin/manufacture.

As for the CITES requirements, it is best if you contact the USFWS about documentation needed to import CITES material. For additional information, please visit the APHIS CITES (Endangered Plant Species) web site and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Thanks for your inquiry,

Erin Otto

What I get from this is that the regulations apply in a repatriation because "it doesn't matter where the instrument was manufactured." It would seem impossible to complete that form without detailed information on the provenance of the wood. There also appear to be different rules for instruments imported for performances. And this is just for LACEY (agricultural) regs. Then you have to deal with all of the CITES hurdles. Even if you decide to jump into that rabbit hole, and find a Japanese seller who is willing to jump with you, if there are any hiccups, you and your guitar (and money) may never meet. Life is too short.

David