OffsetGuitars.com

So!

I thought I'd post this for anyone else considering importing vintage guitars who, like me, might have found it an absolute wormhole of misinformation, out of date advice, guesswork and a tangled tree of government madness. This is still going on and I'm about halfway through so I will update this when things change or move along so there will be a solid timeline of what to expect.

This is for shipping a 60's Fender, with Brazillion Rosewood neck, from the USA to the UK. Post-Brexit.

To import anything with Rosewood on it you need need the Export Permit from the shipping country in hand/email BEFORE you can even apply for your Import permit. The guitar should NOT be shipped until both are issued and needs to be shipped with both included in the package otherwise there's a strong chance your guitar will go to the incinerator/chipper. You're basically trading in something as protected as Ivory or stuffed extinct animals. They definitely mean business with this.

To apply our UK end with APHA for an import permit you need to submit a FED0172 form

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... ed0172.odt

The Government guidebook to fill out the form is actually pretty good

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... ed0172.pdf

And you need to call a different government body on 01633 631800 to pay the fee



** TIMELINE **

June 8th 2021: Purchase guitar from Southside Guitars, NYC
June 9th 2021: CITES Export permit applied for by Southside - Cost: COVERED BY SELLER
June 14th 2021: Approved CITES Export permit received by Southside
June 15th 2021: CITES Import permit applied for with APHA UK - Cost: £74
June 30th 2021: APHA emailed requesting photos. Front, back, side and serial number. These were not requested in the application guide.
July 1st 2021: CITES export permit arrived in the post. Scanned and forwarded to Southside guitars
July 1st 2021: Guitar picked up by FedEx
July 2nd 2021: FedEx sent a pre-invoice for taxes/import duty. £332.23
July 5th 2021: Landed at Stanstead Airport UK, entered customs
July 6th 2021: processed and cleared through customs, departed hub.
July 7th 2021: FedEx delivered it to my house. The packaging did not look disturbed in any way. I suspect it wasn't even opened. Guitar is in great condition. Saga over

**

So, it took about a full calendar month. Not too bad

I understand why the whole thing is in place but cant help think it's a little excessive considering we're dealing with pretty common things. At least they still have their nice fun 70's-font logo



Fun times!

So its exactly the same as it was pre-brexit...I did this 4 years ago from Australia with the help of David(sookwinder)..thats the last guitar I bought from abroad and the last I ever will until they sort it out...which could be never.

Actually thats a lie..I did sneak one through from the US by putting the neck in another package with some other music gear...and then imported the body in the case later. Still a load of hassle...would never do it again.

eggwheat wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 22, 2021 4:18 am

So its exactly the same as it was pre-brexit...I did this 4 years ago from Australia with the help of David(sookwinder)..thats the last guitar I bought from abroad and the last I ever will until they sort it out...which could be never.

As far as I know, yes, nothing really has changed except now we have to do it for EU countries too. This is my first time doing it post-2017 and actually worried about paperwork. The only real reason I put in the post-Brexit point was to answer the question someone might have about things changing since January.

I also do not think I'll bother unless it's a particularly important or special guitar. And I'd probably just fly out and bring it back by hand then I would have done it this time had it not been for Covid

it's also going to be likely you're going to have to pay 15-20% import tax AND if they decide to open up the package, re-postage and packing fee's on top of that.

s_mcsleazy wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 6:00 am

it's also going to be likely you're going to have to pay 15-20% import tax AND if they decide to open up the package, re-postage and packing fee's on top of that.

Yep. I've already factored the extra £300-odd in to the overall cost. Hopefully the fact it'll be coming FedEx means that the repack/post thing wont be an issue.

Oh god!! Good luck!!

Just reading about process & the pitfalls makes me nervous!

Update 30th June 2021

Apha UK emailed requesting photographs of the guitar. Front, back, side and serial number specifically. Nowhere on the website, application form or guide to applying was any any mention of photographic evidence (that I could see). They also wanted to double check that the purpose code of 'P' (for 'personal') was definitely true and that I had no intention of using it for commercial purposes.

(if there is a) next time, I will include those with my initial application.

The requested information was supplied within an hour. Back to waiting.

Update 1st July 2021

The CITES import permit just arrived in the mail. Scanned and sent to the seller to be included in the shipping customs documents.

Here's what it looks like (address redacted):

his name is actually Woods!

I remember doing some anti-corruption work with a client called Nick Moore.

Pacafeliz wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 01, 2021 4:06 am

his name is actually Woods!

I know! I couldn't help but chuckle at that too

Update July 1st 2021

Guitar has been collected in NYC by FedEx at 21:02 GMT, 16:02 EDT

Estimated delivery date is Thursday 7th July. We'll see about that hahahah


*Point of note. The guitar was sold without a hardcase (inc gigbag apparently). I decided not to risk it and bought a hardcase from them to further protect it during transit. I kinda needed one for my other Mustang in case it ever leaves the house so win-win (and I think I'll get away with the import duty on that so it'll be cheap). After my debacle with the other 64 Mus-turd I dont want any more bad luck

Update July 2nd

Had an SMS from FedEx to pay the import taxes ahead of landing (I like how they do this, it saves on hold-up time in Customs)
£332.23 - almost exactly what I had calculated.

Update July 5th

I just had the notification it has landed into Stanstead UK, and entered customs. I'm curious to see how things get held up due to the extra checks