Importing Musical Equipment

B

BOC_ARDEE

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Hi Folks,

Does anyone know that customs rates on importing musical instruments (Guitars, Violins etc) from a non Eu state?. i.e. the US?.

Cheers...
 
Hi there,

Give customs (Revenue Commissioners) in Nenagh a quick call, ask for the tariff classification section, tell them you are looking for a rate of duty for whatever it is you want to import.

Then to calculate what you'll owe you just work out the % on the actual value of the goods PLUS the value of the shipping (you gotta pay duty on this too..)

Then you have the 21% VAT also.

Customs clearance with a broker - you'll get a number in the phone book for a local freight forwarder will cost you anything from Eur 45.00 to Eur 75.00 and they will look for cash up front or on delivery from you - they will collect the duty / vat from you and pay to customs. It's a good idea to supply the forwarder with the tariff code & rate of duty customs give you. Every single item has a different code so it's easy to mix them up an you might end up paying out more or less.

Also - if poss best to get the supplier to pay the freight chg and just bill you on that way if item gets damaged or lost it's their liability.
Watch out for terms of shipment.

When you get the item delivered inspect fully - you have NO comeback if you just sign for the goods as received.

Hope this helps - Good luck!
 
Cheers Lads,

Have to say, isn't this just the best website going?. Its even better than going to the pub ha!. Think Ive learned more on here that I did in my 18 years of schooling....

Thanks for the info very much appreciated Graham and Silvergirl...

Regards,
Barry.
 
Are you talking about wholesale or individual items? I import alot of individual musical items and without exception they have been intercepted by customs with the tax then paid upon receipt at the local sorting office. It's worth noting that the tax aplpies to the accumulated value of both the item and the cost of transport.
 
Hi there,

I recently bought a spanking new guitar off 2 guys in the UK. The retail value of the guitar was €3999, however I got it for €2450?. All completely legal!. The item wasn't even out of the plastic.

Obviously these guys weren't gonna tell me how they were doing it, though
I am presuming that they can sell at those prices because they are being brought in from the US or maybe China?.

I just thought there may have been some customs loophole with regards to musical equipment?.

Cheers...
 
I bought a sound box for my guitar online in the UK for 340e inc p+p - cost 440e here. I've no idea how it all works either to be honest.
 
Musical equipment can move a lot in price. The difference between RRP and street price can routinely be very large. Give it a year or so and if that item is now supersceded by a newer model the price drops even more. Sometimes incredibly so. On top of that the RRP's are designed to offer the kind of margins that brick and mortar type stores need which is what instrument suppliers normally are. If you are a small operation working from home you are saving alot so can offer it cheaper. And then there is the increasing amount of musical equioment forgeries comoing from Asia. But that's a whole otehr story.
 
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