There's a great shop in Houston called Fuller's Vintage Guitars, just off the I-10, opposite the Astrodome. Fuller's Vintage Guitar - Welcome to Fullers Vintage Guitar There's also a Guitar Centre where I bought a Grestch for a great price, but the place is staffed by clowns and unless your mate really knows what he is doing I would urge caution. Fullers Vintage are straight up guys though. Bear in mind that if he is taking it back himself he MAY be able to get through Customs without paying duty, but he might get stung. Also, although I have been lucky when importing guitars and been allowed to take them on as hand luggage, they could just as easily have made me place them in the hold and there would have been a decent chance of them getting smashed up by baggage handlers.