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Buying gear from overseas/USA


Guest Tam o' Shantie

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Guest Tam o' Shantie

Anyone got any tips on where to shop? US prices seem ridiculously low, most gear seems to cost exactly the same in dollars as ours does in pounds, meaning that it's basically half price.

I've noticed a lot of stores don't ship to the UK though, and I guess power supplies would be an potential problem. Do most electronics have a 120v/240v switch and if so is it just a case of setting it to the correct voltage and hooking up a three pin kettle lead instead?

Has anybody used American sites/stores and can recommend one based on personal experience?

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Guest DustyDeviada

I don't think I would buy an amp from overseas, just the weight of the thing would make the postage costs pretty high I would imagine.

But I've bought guitars from the States before, usually I've picked them up over there, but I have one shipping from Hawaii right now.

Remember you will have to pay VAT and duty as well as the postal charges meaning the saving may not be as much as you originally thought. Also, if it's something electronic like an amp you won't have any guarantee.

I bought one of my guitars from Wildwood, I woud buy from them again, although they posted it to my hotel in NYC rather than over here.

Wildwood Guitars | 303.665.7733 | Our New Arrivals Page is Updated Daily!

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Guest Tam o' Shantie

the gear i seek is actually a single cd turntable, which wouldn't be particularly big or heavy (at least not compared to a guitar, amp or keyboard for example). prob is, i doubt any sellers would declare it as a gift.

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the gear i seek is actually a single cd turntable, which wouldn't be particularly big or heavy (at least not compared to a guitar, amp or keyboard for example). prob is, i doubt any sellers would declare it as a gift.

Yeah you will have to pay 17.5% VAT + extra expense of shipping, if its 110v equipment you'll have to buy a new PSU or a stepdown transformer, it's probably not worth the hassle

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Guest DustyDeviada
Ooooh-oooooo!!!

*waggles fingers under chin"

Yup, got a tracking number thingy so I can find out where it is at all times. Not sure it's a good thing though.

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Yup, got a tracking number thingy so I can find out where it is at all times. Not sure it's a good thing though.
<-- those tracking things just cause frustration, i always get annoyed when it says your stuff is "in depot" or "in aberdeen depot" but still takes 4 days to travel the last 30 odd miles out to me!!

back on topic tho, i've bought a few smaller items from the states an had no bother, never had to pay any tax for whatever reason, might just have been lucky!

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Guest DustyDeviada
back on topic tho, i've bought a few smaller items from the states an had no bother, never had to pay any tax for whatever reason, might just have been lucky!

You are allowed up to 18 before you are supposed to pay tax.

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Thomann cyberstore is in Germany and usually has ok prices - the majority being cheaper than the equivilant over here. I'm nae sure whether it'll match US prices, but they're really reliable and have HUGE ranges of equipment (incl. turntables etc.). I think there's a 30 money back guarantee on virtually everything. Although i only got credit for what the item was worth when i returned something. emmm... yeah shipping costs about a tenner for pretty much anything, free over like 200 euro though. The only disadvantage is that tax or VAT or god knows what has apparently gone up, so things aren't as cheap as they used to be.

these people should pay me a salary i feel.

Welcome - U.K. International Cyberstore

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Guest Tam o' Shantie

thoman have the best price (other than pretty much every US shop) at around 250 quid, the next cheapest being 300. a 2 second google search revealed at least half a dozen US shops selling it for $300 :( will maybe just keep my eyes open for a 2nd hand one.

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it is an easy enough wiring job to make say an amp run on 240v. the only stumbling costs are the postage and customs and excise tax (you should convince the seller to send it as a gift, not a purchase)

i bought my mesa 400+ from overseas

But say from america, with the current pound to the dollar rate so high, would the postage and customs and excise tax exceed the price of buying the product over here? Also are companies willing to send things as gifts and not purchases?

i bought my drums from Music Store Professional

Brilliant site. Bought things through them before and never had a problem.

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Guest Tam o' Shantie

with VAT added, it'd cost 176.25, which is still 75 less than Thomann at 252 so really the final cost would be that plus the difference between shipping from the US and Germany, which I seriously hope wouldn't come close to 75 bucks (it weighs 6kg).

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Guest DustyDeviada
<-- those tracking things just cause frustration, i always get annoyed when it says your stuff is "in depot" or "in aberdeen depot" but still takes 4 days to travel the last 30 odd miles out to me!!

My guitar has cleared customs apparently, pretty impressive considering it only left Hawaii on the 10th. Wonder how long it will take to get to Aberdeen.

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