# Shipping from US



## cale0906 (Apr 15, 2006)

Hey guys

got a shipping question . I m looking at buying a used Kingsley amp from the US . Will i have to pay any duties because its made here in Canada, originally ? ( Silly question , but you never know ) I realize i may have to pay taxes . 

ps .......... anyone have a used Kingsley for sale in Canada ? .....lol :smilie_flagge17:


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## sproul07 (Jun 23, 2007)

You will probably have to pay at customs thats for sure. You always get dinged for heavier stuff


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

You will have to pay taxes. Possibly a brokerage fee depending on who you ship via...ie. UPS, Fedex, USPS. If you have a choice by all means ship via USPS, you wont be charged the excessive brokerage fee like the other shippers. Just make sure its insured. As far as duties, there is no duty on amps.


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## Tybone (Feb 12, 2006)

As Riffboy said, because of NAFTA there would be no duty on the amp even if it were made in the US of A. PST is unavoidable...you will have to pay that no matter what.....except for if you have the declared value put down to 10 bucks or something . This makes it very hard to insure the package for it's full value of course. As for the dreaded brokerage "FEE", UPS Ground will take a huge piece of your ass....Huge! ok maybe only 50 buck charge for clearing the package but that is a piss off cuz clearing yellow ticket items at customs is EASY!.

I prefer USPS/Canada Post as the fees are way more reasonable....I think less than 10 bucks.

Hope this helps.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

To be redundant. No duty. Brokerage fee to collect the taxes. Canada Post brokerage fees cheap. UPS brokerage fees mega-rip.


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## vmann (Feb 14, 2006)

*US Shipping*

Hi

Everybody has pretty well described shipping from the US. Robert1950, succinctly stated. I just received a Gibson LP from the States and paid a $19.00 fee upon delivery. Pretty good on a $1500+ guitar. But I did request of the seller USPS shipping. It is not a deal breaker for me because when you can find/persuade someone willing to ship something you have looking hard for to Canada, you don't want jeopardize the deal. I have paid $40.00 on a $125.00 pedal, UPS, and later paid $30+ on a $500.00 pedal, UPS. Hard to figure out. 
I will mention something that StevieMac brought to my attention. Referring to the LP above, the seller claimed only $300 at customs and I did not ask him to do so. And I am pretty sure that was the figure the $19.00 delivery charge was based on. 
Anyway, I would definitely go USPS.

Thanx,
Jim


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## iggs (Apr 6, 2006)

*What about guitars?*

Hey all ... not to hijack the thread but ...

ordered a guitar from US (it will be a few months before it ships) and the seller ships only FedEx ... I did some investigating and was told that the sender has to fill out a NAFTA Certificate of Origin and make sure the country of origin is declared on the way bill, also was told that they have to fill out a commercial invoice because of the high price (over $2000) ... all that in order for me to import the guitar duty-free.

Sounds right???


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

Sounds about right. Providing the guitar was in fact made in the US, otherwise expect some duty to accompany the brokerage fee and taxes.


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## Kapo_Polenton (Jun 20, 2007)

I paid 25$ for a soldano hot mod through USPS (150$ purchase point) . Pretty much take Canada posts 5-7$ handling fee + GST/PST and there you go. (that is, if you use USPS) I also received a guitar through Fedex.. i'll probably receive a bill in the mail any day now for what I owe them customs wise. General rule of thumb: use USPS and wait the extra week or so to get the item.... its the cheapest way to go. I really don't think they will care where the item was made.


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## dobsont (Jan 7, 2008)

riffboy76 said:


> As far as duties, there is no duty on amps.


Ok, sort of true, but with the following caveat: It has to have been made in Canada, the USA, or Mexico, and that fact has to be documented. 

Otherwise, there most certainly IS duty on amps, just like anything else. Just sayin. If you got it through without duty and it originated elsewhere you snuck one under the radar. It happens.


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## drift_boat (Feb 2, 2006)

*Heads Up*

Just in case you are not aware....asking the USA seller to declare a lower value on your purchase is illegal and if the item is caught ...can mean big hassles for the buyer AND the seller.


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## Kapo_Polenton (Jun 20, 2007)

BUT a seller can sell you a 1200$ guitar for 300$ if he wanted so that whole "get caught and big trouble" thing is a little blown out of proportion. What are they goign to do, demand to see your paypal account? Its on new items that you would get screwed.. something made for you like a guitar or sold to you used can be valued at whatever you want it to be. Now if it gets broken or stolen..you are screwed!


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Didn't someone else on here recently recount getting dinged for duty on a US-made amp despite NATFA because it had no sign of country of origin (US) and the speakers said 'Made in England' so customs took that as the origin of the amp and calculated duty as though it was made in the UK. 
There was some other discussion about some able- to-be-used-in-Canada-certification too (or lack thereof) and impounding of gear at the border. 
Some things to check and/or think about.

FWIW, I got dinged $300+ on an $1800 US Gibson with taxes and brokerage ripoff fee (UPS).


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

Keep in mind this is all dependant on how your goods are classified by Customs. There are a million commodities out there which get classified in the Customs Tariff with a specific HS Code (international rating of goods) so its safe to say that an amp may get classified differently with small variations. Looking quickly i'd agree you'd be looking at between 6 and 6.5% duty from most countries. And no duty from the US providing you have the correct documentation, that being a Nafta or Certificate of Origin accompanying the shipment saying the goods were made in the US.

For those of you that have shipped with Fedex, had your shipment delivered, and then received a bill in the mail for duties, taxes, and a BS brokerage fee here's what you can do to save a few bucks:

Take the paperwork they sent, it will most likely be on a form called a B3 (which is just a Customs accounting document) take your invoice, take your identification and go into a Customs office and tell them you would like to do a "Voluntary Entry" tell them the goods have already been released by Customs and delivered, your just accounting for the duties and taxes owing. They will print you off a receipt, take your money and send you on your way. 

Now call up Fedex and tell them your not paying the bill they just sent you which includes that ridiculous brokerage fee of $60 (mine was) because you already went in and paid the duties and taxes for the shipment. Now you dont have to pay the brokerage fee. 

Make sure that Customs keys in exactly the same rating and duties as listed on Fedex's B3 so there arent any problems. Fedex will ask for a paper copy which you can fax as proof that you paid Customs already, they in turn can apply for a refund for the duties and taxes they paid on your behalf. And now your happy because you just saved $60. Congrats.

Keep in mind this can be also done for shipments that havent cleared Customs too. You just have to let Fedex know you want to self clear the shipment. They call you when it comes in, give you the paperwork and you go clear Customs yourself. Its easy, just dont go lying about how much you paid for the guitar or it may end up the property of the Queen.

Cheers!


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

jroberts said:


> Not exactly. Canada is party to more trade agreements than just NAFTA. Here is a complete list of countries of origin to which _no_ duty would apply if importing a guitar amp manufactured there...
> 
> Afghanistan, Angolo, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, British Virgin Islands, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chili, Comoros, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, East Timor, Equitorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bisseau, Guyana, Haiti, Isreal, Jamaica, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Montserrat, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Soloman Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United States of America, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Yemen and Zambia.


Ha! So in other words, every country in the world that doesn't actually make guitar amps other than the USA? Isn't that just like a tax regulation? No duty at all on amps coming in from countries that don't make them. Jam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never never jam today. Glad my chocolate ration just went up to half what it used to be...
How many of you have an amp that says "Made in Sao Tome and Principe" or "Product of Burkina Faso" on the back?

:smilie_flagge17:


Oh and riffboy, that is great info. Thanks


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

jroberts said:


> I somehow don't think our international trade treaties are entered into with guitar amps as the primary concern.


Yes, I know. It just struck me as a queer juxtaposition: "Hey look, no duty on amps made in Turkmenistan, maybe I should buy that Dr. Z after all."

Normally, my head just assplodes trying to decipher governmental regulations.


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 19, 2007)

riffboy76 said:


> Now call up Fedex and tell them your not paying the bill they just sent you which includes that ridiculous brokerage fee of $60 (mine was) because you already went in and paid the duties and taxes for the shipment. Now you dont have to pay the brokerage fee.
> 
> Cheers!


A lot of fellows in the USA have been complaining that FedEx and UPS have been billing them for the brokerage fees that buyers in Canada have refused to pay . I wonder if you don't catch the item before it clears customs and you refuse to pay the courier the brokerage , are they are going back on the seller and trying to collect ? If it is this is unfortunate because a lot of guys in the US have heard about this and are now saying they will not ship to Canada .


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## Voxguy76 (Aug 23, 2006)

Yeah i've actually heard that too. Recently i sent a guitar to the US and had to sign a document saying that if US Customs requested a proper entry from a broker that i would have to pay this cost as the exporter. It didnt make sense to me and i argued it, but lost. In the end it just made me avoid Fedex altogether.


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