# Buying a Guitar online form the US



## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

I did some searching but couldn't find anything that answered my questions...

Anyone ever bought a guitar online from the US and had it shipped up here to Canada? I am wondering how much extra I will have to pay. Specilifically/ I am eyeing up an Ibanez from Rich Harris at Ibanezrules and I am wondering about duty, taxes, approximate shipping costs (he is in New Jersery and I am in Vancouver). Will I have to pay both GSP and PST? And how much is duty? The guitar is about $1,000. I searched the Canadian Border Service site and couldn't find the duty rates? wtf...you would think that would be easy to find on there...

Anyone willing to share their experiences with buying a guitar online from the US?


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

1. If you use UPS, FedEx, DHL, or other courier, they will hire themselves as customs broker and charge you a fee for that. You can get around it, but I forget how. Rough guess, call it $50 - I think it's based on parcel value.
2. When the package hits the border, yes it will be assessed for HST and duty (assuming the guitar was built offshore). I don't know the rate either, but figure roughly 6%
3. Base shipping cost, it's going to depend on who's used and what level of service you expect. Postal service, basic parcel would be cheapest but likely not offer tracking or insurance. GUESSING AGAIN, you are probably ballpark of $80-100 for the next level of service with a courier company. 

So, I forget what HST is (16%?), but you're ballpark looking at $300 all in.

Often when postal service is used, when it gets handed off to Canada Post they ignore the incoming duty & tax, but you can't depend on that. Also, they don't charge (or don't charge *much*, I forget) of a brokerage fee. So, if you can convince your seller to use USPS, you have the best chance of paying the least. But no guarantees.


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## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

ship it to point roberts and pick it up. you will pay HST upon return. shipping will usually be less as well.

if you use UPS, don't use UPS standard. a $1000 guitar will cost you $75 to clear customs on top of HST and duty. brokerage is included in all other UPS services, although the shipping cost is higher.

if the guitar is made in USA, Canada or Mexico, you don't have to pay Duty.

duty rates on musical instruments...

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/trade-commerce/tariff-tarif/2011/01-99/ch92-t2011-eng.pdf

guitars are 6% duty.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

blam said:


> if the guitar is made in USA, Canada or Mexico, you don't have to pay Duty.
> 
> duty rates on musical instruments...
> 
> ...


What happens if you play it with a bow? Is it free?


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks guys!

So say $60 duty + $120 for GST/PST + about $50 customs broker fees + up to another $100 shipping...that's over $300?! ...that's like 1/3 of the price of the guitar...ouch... I think I need to find some angles to get that number down... =o[


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## andre66 (Jun 26, 2010)

You live so close to the border you should really consider the option of picking it up in pt.roberts as has been suggested or Blaine. When you bring it back yourself there are no brokerage fees, just pay the duty,if any and tax. Sometimes they'll just wave you through even if you bought something. Bought my dog from Washington state and when I told the customs officer he just said "enjoy your dog" and let us go.
I go across a fair amount to pick up stuff, it's easy and quick and cheaper gas to boot.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Is it not a model you can get in Canada? I'd just try and get it this side of the border.


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

andre66 said:


> You live so close to the border you should really consider the option of picking it up in pt.roberts as has been suggested or Blaine. When you bring it back yourself there are no brokerage fees, just pay the duty,if any and tax. Sometimes they'll just wave you through even if you bought something. Bought my dog from Washington state and when I told the customs officer he just said "enjoy your dog" and let us go.
> I go across a fair amount to pick up stuff, it's easy and quick and cheaper gas to boot.


Hey Andre, you are in Aldergrove? Cool! me too  

I like your idea but where would I have it shipped to in Blaine or Pt. Roberts? The guy with the guitar is in New Jersey so he needs to send it somewhere to get it to me...


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Budda said:


> Is it not a model you can get in Canada? I'd just try and get it this side of the border.


Unless you are getting some crazy deal, I have found this to be the best option. I have actually had good luck buying from the States...but they were crazy deals on used goods. Doing calculations, even if I got dinged for the maximum fees, I still would have done well. But if it's anything new or anything easy to find on the used market, I stick within Canada.


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

In 2004 I bought a brand new Gibson V on ebay for $750, guy sent it marked as a gift and iirc cost around 70 extra with shipping and then got dinged another 60 or so when i went to pick it up. Just checked my email, came to 818.00 with shipping.

Living close to the border though if I were to do it again I'd drive over unless you can get it marked as a gift. 

I was still a happy camper for a brand new V at around 900.


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## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

marking something as a gift is a myth.

The maximum value for a "gift" in order to be exempt is around the $25 mark IIRC.


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## andre66 (Jun 26, 2010)

I use Hagens of Blaine, it's a parcel drop off business. Pay 5 dollars a package and I've never had a problem. They send you an email when it comes in but you have to register with them, not a big deal they have a website. Getting there is very simple, cross at the Aldergrove border and take the first right off of state route 539 which will be H street, follow it until it ends, turn left and go two blocks and there it is on your left.


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## bluesguitar1972 (Jul 16, 2011)

I've had mixed bag - got dinged GST + a $10 fee from the Postal service, and FedEx dinged me GST/PST and a much larger brokerage fee when I brought a Koll guitar in. Was $300 + 

You ask them to mark a lower value, but then you're screwed for insurance - not the safest way to ship.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

I had Gibson L4 CES shipped in from Texas. I paid roughly 2.3 cents on each dollar exchange approx. $90.00. I will pay HST of 12% on the purchase price+ exchange+ shipping+ shippers fees, works out to roughly $471.00. I won't know the exact figure until I get my final invoice from Fedex. I contacted them and was told that would arrive in January 2013. I have been told that there is no duty on guitars made in the US, who knows maybe I'm looking at more money if they actually charge duty on US goods coming into Canada. I have the guitar so I'll just wait for the invoice.


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

andre66 said:


> I use Hagens of Blaine, it's a parcel drop off business. Pay 5 dollars a package and I've never had a problem. They send you an email when it comes in but you have to register with them, not a big deal they have a website. Getting there is very simple, cross at the Aldergrove border and take the first right off of state route 539 which will be H street, follow it until it ends, turn left and go two blocks and there it is on your left.


Interesting that sounds like a good idea...thanks for the info


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

Below is my actual Fedex invoice for bringing a guitar in from the states in Dec. 2012. The cost of the guitar and the shipping were paid previously to the seller, the HST was $428.11 the additional $16.46 are the fees charged by Fedex. I have seen some wild figures thrown around here on several GC threads as to the costs of shipping through Fedex and I don't believe $16.46 is outrageous. I don't know where the other figures came from but I am quite happy with those fees. "I had to pay the HST regardless". Get some quotes from different shippers before you do anything. 

View attachment 2055


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

fredyfreeloader said:


> Below is my actual Fedex invoice for bringing a guitar in from the states in Dec. 2012. The cost of the guitar and the shipping were paid previously to the seller, the HST was $428.11 the additional $16.46 are the fees charged by Fedex. I have seen some wild figures thrown around here on several GC threads as to the costs of shipping through Fedex and I don't believe $16.46 is outrageous. I don't know where the other figures came from but I am quite happy with those fees. "I had to pay the HST regardless". Get some quotes from different shippers before you do anything.
> 
> View attachment 2055



2 things, it was mentioned that the brokerage fees are a complete crapshoot. Second, is it possible the seller included the brokerage fees in the shipping? A lot of the sellers that deal with Canadians frequently will do that. I'd love to hear that Fedex has cut those fees way down (I prefer USPS, but a guaranteed delivery time and good tracking are beneficial at times), but I think something is missing there.


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