Buying a vintage guitar from UK

[FredH]

I am considering purchasing a vintage guitar from a dealer in the UK. Never purchased a guitar from outside the US. What have your experiences been? How does the US customs thing work? Any issues that I should be thinking about? Really appreciate your help before I do anything that I might regret. I have been watching this guitar for several years and now might be the time to make a decision. Thanks for you help.

[Oscar67]

Personally I’d get the seller on the phone and talk. Ask for additional photos if needed. Ask about repairs, originality, anything that builds an accurate picture of the instrument. Discuss shipping, packaging, warranty (if any). Import duties will come on top of the sale price, I’m sure there’s a government website telling you how much. Customs might keep the guitar for however long it takes them to determine import duty and the storage facility might not be climate controlled.

Shops like Norm’s Rare Guitars (US), Vintage & Rare (UK) and TFOA (NL) deal with this all the time. I’m sure they’ll offer tips if asked nicely.

[Easy2grasp]

I just imported a Kalamazoo built Epiphone from Quebec Canada to the US a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if the seller fudged the CITIES paperwork and pretended he didn't know about Brazilian rosewood, or it came in as "repatriated". All I know is I haven't been charged any import duties (yet). It did sit in a warehouse in Detroit for a few days and you could tell it was taken out of the carton and looked at from all the extra tape on the box. When they put it back in with the bubblewrap they were sloppy/lazy and the case rattled around in the carton the rest of the trip to Ohio. Fortunately, it arrived undamaged despite the seller not loosening the strings or protecting the headstock. YMMV
Ted

[Rob MacKillop]

Dealers should get the right paperwork done. I sent a guitar from Scotland to the US a couple of months ago. I filled in all the required forms correctly, but even I was surprised when it arrived at the guy’s door only four days later. No problem. I’m sure not everyone is so lucky.

I’ve just remembered that cites doesn’t have a code for CLASSICAL guitar, so I said it was an ACOUSTIC guitar. Maybe that helped it being stopped for checking? I don’t know.

[Hammertone]

There is no import duty into the United States for new or used guitars and/or guitar parts:
-made in the United States;
-made in Canada;
-made in Mexico.

While there are duties of one sort or another for new or used guitars and/or guitar parts from other countries, they are often not charged - I suspect that the border authorities have bigger fish to fry.

[Archie]

Who are they and happy to help if I can. I’m in the U:k near London. If it’s close I’ll take a look for you.
I also have experience with some dealers here. Some good some not so.