Ordering from Ebay

A7X

Hey guys. Im looking to buy a guitar from Ebay. The seller is from America and Im just wondering what are people's experience with buying from there?

Im not worried about the seller really, just like tax and stuff that's put on it when it gets here. Do customs charge you much generally?

Kenny_D

Add 25% to the guitar+shipping price and that is what you will have to pay. Chances are you will have to pay it so factor it into your budget. If its out of budget with an additional 25% on top of the price+shipping then dont count on it slipping through customs

Rigsby

+ 1 on what GStormcrow says about customs charges.

It would do no harm to check the seller's history. Have a browse through what others have said. Also, expect a delivery time of at least four weeks. I bought a bass from the USA through E Bay, with no problems.

A7X

Thanks guys. Yeah 25% is still WELL within my budget. Considering its still cheaper than thomann. Yeah I have looked through his reviews and Hes a top seller and 99.7% positive feedback so I reckon hes ok.

Alanstrainor

Have you checked the UK prices for the same gear? I haven't bought from thomann in ages because the UK is so much cheaper these days.

brendansmith

That scheter hellraiser will be yours in no time.

Go for it!

A7X

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Have you checked the UK prices for the same gear? I haven't bought from thomann in ages because the UK is so much cheaper these days.

I havent found the exact guitar I want in the UK places Ive looked. If you had any links for popular places that would be great.

brendansmith wrote: »

That scheter hellraiser will be yours in no time.

Go for it!

Ha ha its just so hard to part with the money. =/

Thornography

brendansmith wrote: »

That scheter hellraiser will be yours in no time

lol iv seen these, There factory seconds thats why they are so cheap, but awesome none the less.

A7X

Thornography wrote: »

lol iv seen these, There factory seconds thats why they are so cheap, but awesome none the less.

Yup. I WANT ONE

brendansmith

A7X wrote: »

Ha ha its just so hard to part with the money. =/

Its either spend the money and get a great guitar and be happy as a pig in sh1t

or

Get something cheaper and be dissappointed

or

Piss the money away bit by bit with nothing to show.



Your choice

A7X

brendansmith wrote: »

Its either spend the money and get a great guitar and be happy as a pig in sh1t

or

Get something cheaper and be dissappointed

or

Piss the money away bit by bit with nothing to show.



Your choice

You make a good argument *ordered*

naaaaaaaaaaah not yet

Paolo_M

brendansmith wrote: »

Its either spend the money and get a great guitar and be happy as a pig in sh1t

or

Get something cheaper and be dissappointed

or

Piss the money away bit by bit with nothing to show.



Your choice

Poor health, cuts/bruises you can't explain and many embarassing stories is not nothing!! :pac:

torresfan

I bought a mexican Fender Stratocaster from a seller in California back in February. The Guitar itself is nine years old and was €200 which in itself was a steal considering it was the deluxe model and also had been fitted with Seymour Duncan pickups. I paid €40 for postage and packing and a further €60 on customs charges in which you have to produce a cheque to the postman on your doorstep. Barring the week that the guitar spent in customs, the experience was worth it. When you look at the cost of the high end guitars on ebay versus ebay in Europe, it's a no-brainer. My strat is awesome.

A7X

torresfan wrote: »

I bought a mexican Fender Stratocaster from a seller in California back in February. The Guitar itself is nine years old and was €200 which in itself was a steal considering it was the deluxe model and also had been fitted with Seymour Duncan pickups. I paid €40 for postage and packing and a further €60 on customs charges in which you have to produce a cheque to the postman on your doorstep. Barring the week that the guitar spent in customs, the experience was worth it. When you look at the cost of the high end guitars on ebay versus ebay in Europe, it's a no-brainer. My strat is awesome.

How do customs contact you?

torresfan

They don't. I was able to track the order through the US postal service tracking number. I didn't know what the cost was until the postman was standing on my doorstep.

A7X

torresfan wrote: »

They don't. I was able to track the order through the US postal service tracking number. I didn't know what the cost was until the postman was standing on my doorstep.

So, is kept by customs until you retrieve it, and they don't let you know it's there? Or it just ends up on your door with the postman looking for some money?

torresfan

The good news is that it turns up at the door with the postman, he will only accept a cheque, no cash.

Myrddin

I got an Ibanez recently from the states through e-bay. The guitar was a steal at the price I got it, insured p&p I think ran about E70 and it slid straight through customs.

I saved a fortune against what I'd have spent here on the same guitar. The kicker is I only went to ebay because all the main music stores (x3) hadnt got the guitar I wanted and didnt seem inclined to find out if they could get it for me. Their loss in the end.

I wasnt actually aware of a possible customs charge until the chap from sds told me I was lucky it didnt. WHats the story on customs then, say if you asked the seller to mark the guitar down as a gift would it go through?