Buying from overseas vs locally

[DaneB]

I've been making a fair bit of money lately, working a lot of hours, and I'm in the position where I can finally buy a nice bass or two.

However, being in Australia, everything is way overpriced. Doesn't seem to be as bad as it used to be, ie, double or triple US pricing, but it's still pretty bad.

I recently discovered sites like Musiciansfriend ship to Australia, and I can save a TON of money by doing this. I'd save something like $400 on an American Standard buying from US over local sites. But then comes the potential problems, like it being damaged in transit, and it being a massive hassle to ship it back, etc. Also, I'm unaware of any issues there might be with customs. Would there be any hidden fees and holdups etc on buying something of approx $1500 value?

I expect a lot of you guys buy basses from overseas and know what's what. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[arsie]

I do not believe that Musician's Friend ships new Fenders overseas. They do, however, ship used ones.

I do not think you will need to worry overly much about transit damage, however, since you are buying sight unseen, you may not like what you get, which will be annoying should you need to send it back.

 

[DaneB]

Well Musiciansfriend says it will ship one to my postal code for like $150. It's not like I can just do it for a test though, kinda of a lot of money just to try it out.

Buying sight unseen is something I'll probably be doing regardless, because the two local shops I have near me are useless, and stock next to nothing. I could travel up to the city and play a greater range, but everything will still be massively overpriced. I could play something and like it, then order it from MF or wherever, but yeah, the actual instrument I get sent could be complete crap compared to the one I play in the shop.

I don't know what I'll do, it's kind of annoying me having the money to buy the things I want, yet still be kind of unable to do so

 

[arsie]

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[A-Step-Towards]

Well you will get slammed with customs fees.

If you know anyone in the states maybe buy it and have it shipped to them , they try it out and give it a good walk through and if its a good one you send them the extra cash you would have sent MF for shipping to austrailia to send it to you, basically It gets a good look over before going to you.

 

[DaneB]

Well you will get slammed with customs fees.

If you know anyone in the states maybe buy it and have it shipped to them , they try it out and give it a good walk through and if its a good one you send them the extra cash you would have sent MF for shipping to austrailia to send it to you, basically It gets a good look over before going to you.

I don't really know anyone there, beyond old acquaintances from forums and stuff.

What's the deal with customs fees? I can order books and whatnot from Amazon, and there's no fees there, I'm pretty sure...

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Hm, thanks for that. There's a specific 'ships to Australia' list, and it only has used Fenders. This is very misleading, as before I told the site I was in Australia, could add whatever to my cart, could put in my post code and told me the shipping cost. Kind of a design flaw of their site that it tells me the shipping cost of something they won't actually ship...

 

[Dubista]

Hello there fellow ozzie,

I know what you mean about having poor pricing down under and I have well considered shipping in basses from America and here's what I have found:

1) There are brand restrictions on shipping. This means that dealers aren't allowed to ship a particular brand overseas, the ones off the top of my head being Fender and Musicman. HOWEVER, dealers are allowed to ship "used" Fender and Musicman instruments overseas.

I do believe dealers are allowed to ship Lakland and G&L basses overseas though.

2) Shipping is bloody expensive. I contacted Bass Central regarding shipping of a Lakland Bob Glaub and I was quoted around $250 USD (at the time).

3) Tariffs. Australia taxes anything over $1000 AUD in value by an additional 10%. I believe the $1000 tax applies to value of the product without the shipping BUT I could be wrong. There is one other tax that is being enforced (I forget what it's called), but basses are immune to it because there are no local manufacturers of it.

4) Waiting time. This may vary from person to person, but I know I would be waiting VERY anxiously about my bass in transit. I flew with a AV 62 Precision I picked up in the states while it was in the hull storage thing. I was scared sh*itless for the duration of the flight and the stop overs.

All this is all well and good but keep in mind, some things are worth the risk.

I have been gassing hard for a Lakland bass but nowhere in Australia seems to have them in stock. I present to you the scenario of a Lakland Skyline 44-02 Bass Centre in Melbourne has them listed for $2550 (Keep in mind I feel this price outdated because they haven't stocked any new laklands for quite some time now). Bass Central in Chicago has the same bass listed at $1424. Now for ease of math, lets say that the AUD and USD is at 1 to 1. and we'll take shipping at $250.

Do the math and it adds up to $1816.4 A significant saving.

I suppose at the end of the day, it is all your choice wether you want to import something or not.

I believe you should support the Australian economy though.

But sometimes, $100+ for a set of TI's is kind of silly.

 

[arsie]

Yup, the website is definitely not designed for overseas buyers, but who can blame them.

Knowing the prices of gear (and everything else) in Australia, I still reckon you should find some way of bringing it in from the USA. Know any Qantas pilots? Hhahaha.

Good luck.

 

[DaneB]

Thanks Dubista, that's pretty much the info I was looking for. Though not as positive as I would have liked

I'm guessing the branding restriction thing is because there is Fender USA and Fender Australia or whatever, and they don't want to step on each others' markets or something. But it sucks almightily that we have to pay an extra grand in some cases for EXACTLY the same product.

The shipping wasn't too bad as listed on MF, though it was probably pretty inaccurate, about $150 for an American Standard. I was going to buy a nice computer case the other week, from Melbourne I think, and it would have cost that just to ship from there to WA.

The tax thing is annoying. I don't see what it has to do with them, I mean if I'm going to the hassle of ordering from overseas, surely the local sellers should be doing a better job so I don't have to?

Waiting time I'm not too worried about. Doesn't matter if it takes a few weeks. Though every moment it's not in my hands, is a moment some mailroom guy could be chucking it around

Bass Centre is one of the only decent local sites around, and even then, they're still pretty crappy. They never seem to update their stock, and their prices are just placeholders really, you have to email them and they magically have a way cheaper price, wow, what a discount! They also don't tell you how much it will cost to ship, presumably until you email with your interest.

I don't mind supporting the local economy, but I do mind when it's seven hundred bucks out of my pocket for no reason! I actually bought a set of TI flats I found in the bargain bin of a local music shop, when I didn't know what they were. Fifty bucks. I'm still playing them like 5 years later. There were two sets there, kicking myself I didn't buy both!

Anyway, it's all looking very disheartening for me buying a nicer bass. I'll probably just bite the bullet and buy something in a store in Perth for cash, and hang the expense. At least I'll be getting what I want, right there, no hassles. It just really sucks that I have the money, want to give it to someone in exchange for an instrument, and there's just so many hurdles in the way!

Thanks guys.

 

[gazman_res]

Yeah I've been quoted $USD350 on shipping a bass, kinda crazy. Other times ive seen it low as $80-100.

Personally id ask sellers in the classifieds section, most of them are very helpful and i bought a warwick a few years back on the forum. It cost me about AUD$1300 including shipping, duty, customs, etc. I believe the local distributer was quoting $5500 for the same bass, kinda stupid.

What bass are you looking at buying?

 

[Dubista]

if you're not already a member, you should join ozzbassforum. It's like TB, but localised into an Australian context

and wait for it, A REALLY GOOD CLASSIFIED SECTION.

Though the price of a used SR4 is about $1400-1600, it beats laying down $2000+ for a new one.

 

[ThatBassistDude]

MusiciansFriend is completely trustworthy. I use them when ever I buy stuff.

 

[DaneB]

I think I am a member of Ozbassforum, I just haven't been there in years, same as here I haven't been on the net much in the past few years.

Basses I'm looking at buying is a relatively high-quality fretted and fretless four string. Would love a white and rosewood Deluxe Jazz, though it's pretty expensive, and I have no real interest in the active electronics, which is most of what you're paying for. There's no fretless option for the Deluxe, presumably because it wouldn't work with the block inlays maybe? So I'm looking at a fretless Standard Jazz, which is a lot cheaper, and passive, which is all I need. I don't particularly like that it's lined though. Have seen the Tony Franklin unlined fretless P which looks and sounds amazing, but is pricier, and don't REALLY want a P bass.

Which is annoying, because pretty much all the bass tones I've been digging lately all come from Precisions! Be it Jamerson or Rocco any of the old soul guys, to Cherry Poppin Daddies, or indeed the few clips I've seen online of Tony Franklin with his fretless P.

Was considering the 62 reissue P or J, but have read they have terrible truss rod adjustment, ie, you have to take the entire neck off to make an adjustment. So screw that.

I've also wanted a Dingwall for years. There's ONE dealer in oz, and his site doesn't seem to have changed since it went online. Also he has Combustions for $2000 which is steep. I don't know if I'd pursue buying one since it doesn't really suit any of my wants, but it would at least be nice to play one .

 

[Dubista]

I'm not really GASing for a 44-02 I was just using it as an example. I AM GASing for a Lakland Joe Osbourne (I don't know what they're called now) or a Decade.

My AV62 seems to have no problem with the truss rod. The system maybe old fashioned and you DO have to take the neck off to adjust, but between you and me, I haven't even touched the truss rod EVER. The intonation seems to be spot on. But then again, I'll only ever adjust a truss rod when I change strings, which is rare because I use flats and when the weather shifts dramatically... which, in Melbourne is never. Four seasons in one day.

I wish you good luck on acquiring those basses you want. Keep rockin.