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Roscoe Club
- Thread starter JOME77
- Start date
Well... I found one of those extremely clear and easy to read bureaucratic documents... /s
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
Chapter 92
Harmonized Tariff Schedule PDFs
Looks like the duty will depend on how the instrument gets classified (or mis-classfied.)
There's a section for guitars, which I think is the wrong section, but it might get selected anyway...
9202.90.40
Guitars / Other : 8.7%
Then there's what I think is the right section, for amplified instruments -- and that has a "fretted stringed instruments" sub-category. No clue where a fretless bass would fall...
9207.90.40
Amplified / other / fretted: 5%
And it seems we have treaties with certain countries that make the transaction duty free.
Free (A*, AU, BH,
CL, CO, D, E, IL,
JO, JP, KR, MA,
OM, P, PA, PE, S,
SG)
Remember, this is just me attempting to read a confusing PDF, so I may have this completely wrong.
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
Chapter 92
Harmonized Tariff Schedule PDFs
Looks like the duty will depend on how the instrument gets classified (or mis-classfied.)
There's a section for guitars, which I think is the wrong section, but it might get selected anyway...
9202.90.40
Guitars / Other : 8.7%
Then there's what I think is the right section, for amplified instruments -- and that has a "fretted stringed instruments" sub-category. No clue where a fretless bass would fall...
9207.90.40
Amplified / other / fretted: 5%
And it seems we have treaties with certain countries that make the transaction duty free.
Free (A*, AU, BH,
CL, CO, D, E, IL,
JO, JP, KR, MA,
OM, P, PA, PE, S,
SG)
Remember, this is just me attempting to read a confusing PDF, so I may have this completely wrong.
- Sep 3, 2006
- 4,358
- 6,117
- Disclosures
- Authorized dealer for Dingwall, Genzler, Phil Jones Bass, Cort, Traynor, Yorkville Sound
It is kinda a mess and I don't suggest you import if you can find a dealer for the product in your country. This will make the process much easier.
But apparently less from other countries, more from Chinese. I haven’t gotten in anything from other countries in over a month, so things may be changed. One can contact your FedEx or other broker, but man, over the years I have had close to zero point zilch real info from them. The government Memphis offices are also difficult to contact, and representatives are…uneducated about different woods utilized, which form is needed etc. and…Good luck.
I have often had basses held in customs for weeks because the particular agent dealing with it basically had no knowledge of the situation, asking for redundant paperwork, asking for unneeded paperwork, unclear about woods utilized, irregular statements from the manufacturer, etc. EXTREMELY frustrating experiences over and over and over. I have had fees of several hundred on basses depending on the country; England, Canada, Korea, China, Indonesia. China was 15%, Canada was 5% for example, but please take this info with a grain of salt as those fees are all subject to change instantly and I have no idea of what today’s fees are.
I've gotten 2 used Roscoes from Canada, both off of Reverb:
Bass #1 in 2016 - shipping agent was UPS, 5 string fretted ash/koa/maple, duty/fee was between $100-200 to UPS upon delivery.
Bass #2 in 2020 - shipping agent was USPS, 5 string fretless ash/maple, duty/fee was $0.
I have no idea how these were calculated. The first person told me to expect about $100 fee, the second person told me to expect no extra fees...they apparently knew something about it!
Bass #1 in 2016 - shipping agent was UPS, 5 string fretted ash/koa/maple, duty/fee was between $100-200 to UPS upon delivery.
Bass #2 in 2020 - shipping agent was USPS, 5 string fretless ash/maple, duty/fee was $0.
I have no idea how these were calculated. The first person told me to expect about $100 fee, the second person told me to expect no extra fees...they apparently knew something about it!
I've gotten 2 used Roscoes from Canada, both off of Reverb:
Bass #1 in 2016 - shipping agent was UPS, 5 string fretted ash/koa/maple, duty/fee was between $100-200 to UPS upon delivery.
Bass #2 in 2020 - shipping agent was USPS, 5 string fretless ash/maple, duty/fee was $0.
I have no idea how these were calculated. The first person told me to expect about $100 fee, the second person told me to expect no extra fees...they apparently knew something about it!
I purchased one Roscoe from a TB’er in Canada and when it arrived UPS required $180 customs fee before they would deliver it. Fortunately the TB’er was a good guy and reimbursed 1/2 the fee. After investigating though, it turned out that if the paperwork is filed properly there should never be a custom fee on a US made item sold and shipped from Canada to the US.
I’ve bought a couple of basses from Canadian TB’ers. I didn’t pay any addition fees. Both basses were US made.
I went ahead and made that international purchase yesterday. I chatted with the guy enough to get a comfort level, and he also offered me a discount off an already pretty good price, so I went for it. He shipped it via DHL promptly the next morning. It's coming from Colombia, and according to the documentation I linked a few posts above, it seems like there should be no custom fees between the US and Colombia due to some trade agreement. But we'll see...
I think, with Roscoes in particular, the fact that they were originally built in the US might make a difference in the Customs rules. But it's all complicated enough I suppose a lot of it depends on a judgment call from whatever Customs agent handles your case.
But if all goes well, I'll end up with a great deal on a signature Century 6.
I think, with Roscoes in particular, the fact that they were originally built in the US might make a difference in the Customs rules. But it's all complicated enough I suppose a lot of it depends on a judgment call from whatever Customs agent handles your case.
But if all goes well, I'll end up with a great deal on a signature Century 6.
Ok guys my Roscoe-itis is at a fevered pitch. This is not the time for Roscoe peeps to go silent on me. I need Roscoe banter and pics ect lol.
Are we going to have to begin a recovery group?
I’m too far gone Chuck my friend. I’m at the point of embarrassment now lol.
Hasn't it been passed around already?
Always happy to post a pic of Candy!
Keith said this one is very old that he bought back from the owner. It’s a neck-through too!
I wonder if Keith bought it back to review his/the work done on that bass in order to offer more neck-through options in his models(?).
He didn’t mention that as a reason. Seemed like it was more of a ‘bring it back home’ kind of thing. What a treat it was to walk through the shop and spend a little bit of time talking to the man himself! Going to have to order another one just to have an excuse to visit again.
I feel the same way…. And I did order another. Now I have an excuse for at least a couple more trips down to the happiest place on Earth.
So ... who here can tell me the diff's in sound between the Bart 'Classic Bass' soapbar option vs the 'Roscoe/Bart' soap option?
Is this a fair statement?:
"... My Roscoe has the Bartolini Classic Pickups which open the tone a bit with the bart preamp. The classics have more of a jazz sound compared to the Roscoe/Barts that have more of the "P" sound...."
Thnx
Which ones might these be?
Is this a fair statement?:
"... My Roscoe has the Bartolini Classic Pickups which open the tone a bit with the bart preamp. The classics have more of a jazz sound compared to the Roscoe/Barts that have more of the "P" sound...."
Thnx
Which ones might these be?
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