hmmm....this sounds like a business opportunity. Any basses that a retailer will not ship international have it sent to a USA address (a friend, acquaintance) & then ship onward to Oz.
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Strong Aussie dollar but where are the benefits?
- Thread starter DownUnder_Funk
- Start date
hmmm....this sounds like a business opportunity. Any basses that a retailer will not ship international have it sent to a USA address (a friend, acquaintance) & then ship onward to Oz.
Shipping amps from the US doesn't make much sense because they are all 120V.
As for MarkBass I got a good deal on a 151 cab here:
Link Removed
I paid 659 (~900AUD) for the cab with shipment, which I thought was a good price. They shipped by FedEx, very quickly; it was at my door step in like 4 days. If I buy something on the East Coast I'll take way more than a week to ship to Perth, so I was super-impressed. If I need another MarkBass item I'd definitely check with them.
At that time the Australian retailers wanted around $1300 for the same cab. Now the prices have come down a bit, but there are still rip-offs.
UK prices may also be not bad due to the weak pound. And the voltage is more friendly than US
As for MarkBass I got a good deal on a 151 cab here:
Link Removed
I paid 659 (~900AUD) for the cab with shipment, which I thought was a good price. They shipped by FedEx, very quickly; it was at my door step in like 4 days. If I buy something on the East Coast I'll take way more than a week to ship to Perth, so I was super-impressed. If I need another MarkBass item I'd definitely check with them.
At that time the Australian retailers wanted around $1300 for the same cab. Now the prices have come down a bit, but there are still rip-offs.
UK prices may also be not bad due to the weak pound. And the voltage is more friendly than US
Several companies exist that will re-ship an item for you.
I bought a bass here on TB from a US seller who delivered it to a shipito.com address in cali for me (I had to set up an account first). It's a good service and fairly good value as they get discount shipping with a few big shippers like FedEx.
I bought a bass here on TB from a US seller who delivered it to a shipito.com address in cali for me (I had to set up an account first). It's a good service and fairly good value as they get discount shipping with a few big shippers like FedEx.
Shipping amps from the US doesn't make much sense because they are all 120V.
As for MarkBass I got a good deal on a 151 cab here:
Link Removed
I paid 659 (~900AUD) for the cab with shipment, which I thought was a good price. They shipped by FedEx, very quickly; it was at my door step in like 4 days. If I buy something on the East Coast I'll take way more than a week to ship to Perth, so I was super-impressed. If I need another MarkBass item I'd definitely check with them.
At that time the Australian retailers wanted around $1300 for the same cab. Now the prices have come down a bit, but there are still rip-offs.
UK prices may also be not bad due to the weak pound. And the voltage is more friendly than US
Depending on the amp, voltage can be changed by a switch on the back.
That is true, although very few of them have that feature. Aguilar and Eden are only ones that come to mind. Some amps have switching power supplies that will work with different voltages.
I think most of the amps have voltage pre-set to the region of sale and there is little one can do apart from using an external transformer.
I've thought about that - if I can't buy off the bay then I'll ask if a TBer could get it then ship it through
I would need to befriend a TBer though... 
To me, this thread is filled with business opportunities. If I lived in Australia and had any clue about how to build amps, I'd be thinking about setting up a home-grown operation. I really have no idea, but you have no local builders?
OmnitzGarima said:
We've had them but the industry is global now. Any decent amp maker is going to go international. The only Australian company I can think of who does music electronics is Rode and they are mics not amps.
I purchased my Bergantino cabs & a Glockenklang Heart Rock from Bass Gear Direct in Sydney and after doing all my online homework & research I ended up saving a few hundred dollars by NOT going overseas. So I think it really depends on where you go and what you're actually after. Their prices seem to be very competitive in a global sense.
Shipping amps from the US doesn't make much sense because they are all 120V.
As for MarkBass I got a good deal on a 151 cab here:
Link Removed
I paid 659 (~900AUD) for the cab with shipment, which I thought was a good price. They shipped by FedEx, very quickly; it was at my door step in like 4 days. If I buy something on the East Coast I'll take way more than a week to ship to Perth, so I was super-impressed. If I need another MarkBass item I'd definitely check with them.
At that time the Australian retailers wanted around $1300 for the same cab. Now the prices have come down a bit, but there are still rip-offs.
UK prices may also be not bad due to the weak pound. And the voltage is more friendly than US
Shove- sorry place & secure- some insulating matrial in that 151 & it'll sound even better. (& buy it from a material seller-'spotlight' rather than actual ACOUSTIC foam & pay $$$$$ ) I bypassed the x-over & tweeter too- SWEET!!
I'll give you guys another example, the swiss franc has never been so strong x $us and euro.
for example, a Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout can be bought in the U.S.A. from $1500 (which in swiss francs is at the moment 1266.00 swiss francs). the Mesa Boogie distributor in Switzerland is asking 2900 swiss francs which is at the current rate $us 3436.00.
i dont think this is normal and it cant be justified by shipping or VAT taxes (here in Switzerland we have 8% Vat, the lowest in Europe, most European countries have 20% or more)
Are the Walkabout Scouts traveling in executive class?
Nuno
for example, a Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout can be bought in the U.S.A. from $1500 (which in swiss francs is at the moment 1266.00 swiss francs). the Mesa Boogie distributor in Switzerland is asking 2900 swiss francs which is at the current rate $us 3436.00.
i dont think this is normal and it cant be justified by shipping or VAT taxes (here in Switzerland we have 8% Vat, the lowest in Europe, most European countries have 20% or more)
Are the Walkabout Scouts traveling in executive class?
Nuno
There is one Aus made company that comes to mind (lab systems), however I can't think of any boutique makers.
With the costs of parts etc here I don't know if it would be feasible, we also don't have the market size that the US or UK do.
There are a couple of co's. As you said, Lab Systems-great cabs. Vase are making nice tube gear again. Some great bass luthiers too,- Mallioux = great basses. Equal to any in the world.
Check out ozbassforum.com
Check out ozbassforum.com
Also, don't forget that even for non-switchable amps, changing out the transformer is another cheaper possibility.
I have a peavey vb-2, was in contact with bobby on these forums and he gave the make and model number etc of the transformer I need.
That said, with the number and quality of light weight/high power class D amps which mostly have switchable power supplies and the number of retailers willing to ship internationally, Class D all the way FTW!
Here in Japan, similar story. I bought a GB Shuttle 6.0 for $600 including shipping. Same amp here sells for $1200+ here.
I eventually flipped the GB for $800 on an auction site.
Ditto with pedals. I bought the Electro-Harmonix Enigma for $200 including Fedex of ebay. Same thing here retails for $320.
I have a peavey vb-2, was in contact with bobby on these forums and he gave the make and model number etc of the transformer I need.
That said, with the number and quality of light weight/high power class D amps which mostly have switchable power supplies and the number of retailers willing to ship internationally, Class D all the way FTW!
Here in Japan, similar story. I bought a GB Shuttle 6.0 for $600 including shipping. Same amp here sells for $1200+ here.
I eventually flipped the GB for $800 on an auction site.
Ditto with pedals. I bought the Electro-Harmonix Enigma for $200 including Fedex of ebay. Same thing here retails for $320.
Haven't heard Lab Systems cabs, but I checked their bass head once and it sucked big time. You'll get a better sound from a Behringer.
So I'm trying to cure GAS for my next amp upgrade (which will hopefully be by the end of the year) and I've been doing some prospective amp research (looking at getting either a 500W micro head + 2x10 or a hybrid tube/SS like the Fender TB600) So, on all the amps/cab combos I've seen in the US (GC, Musician's Friend etc) they are nearly 50% cheaper than the cheapest Australian vendor's price. Is it just me or am I missing some part of the equation because it seems that someone (either the manufacturer or vendor, although unlikely the latter) are making a MASSIVE mark up between the unit leaving the factory and arriving down under.
For example, on MF you can buy a brand new Fender TB600 for $1000; the cheapest price I've seen in Australia is $1750: The Bass Centre - Fender Bass Amplification:scowl:
So what am I missing? Are there hidden costs that I'm ignorant towards or should I be justified in being a little annoyed that the strong Aussie dollar isn't reaping any benefits?
Ps although this sounds a little ranty I am actually curious what people think and if there are ways around the steep price increase.
Australian's get ripped off by anything imported. Although Aussies have higher living standars than most American's and higher disposable income, the pricing here in the US is aimed at that lower income level.
That is why it looks so cheap compared to Aussie pricing. The Australian GM Holden Monaro is about $60K plus in Oz but I have seen them here sold and rebadged at Pontiac GTO's for $25 K brand new. That shows you how much Aussies get ripped off.
The only answer I can recommend is to buy on ebay and import or find a dealer who will export directly as many brands sold in the US are not represented by agents there. If it were me, I would ebay used gear, especially heads and guitars.
