Canadian buying from US

[bluegrassdan]

Any Canadians out there with any experience buying mandolins from the US? Being in the East I know there will be 15% sales tax but what would the duty be? Also what methods of shipping will not incur broker fees? Thanks folks.

[Jack_Daniels]

Any Canadians out there with any experience buying mandolins from the US? Being in the East I know there will be 15% sales tax but what would the duty be? Also what methods of shipping will not incur broker fees? Thanks folks.
Just purchased a new Washburn off a company in Florida. I paid $34.00 US postage to have it shipped USPS and $5.00 US insurance fee. 15% HST was added at the boarder along with an $8.00 handling fee.

The mandolin was shipped on a Saturday and I recieved to the following Friday.

Hope this helps,
Jason

[8ch(pl)]

If the instrument is made in the US or Mexico it is exempt from Customs Duty in accordnce with NAFTA. I recommend using US Pstal Service for shipping. That way it goes through Canada Post. If you use a Courrier they will levy about $55 or so in Customs Brokerage Fees. The setback is that USPS will only insure to a value of $650US, so a courrier may be the way to go for insurance on a high price instrument.

Hope this helps

[Keith Erickson]

Just as a rule of thumb; know what your are paying for and what you are not if crossing international boundries.

My brother sold an item through e-bay. The purchaser was somewhere up in rural Quebec.

When the gentleman found out that he had to pay the taxes/ import fees, he hit the roof and harrassed the living day lights out of my brother for two days before he finally realized that he was going to eat the cost.

Unless it says cost will cover import taxes/ fees, assume that you will have to cover the cost.

[newbreedbrian]

based on a hell of a lot of experience mail ordering over the years, some stuff makes it through with no charges. odds are if its over a couple hundred dollars it won't make it through though. standard is about 15% tax as well as a $5 handling fee. where are you on the east coast?

[8ch(pl)]

You are right about that Brian. I purchased 4 instruments through ebay, all in the US. A couple were about $125 US, at a high exchange rate. I got throough without paying. My Mid Missouri was $355 and I got whacked for 15% GST. All my other small purchases were freebees. Some strings coming from Michigan this week, should be OK.

[jayn]

No duty. USPS is cheapest as noted. You have to pay a $5 (or did it go up?) handling fee and the taxes. UPS and FedEx will charge brokers fees which are usually ridiculous. There are ways around the brokers fees, but you have to dig quite a bit and handle all the paperwork yourself. I can't find the link I had, but I could dig around some more if you were going to go with FedEx.

Is it for an Eastman? If so, why not buy through the Acoustic Guitar Store here in AB? Mike's prices are very fair and his customer service is excellent. You might save on taxes and shipping too.

Acoustic Guitar Store (http://www.acousticguitar.net)

[flairbzzt]

Dan- These extra costs seem to make the decision to go with the 515 easier. Also, have you talked to Dave @ 12fret.com in Canada about any 515's? They stock them as they can get them. I'm looking into an Eastman from him.

[bluegrassdan]

I emailed the 12th fret this week and he had 1 515 in classic. Not a radius though which I am leaning towards even though I have never tried one.

[flairbzzt]

The radius is worth it to me. Like I said before, most manufacturers don't offer that option on the lower end models in a series, or charge around $100 more for it. I'm not letting this latest one go this time.

[bluegrassdan]

By the way I am in New Brunswick, Canada and as far as I know the 12th fret is the closest place in Canada to get one. Anybody know any different?

[Jack_Daniels]

No duty. USPS is cheapest as noted. You have to pay a $5 (or did it go up?) handling fee and the taxes. UPS and FedEx will charge brokers fees which are usually ridiculous.
Acoustic Guitar Store (http://www.acousticguitar.net)
I just had a mandolin shipped from Florida via USPS and the 15% duty (HST Sales Tax) had to be paid. The handling fee was $8.00 Canadian.

As far as I know, the only way to get out of paying duty is to visit the US for 7 days and bring the parcel back with you.

Jason

[atetone]

There are no duty charges on anything made in Canada, Mexico or the U.S.
If the mando is made anywhere else then duty applies.
This is on top of the taxes. Here in B.C. the taxes are 7% provincial tax plus 7% GST.
An interesting note is that a while ago I received a mandolin "on approval".
I reluctantly decided that it was not the one for me and returned it to the builder. The situation regarding the 14% taxes that I had to pay to bring it into Canada was that I had to apply to the federal government to have the taxes refunded.
I am still waiting to hear their decision as to whether or not they will refund them.
Don't mix up taxes and duty. You are obliged to pay the taxes no matter where the mando was built and then any applicable duties are on top of that.
The last time I checked with Canada Customs (or whatever it is that they call themselves now) 8% to 18% duty seemed to be the range on Asian and European mandos. This varies depending on country of origin.
If in doubt just call Customs and ask them to look it up in the BIG book. Better safe than sorry.

[newbreedbrian]

not sure about new brunswick, i'm in nova scotia and haven't seen an eastman here yet. mostly pac rim stuff around here with the exception of musicstop having a few webers now and then which honestly haven't impressed me in the least tone wise. good luck with the search

[camando]

bluegrassdan

I am 20 minutes from the 12th Fret. I go there often. If you want me to go there and scout a mando or two for you I would be happy to.

Chris in Canada

[Stephen Perry]

Worth figuring out the NAFTA and other trade rules. US Dept of Commerce site. One can also call and get an explanation.

http://www.export.gov/

http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/canadaimport/

Postal service is the way to go. Get external insurance if required. The major private carriers get stuck in red tape.

[8ch(pl)]

Hey Brian, I saw some Michael Kelly F styles (F4 & F5) in Music Stop a few of weeks ago.

[8ch(pl)]

Hey Brian, I saw some Michael Kelly F styles (F4 & F5) in Music Stop a few of weeks ago.

[newbreedbrian]

yea i checked those out glen. real thin tonewise, not worth the pricetag was my first impression. i think your mid-mo killed all of them for tone and volume. i went checkin out some old stuff at folklore last week. there was a 1916 off gibson brand A there that was killer. within 5 minutes of playin it, it was sounding fantastic. some serious playin time mojo on that one, would walked out with that if i had the $1600 (!). tried out the resonator mandolin, really cool sound and pop on that one. also, a 40s kalamazoo: didn't sound great playin melody, but one hell of a woof on the chop chords, wow!

[Keith Erickson]

Worth figuring out the NAFTA and other trade rules. #US Dept of Commerce site. #One can also call and get an explanation.

http://www.export.gov/

http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/canadaimport/

Postal service is the way to go. #Get external insurance if required. #The major private carriers get stuck in red tape.
Steve,

I found that these rules and regulations are as useless as the paper they were written on. #I work on both sides of the US- Mexico border and I have crossed the US Mexico border at 12 different ports of entry. #Keep in mind the regulations are dictated by those who you deal with at customs at that very moment in time. #

I once crossed into Fabens, Texas from Caseta, Mexico with my rifle in my pick up truck. #I had all of the paperwork from both US & Mexico. When I declared it at US customs, they couldn't be bothered with such "measly" little issue.

Thirty five miles down river was a differnt story. I crossed into Fort Hancock, Texas from El Porvenir, Mexico with my cheap Harmony mandolin. #The way those folks acted at the DHS and you would have thought I was bringing with me weapons grade plutonium. #

That US$80 dollar Harmony had me stuck at US customs for about an hour. #He told me that he would let me go "this time", but the next time I cross that mando, I needed to bring the receipt from the music shop that I bought it from in Pompton Lakes, NJ. # WHAT?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif? #that's 2,000 miles away and 18 years ago.# http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

He continued to throw rules and regulations at me left and right to justify his case. #Don't ask me what he said, because it went in one ear and out the other.

Just remember the rules today don't apply tomorrow.

[bluegrassdan]

Any Canadians out there with any experience buying mandolins from the US? Being in the East I know there #will be 15% sales tax but what would the duty be? Also what methods of shipping will not incur broker fees? Thanks folks.
Just purchased a new Washburn off a company in Florida. I paid $34.00 US postage to have it shipped USPS and $5.00 US insurance fee. #15% HST was added at the boarder along with an $8.00 handling fee.

The mandolin was shipped on a Saturday and I recieved to the following Friday.

Hope this helps,
Jason
Hello
There was no mention of duty charges here, just the 15% sales tax. You or anybdy else have duty charged along with the sales tax? Thanks again folks.

[AW Meyer]

Another recommendation for The Acoustic Guitar, in Calgary. The website is listed above in Jack_Daniels' post. Mike is a good guy, sells Eastmans, MKs, and Webers. His prices and customer service are excellent. He ships all over the place in Canada and the US. My Weber was put on the bus in Calgary and arrived here in Vancouver the next day. It was newly set up, with brand new strings. It wouldn't hurt to drop him an email. He is open to pretty well any shipping option you'd prefer.

[bluegrassdan]

I did and he doesnt have any 515's and no radius boards on any.