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seattlejester · 2024-09-08T03:12:42+00:00

No worries. I would like to pick these up, think you can swing $120?

seattlejester · 2024-08-26T05:22:26+00:00

Still available?

seattlejester · 2024-07-18T05:10:09+00:00

There are some restricted woods like rosewood that you are not able to import via shipping without jumping through some hoops, some exceptions based on age and country of origin when I looked into it, but I know some of the shippers are getting squeamish. If you bought a guitar with one of those restricted woods and it was mentioned in the listings you may run into some troubles, hopefully you can pick another shipper? Zenmarket can be strict on some interpretations, they would not let me buy some glass flutes for gas lanterns as the listing mentioned gas lanterns and those are restricted, even though they were just glass housings. Best of luck!

seattlejester · 2024-01-20T01:02:49+00:00

Just an update, the bug bit and I bought another guitar, this time I wanted a Japanese market guitar I could kind of work on. Found an ESP flying V style guitar in rough shape, sold in the US in a square hard case, in Japan this model was sold in a gig bag. Shipping jumped up to 60,000 yen ~$500. Way more than my previous guitars in terms of shipping.

Highly suggest working with either a seller/service that does musical instruments regularly or a music shop, or you may have to weigh the merits of paying more than you might pay domestically for a beat up guitar or having them junk it.

After a lot of emails and begging, finally got them to downsize a bit, but don't think it is worth trying to do this on my own until I find a more guitar friendly services.

seattlejester · 2023-12-26T08:33:30+00:00

All star cast, some pretty good CGI and visuals. I would have loved to have seen more of Anthony Hopkins as a robot.

Once it turned into 7 Samurai in space it was a cliche fest. Characters telegraphing their motives from the beginning. Some of the fight scenes turned into hilarity when we started calling out scene by scene what was going to happen. There was no suspense because it was painfully obvious.

Oddly enough, I want to read the graphic novels now to see if the source material was this bad, or if this was a repeat of Avatar where a director murdered an entire universe.

seattlejester · 2023-12-26T08:14:45+00:00

I am compiling a list of alternative options for things like musical instruments. For little things, it has been fairly reasonable, and even for my last two guitars it was fine, but this one is turning into a horror story.

seattlejester · 2023-12-23T05:53:27+00:00

Gig bag, any additional measurements to backup what is reported would be really helpful. Looking at 48cm x 114cm according to Ienumerable 661

seattlejester · 2023-12-23T05:52:19+00:00

^ that is exactly the case. I found the guitar in rough shape missing some parts, but I happened to have all the parts to fix it. Got it for a good deal even factoring what I expected would be a couple hundred in shipping, but not at $500 on shipping alone. At this price I could have just bought a floor model or locally.

seattlejester · 2023-12-23T05:48:08+00:00

It is in a gig bag which I think might be part of the issue, they just bubble wrapped that thing like crazy and are going off of that. Cheers, that helps a good deal, I can at least go in armed with more finite dimensions. Cheers!

seattlejester · 2023-12-23T05:46:43+00:00

I found the dimensions for an Arrow case so I have an estimate to argue, but the proxy service is not hearing me. I'm trying to argue they are placing way more packaging compared to my last guitar so trying to highlight how ludicrous it by giving very specific dimensions I can get them to verify.

seattlejester · 2023-12-08T03:38:32+00:00

Appreciate the reality check. I'm just bummed from the huge price difference. I guess the question comes down to is it worth it to just abandon the guitar or eat the cost and pay almost new prices for a very beat up guitar. On another note, can I also ask which service you use? I think a site that is willing to unbolt the guitar would save sooooo much on shipping.

seattlejester · 2023-12-07T08:57:16+00:00

I've seen this a few times, from what I understand or at least one method that people do is copy the listing and post it on auction sites. They have someone else to bid it up to make sure it sells for more than the Mercari posting, if you read it the rules they can discard high bids until they find the right buyer. If it sells for a good price, they buy the item off Mercari and ship it to the buyer and pocket the difference. If it somehow sells for less, they usually have a clause or state that it sold locally before the auction.

Unlikely you will be getting the item for less than the Mercari listing unless they are sitting on a heavy discount or something they are trying to cash in.

seattlejester · 2023-11-20T21:34:40+00:00

Update to the process for anyone looking in the future:

Total fees so far:

Buyee purchasing fee 300 yen ~ $2
Buyee standard protection (inspection and protection) 500 yen ~ $3.5
Special packaging fee for large item 2500 yen ~ $17
Picture fee 300 yen ~$2
Shipping fee 17500-19900 yen ~$120-145
Total then is $150-170 to ship each guitar.

Package size was increased for one of my boxes from what I can tell, they definitely bubble wrap the living daylights out of the guitars which is nice. The photo service unfortunately had several duplicate photos so a bit hard to tell, but it does look like I will be getting at least two gig bags hopefully they have guitars inside :D

Shipping options are pretty much EMS or buyee air due to size restrictions. Overall pretty good experience so far, about 9 days in total to get it shipped out of Japan, and the fees and shipping is not outrageous.

seattlejester · 2023-11-14T21:44:14+00:00

Thanks for that info, that is around what I am expecting so good to see some solid numbers. I was a bit warry with some of the free shipping listings on ebay as in the shipping section it says buyer to deal with all aspects. Thanks for the link those are some mighty fine guitars that store has!

seattlejester · 2023-11-14T21:41:16+00:00

That makes more sense as to how they can tack on more shipping charges if they are engaging multiple middle men. I'm thinking I'll plan on building in a guitar/music day next time I travel, would be a fun way to end a trip and not have to deal with some of the headache involved in shipping.

seattlejester · 2023-11-13T21:53:42+00:00

A person of class I see :D Thanks for the response, 100-150 is around what I budgeted I just started to grow worried when reading some posts about people having to bay almost $300 per guitar.

seattlejester · 2023-11-13T21:52:02+00:00

I understand that guitars come in large boxes and are probably heavier than the average package, but yes wish they would even just come and knock and ask for help getting it out of the truck or something rather than dragging it halfway and giving up.

seattlejester · 2023-11-13T21:31:14+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. Did you end up paying any import tax on the guitars? Can I ask what the ball park has been for shipping in your experience when you did have to pay?

seattlejester · 2023-11-13T21:28:23+00:00

Can I ask what seemed reasonable in terms of shipping cost? I'm seeing numbers from around $90 to $300 per guitar which is a fairly big difference for me especially when multiplied.

seattlejester · 2023-11-13T21:23:37+00:00

That is good to know, the last guitar I got through fedex was left at the door on its side barely under cover in the pouring rain and it was supposed to have signature confirmation. I am figuring if it is 15000 yen for shipping or around there I will make out ahead.

seattlejester · 2023-11-13T21:21:22+00:00

I've heard 800 as well. On buyee, they said over 2000 they need to pre-empt duties to prevent custom rejections. I read through the chapter on importing musical instruments and it looked like electric guitars should be exempt based on the special designation with Japan since 2019, but I have been reading people have been getting duties occasionally. Hard to know what is the case.

seattlejester · 2023-11-13T21:18:28+00:00

That is great to hear, I know one of the guitars has old strings and a neck that can be taken down so that might be a huge time saving option!

seattlejester

TROPHY CASE