Korean Job Discussion Forums

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

I'm thinking about buying a new electric guitar but the prices here are almost criminal. If I had one shipped from the USA would I be slapped with a huge customs bill or any kind of tax?
If anyone has done this, please let me know what happened.

Thanks

Seoulman69 · Joined: 14 Dec 2009

If the content of a package is valued at over a particular amount then you have to pay a pretty hefty chunk of change to customs. However if you are buying a guitar with a bolt on neck you could remove it and send the body and neck separately. Say that the value of the separate pieces is below the cut off point and avoid paying any fine/tax. Or get it sent to an American army base.

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

[quote="Seoulman69"]If the content of a package is valued at over a particular amount then you have to pay a pretty hefty chunk of change to customs. However if you are buying a guitar with a bolt on neck you could remove it and send the body and neck separately. Say that the value of the separate pieces is below the cut off point and avoid paying any fine/tax. Or get it sent to an American army base.[/quote

I actually live next to the Yongsan base, but I don't know anyone in the military.
Sounds a bit complicated to get the guitar dismantled like that, but I guess that could just work. Have you done this yourself?

luckylady · Joined: 30 Jan 2012 Location: u.s. of occupied territories

have it sent to someone back in the US who can unwrap it from the packaging and re-wrap it so it looks like it's a personal item. maybe throw in a cd or 2, a sweater, some treats, etc. so it's now a care package.

import taxes/custom fees are for purchases overseas. you won't pay anything if it's just a package sent from home.

oh, and have the purchase order receipt sent separately in an envelope.

perfectly ok to have it insured tho.

SpiralStaircase · Joined: 14 Feb 2008

386,000 won on a 1200US guitar shipped direct from musicians friend.

Customs is a drag. They will hold the guitar and send papers via mail. You must fax them back and then they will release the guitar.

Note: this all happened with the original invoice in a pouch on the outside of the box. They wanted Korean papers.

Landros · Joined: 19 Oct 2007

buy one used here or go play it in the states. if the customs guys can find anyway to screw you they most certainly will. Look on craig's list.

12ax7 · Joined: 07 Nov 2009

I've bought gear in Japan. Even after paying 110 000 won for shipping and 20% duty, you save a couple hundred thousand per guitar.

I would recommend checking here first:

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/eng/

They have some ridiculous sales on Japanese made guitars (usually made by Fujigen, which is far better than a lot of the stuff made in the US) from time to time.

Besides that, you can also buy high quality hand-made instruments in Korea:

http://www.reedoox.com/main/index.php

If you want to pay a little more, there's PGK Tech.

I've actually been to their shop and had work done there on one of my guitars. They make everything by hand. They even hand-wind pickups. Their prices are very reasonable for the very high quality of their instruments. Think famous brand custom shop at a third to a quarter of the price:

http://pgktech.com/tech/re/index.php#

They finish their guitars in nitrocellulose. The owner's not a huge fan of the cheap, thick plastic finishes.

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

12ax7 · Joined: 07 Nov 2009

It really depends on which US Tele and which Japanese one you're looking at. There are so many models of each, you can't do a 1-to-1 comparison, but, to make a gross generalization, I'd say a CIJ (Crafted in Japan) Fender is of better quality than a comparatively priced USA made one.

But, really, if you're going to drop over a million on a guitar, go see PGK first. You won't regret it. It may not say Fender on the headstock, but you would have paid 3 times more if it did to get an instrument of the same quality.

Dave Chance · Joined: 30 May 2011

If you're serious about what guitar you own and how it relates to your needs, you'll want to handle and play it before throwing down the cash.

Tokyo's got possibly one of the greatest collections of guitars anywhere, would definitely be worth your while to do a weekend there and bring back a prize.

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

12ax7 · Joined: 07 Nov 2009

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

highstreet · Joined: 13 Nov 2010

Depends what the item is valued at by the shipper.

Anything over 150 or 200, you will be charged 18%. This is for any package you have shipped to Korea. So, if you were to order a package from a business, they would put the value at whatever you paid.

If you had a friend ship it to you, they could put the value at 150 and you wouldn't pay a tax.

Dave Chance · Joined: 30 May 2011