Murphy Lab dilemma

carlos

spirit7 said:

(Even with the customs and VAT it would be sub-£4.2k though)

Crazy price for a guitar, unless you're buying knowing you can sell for more 

greggreg66

guitars4you said:

greggreg66 said:

Do it if it makes financial sense (and assuming there's not cites issues - I know nothing about that so just mentioning it in case it might be an issue!). When I last went to the states I went to the Martin factory and it just didn't make sense to buy one there, even though I reeeeeeally wanted to.

No cites issues as not a Braz board- free international trade on Indian Rosewood (other than as raw material)

Nice one. Didn't know specifically what it entailed tbh!

StuartMac290

tomajoha said:

If its an R7 you should be spared the finish issues, that was on early cherry-backed LP's (R8/9/0)

The finish issues are still happening, on SGs and 335s too. 

icu81b4

I bought a used guitar from Rudy’s in NYC, they put an invoice inside the case stating that it was in for repair and it was a customer return and posted it to me. That worked out ok.

Neil

icu81b4 said:

I bought a used guitar from Rudy’s in NYC, they put an invoice inside the case stating that it was in for repair and it was a customer return and posted it to me. That worked out ok.

I did the same with a watch and was still charged VAT and duty.

When I got on to Customs they said just show us the receipt for when you posted the watch back for repair.

Collapse of guilty party. 

I'd always factor in 22% when buying abroad and often when you do that it's not worth it.

Neil

BTW @spirit7 ; stuff sold in the US is priced up without sales tax.

Dependant on which state you buy in it can vary from 0% -  7.25%.

GoldenEraGuitars

spirit7 said:

(Even with the customs and VAT it would be sub-£4.2k though)

For that ballpark I couldn’t fathom spending it on a Murphy Lab Gibson tbh. I’d be looking for a players grade vintage model that I could add value to. 

It’s all totally irrelevant if you haven’t played the guitar of course. But £4k? No, I’d be happier to see that money in my bank account.

spirit7

Thanks guys.  I think £4k for a Murphy Lab is more than worth it, but have decided against the faff of taking it back.  If anyone has an R7 they want to part with, do say

tsj93

I bought a vintage Gibson from New York last June, walked through no problems, didn’t pay anything 

Sporky

HT986M2 said:

Playing devils advocate: would they not have to somehow prove you bought it over there in order to charge VAT and customs fees?

No. You have to prove you didn't.

If they could be arsed to stop you. 

RaymondLin

Side point, in a completely unscientific and anecdote evidence, only like 1 out of 5 flights home I actually seen a custom officer at the "do not declare" section.  I have taken 6 trips abroad in the last 18 months and only seen them once.  I have only ever been stopped once ever and it was like 2008 on a flight back from Hong Kong. 

Whitecat

RaymondLin said:

Side point, in a completely unscientific and anecdote evidence, only like 1 out of 5 flights home I actually seen a custom officer at the "do not declare" section.  I have taken 6 trips abroad in the last 18 months and only seen them once.  I have only ever been stopped once ever and it was like 2008 on a flight back from Hong Kong. 

99% of their customs policing now is via advance intelligence. If they have people spare they will sometimes do random spot checks, but you’re right that there is rarely anyone available. 

WezV

You gotta love Gibson supporting the little guys.

It's always been the factory set ups keeping techs in business, the headstock breaks helping the repair men and builders. Now they are helping all the refinishers make a bit of extra money too   

donbot

Wait until you get back to old Blighty and order yourself an Ivison Hurricane instead. 

Wazmeister

spirit7 said:

Thanks guys.  I think £4k for a Murphy Lab is more than worth it, but have decided against the faff of taking it back.  If anyone has an R7 they want to part with, do say

100%.

I've been very dubious and wary of Gibson, and thought the ML were a bit of a joke... until I played one.

Outstanding guitars. 

I'd get a used case and ship it back; they will never know its new.

breakstuff

Whitecat said:

Is it discounted because of the now-commonly recognised ML finish issues on the early ones?

A bit like the puff pastry on an extra flakey sausage roll?

Nerine

I bought an LPC in the States.

Took it on the plane and walked straight through nothing to declare.

Simple.

PhilKing

I've come through customs with many guitars over the years.  In the 80's & 90's they were much more likely to stop you, but I think I've been stopped once over the last 20 years, and that was when I was bringing in 4 guitars!   I was coming back to work in London for 18 months and wanted some guitars with me, so showing that I was also a US citizen let me through.

Typically, my flights arrive very early in the morning (sometimes as early as 6:00am), and usually then there is no-one in the customs hall.  I always stack the case on my cart, rather than carrying it, I don't know if that helps.

tony99

PhilKing said:

I've come through customs with many guitars over the years.  In the 80's & 90's they were much more likely to stop you, but I think I've been stopped once over the last 20 years, and that was when I was bringing in 4 guitars!   I was coming back to work in London for 18 months and wanted some guitars with me, so showing that I was also a US citizen let me through.

Typically, my flights arrive very early in the morning (sometimes as early as 6:00am), and usually then there is no-one in the customs hall.  I always stack the case on my cart, rather than carrying it, I don't know if that helps.

Do you put it in the hold when on the plane?

PhilKing

Depends on the case.  I'm lucky in that I usually fly business class, so they are more lenient on what you can carry on.  Last flight I had 2 guitars coming over and one coming back (btw, the US customs usually don't even ask, one time I declared a Modulus Graphite 5 string bass, and they looked at it and saw it was made in the USA, so no duty).   One of the guitars was in an SKB case and went in the hold, the other was in a gig bag and came in the cabin with me.  On the way back, I just had the gig bag and took it into the cabin.

The biggest worry I had was with my 1955 Les Paul Custom in a Gibson case, which went into the hold, but it was all OK.