Ordered from Japan recently?

[xzyryabx]

Sorry to derail the convo but anybody remember meestursparkle?
https://www.meestursparkle.com/contact
If he's still in business you could consider going through him; I haven't had any contact with him in ages but he was solid back in the day.

 

[narad]

Sorry to derail the convo but anybody remember meestursparkle?
https://www.meestursparkle.com/contact
If he's still in business you could consider going through him; I haven't had any contact with him in ages but he was solid back in the day.

meestursparkle is basically guilty for me diving off the deep end into GAS and winding up with so many guitars. It's weird how now that there are dozens of jp resellers flooding ebay and reverb, they're ruining those sites and I'd like to knock them around a bit.

But back when it was just meestursparkle, he was truly doing everyone a favor, always found good gear, and providing a way to get those guitars before the jp shops would really tolerate dealing with foreigners at all. And the user ID is a great reference too.

 

[Lorcan Ward]

Meestursparkle is a hero! He hooked me up with two guitars.

 

[feilong29]

Meestursparkle was the first vendor I ever got my first Japanese "expensive" guitar when I first started playing. Definitely VIP!

 

[eightsixboy]

Don't think rosewood is the issue, this hasn't been an issue since Cites lifted the ban last year.

I just ordered a guitar from Ikebe and they said they can only use Fedex as it's the only option currently and it's much more expensive. Still worth it for the guitar I got but people should be aware shipping is basically double the normal price.

 

[Fenriswolf]

Don't think rosewood is the issue, this hasn't been an issue since Cites lifted the ban last year.

I just ordered a guitar from Ikebe and they said they can only use Fedex as it's the only option currently and it's much more expensive. Still worth it for the guitar I got but people should be aware shipping is basically double the normal price.

Ya...I don't remember how much the shipping was on the last guitar I ordered from Japan, but it wasn't near as goddamned much as I just paid. The thing I'm curious about, I didn't have to pay any customs fees on a guitar, but I did on a Deluhi DVD and a bag of guitar picks.

 

[narad]

Don't think rosewood is the issue, this hasn't been an issue since Cites lifted the ban last year.

I just ordered a guitar from Ikebe and they said they can only use Fedex as it's the only option currently and it's much more expensive. Still worth it for the guitar I got but people should be aware shipping is basically double the normal price.

Can I ask what your total shipping cost was?

Ya...I don't remember how much the shipping was on the last guitar I ordered from Japan, but it wasn't near as goddamned much as I just paid. The thing I'm curious about, I didn't have to pay any customs fees on a guitar, but I did on a Deluhi DVD and a bag of guitar picks.

US customs is like flipping a coin. There's some things that basically always get hit, and others that are more stochastic in nature.

 

[Tuned]

awaiting another purchase from Japan, an E-II MR Seven FR. It has arrived to this country and will be in my hands in a few days.
No issues or additional expense compared to my previous buys. I have to say this is the first of them to have an ebony board, but that didn't have any connection whatsoever to the pandemia and/or restrictions

 

[AltecGreen]

Can I ask what your total shipping cost was?

Ikebe’s shipping costs for my new bass was close was around $500 including insurance. I guess they need money to pay for the new store. BTW- have you been to the new Ikebe Shibuya?

A friend bought an Infinite from Kurosawa a month earlier and the shipping was around $250 also shipped via FedEx. I just shipped the same friend my old Mayo bass domestically via FedEx and it was $130 via ground. It would have been over $300 for the fastest air method.

 

[xzyryabx]

Wow....500 is insane!
It was 150 last time I had shipped over, but that was a few years ago.
Gonna check out the shibuya guitar stores tomorrow, good to know there's a new one!

 

[narad]

Ikebe’s shipping costs for my new bass was close was around $500 including insurance. I guess they need money to pay for the new store. BTW- have you been to the new Ikebe Shibuya?

A friend bought an Infinite from Kurosawa a month earlier and the shipping was around $250 also shipped via FedEx. I just shipped the same friend my old Mayo bass domestically via FedEx and it was $130 via ground. It would have been over $300 for the fastest air method.

I'd be okay with $250 to get something over there, but ya, my own quotes are in the $500 range.

Haven't been to the new Ikebe. Man, they went all out for the piano guys!

 

[Crumbling]

My shipping fee from Ikebe was 34,054JPY, so about 300 bucks USD. With Australian import duty it came to about 500

 

[soliloquy]

Can I ask what your total shipping cost was?



US customs is like flipping a coin. There's some things that basically always get hit, and others that are more stochastic in nature.

This is more relevant to Canadians, as my conversation with the customs agent was from a Canadian perspective, but this is how he put it:

"Doesn't matter what is coming into the country, and from where, or what the value of that item is. Prepare to ALWAYS pay customs. In the event you didn't, for whatever reason, count your stars and be happy"

I didn't ask why, but yeah, just prepare to always pay, and get lucky when you dont.

 

[Metal Mortician]

I just want to get my hands on the new EII SV in the States. Alas, I may have to concede to an Arrow.

 

[Fenriswolf]

I didn't ask why, but yeah, just prepare to always pay, and get lucky when you dont.

I have a high end Edwards and a JDM Seiko on the way. One thing I have noticed though...all the stuff I had to pay fees on stayed in customs for a while, my watch (going by the tracking) was out of customs after an hour.

If y'all don't mind cross your fingers or say a prayer for me. Just in case.

 

[soul_lip_mike]

I bought a caparison CZQ direct from caparison off reverb and it arrived in two days from Japan a few months ago, they shipped via DHL.

 

[soliloquy]

I have a high end Edwards and a JDM Seiko on the way. One thing I have noticed though...all the stuff I had to pay fees on stayed in customs for a while, my watch (going by the tracking) was out of customs after an hour.

If y'all don't mind cross your fingers or say a prayer for me. Just in case.

I buy more Camera gear than guitar gear. My experience is that even if it touches the customs for a second, that sadly doesnt indicate when customs are going to kick in.

i remember buying a lens from someone second hand in the States. I think i bought it for $250? I had to pay another $180 on it in customs. Why? Because someone wanted to get paid...i think?

but yes, fingers crossed. I shall pray for thee to the old Gods and the new! Your NGD shall be glorious!

 

[Andromalia]

I have a high end Edwards and a JDM Seiko on the way. .

What Seiko ?

 

[Fenriswolf]

What Seiko ?

King Samurai Save the Ocean

 

[Alberto7]

I got my Edwards Alexi shipped from Japan to Canada and got it 2 weeks ago via FedEx. I had zero problems in Japan. I only had trouble with it getting stuck in Memphis for ~3 weeks due to the polar vortex and terrible weather the US just had. Other than that, all good.

Before buying it I asked Big Boss if they'd sell me one of theirs, but they wouldn't want to ship overseas. Then again, I think there might have been a bit of a language issue between their rep and myself, as his email read like they couldn't ship overseas, but if I was willing "to pick it up" in Japan it was ok; otherwise if I "wanted to pick it up in Canada" I'd have to ask my local ESP dealer. I can guess what was meant by this, but I found a super sweet deal for one on eBay, so I went with that rather than clarifying potential miscommunication and an 8-month wait for a brand new Edwards.

=============================

Also, for what it's worth: I have a separate hobby from music: inks and fountain pens. Japan is HUGE on this stuff. Some of my favorite ink and pen manufacturers are Japanese, so over the last few years I've placed quite a lot of orders from Japan, including over the course of the pandemic.

Really the main change I've noticed is the fact that EMS is basically dead to Canadians for now, and everyone's resorted to using UPS, FedEx, or DHL. DHL have been terrible to me with their duties charges. Funnily enough, with EMS (pre-Covid), I rarely got charged duty, even on more expensive items. (>$500)