Jackson Star / Shipping through US Customs question

[eakinj]

I tried to find something on this but had little luck.

Anyway I found this site (I don't know if they get anal on here about posting links to guitar shops so I'll just say it's got Japan and Guitar in the name)and I am seriously thinking about ordering the RR-J2BE. However they mention several times on there that there may be a charge from US Customs since this is coming from Japan. Has anyone on here had to pay a Duty or whatever they call it for a guitar shipped from Japan?

If so, and you don't mind answering or giving a ball park figure, how much can I expect to pay on roughly 1100 dollars?

Thanks
-Jerry

[caesar81]

I couldn't imagine paying over $60.00 for a Jackson Stars worth a grand, anyone else care to elaborate?

[ken]

Has anyone on here had to pay a Duty or whatever they call it for a guitar shipped from Japan?

If you put jacksonstars (all one word) in the search, you'll find the articles you're looking for. For some reason if you seperate the words, it doesn't have as many hits (or alternatively use google with site:jcfonline jackson stars).

Look for newc's post in this (which I found using the google searc site:jcfonline jackson stars import duty):

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:OnqYp7mnGlgJ:www.jcfonline.com/forums/archive/index.php%3Ft-21512.html+site:jcfonline.com+jackson+stars+import+duty&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1

It's a thread that says there's no duty into the US for guitars shipped from Japan. Of course, you shouldn't take my word for it, so you can always ring customs and ask. In Ireland, I'll be paying 3.2% duty on the cost of the guitar plus shipping and then 21% on top of that. Ek!

You should also look at the threads regarding semi-custom options. If you're willing to wait four months for them to build the guitar for you, you can have - say - differnt inlays for an extra 50 bucks...

Good luck with it,

Ken

[eakinj]

You should also look at the threads regarding semi-custom options. If you're willing to wait four months for them to build the guitar for you, you can have - say - differnt inlays for an extra 50 bucks...

Good luck with it,

Ken

I've talked to a dealer in Japan through email now, I am probably going to buy two of them, one semi custom (if I can find that semi custom sheet, I have it saved at work and now can't find it again) and one that's just basically the RR1t with 24 frets It's going to take 3-4 months right now to get the standard one, so I might as well order both and get them both about the same time

[JerEvil]

I've talked to a dealer in Japan through email now, I am probably going to buy two of them, one semi custom (if I can find that semi custom sheet, I have it saved at work and now can't find it again) and one that's just basically the RR1t with 24 frets It's going to take 3-4 months right now to get the standard one, so I might as well order both and get them both about the same time

Would it be possible to get the web site or contact info you are using. I am dying for the Neck-Thru kelly star but I have had no luck contacting anyone.

[Newc]

I didn't have to pay any Customs fees, but then I also didn't ask anyone (i.e. Customs) about it.

[ken]

Would it be possible to get the web site or contact info you are using. I am dying for the Neck-Thru kelly star but I have had no luck contacting anyone.

If you mail [email protected] you'll get a reply from one of their English speaking reps, but it may take a couple of days. If you ask for a Kelly Star, give them extra time to respond; they'll probably check with the factory regarding building/pricing.

I should have said that as a Kelly Star is not a production model, there's a slim chance they'll tell you it's full custom only. However, as they done a recent run of KS-J2s, I expect they may make it for you as semi-custom. In other words, if you want a standard KS-J2 (the one at Ikebe-Gakki below, for instance, with EMGs and a Floyd), it'll be circa 130k Yen. You'd have to spec it up from there as a semi-custom if you wanted ebony instead of stripped ebony, etc.

http://www.ikebe-gakki.com/shopping_20.php?state=1&cate=1&s_cate=1&brand=261

[ken]

I've talked to a dealer in Japan through email now, I am probably going to buy two of them, one semi custom (if I can find that semi custom sheet, I have it saved at work and now can't find it again) and one that's just basically the RR1t with 24 frets It's going to take 3-4 months right now to get the standard one, so I might as well order both and get them both about the same time

Here are the links for the translation of the semi-custom form. I used them as the basis when I enquired (thanks be to the translator!). I expect the pricing is out of date, but it'll give you an idea.

http://www.autumn-frost.com/jcf/JS-SCOS1.jpg

http://www.autumn-frost.com/jcf/JS-SCOS2.jpg

Now, lets see how far JerEvil upspecs his KellyStar! Financial ruin, here we come...

[Nazgul]

this semi-custom from is outdated imo. Kurtma recently contacted Ishibashi and they gave him this upgrade costs:
Nut-width: 11/16th (43mm) ---> 4,400Yen
Binding neck & headstock: White (Not ivoriod/creme) ---> 4,400Yen
Logo: Mother of Pearl ---> 6,160Yen
Paintjob: White pinstripes ---> 44,000Yen

He's still waiting for the answer on reverse headstock, reverse sharkfins and white bevels up-charges...

[m2pmd70]

>www.guitarjapan.com< and >www.ikebe-gakki.com< are two other places to contact.

Google translation is pretty handy... http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en

I'm still trying to make up my mind whether to order this:

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65429

...or put the money towards fixing the quarter panels on my old Pontiac. grr@money

[ken]

this semi-custom from is outdated imo. Kurtma recently contacted Ishibashi and they gave him this upgrade costs:
Nut-width: 11/16th (43mm) ---> 4,400Yen
Binding neck & headstock: White (Not ivoriod/creme) ---> 4,400Yen
Logo: Mother of Pearl ---> 6,160Yen
Paintjob: White pinstripes ---> 44,000Yen

He's still waiting for the answer on reverse headstock, reverse sharkfins and white bevels up-charges...

Thanks! I figured they were out of date, but at least they give an idea as to the options available.

I presume those upcharges are based on a J1? The upcharges are greater on a J2. They may not quote JerEvil for a KS-J1 as the base guitar.

I have quotes for some of those things on a guitar I'll (probably) be ordering next week. It's a 7-string and it appears that they'll only use a J2 as the base model for it, so the semi-custom option quotes I have are (fairly significantly) higher...

[ken]

I'm still trying to make up my mind whether to order this:

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65429

...or put the money towards fixing the quarter panels on my old Pontiac. grr@money

That's an odd guitar, but GAS is GAS! How bad are the panels on the Pontiac?

[Nazgul]

I presume those upcharges are based on a J1? The upcharges are greater on a J2. They may not quote JerEvil for a KS-J1 as the base guitar.

These upcharges were based on the RR-J2SP model. Base price of it was 132.000 yen which is the same as the selling price. I think the upcharges are pretty much the same for the other guitars...

[JerEvil]

Got an email from guitarsjapan.com - the guy there says ther would be no customs duties or import fees if I were to go through him. Hopefully that's the case.

[Kurtma]

The funny thing is that I get different prices everytime I mail them. I recently put another quote for a flamed top J2SP and in the reply the guy told me that the J2SP couldn't be selected as the base model.

They seem to be a little a confused over there :P