Just how much are we getting ripped off in the UK?

[skullfunkerry]

I've always known that US Jacksons are expensive over here, but I've never really paid any attention. A couple of people have commented on the fact that the KE2 I'm selling is far too expensive to you guys in the States, so I've just looked into it a bit.

I had a PM saying that the £1299 I'm looking for is about the same price you'd pay for a new one in the US; according to the Guitar Center website a new KE2 in EDS is $3099. That's around £1920 at the moment. The same guitar over here is £2522 - and a trans black is £2556!

http://www.gak.co.uk/en/jackson-usa-ke2-kelly-eerie-dess-swirl/55982

http://www.gak.co.uk/en/jackson-usa-ke2-kelly-transparent-black/55983

Do those prices sound about right to you guys?

The main question I'm wondering right now (and I'm not sure I want to know the answer to this!) is just how much more expensive my CS Kelly was compared to if I'd bought it over there... specs wise, it's the same as a KE2, apart from the strings through body instead of a Floyd, EMGs instead of SDs and a custom paint finish. Anyone want to guesstimate a price for that?

[decadence5423]

You're not going to be able to compete with used USA prices in the US. There's a virtually mint but used trans black KE2 for buy it now of $1650 (£1022) on ebay and it might not even sell for that. The trans black KE2 might be around £2556 new for you, the only new trans black KE2 I could find is on ebay for $2349 (£1455). Guitar center here wants wants $2400 for a plain black one, and I think the trans finish adds about $400 so maybe full retail puts them $2800 (£1734) new.

[darrellm]

Everything's cheaper in the US, I went into Sam Levins in Washington last time I was over and I couldn't believe the choice and prices of Jackons and Charvels. It was only the thought of paying an extra 24% to bring in back into the UK that prevented me buying one. Same for one of my other hobbies (ham radio), crazy prices here in the UK. Could be worse, up in Scandinavia the prices are even crazier.

[guitardudeluke]

so called vat 20% on top which is absolute bollox so if you buy a guitar for say 1000 buy the time it gets over here your paying 1200 then shipping it goes on and on i hate this country

[Axewielder]

I guess they are trying to protect all those UK-based guitar manufacturers.

[Nightbat]

Cartelforming? Pricefixing?
Importers/Distributors, thank those for the often insane discrepancies in price

and it's getting pretty bad, "Free trade" my ass, I found a number of US shops already not willing (allowed!) to ship items because
of distributors having exclusive rights

[neilli]

When I was still in the UK, I used to buy most stuff from the US - it was waaay cheaper even after allowing the shipping/tax plus there was a lot more choice. When it comes to the why's, I guess there's shipping, then another level of distribution (Fender UK) then the higher costs of running a store in the UK. And of course, there's an element of charging what the market will bear.

[Anders]

Did a quick check, and the list price for a trans black KE2 in Sweden is £2847 ( $4593 ), and the KE2 in eerie dess lists for £3181 ( $5133 ). Good times.......

[neilli]

Don't forget that list price isn't street price. The list price in the US would scare you too..

[P I K A]

Higher prices on everything = "free" healthcare just sayin

[xenophobe]

Don't forget that list price isn't street price. The list price in the US would scare you too..

Don't forget there was also a recent price increase as well. USA Select are now selling in the $2600-$2900 price range. Before the price increase MSRP was about $2600 and street price was $1950-$2150 depending on model.

[Anders]

Don't forget that list price isn't street price. The list price in the US would scare you too..

Yeah man, I know. Street prices in Sweden are still high as hell...

[RCM78]

Retailers in the US benefit from a big markup on USA Jacksons. Most models are around 50% and a few are just over that. So if you go by retail list price your not getting the real picture. Theres plenty of room to haggle.

[Nightbat]

Higher prices on everything = "free" healthcare just sayin

No that's the VAT, the pricejack of dist/imp-ers is just profit for them
and less money in my pocket to pay the €80 a month for 'free' healthcare, excluding a €350 Policy excess a year and many medicine/smaller treatments requiering extra payment
(Oh yes, over here, we're heading for the 'American system' which already was proven didn't work, and now suddenly we have people indebted to their HMO,...how strange
Not to mention the lower wages need a government benefit of a maximum of €70 -LMAO- a month to help make ends meet, meanwhile the HMOs and Hospitals are laughing their way to the bank)

[ginsambo]

You'll be amazed by how much the price of diesel can inflate the economy. Also we have a massive centralised civil service which relies on state funding (Taxation) rather than private localised donation funds as they tend to in the US. We don't get letters and phonecalls every hour asking us to donate to the local police of fire brigade do we?

When you break it down both the UK, the rest of Europe and the USA are all heading towards one system. A system where we are all milked to pay our taxes through income, goods, fuel, utilities and capital gains, savings, pensions and housing to fund private corporations who don't pay any tax and who get all the government contracts and grant themselves bigger bonuses each year, whilst delivering less each year and increasing their charges by 25% year on year.

I know Fox New cut the NHS section out from the Olympics ceremony (Probably because the patronising cunts thought that your typical american wouldn't understand what it was about) but the truth is that here, in the UK, we have it better than the US. Say for example, in Virginia, the minimum wage is exactly the same as the UK, translated at $1.55 per £. Groceries work out about the same, although fruit and veg is hineously expensive, even though it is produced just a state away.

As for income tax, it works out about the same. For a country that was estabished to avoid paying taxes and practice free religion they are doing pretty badly. The thing with America is though, they DON'T have an NHS. They are basically still paying through the nose for stuff, getting taxed loads but they are getting milked by big business who lobby government and don't pay any taxes what so ever. But one thing that is cheaper in america is high end goods. But what is the point of that when you need to eat? Sure Tac Bell is reasonably priced but fast food is cheap in the UK too and Taco Bell doesn't actually contain any meat...They are massively in debt and in denial about it. The housing market is totally fucked. Everyone is in negetive equity and day by day their debts are getting worse.

If you look up Thomann the new Chinese Jacksons are as cheap if not cheaper than they are in the US. Used USA Charvel Pro Mods are cheaper if not the same in the UK.

Not everything is greener over there. Apart from the fact that they are a republic and sear allegiance to the Flag instead of the Queen and you get praised for trying your best whether you win or lose, rather than being told you are a worthless scum of you try and only suceed 99% as is the case over here.

Also over here in the UK, you cannot get into the Houses of Parliament with any new political party unless you swear allegiance to the Queen. This is why republic Northern Irish have never become MP's. The people in charge of the Army, the Bank of England and the land are all long lineage aristocrats who's ancestors got their station by killing any peasant freedom fighters who threatened to rebel against the oppression and tyrany of the Monarchy and Church and they protect their lot. Any new nouveux riche oligarch's, like the Russian oil barrens are sworn in and knighted as Lords and become members of the VIP aristocracy. Their children are schooled at special schools and taught that they are the elite and the ruling class and become career politicians or high ranking directors in the old boys club. In the UK there is only so far you can make it through innovation and hard work without hitting the glass ceilings of the old boys network. Forty families own some 80% of the entire landmass of the UK. Political parties are a waste of time as ultimately the House of Lords and the Monarchy have the ultimate power. We are plebs.

However in the USA, in theory at least anyone can live the American dream.

If we had to compare the two, they are getting so similar it is hard to spot the differences. But the UK wins as it has the NHS. How long that will last before we pay double the taxes for a private health care system that is useless and negligant and only functions to make the board richer I don't know.

Higher priced USA guitars are a price worth paying IMO. The USA is going down the shitter faster than we are.