Customs on imported flutes?

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:18 am

I may buy a flute from a private person abroad (outside the USA).
Does anybody know whether duty is payed if this
is mailed or shipped into the USA; any idea how much?

dcopley · Post by **dcopley** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:34 am

Jim,

If it is an antique (more than 100 years old) then it is duty-free, but make sure that the sender labels it as such. For non-antiques, there is an import duty of 5% or there-abouts.

Dave Copley
Loveland, Ohio

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:37 am

We find the rates much lower if the flute is an antique.
I am waiting for an old French flute from New York, and am hoping that the sender has remembered to say on the form that an old instrument is enclosed. For a cheap item they might not bother me ( he says optimistically ! ).

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:40 am

Many thanks.

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 9:05 am

I've ordered many things from other countries and never been charged any kind of duty or import charge. However, I recently had something shipped UPS and about a week after I received it I got a bill from UPS for an import tax/duty. I thought this was very strange. I don't think I'll be using UPS anymore.

-Brett

eilam · Post by **eilam** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:59 am

what a timely post!
just an hour ago i received a call from "the tax guy".
Terry McGee send me one of his Larsen flutes to try for a week, and send it to Gery.
Now uncle Sam is after me for $70, even though I have not paid a penny toward that flute, and I only had it for one week!
From what I gather, since it was mailed to me, I need to make sure it's paid.
So if any of you see Grey - Can you please ask him to do his "duty"
thanks, eilam.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:12 am

There is an odd wrinkle here.
Suppose the flute in question is made by an American
and sold to somebody overseas who later sells and ships
it to an American. So why the duty?

Actually I don't understand the rationale for
duty charges anyhow. Will somebody give
me an economics lesson?

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:55 am

It all depends on the origin of the flute and the customs of that particular country/tribe/clan or maker. Like honouring the tree for giving of its wood for the flute, what rituals or scarifices or chants, will be needed.

Your posting is very open to interpretation Jim.

If you mean Customs as in those taxes and duties collected by governments, then in Canada, I gave up having flute makers send me flutes on speculation, because everytime a flute was sent to me, I was charged various duties, federal and provincial sales taxes, even when I protested that "I'm not buying this etc!" ("Ya right kid and how do we know that?" attituded)

Now I use the irsh under33ground. And avoid UPS at all costs.

MarkB

eilam · Post by **eilam** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:15 pm

Jim, the sender should put AGR (American goods returned) or American made flute....
then there should be no problem with tax.

Jon C. · Post by **Jon C.** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:18 pm

Wow Eilam,
Sounds like you got the short end of the stick! (flute)

Jon

eilam · Post by **eilam** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:22 pm

forget the stick, I did not even get the root

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:05 pm

it is particularly galling to receive old English flutes from America and have to pay duty on them. Or even old French ones. Or even old American ones !!

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:07 pm

eilam wrote:what a timely post!
just an hour ago i received a call from "the tax guy".
Terry McGee send me one of his Larsen flutes to try for a week, and send it to Gery.
Now uncle Sam is after me for $70, even though I have not paid a penny toward that flute, and I only had it for one week!
From what I gather, since it was mailed to me, I need to make sure it's paid.
So if any of you see Grey - Can you please ask him to do his "duty"
thanks, eilam.

Travelling flutes such as these need to be sent as "Commercial Samples", meaning they come into the country, but are expected to go out again. No duty should then be assessed. However, they do eventually have to leave.

Kevin Krell

pandscarr · Post by **pandscarr** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 2:11 am

Last year I had to pay Customs duty on a Wylde I bought from an American owner - before the post office would deliver the flute! It certainly changed the final price...

Andrew - I wasn't aware of any exceptions to the customs duty levy for antiques? Please share, if there are any!

pamela

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 9:42 am

eilam wrote:Jim, the sender should put AGR (American goods returned) or American made flute....
then there should be no problem with tax.

This would be very nice, as it would save a bundle.