[Robert1950]

Anyone who can't afford the real thing - ESP Edwards guitars are available from Japan. Thess guys seem to have a variety available. I've heard many times Edwards very are good value for money. It's just that you have to import them from Japan. This means $125 US shipping, and then a small duty (not covered under Nafta), then borkerage ( CanadaPost I hope) Then taxes. May still be a deal, but that's for each person to judge.

http://search.ebay.ca/_W0QQsassZmijsixstringskatanaQQhtZ-1

I hear Katana isn't the quickest at responding to e-mails, but they got '56 GTs and LP specials with P90s.

Then there is this other site. I know nothing about them

http://search.ebay.ca/_W0QQsassZguitarspazz7QQhtZ-1

This just for players interest a Japanese repros and such.

Disclaimer - I am in no way associate with the above.

 

[torndownunit]

You can get them cheaper from Ishabashi. He charges in Yen as well, not USD like Katana does on eBay. The conversion from Canadian $ to Yen is better than USD to Canadian $.

I have been considering getting one of the Les Paul Specials. They are more true to an original Les Paul Special than anything Gibson currently makes. The last Reissue Gibson did didn't even have P-90's (had P-100's). But ya, all the Edwards guitars look amazing.

Unfortunatly the taxes and duty do add up. There is %15 duty on Japanese guitars from what I have been told. Then there is %15 tax on top of that. So %30 of a $600 (Ishabashi prices) guitar, AND $125 shipping is a fair bit of cash. Roughy $300 in extra fees.

And also, EMS's Canadian shipper when the package arrives here is not Canada Post. It's one of the couriers.

 

[Robert1950]

And also, EMS's Canadian shipper when the package arrives here is not Canada Post. It's one of the couriers.

I wonder what their brokerage fees are. FedEx and UPS charge an arm and a leg to collect the taxes only. I know that Ishibashi has been a favourite of many/

 

[torndownunit]

That is one area where I am not clear. If you pay $125 for Fedex shipping, that includes the brokerage fee. I don't know what happens when they ship EMS, then a courier takes over here. While there is a language barrier dealing with Ishabashi, it's even worse with Katana. Trying to figure out that info is a little tough. That is a key reason I haven't actually bought one yet.

 

[sneakypete]

Koichi at Ishibashi is a very good English speaker.
I own 4 of the Duncan Edwards...they`ve been making guitars for a long time but the line featuring the Duncan p`ups is only a few years old. I have a LP jr, one of their strats and 2 of the Les Paul models. Only the jr. was not purchased used and even then it was a going out of business sale so it was cheap. It features the bearly finished...finish, single dog ear p-90 and light as a feather.
The two LPs I have are slightly different...one is from the earlier run with the glossy finish and has a two piece body. The later version is matte finish and has a one piece body. Used is the best way to go for these, you can get em for less than half the retail price...when you can get em `cause there are a lot of buyers outside Japan going for them now...I`m lucky I live in a smaller city with less competition and evidently the Japanese players haven`t caught on to the Edwards yet.
Speaking strickty for myself...I bought the Edwards not because I can`t afford a Gibson...I had a Standard but got rid of it after getting my Ornettes, but thats another story... I got my Edwatds `cause I like them, they play great, sound the same and are up to snuff as far as quality and workmanship goes...what more could a guy ask for... excluding the bragging rights that go along with the name on the headstock. I`m down to my final Gibson...the Chet SST and it ain`t going anywhere soon... but the Duncan Edwards have nothing to be ashamed of. I have no idea how they can turn a profit on these...maybe because they have a figured maple veneer over the cap? Only use one screw on the truss rod cover? Not sure...but I do know, when I see the Duncan Edwards used I give them a real good look see...and I`m searching for a tele now to go with the others I have. I don`t think guys are buying the Edwards as a compromise to Gibson, they are buying them because they are well made guitars.

 

[sneakypete]

I`ve sent several guitars from Japan to Montreal using insured postal service. So far...no problems, damage or additional charges. I write them up as gifts...`cause they are... and send them air mail. Takes about a week door to door.
My brother in law and nephew are playing those guitars now.

 

[torndownunit]

Sneaky, the Special I am looking at is from their "laquered taste" line, so it's a nitro top, long neck tenon etc. As I said, the specs look better than anything Gibson is offering right now.

http://www.espguitars.co.jp/edwards/original/E-LS-85LT.html

But again, it's a real unknown what the fees are going to be when it arrives if I order it. Is there any way you could find out what your relatives have paid apon arrival for us?

I have no clue where to find these used. I checked Ishabashi's site but no luck. There are Edwards, but the Special I want seems harder to find.

 

[sneakypete]

as I said there were no additional charges...they paid nothing.
The finish on the guitar your looking for is the barely finished like on my junior... I like it a lot. Ishibashi may not have the guitar on their web site but that doesn`t mean they can`t get it...mail Koichin and ask him.

 

[torndownunit]

sneaky, I emailed them awhile ago and they can get it. And their price including shipping is about $75 less than Katana. As I said the only that concerns me is the shipping.

See, I ordered a CIJ Tele once and I WAS charged duty and taxes on top of the shipping costs when it arrived here.

They have a pretty neat double cut Special that I think looks great as well. The only 'problem' is it comes with a tune-o-matic while there normal Special has the wrap-around. If the double cut had the wrap around as well it would be perfect.

You were mentioining the DUncan pickups. I had the same Duncan SP-90's in a Godin I owned and they are pretty nice pickups. A little different sounding than some P-90's, but I also found them a little quieter.

Those edwards Teles and 335's are BEAUTIFUL looking guitars as well.

 

[Benee Wafers]

TDU
You must calculate duties and taxes.
Fedex and UPS rates do not include Brokerage Fees. They are separate costs.
You can call them to confirm that.
You will definitely have to pay GST which I guess is 6% now with the reduction and depending on which province you are in, Sales Tax. Then the brokerage fees which could conceivably run 50 bucks. Again you can confirm that with the courier company.
Import into Canada, when declaring as a gift has a ceiling of around 60 - 100 bucks Maximum. The company from whom you purchase will not misdeclare the value.
You should verify all before purchase.
Benee Wafers

 

[torndownunit]

I have done plenty of importing, so I do know the routine. But, brokerage has been included in any large Fedex and UPS transactions I have done for amps and guitars. Which is why shipping has been around $100 instead of $50. That does not include taxes usually, but it does cover duty (which is why it's a brokerage fee). Example: I have bought a guitar from rondomusic.net, and when you check out it gives you the breakdown of the shipping AND duty. You pay it up front, and not when the item arrives. Any seller that uses a broker can do this.

However importing from Japan is more of an unknown. Katana uses EMS, which transfers the shipment to a courier when it gets here. I don't know what Ishabashi uses, and I am emailing them right now. I will likely go through Ishabashi if I do the transaction just becase their prices are bit better, and they are much easier to communicate with.

 

[sneakypete]

well I`m not a shop just a guy sending guitars to my family in Canada so I can write them up as gifts like I said earlier. Stores like Ishibashi ship a lot of guitars overseas and they may not be allowed to send them as gifts because they ain`t...mine are. So I suggest you get one of your family members or friends to come to Japan...Canadians get a 90 day tourist visa when entering the country... buy some guitars and send em to ya. And they may need all of those 90 days `cause there are a lot of shops to see.

 

[Benee Wafers]

TDU
For sure you've got two amounts to pay.. Duty and Brokerage Fees.
The duty is what you have to pay the government and the Brokerage Fee is what the broker charges for doing the Canada Customs entry.If you're in a province with Sales Tax you will have to pay that as well.
Benee

 

[Robert1950]

I will likely go through Ishabashi if I do the transaction just becase their prices are bit better, and they are much easier to communicate with.

I've followed the Tokai Forum on and off. Ishibashi has a good rep, but if you have ever tried to navigate their translated web site, 'Arrggh' pretty well describes the experienc. The consensus there seems to be to correspond by email or phone if you know what you want.

 

[torndownunit]

TDU
For sure you've got two amounts to pay.. Duty and Brokerage Fees.
The duty is what you have to pay the government and the Brokerage Fee is what the broker charges for doing the Canada Customs entry.If you're in a province with Sales Tax you will have to pay that as well.
Benee

When you get your UPS or Fedex reciept, you are not going to see any mention of "duty" charges on it. It's all one charge listed as 'brokerage'. Yes they are 2 different fees, but the brokerage fee they charge relates to all those fees.

But again, I have dealt with a few online retailers who use brokers. You pay the fees before the item is shipped, and you only pay the taxes when it arrives here. You don't get as much of a shock from the fees. I have no clue if either of the Japanese retailers we talk about have this included in the $125 shipping charge though is what the issue is. It's basically the different between paying %30 extra when it arrives here, or paying %15 (just taxes) extra when it arrives here.

 

[torndownunit]

Ok I got some more info here.

A guy at another forum I use knows a broker, so he got me some info. The duty on a Japanese guitar coming into Canada is 6%. The combined taxes are %15 and I am pretty sure both have to be paid.

So the only 'unknown fee' is the couriers brokerage fee. Katana uses EMS which hands it over to Purolator in Canada and from what I hear Purolators fees pretty reasonable. However, I have no idea what Ishibashi uses. If they use UPS or Fedex, you can be sure to get screwed for a bunch of extra brokerage fees.

So the guitar I want is 82,000 Yen shipping included from Ishibashi. That comes out to $791 Canadian. That is more than $100 cheaper than Katana. I estimate $166 extra would be due (the %21 calculated above) on the guitar once it got here in duty and taxes. So I'd be looking at $957, and again the courier fees are unknown.

I am starting to think I could find an actual Gibson LP Special for cheaper even though the 90's RI's are popular right now. If I did have to ship it, there would be no duty on it since it's made in the US anyway.

 

[Robert1950]

I am starting to think I could find an actual Gibson LP Special for cheaper even though the 90's RI's are popular right now. If I did have to ship it, there would be no duty on it since it's made in the US anyway.

But there would still be GST and PST /or HST, and a fee to collect it when it comes into the country from the US, even for a used one. I'm not sure how a private sale works with this though.

 

[torndownunit]

Ya but there would be no duty on a US made guitar. And the shipping would be 1/3 of getting a guitar shipped from Japan. Here is the breakdown:

Edwards from Japan - %6 duty + %15 GST and PST + $125 (and for Katana, that is $125 USD) shipping, + possible courier brokerage fees

Gibson from US - No duty on US made Gibsons, %15 GST + PST, about $50 shipping, and if you use USPS a $5 brokerage fee.

I have actually bought 2 used Made In Usa guitars (one a Gibson Melody Maker), had them shipped from the States, and not even been charged taxes when they have been delivered as well. This isn't 'the norm' but it does happen.

There is no 'fee to collect' unless you get it shipped UPS or Fedex. Then you will pay their 'brokerage fee'. But the normal 'fee' is Duty. With NAFTA, we don't pay duty on US made items.

 

[Benee Wafers]

You will need NAFTA Certificate properly filled out to accompany the guitars documents in order not to pay the duty.
Benee

 

[SCREEM]

how about driving to the US and buying a used les paul and just come back and say I brought it with me from home? :rockon2: assuming you live close to the border.