[dwagar]

If you are ordering something worth, I think, $20 or less, it will come in free through the post office.

Other than a guitar, I always try to specify USPS. Canada Post is the cheapest on brokerage. Something like $5 brokerage fee plus GST (and PST for outside of AB). As said above, if it's made in the US, NAFTA will bring it in duty free.

The bad side - I just brought in a few parts for my Hammond, about $50US. The company charged $12 to ship UPS (they won't ship by post). UPS charged about $4 GST, no duty, but $32 brokerage fees. So freight and brokerage costs almost doubled the cost of the items. Needless to say, I only order from these guys when I really have to.

For guitars, I generally bite the bullet and pay the overnight air fee. I'm just bringing in my second guitar bought on the east coast. It costs an extra $150US for freight out of there to Calgary, but it doesn't give the freight co as much time to break the guitar, so I consider it a worth while cost.

As said above, on a US made guitar, there is no duty, just brokerage and GST (and PST).

On the other hand, IF you can find the guitar up here, I don't think you save much by ordering from the US.

 

[dwagar]

I received my 2001 LP R9 this week from the US East Coast.

This is the second guitar I've brought in this year. In both cases I paid the extra $150 to get FedEx overnight. The shippers both knew how to pack a guitar. And they came through with no problems whatsoever. I also arranged to pick them up at the FedEx warehouse, so I don't have to risk them driving around in a truck for a day.

By buying in the US I saved some money, but more importantly both of these guitars would be very hard to find up here:
- 1960 Melody Maker singlecut, modded to 2 humbuckers
- Les Paul '59 reissue
Bonus on the LP was I bought from a very respected dealer, who gave me a tone report, idea on the neck size etc before I bought it, sight unseen.

I think, if you are buying a guitar that is more available up here, you are better off buying up here.

 

[dwagar]

How do are you liking the R9?

Thanks for asking, I am completely overwhelmed by what a great guitar it is, perfect, for me anyway. May not be someone else's cup of tea, but I've spent most of my playing years on LPs and this is my first historic. Love the neck, sounds just great, and its 8 3/4 lbs, nice weight for me.

I can see the other guitar cases getting dusty real soon.

 

[dwagar]

That's quite possible, I'll try to find the bill, but it worked out to roughly GST only. Of course, I might be getting another bill in the mail from FedEx.
I didn't look that close, since the guitar was significantly less in the USA than I could find in a store here, the GST was less too.

 

[dwagar]

I believe Teleplucker was correct in his post above - the $150 overnight shipping must include the brokerage fees, as I only paid GST on the Les Paul I imported.

There was a blurb on CBC News this week about how we're currently getting screwed on exchange rates. We're still paying prices based on old exchange rates. So I expect we'll see more importing until Canadian dealers get their act together.

As Silverkw mentioned, how do you buy something as expensive as a Les Paul without trying it? Never a good idea. You can either go with the best Ebay deal you can find, so you can safely resell it if it's a 'dog', or pay a bit more and buy through a trusted dealer.

I bought my LP through Marks Guitar Loft in New Hampshire. This guy has an exceptional reputation, so I had no worries. Mark will tell you about every single scratch on a guitar, play it and give you a tone report, etc.

I bought a 2001 '59 LP Reissue for $2950US. Add $150 for freight, and exchange at about 1.11, and you're under $3500 Cdn. The ONLY used one L&M had (well, it was actually back to Gibson for repair, so I'd also have to wait for it) was an '03 for $4500. So I saved about $1,000 (plus the GST on the difference, so closer to $1100). Mine was also previously owned by Mick Ralphs of Bad Company/Mott the Hoople - came with a letter of provinence (sp?). I didn't think he'd play a 'dog' - this guitar can be seen on his '02 Mott the Hoople tour.

And yes, it is a fantastic guitar. Absolutely the best I've ever owned.

I would always suggest you try out many guitars before you lay out a bunch of cash (as Silverkw recommends). But sometimes you simply cannot find the guitar you want (L&M Calgary doesn't even stock new ones, you'd have to order one - too expensive: $5895 VOS finish, the guy I talked to thought he could order a gloss finish for about $400 more if I wanted), or the savings importing are simply too big to ignore.