IBANEZ RULES!! shipping

Typical shipping charges for UPS Ground, fully insured, are - SNIP - Along with their usual year end rate hike, UPS has raised the insurance rates from $3.50/$1000 to $8/$1000 significantly increasing the price of shipping. I just paid $62 to ship a DNA valued at $4500 to Florida. What would have been $35 before the hike. Insurance alone was $36. Along with the amount of bubble wrap I go through each year I've finally had to raise shipping prices after holding the line for many years. Very high insurance shipments will be higher than those quoted.

East Coast - $30 - delivery time 1-3 days

Midwest - $35 - delivery time 2-4 days

Plains - $40 - delivery time 3-5 days

Rocky Mountain - $45 - delivery time 6-7 days

West Coast - $50 - delivery time 7 days

If the package is much larger than usual or the insurance value much is higher it can increase these quotes by as much as $15. Faster shipping options by UPS are available and must be quoted on an individual basis. I will need your Postal Code to calculate the shipping charge.

US PARTS SHIPPING

I ship small US orders in a padded envelope First Class mail with delivery confirmation and insurance. Allow 3 - 14 days for delivery, sometimes the mail is just sloooow but the delivery confirmation number can be tracked. {Do not ask me for this number unless it has been at least 2 weeks since it was shipped]. The cost is $5. Large or bulky orders that will not fit in a padded envelope will cost between $7 and $15 for Priority mail insured w/confirmation. As with all US mail, sometimes it gets lost. The rules of USPS stipulate you must allow 21 days for delivery before you can file an insurance claim for lost mail. It's unfortunate but I have has several "lost" orders show up in that 3rd week so my best advice is, be patient, or, request Priority Mail shipping, which, being mail, can also be lost.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

All International shipping must be quoted on an individual basis. I will need the Country and Postal Code of the shipping address, and of course the insurance value of the shipment to calculate. On average Postal Express runs between $120 and $140 but with insurance charges at around $10 per $1000 can vary greatly between a $800 package to a $5000 package. UPS shipping costs about twice as much as Postal but is much faster to most countries. Specifics of these reasons and options below.

UPDATE - The brain trust in charge of services at the USPS have completely screwed up all Postal International shipping. The ONLY option left after the 5/14/07 service changes is Postal Fedex [Global Express Guaranteed]. There is no longer any Express or Airmail services to any country in the world. They have standardized the box size for all services except Postal Fedex to 42" length with a total length plus circumference [ L+W+W+D+D] at 79". The only way to ship a guitar at these dimensions is without case and taken apart with neck off. I will do a full update of this page soon.

UPDATE 2 - Evidently somebody has pointed out the stupidity of the original changes as I'm starting to see larger limits added. UK has just added a Priority service with a 60" length and 108" length + circumference, but the maximum insurance is limited to $650. Obviously I have to quote individually and I will give all viable options.

I typically quote shipping by Postal Express [formerly EMS - Express Mail Service and now renamed GEM - Global Express Mail] insured for full value because it is the cheapest way to ship. Postal Airmail is about 25% cheaper than Express but can add a week to as much as a month to delivery time. Both GEM and Airmail have strict size limits and are not available to all countries because these limits are much smaller than a guitar case. Global Express Mail is handled by the United States Postal Service until it's handed off to your country's customs office [which is a huge warehouse]. Shipping time to your country is fast and usually only 2 or 3 days, but since nobody brokers it through customs the Customs Office has to clear it themselves. A Government Agency at work, in a very big warehouse. Clearing a package includes figuring the Duty/VAT/Tax and sometimes contacting the receiver to ask them how they're paying their Customs bill as some countries require that you pay the Taxes in full *before* they will clear the package. Some countries Customs Office can be a black hole that swallows a package for 10 days to almost 3 weeks, some are quick, England has taken as short as 4 days for total delivery time for GEM [smaller than guitar size packages, specifically under 36"] and as long as 3 weeks by Airmail for a guitar. After the package clears Customs it's turned over to your country's Postal Service and continues it's Express delivery [or Airmail]. Again here, some are much quicker and efficient than others. With GEM you usually get decent tracking information you can check online at usps.com, with Airmail you get no tracking at all.

Along with GEM [if applicable] I will also quote GXG {Global Express Guaranteed] which is postal express with delivery service provided by FedEx. This is about 25% cheaper than either UPS or FedEx and is comparable to FedEx Expedited. The post office hands the package off to FedEx and they handle the shipment right to your door, including brokerage through Customs. This is a solid fast and reliable service but I have had a problem with restricted delivery areas twice [Russia and Saudi Arabia] in that only major cities are served. This does not show up on the website when the charge for shipping GXG is calculated and is only found out when taken to the post office for shipping. In the case of restricted delivery areas shipping must then be carried out by UPS or [regular] FedEx but of course at a higher cost that you will be responsible for. Since GXG is actually handled by FedEx there is a FedEx tracking number and it can be tracked on the FedEx website. Shipping GXG [or regular FedEx and UPS shown below] the costs are highly dependent on size. An extra inch in thickness can add $40 to the calculated cost. I can ship without padding and in the smallest box possible but I normally like to ship with at least some padding. The only size restriction with GXG of concern is the length at 46", and I will only have a supply of 45" long boxes. This allows for at least some padding, just not as much as I would prefer, but also keeps the costs down.

If shipping is by UPS or FedEx etc. [I typically only use UPS] not only will you pay all Taxes and Duty but these companies will add on their own brokerage fee, usually about $50. They broker the package themselves through customs by calculating all the Fees/Taxes, submitting the correct paperwork to the Customs Office, and pay the Tax/Duty/VAT due themselves so the package flies through Customs. It usually takes only 1-2 days to clear on an Express shipment, depending on the country of destination. UPS is usually 175 - 200% the cost of Postal Express, and then add on their Brokerage Fee. At least twice the cost in total, but depending on the country the shipment can be a day to 2 weeks faster. The choice of what you pay for shipping is up to you.

You can get a good estimate of Postal costs by figuring it on the USPS website here. Use the pull down menu to select destination country, it will refresh to the correct country, then click the package tab and enter 25 in the pounds field [uncased will weigh around 15]. Press continue. On the next page make sure to click the SHOW DIMENSIONS link in the upper gray band to note what services are available. If it's 42" or less it is not an option except for very risky delivery of an uncased guitar packed too small, unpacked small case, or a breakdown package where you have enough skill to reassemble and setup the guitar and it is shipped with the neck off. The smallest case typically found on these pages will be the old M150 molded case and it is exactly 42" long with total overall dimension right on 79" [it's like the case size was designed to meet this shipping restriction limit]. This is the maximum for airmail to some countries and if you want it shipped bare bones without padding you can save some money. I will not be responsible for any damage as a result of this choice and even if it is insured it's unlikely the carrier will honor a claim. SAFE shipping is well packed and padded and you cannot get that in a 42" length / 79" total dimension. Countries that allow 60" length and 108" overall allow for excellent packing and worry free shipments. If you're figuring GXG [Global Express Guaranteed] the restriction is always 46", so the box size should be entered as 45" x 18" x 7", the typical size of readily available shipping boxes I have on hand that allow for one wrap of thick bubble wrap, fall within the size limits, and aren't too big. Big just adds a lot of dollars [add 1" on thickness and see how much the number changes, then add 3"]. When calculating always round up to cover packing supplies. I will have to give you the actual quote but this method will give you a good estimate of what you shipping only costs will be.

INTERNATIONAL PARTS SHIPPING

Small parts orders are quoted 2 ways, Airmail and Priority mail [where available]. International insurance can be more expensive than the parts themselves and you will have to request a shipping quote with insurance. EMS [Express Mail Service] can be a better option for insurance as it includes $100 in insurance and at least you get the benefit of faster delivery. Because International shipping insurance is so expensive you have the option to ship without insurance, but I will NOT be responsible for anything shipped without insurance, In the US or especially International.

UPDATE - As with the guitar shipping update above, the USPS service changes on 5/14/07 will require me to rewrite this section. Airmail is now called International First Class [still no insurance available], the cheap $6 Flat Rate Priority envelopes no longer exist and Priority has been replaced by International Priority at a rate close to Express, but insurance is now available on Priority mail. The last option being Express. Not that all will have to be individually quoted but costs on all but First Class have risen significantly.

Large parts orders are usually quoted EMS [Express Mail Service] as it is usually only about $10 or so more expensive than Airmail insured and is just a much better option. There is a tracking number but it is useless once the package leaves the US.

SOUTH AMERICAN SHIPPING

Shipping South of the US is extremely expensive by any of the US shipper. I was just recommended this service which uses their own planes to ship to South America with substantial savings. The website is in Spanish so use your own judgment if the shipping method from the plane to your door is satisfactory to you. Shipping to this outfit from me is $30. www.lanboxusa.com

International Customs Fees

Examples of what some countries charge in import fees. If not listed please contact your Customs Office and ask for the specifics.

Canada bills 5%GST plus whatever your local provincial tax is, plus 6% duty. Alberta will pay 11% taxes total, Saskatchewan they will pay 18% (5 GST, 6 Duty, and 7PST), etc.

England bills 22.4% total VAT and Duty.

Ireland bills 21% VAT and 3.7% Duty for electric guitars

Finland bills 3.7% Duty and 22% VAT totaling 25.7%

Holland bills 3.2% Duty and 19% Consumer Tax totaling 22.2%

Spain bills 3.75% Duty and 16% VAT for a combined 19.75%

Denmark bills 25%

Sweden bills 25% plus 3% Customs fee.

Switzerland bills out 7.6% MWST Import Tax