How Will Tariffs Effect the Guitar Market

[Tonray's Ghost]

Well, shucks. I celebrated too soon.

I just read that since an appeal has been filed, the tariffs will stay in place until the case is decided by appeals court.

Well at least those fat and lazy Supreme court slackers will get some work in this year. I hope Clarence doesn't miss any RV shows or private jet junkets. That would be awful

[peskypesky1]

ok, no one, and I mean NO ONE, seems to know whether the "de minimis" exemption from tarriffs is still in effect. Goods under the value of $800 used to be exempt from import duties/tariffs.

Then a few weeks ago, the President got rid of the de minimis exemption, so ALL goods from China, even those under $800, became subject to import tariffs.

Then, at some point, the President made a "deal" with China, and he dropped the tariff percentage on import goods. But it's completely unclear whether this still applies to goods under $800.

So, just to find out, I made an order on AliExpress for roller saddles for Strats.

We'll see what happens.

If you DARE, try to figure out if the de minimis exemption is or is not in effect.

[golem]

@peskypesky1 I will confess to seeing a lot of confusion about this as well.

[peskypesky1]

@peskypesky1 I will confess to seeing a lot of confusion about this as well.

You can't even find out on the gov't websites because the tariffs change faster than the webmasters can update the sites.

[peskypesky1]

well, the roller saddles from AliExpress cleared customs!

[tobijohn]

well, the roller saddles from AliExpress cleared customs!

It's been a number of years since I'd ordered anything off of AliExpress but I don't recall ever getting a notification like that. To those who have ordered more recently, had you?

[Buddha Pickups]

Its been many years but i do remember on a few Chibsons 10ish years ago getting notifications if it went through customs but I think that was mainly to see if it was seized or not

[Tonray's Ghost]

well, the roller saddles from AliExpress cleared customs!

It's been a number of years since I'd ordered anything off of AliExpress but I don't recall ever getting a notification like that. To those who have ordered more recently, had you?

Here in Thailand, lots of stuff ordered via Lazada.com, SE Asia's Amazon, is marked as coming from China so you can decide whether to order or not. And in the app itself they keep you up to date as to when an order is cleared out of China, when it arrives in Thailand customs and when it gets out.

[tonebender]

Years ago, I ordered some Persol sunglasses from Italy because they were cheaper than the US sellers. Yeah, you guessed it, after receiving them I got a tax bill from the tax man. In the end it was the same price. Just order from American sellers. Even when I bought a couple of Chibsons I found them in California.

[peskypesky1]

He said he got his guitar from Vietnam with no tariffs.
But has a friend who received a guitar from the UK and had to pay more in duties than the guitar cost.

So I guess it's all a crap-shoot.