Saxophones Tax/Import?? Ordering from china

[Bolding]

Found this alto sax on Alibaba.com, I've recieved a price of 300$ 220 for the sax, 80 for delivery to Denmark.
Now, the thing is, i think this is viable for taxation... I think it is, but I'm not sure at all. I've been going through the "tariff" listing all of the possible materials/items viable for taxation, couldn't even find the brass department......
So i guess I'm hoping that someone with some experience of importing saxes, from china/taiwan to the EU, would share their thoughts?

Is this going to be taxed?

This is the sax : http://skylinemusic.en.alibaba.com/product/303661754-210358577/SA_NP_Antique_Alto_saxophone.html

 

[ProfJames]

Hi @Bolding ! It says on the advert "minimum order 5 units". Have you checked that they will sell you a "one off"?

 

[Bolding]

Yes, they confirmed it this afternoon!

 

[ProfJames]

That's good news for you! I would Google your Danish government website and check on import duty and taxation.

 

[Bolding]

I've been searching the different sections of metals, precious metals, hell,i even looked in the toys department.... No brass department, nor a musical instruments department... Any ideas???

 

[ProfJames]

Would suggest you don't need to specify brass. Search on importing goods/presents/gifts. It shouldn't really matter about the country of source but there will probably be duty and tax to pay.

In the UK we get charged approximately 40% of the purchase price in tax and duty. Tax and duty is also charged on the shipping cost as well...!!!!

 

[Bolding]

Thanks Prof! That's essentially all i need to know!.... Buy local! (or atleast when your as broke as i)...

Presents.. Why didnt i think of that!....

To any danish members wishing to import anything, if it's above 80 Kroner (8£ xD) tax & duty will be charged.

 

[ProfJames]

Good idea to buy locally or at least in the EU. Place a, "wanted" at on the Yard Sale here. Name your budget and what you are looking for and see if any members have anything that they may want to sell.

 

[DavidUK]

You have a Yamaha 25 tenor, why not look for a Yamaha alto, or have you tried one?

See the Yard Sale too.

 

[Bolding]

@ProfJames Considered that, but as I'm only currently dreaming, and planning budgets, i really wouldn't wanna waste anyones time...

@DavidUK I'd love to buy your Vito, if i had the funds... Especially if it's the one that compared so well to the selmer & yamaha... If it's still for sale once i reach 430£, you can be darn sure I'll snap it up!
Buut thats gonna be a couple of months.

 

[altissimo]

better to wait and save up and buy something decent than buy an unknown brand chinese sax that may not be very good

 

[milandro]

Despite not being in the Eurozone, Denmark is a member state of the EU.

All member states of the EU will apply at the very least their VAT ( 25% for most type of goods) tariff on any goods coming from outside the Union. Denmark also seems to apply duty. On top of that the postal service or courier will charge you a fee for handling through customs.

This WILL turn out to be an expensive Chinese saxophone.

these are the rules for importing into Denmark

The threshold above which you pay duty is DKK1150 you pay VAT on anything above DKK 80

http://www.dutycalculator.com/country-guides/Import-duty-taxes-when-importing-into-Denmark/

 

[Ads]

Chris is selling a G4M almost unused on the Yardsale - same finish and probably the same sax (Generic Chinese) .... it`s cheaper than that option as it is - and you get an £85 mouthpiece included -------- Also chris will probably split the Mpc and Horn if you ask to make the sax even cheaper !!

Cheaper to get this sent to Denmark from the UK than all that messing about and not knowing even if the horn will be playable once it lands - Chris will have fully "QC'd" his

 

[ProfJames]

Chris is selling a G4M almost unused on the Yardsale - same finish and probably the same sax (Generic Chinese) .... it`s cheaper than that option as it is - and you get an £85 mouthpiece included -------- Also chris will probably split the Mpc and Horn if you ask to make the sax even cheaper !!

Cheaper to get this sent to Denmark from the UK than all that messing about and not knowing even if the horn will be playable once it lands - Chris will have fully "QC'd" his

Great call Ads.

 

[Bolding]

@milandro Thanks for your response, that kinda put the most basic rules into place for me, very usefull thanks for taking the time!

@Ads Thank you Ads! However i Pm'ed him, last night though heh Can't believe i missed it all day, looking at chineese/taiwanese manufacturers on alibaba.

 

[milandro]

One thing. There is not a “ generic Chinese sax” there are dozens of very large factories in China ( while in Taiwan factories tend to be relatively small) and even when their products “ look” alike they might not be.

Having said this my advise is to buy the best saxophone that you can afford. If you buy a saxophone that is worth less than an overhaul, you are going to throw it out once it needs more work than it is worth.

It is simple economics.

I abhor this concept of generating “ throw away “ objects

 

[Ads]

By "Generic Chinese sax" I mean one which is made by Whichever factory for distribution to all kinds of outlets with various branding, basic SA80 or YT901 clones - they may not all be the same horn from the same place but they`re Generic in that they`re bought in bulk and badged to suit and not special production instruments ..

As opposed to a Non-Generic such as those made for Bauhaus Walstein, TJ`s Alphas and Classics, The Chinese Sakkusus made for Sax.co and of course the likes of the Buffet 400, the non-Taiwanese Con-Selmer USA instruments such as the Elkhart 100 series ... Commissioned horns with proper QC and to a known company specs ..

 

[milandro]

two saxophones , one “ generic” and one non generic might have started their lives side by side. they are stamped or engraved only at the end of the line. Anyway there are no factories which specialize in generic products but the several factories in China ALL make OEM products for thousands of customers around the world.

 

[Colin the Bear]

It's not a throw away if you do your own repairs. My G4M alto is going still strong. A few cheap pads and a bit of self adhesive cork sheet cut with scissors and she's still singing. A guy at the local meet heard me talking about repadding the top end and asked me if I'd have a look at his vintage melody C. I think Conn was mentioned. I told him I didn't float the pads in shellac or use prestini pads. However a dab of evo stick on a the back of chinese pad works great and lasts a fair old time. He said he'd take it into the shop lol. Mine is more geriatric than generic.

 

[milandro]

Only very few people do their repads and even less do real repairs as in undenting and soldering.



Colin you might be good at this but many are not. I have seen many horror stories produced by people who thought they could “ repair” things.